Former Black & White player Nan Halafihi, a pioneer of sporting links between England and Tonga, will be remembered as the historic three-Test series ends at Headingley this weekend, with the presentation of the Player of the Series award.
They will receive the Nan Halafihi Medal.
Nan Halafihi arrived in England in 1958, with his elder brother Sione – a professional boxer from Tonga, who was seeking more testing and lucrative opposition after seeing off allcomers around New Zealand, and fought twice for the British Empire Light Heavyweight title, and once in 1963 on the same bill as Henry Cooper and Cassius Clay.
Sione settled in Castleford, while Nan – short for Nanumi, while his surname of Latu was summarily changed to Halafihi at UK immigration in Southampton – ended up lodging with the late, great Hull FC Hall of Fame icon, Johnny Whiteley MBE having been spotted by scouts of the Black & Whites.
In his first full season with the club, under the innovative coaching of Roy Francis, Halafihi made more Tongan sporting history by playing in the 1960 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.
Both brothers died young of liver cancer, which was thought to be linked to the sudden change in climate and/or diet when they swapped Tonga for the north of England at a time of post-War austerity.
But they both married Yorkshire girls and settled in England – and the name Halafihi has remained familiar in Rugby League circles as Nan’s son Nick and grandson Vila have both played professionally.
Dr Nick Halafihi, who played for Hull KR, London Crusaders and Sheffield Eagles and was a member of Shaun McRae’s coaching staff at St Helens, is now a Head of Subject at Leeds Beckett University, while Vila recently signed a new one-year contract with Sheffield Eagles.
Rhodri Jones, the Managing Director of RL Commercial, said:
“The Nan Halafihi Medal is a tribute to a true Tongan pioneer, who made such a bold decision to travel with his brother to England almost 75 years ago, and then made Rugby League history by playing at Wembley for Hull FC.
“It is a reminder that the two nations share many decades of Rugby League history.”
Dr Nick Halafihi will present the Nan Halafihi Medal, in memory of his father, after Saturday’s third Test at Headingley. The winner will be decided by members of the media who have attended each of the three Tests.
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