Fred Ah Kuoi
Encyclopedia
Fred "Freddie" Ah Kuoi (born 7 June 1956 in Apia, Western Samoa) is a former New Zealand
rugby league
player who represented his country.
with his parents, Fred Snr and Siutu Ah Kuoi, and his two younger brothers, Peter and Afi in 1962. Brothers, Andrew & Paul, and sister Elizabeth were born in Auckland, New Zealand.
debut internationally with the New Zealand Māori rugby league team
in 1975, at the age of 18yrs. That same year, he made the national Kiwi team, touring England and France during the World Cup series
. He captained the New Zealand team 1979 & 1984, and vice-captained 1979,1980,1981 & 1983. During the 1980 tour of Great Britain and France, Ah Kuoi was voted the "Most Valuable Player" of the tour and was given the number 1 ranking in the world in the 5/8th position, by the English press.
In 1983 he was a member of the team that beat the Australians for the first time since 1971, at Lang Park in Brisbane, Australia. He represented the New Zealand "Kiwi" rugby league team from 1975-1985.
in 1981 to play professionally for the North Sydney Bears
, then to England to join his teammates, James Leuluai
, Gary Kemble
and Dane O'Hara
at Hull from 1983-1987.
Ah Kuoi coached the Richmond Bulldogs in the 1997 Fox Memorial
.
Ah Kuoi currently lives in Phoenix, AZ, USA, where he is a Pastor at Phoenix First Assembly of God.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player who represented his country.
Early years
Ah Kuoi immigrated to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
with his parents, Fred Snr and Siutu Ah Kuoi, and his two younger brothers, Peter and Afi in 1962. Brothers, Andrew & Paul, and sister Elizabeth were born in Auckland, New Zealand.
Representative career
Ah Kuoi made his rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
debut internationally with the New Zealand Māori rugby league team
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...
in 1975, at the age of 18yrs. That same year, he made the national Kiwi team, touring England and France during the World Cup series
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
. He captained the New Zealand team 1979 & 1984, and vice-captained 1979,1980,1981 & 1983. During the 1980 tour of Great Britain and France, Ah Kuoi was voted the "Most Valuable Player" of the tour and was given the number 1 ranking in the world in the 5/8th position, by the English press.
In 1983 he was a member of the team that beat the Australians for the first time since 1971, at Lang Park in Brisbane, Australia. He represented the New Zealand "Kiwi" rugby league team from 1975-1985.
Professional career
Ah Kuoi moved to SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1981 to play professionally for the North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
, then to England to join his teammates, James Leuluai
James Leuluai
A'au James Leuluai is a New Zealand former international rugby league player. His favoured position was centre. He is the father of Wigan Warriors and New Zealand international Thomas Leuluai. He is also the uncle of Leeds Rhinos prop Kylie Leuluai....
, Gary Kemble
Gary Kemble
Gary Edward Kemble is a New Zealand rugby league coach and former player. He has both played and coached the New Zealand Kiwis. He is the current head coach of the Papakura Sea Eagles in the Auckland Rugby League.-Playing career:...
and Dane O'Hara
Dane O'Hara
Dane Bradford Mark O'Hara is a former rugby league player who represented both New Zealand. At the time of his retirement he held the record for most international matches for his country.-Early years:...
at Hull from 1983-1987.
Later years
Ah Kuoi married his wife Margot in Sydney, Australia on 9 June 1982. Their daughter Danielle was born in Sydney on 3 June 1983; their son Joshua, was born on 9 July 1985 in Hull, Uk, and their youngest daughter, Madeleine was born in Auckland, NZ on 3 December 1988.Ah Kuoi coached the Richmond Bulldogs in the 1997 Fox Memorial
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
.
Ah Kuoi currently lives in Phoenix, AZ, USA, where he is a Pastor at Phoenix First Assembly of God.