Paul Matete

Paul Matete
Personal information
Full name Paul Kehoma Matete[1]
Born New Zealand
Playing information
Position Wing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Otahuhu
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1970–1975 Auckland
1975 New Zealand Māori
1975 New Zealand 1 0 0 0 0
Coaching information
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1992–2000 South Africa
Source: RLP

Paul Matete is a New Zealand former rugby league player and coach who represented his country in the 1975 World Cup.

Contents

Playing career

A player for Otahuhu in the Auckland Rugby League competition, Matete was an Auckland representative. He won the Tetley Trophy in 1971 as the Auckland Rugby League's top tryscorer.[2]

Matete represented New Zealand Māori at the 1975 Pacific Cup.[3] Later that year he was selected for the the New Zealand Kiwis squad for the 1975 World Cup series.[1] Matete played in one Test match, appearing at centre against Australia in a match New Zealand lost 24-8.[4]

Matete is Kiwi number 521.[5] He is one of currently two hundred and twenty seven players who have played in only one Test match for the Kiwis.

Coaching career

Matete first arrived in South Africa in 1992 and worked as the national team's head coach.[6][7]

However, Matete did not take the team to the 1995 World Cup, when the Rhinos were instead coached by former Great Britain international Tony Fisher. Matate was reported to be averse to the involvement of another member of the team's staff, and coupled with getting married, he chose to step down as head coach for the tournament.[8]

He returned as head coach in time to take the team to the 1997 Rugby League World Nines tournament and a Test match against France in December that year.[9] France defeated South Africa 30 to 17 in that match, which was played at Stade Fernand Fournier in Arles, France.[10] Matete was the victim of a car-jacking in 1998.[8]

Matete later coached the side to the 2000 World Cup.[8] Fellow Kiwi Mike McClennan served as the team's technical advisor.[11][12][13] The side was unable to improve on its 1995 record as it did not win any of its three matches at the tournament.[14]

Later years

Matete returned to New Zealand after the 2000 World Cup and currently works as a real estate agent in South Auckland for Barfoot & Thompson.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b MATETE, Paul Kehoma - 1975 nzleague.co.nz
  2. ^ Otahuhu Rovers Rugby League Football and Sports Club Inc aucklandleague.co.nz
  3. ^ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. pp. 191–193. ISBN 1869693310, 9781869693312. http://books.google.com/books?id=nklWo8vw-iIC&printsec=frontcover. 
  4. ^ Paul Matete rugbyleagueproject.org
  5. ^ Roll of Honour nzrl.co.nz
  6. ^ Tribute To South African Rugby League Open Rugby Magazine
  7. ^ Blacks turn their backs on 'the monster': South African townships show extraordinary enthusiam for the game The Independent, 28 July 1993
  8. ^ a b c Violence has Matete eyeing green, green grass of home New Zealand Herald, 23 December 1999
  9. ^ World Nines Tournament 1997 www.rugby-league-world.com
  10. ^ France 30 def. South Africa 17 rugbyleagueproject.org
  11. ^ South Africa bbc.co.uk
  12. ^ Rhinos aim to break duck bbc.co.uk, 17 October 2000
  13. ^ South Africa sportinglife.com
  14. ^ Bloem points finger at Ganson bbc.co.uk, 20 October 2000
  15. ^ Paul Matete barfoot.co.nz