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Story: Māori rugby – whutupaoro

George Nēpia

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Rugby and rugby-league great George Nēpia, fullback, clears the ball in his only test match for the Kiwis league team

Rugby and rugby-league great George Nēpia, fullback, clears the ball in his only test match for the Kiwis league team. The game was held at Carlaw Park, Auckland, in 1937. New Zealand just beat Australia, 16–15.

Using this item

Auckland Council Libraries − Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Reference: Auckland Star, 16 August, 1937

Permission of Auckland City Libraries Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Malcolm Mulholland, Māori rugby – whutupaoro – Māori and rugby league – history, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/39652/george-nepia (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Malcolm Mulholland, published 3 December 2012, updated 1 January 2015.