Tawera Nikau

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Born
Sunday, 1st January, 1967
Current Age
57 years and 77 days

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Lock Of The Year
1998

Biography

Crunching NZ Test forward was an important part of Cronulla’s success in the 1997 Super League season. A veteran of English club football (York, Sheffield and Castleford) Nikau made his Test debut against Great Britain in 1990. Nikau last represented his country in the ANZac Test in 1997 but declined to play for the Kiwis because of a feud with team-mate Richie Blackmore. In 1998 he was recruited by the Melbourne Storm and was a driving force in the infant club’s grand final win in 1999. The following year he signed with Warrington and captained the Maori squad in the World Cup competition. At the end of the 2001 season Nikau planned to return to the Sharks and renew his association with former Melbourne coach Chris Anderson but the death of his wife in England saw him return to NZ where he coached Waikato to premiership victory. Nikau later lost his right leg in a motorbike accident and his courageous battle to overcome these tragedies is outlined in his 2004 autobiography, Standing Tall.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Tour Matches Auckland 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
English Championship 129 23 -   - 92 74 48 7 57.36% List
Challenge Cup 25 4 -   - 16 16 9 0 64.00% List
Tour Matches New Zealand 9 3 -   - 12 6 3 0 66.67% List
Test Series 15 4 -   - 16 8 6 1 53.33% List
World Cup 8 1 -   - 4 5 3 0 62.50% List
UK Second Division 23 3 -   - 12 16 5 2 69.57% List
Regal Trophy 18 3 -   - 12 13 5 0 72.22% List
Yorkshire Cup 5 2 -   - 8 4 1 0 80.00% List
Premiership Trophy 8 - -   - - 4 4 0 50.00% List
NRL 114 12 -   - 48 76 35 3 66.67% List
NRL Finals 16 - -   - - 8 8 0 50.00% List
Anzac Tests 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Super League 51 7 -   - 28 21 28 2 41.18% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
New Zealand 1990-94, 1997 19 4 -   - 16 9 9 1 47.37% List
NZ Maori 2000 3 - -   - - 1 2 0 33.33% List
Overall1990-2000 22 4 0   0 16 10 11 1 45.45% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
New Zealand 1990-92 5 1 -   - 4 4 1 0 80.00% List
NZ Maori 2000 3 - -   - - 1 2 0 33.33% List
Overall1990-2000 8 1 0   0 4 5 3 0 62.50% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Auckland 1989 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Cronulla ARL 1995 15 2 -   - 8 10 5 0 66.67% List
Cronulla ARL 1996 24 1 -   - 4 16 6 2 66.67% List
Cronulla Super League 1997 22 1 -   - 4 14 8 0 63.64% List
Melbourne NRL 1998 27 4 -   - 16 18 8 1 66.67% List
Melbourne NRL 1999 26 4 -   - 16 18 8 0 69.23% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Cronulla 1995-97 61 4 -   - 16 40 19 2 65.57% List
Melbourne 1998-99 53 8 -   - 32 36 16 1 67.92% List
Overall1995-1999 114 12 0   0 48 76 35 3 66.67% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Sheffield 1989/90 10 5 -   - 20 5 5 0 50.00% List
Ryedale-York 1990/91 25 3 -   - 12 16 7 2 64.00% List
Castleford 1991/92 38 6 -   - 24 25 11 2 65.79% List
Castleford 1992/93 36 2 -   - 8 20 15 1 55.56% List
Castleford 1993/94 42 6 -   - 24 29 12 1 69.05% List
Castleford 1994/95 32 8 -   - 32 20 10 2 62.50% List
Castleford 1995/96 16 3 -   - 12 6 9 1 37.50% List
Castleford 1996 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Warrington 2000 31 3 -   - 12 16 15 0 51.61% List
Warrington 2001 28 6 -   - 24 11 15 2 39.29% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Sheffield 1989 10 5 -   - 20 5 5 0 50.00% List
Ryedale-York 1990 25 3 -   - 12 16 7 2 64.00% List
Castleford 1991-96 165 25 -   - 100 100 58 7 60.61% List
Warrington 2000-01 59 9 -   - 36 27 30 2 45.76% List
Overall1989-2001 259 42 0   0 168 148 100 11 57.14% List

Your Say

  • Paul Carter
    09/01/2010

    A former Canterbury lower grader Nikau scored the last ever try in a first grade match at Belmore Sportsground. He scored that try For Melbourne during their 8-4 loss to Canterbury in 1998.

  • Want to have your say about this player? Add a comment.

Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, Bill Bates

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1996, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1999, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 2000, Richard Bailey's Rugby League World, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1993-94, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1994-95, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1995-96, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1996, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1997