Waka Nathan

Waka Nathan

Player information
Full name	Waka Joseph Nathan
birthday	July 8, 1940
place of birth	Auckland , New Zealand
size	180 cm
society
society	Career ended
position	Winger
Clubs as active
Years	society	Games (points)
	Otahuhu RFC
province
province	Career ended
position	Winger
Provinces as active
Years	province	Games (points)
1959-1970	Auckland RFU
National team
Years	National team	Games (points)
1962-1967	New Zealand	14 (12)

Waka Joseph Nathan (born July 8, 1940 in Auckland , New Zealand ) is a former New Zealand rugby union player on the position of winger .

He went to Mangere Central Primary School and Otahuhu College as a student. In college he played in its first rugby team in 1956 and 1957. He played club rugby at the local Otahuhu RFC. At the age of 19, he was appointed to the Auckland RFU national team for the first time in 1959 . In the same year he toured the Pacific with the selection of the New Zealand Māori . In 1960 he won the Ranfurly Shield with Auckland against the North Auckland RFU . He was then able to defend the Shield with his province in 25 games until 1963. In a defensive game against Canterbury RFU , he succeeded in making a last-minute attempt that secured victory.

During 1960 and 1961 he played again for the New Zealand Māori before he made his debut in 1962 for the New Zealand national team (All Blacks) on their tour in Australia . There he played in both international matches against the Australian national team (Wallabies). When the Australians returned in the same year, he played again in all three games. With a total of four wins and one draw, the All Blacks managed to successfully defend the Bledisloe Cup .

1963 and 1964 he toured with the All Blacks in Europe where he played in two of five international matches against France and Wales . Both games were won by the All Blacks.

Due to a leg injury, he was largely absent in the course of 1964 and 1965. Thus, he missed the victory of the New Zealanders in the international series against the touring South African national team (Springboks), but was able to compete with the New Zealand Māori against the Springboks.

Against the British and Irish Lions , who were touring New Zealand in 1966 , he played in all four international matches, all of which the All Blacks won. In the third game, Nathan managed two attempts.

The following year he defended the Bledisloe Cup again with the All Blacks and toured with them again in Europe, but did not play in any of the international matches there due to an injury. He then continued to play rugby for two years, but did not make it into the national team.

After retiring from active rugby, he was the team manager of the New Zealand Māori on their tour in Wales in 1982 and the president of the Auckland RFU in 2003/04.

Web links

• Profile on allblacks.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Auckland v Canterbury shield highlights . nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved February 25, 2011.