Josefa Levula Explained

Jo Levula
Fullname:Josefa Vuniyayawa Levula
Birth Date:15 June 1930
Birth Place:Nadi, Fiji
Death Place:Rochdale, England
Height:1.94 m
Weight:105kg (231lb)
First:RU
Ru Position:Wing
Ru Teama:Fiji
Ru Yearastart:1951
Ru Yearaend:61
Ru Appearancesa:17
Ru Triesa:8
Ru Goalsa:3
Ru Fieldgoalsa:0
Ru Pointsa:32
Club1:Rochdale Hornets
Year1start:1961
Year1end:64
Appearances1:80
Tries1:37
Goals1:?
Fieldgoals1:?
Points1:207
Club2:Bradford Northern
Year2start:1964
Year2end:?
Appearances2:?
Tries2:?
Goals2:?
Fieldgoals2:?
Points2:?
Retired:yes
Updated:10 December 2021
Source:[1]
Module:
Embed:yes
Headercolor:lightblue
Country:Fiji
Sport:Athletics
Event:100-yard dash,
220 yard dash
Updated:17 June 2015

Josefa Vuniyayawa Levula (15 June 1930 – 2 July 1989), known as "Jo" or "Joe", was a Fijian track athlete, and rugby union and professional rugby league footballer. He represented the Fijian national rugby union team before turning professional with the Rochdale Hornets and Bradford Northern in England. He primarily played on the wing.

Levula earned the nickname "The Flying Fijian", which went on to become the nickname of the Fiji national rugby union team.

Career

Rugby union

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.[2]

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[3] for which he received a New Zealand Rugby honour of being nominated as ‘Player of the Year'.[2] In August 1952, he was on the wing for Fiji when they created history by beating Australia.[4]

Athletics

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.[2]

Rugby league

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 Laitia Ravouvou.[5] [6] Levula transferred to Bradford Northern in 1964.

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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Walker. Gareth. 14 April 2020. The remarkable story of Rochdale’s Fijian pioneers. Total Rugby League. 10 December 2021.
  2. News: 14 June 2013. The Rise Of Joe Levula. Fiji Sun. 17 June 2015.
  3. News: Fiji vs NZ Maori. ESPNscrum. 17 June 2015.
  4. Web site: Spectacular' Fiji make history against Australia. Richards. Huw. 7 August 2012. ESPNscrum. 17 June 2015.
  5. News: World Cup romance comes to Rochdale with a dash of Fiji offered in the Pennines. Aldred. Tanya. 8 October 2013. Telegraph UK. 17 June 2015.
  6. News: Voate Drui: Pioneer of the Fijian link in Rochdale. 5 October 2013. Rochdale Online. 1 January 2018.