Rukingi Reke

Joseph Rukingi Reke[1] (23 January 1892 – 3 November 1974) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand.

Rukingi Reke
Personal information
Full nameJoseph Reke Rukingi Rogers
Born23 January 1892
Auckland, New Zealand
Died3 November 1974
Auckland, New Zealand
Playing information
Height5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight141 lb (64 kg)
Rugby league
PositionUtility Back
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1910–22 New Zealand Māori 2 0 0 0 0
1910–14 Rotorua 9 8 2 0 28
1911 Rotorua Country 1 0 2 0 4
1912–14 Auckland 6 3 0 0 9
1912–13 New Zealand 6 0 0 0 0
Rugby union
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1919 Māori Pioneers 1 1 0 0 3
1919–20 Rotorua 3 1 0 0 3
1919–20 Bay of Plenty 8 0 0 0 0

Early life

Rukingi was born on 23 January 1892 to Wiri Rogers and Meretina Hamuera Pango.

Rugby union career

Reke played rugby union for New Zealand Māori under the name Joseph Rogers.[2]

Playing career

Reke played for Rotorua and represented New Zealand in 1912 and on the 1913 tour of Australia. No tests were played in those years however, with matches instead against New South Wales and Queensland.

Personal life and death

Rukingi married Lenare Elizabeth Gordon on 7 October 1920. They had 3 sons, Gordon, Desmond and Robert (Bob). Rukingi died on 3 November 1974, aged 82. His son Desmond died in 2005, Gordon in 2019, and Bob in 2022, after his wife, Lenare had died in 1980. Their are countless mokopuna from in particular Gordon's marriage to Thelma.

References
  1. REKE, Joseph Rukingi - 1912 - 13 nzleague.co.nz
  2. John Coffey and Bernie Wood, The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League, Hodder Moa, Auckland, 2007, p. 48.
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