John Taiaroa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jack Taiaroa

Birth name	John Grey Taiaroa Teone Wiwi Taiaroa
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
Position(s) Halfback All Black No. 13 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1881–84 1887–89 Otago Hawke's Bay () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1884 New Zealand 0 (0)
Cricket information Domestic team information 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 Competition First-class Matches 8 Runs scored 140 Batting average 14.00 100s/50s 0/0 Top score 32* Balls bowled 89 Wickets 1 Bowling average 43.00 5 wickets in innings 0 10 wickets in match 0 Best bowling 1-9 Catches/stumpings 2/0 Source: CricketArchive, 22 January 2017

John Grey Taiaroa (born 16 September 1862 – died 31 December 1907) was a talented New Zealand sports player. He was part of the Ngāi Tahu Māori tribe. John Taiaroa was best known for playing rugby union as a halfback. He played nine matches for the New Zealand national team in 1884. This included a warm-up game and eight matches during a tour of New South Wales in Australia. The New Zealand team won all eight games on that tour. At the time, there were no official "test matches" because Australia did not have a national team until 1903.

John Taiaroa: Early Life and Family

John Taiaroa was born in Otakou, New Zealand. His father was Hōri Kerei Taiaroa, who was an important Member of Parliament in New Zealand. This meant his father helped make laws for the country. John went to school at Otago Boys' High School, where he started playing rugby.

Family Connections

John's family had many notable members. His grandfather was Te Matenga Taiaroa. His brother was Dick Taiaroa, and his cousin was Thomas Ellison. Both of these relatives were also well-known rugby players.

Sporting Achievements

John Taiaroa was a skilled athlete in more than one sport. After playing school rugby, he joined the Otago provincial team.

Rugby Union Career

John Taiaroa played for the Otago provincial rugby team from 1881 to 1884. He also played for the Hawke's Bay team later, from 1887 to 1889. His most famous rugby achievement was playing for the New Zealand national team in 1884. Even though these were not called "test matches" back then, playing for the national team was a huge honour.

Other Sports

Besides rugby, John Taiaroa was also very good at other sports. He set a national record in the long jump, showing his amazing athletic ability. He also played first-class cricket for the Hawke's Bay during the 1890s. In cricket, he was known as an attacking batsman, meaning he liked to score runs quickly.

Cricket Stats

• He played 8 first-class cricket matches.
• He scored 140 runs in total.
• His highest score was 32 not out.
• He also took 1 wicket while bowling.

Later Life and Legacy

John Taiaroa worked as a lawyer for most of his life in Hastings. He sadly died on 31 December 1907. He accidentally drowned in Otago Harbour. His body was found two weeks later at Karitane beach. John Taiaroa is remembered as a talented athlete who excelled in multiple sports for New Zealand.