Sonny Whakarau

Sonny Whakarau
Personal information
Born 1965/1966 (age 45–46)
Playing information
Position Hooker, Prop, Second-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
19??–1985 Unknown (MRL)
Upper Hutt
1994–1995 Doncaster
1995–1996 Sheffield Eagles
1996 Keighley Cougars
1996–1998 Wakefield Trinity
Total
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
19??–1986 Manawatu
1986–19?? Wellington
1996–2004 New Zealand Māori
Source: RLP

Sonny Whakarau is a former New Zealand rugby league footballer who played professionally in England and represented the New Zealand Māori.

Playing career

A Manwatu representative, Whakarau moved south in 1986, joining the Wellington Rugby League and becoming a [[Wellington rugby league team|Wellington representative.

In the 1994/1995 English season Whakarau joined Doncaster and helped them win promotion to the First Division.[1] Sheffield Eagles in 1995/96 season.[2] He played for the Keighley Cougars in 1996.[3] Later in the season he was loaned to the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.[4]

He played for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in 1998.[5]

Whakarau then returned home and played for the Levin Knights and Manawatu. In 2000 he was appointed player-coach of the Manawatu team but handed the coaching reigns over to former coach Paul Sixtus after one game.[6] He was then appointed the Manawatu Rugby League development officer in 2001.

In 2002 the Central Falcons were admitted to the Bartercard Cup and Whakarau became a regular in the side, playing close to 50 games over the next three seasons until his retirement from representative football at the end of the 2005 season.[7]

In 2004 Whakarau played for the Levin Lions in the Western Alliance club competition.[8]

Representative career

Whakarau represented New Zealand Māori at the 1996 Pacific Cup and then played in their defeated of Papua New Guinea and Great Britain the same year.[3][9]

Whakarau was again selected for the 2004 Pacific Cup squad.[10][11][12]

References

  1. ^ 'It was like hearing someone had died' The Independent, 1 January 1995
  2. ^ Centenary waits for the revolution The Independent, 18 August 1995
  3. ^ a b John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. pp. 292. ISBN 1869693310, 9781869693312. http://books.google.com/books?id=nklWo8vw-iIC&printsec=frontcover. 
  4. ^ Bulls in Wembley charge; Bradford 30, Wakefield 18 The Mirror, 26 February 1996
  5. ^ No regrets: Defiant Leigh back decision to move up The Bolton News, 9 March 1998
  6. ^ Job comes first The Evening Standard, 28 February 2001
  7. ^ Whakarau calls it a day with Central Falcons The Evening Standard, 17 August 2005
  8. ^ Western Alliance First Round Review rleague.com, 11 March 2004
  9. ^ Morley given immediate chance to atone The Independent, 21 October 1996
  10. ^ John Coffey, Bernie Wood (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. pp. 330. ISBN 1869693310, 9781869693312. http://books.google.com/books?id=nklWo8vw-iIC&printsec=frontcover. 
  11. ^ Harding, Evan. "The Northern Advocate". Peter Prime's star keeps rising. Fairfax Media. http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/sport/news/peter-primes-star-keeps-rising/3595158/. Retrieved 15 October 2010. 
  12. ^ Pacific Cup tourney to be Whakarau's swansong The Evening Standard, 13 October 2004