Josefa Levula

Jo Levula
Birth name Josefa Vuniyayawa Levula
Date of birth (1930-06-15)15 June 1930
Place of birth Nadi
Date of death 2 July 1989(1989-07-02) (aged 59)
Place of death England
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1961-1963
1964-		 Rochdale Hornets
Bradford Northern		 ()
Correct as of 17 June 2015
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1951-61 Fiji 17 32 (8t/1c/2p)

Josefa "Joe" Levula (born June 15, 1930 in Narewa Nadi - July 1989, England) was a Fijian rugby union footballer and athlete. He played wing or centre for Fiji. He earned the nickname, "The Flying Fijian" which went on to become the nickname for the Fiji national rugby team in 15's.

Career

Josefa Levula
Personal information
Birth name Josefa Levula
Residence Nadi, Fiji
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
Sport
Country Fiji
Sport Athletics
Event(s) 100-yard dash,
220 yard dash
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s) 100-yard dash: 9.72s (NR)
Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing  Fiji
1954 Australian Championships
1954 Australian Championships100 yard
1954 Australian Championships220 yard
Updated on 17 June 2015.

Levula, who had an unorthodox high knee action and his exceptionally long strides represented Fiji in the 1960s. In 1951, over 3000 fans came to Buckhurst Park to see the final between Suva and the Northern District. Levula scored four tries to end Suva’s 10 year hold on the trophy.[1]

He was selected in the Fiji to tour New Zealand. he made his début for Fiji at fly-half and he scored a brace of tries against the Māori All Blacks to beat them 21–14[2] for which he received a New Zealand Rugby honour of being nominated as ‘Player of the Year'.[1] In August 1952 he was on the wing for Fiji when they created history by beating Australia.[3]

He joined the Athletics Fiji team in 1954 to take part in the Australian Athletics Championships. He finished 2nd in the 100-yard dash behind Hector Hogan.[1]

In 1961, he defied the FRU when he left rugby union and went to England to join the Rochdale Hornets rugby league team with fellow Fijian Orisi Dawai, and later joined by Fijians Voate Drui, and Liatia Ravouvou.[4][5] Levula later joined the Bradford Northern a few years later[6]

He was inducted into the Fiji Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The rise of Joe Levula". 14 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "Fiji vs NZ Maori". ESPNscrum. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. ↑ Richards, Huw (7 August 2012). "Spectacular' Fiji make history against Australia". ESPNscrum. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  4. ↑ Aldred, Tanya (8 October 2013). "World Cup romance comes to Rochdale with a dash of Fiji offered in the Pennines". Telegraph UK. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Voate Drui: Pioneer of the Fijian link in Rochdale". rochdaleonline.co.uk. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  6. ↑ "Gentle giants who left big impression". Manchester Evening News. 13 August 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
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