Howick and NZ loses man of mana

Phil from Farm Cove

A mighty totara has fallen, with the passing of Waka Nathan, a legend of the Howick and Pakuranga community, and of Otahuhu, Auckland, Maori All Blacks, and New Zealand rugby and sport.
Waka was a much-loved man in our east community, and many a person benefitted from his wisdom, style and contributions in a rich and full life well lived.
He was a calm and friendly man with that famous smile always at the ready, and there will be a crowd – however isolated - toasting his legacy and their fond memories of him this weekend. It’s a shame they can’t congregate at Pakuranga United Rugby Club tonight, but it won’t be long before they do.
Waka carried great mana in our community and was very down-to-earth and happy to see people and have a chat anytime.
We rugby-centric kids who grew up in the 1970s at Eden Park knew Waka Nathan as an absolute legend of the game and were envious of our dads and grandfathers who had been able to see his whole playing career. At the time, he was the biggest name in Maori All Blacks rugby.
His was a spectacularly successful career with Otahuhu, who he won Gallaher Shields for with Mac Herewini; with Auckland in its golden Ranfurly Shield era in the 1960s under the leadership of coach Fred “The Needle” Allen, skipper Bob Graham and Wilson Whineray; of the Maori All Blacks, and the New Zealand All Blacks.
Nathan had the distinction of never being in a losing All Blacks test side, with the 14 internationals he played flanker in between 1962 and 1967 all won. He scored four tries.
All up, he wore the All Blacks jersey 37 times, represented NZ Maori in 17 appearances, and played 88 games for Auckland, with 51 points.
After hanging up his playing boots, he continued to be a constant positive force in Aotearoa rugby at all levels, from coaching to management, and administration to life memberships, such was the respect he held.
He was an excellent coach who improved the quality of Maori rugby in the 1970s. As a schoolboy, I was in a capacity crowd at Eden Park on a Wednesday afternoon watching his Maori All Blacks push the 1977 British and Irish Lions close, losing 19-21, in a thriller which, if my memory serves me right, halfback Sid Going scored three tries playing alongside his brothers, first five-eighth Brian and fullback Ken.
In Bob Howitt’s well-read book of 1975, New Zealand Rugby Greats, Nathan said: “I still see the Maori game as one of attack, with plenty of action, plenty of thrills.
“I encourage the boys to do their thing, but I also stress that you can’t run wild unless you get the basics right.
“In my day I got tired of coming off the paddock after a Maori match, getting patted on the back and being told ‘fantastic game’. It may have been, but we were always second.
“Now, I’m trying to produce fantastic games, but with us first and them second.”
I met Waka through journalism and interviewed him for different publications. It was also a great pleasure to have him as our guest of honour, with wife Jan, at the Howick Sports Breakfast we held for East FM, when we were known as Howick Village Radio, about a decade ago at The Good Home/Prospect of Howick.
Aotearoa New Zealand lost a great man of rugby today, and the Howick community lost a good friend and significant contributor. His departure, at age 81, is a sad loss.
Sincere sympathies and condolences to Waka Nathan’s family and friends. He will be greatly missed and always remembered fondly. - PJ