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Birth name | John Grey Taiaroa Teone Wiwi Taiaroa[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | (1862-09-16)16 September 1862 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Otakou, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 31 December 1907(1907-12-31) (aged 45) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Otago Harbour, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 82 kg (181 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Otago Boys' High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notable relative(s) | Hōri Kerei Taiaroa (father) Tini Kerei Taiaroa (mother) Te Matenga Taiaroa (grandfather) Dick Taiaroa (brother) Thomas Ellison (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | Lawyer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1891/92–1898/99 | Hawke's Bay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First-class debut | 9 January 1892 v Taranaki | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last First-class | 26 December 1898 v Wellington | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 22 January 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John Grey Taiaroa (16 September 1862 – 31 December 1907), of Ngāi Tahu descent, was a New Zealand rugby union player. A halfback, he played nine matches for the New Zealand in 1884—the warm-up in Wellington and all eight matches of the tour of New South Wales; New Zealand won all eight games. There were no test matches on the tour, as Australia did not play their first test match until 1899.[2] Taiaroa was the highest try scorer of the tour.[3]
Born in Otakou, the son of Hōri Kerei Taiaroa, a New Zealand Member of Parliament, Taiaroa played school-boy rugby for Otago Boys' High School and then for the Otago provincial side. He went on to set a national record in the long jump and represent Hawke's Bayinfirst-class cricket during the 1890s as an attacking batsman.[4][5][6]
In 1886 Taiaroa hit the headlines after signing his father's name on a promissory note. Despite a warrant being issued for his arrest, it was not served and the charges were later dropped.[7][8]
He spent most of his working life as a lawyer in Hastings. He was accidentally drowned in Otago Harbour on 31 December 1907[9] and his body was recovered at Karitane beach two weeks later.[10]