Josh Liavaa

Tu'iono Siosiua "Josh" Liava'a (10 May 1948 – 13 July 2014)[2] was a Tongan-born rugby league player who represented New Zealand in the 1975 World Cup, known for his relationships with Tongan royal family members.

Josh Liava'a
Personal information
Full nameTu'iono Siosiua Liava'a
Born(1948-05-10)10 May 1948
Tonga
Died13 July 2014(2014-07-13) (aged 66)
Kahaluu, Hawaii, United States of America
Playing information
PositionSecond-row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Northcote Tigers
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Auckland
1975 New Zealand 0 0 0 0 0
1977 New Zealand Māori
Source: [1]

Playing career

A Northcote Tigers player in the Auckland Rugby League competition, Liava'a played for Auckland and in 1975 was picked in the New Zealand national rugby league team for the 1975 World Cup.[3]

In 1977 Liava'a played for New Zealand Māori in the Pacific Cup.[4]

Personal life

Liava'a was a member of the New Zealand Police. He was a detective and later a uniform branch sergeant. He completed a Diploma in Criminology at Auckland University. During the early 1980's, he and fellow police officer; inspector Ross Meurant, established a private security company they registered in their wives'names, to avoid being "Court Martialed" for conflicts of interest. Maiden Security operated for 5 years until Meurant entered parliament as an MP in 1987.

After leaving the police, Liava'a ran a nightclub in Sydney.[5]

Liava'a was married several times, including to:

  • Princess Siuilikutapu of Tonga, a niece of Tongan monarch Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV; they married in November 1969. The king was reportedly furious and lured the princess back to Tonga, where she was kept under palace arrest. The marriage was annulled by royal decree.[6]
  • Levaai Nancy Wolfgramm, a cousin of the Olympic silver medallist boxer Paea Wolfgramm. The couple married in 1971.

In the 1980s Liava'a reportedly had an affair with Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV's only daughter, Princess Pilolevu Tuita.[7]

He died from a gunshot in Hawaii on 13 July 2014.[8]

References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "Tu'iono Siosiua Liava'a obituary". New Zealand Herald. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  3. Northcote and Birkenhead Tigers Rugby League and Sports Club Inc Historical Information Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine Auckland Rugby League, 2009
  4. Coffey, John; Wood, Bernie (2008). 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. pp. 198–201. ISBN 978-1-86969-331-2. ISBN 1-86969-331-0.
  5. "Retribution lingers after forbidden royal romance". The New Zealand Herald. 20 November 2000. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  6. "Tonga a troubled kingdom". The New Zealand Herald. 19 January 2002. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  7. "TONGA’S PRINCESS PILOLEVU SPEAKS OF LOVE LETTERS AND BUSINESS" Archived 2014-07-20 at the Wayback Machine, 2001, Michael Field
  8. "Joshua Tu’iono Liava’a dies following shooting incident" Archived 2014-08-19 at the Wayback Machine, 15/07/2014, Kaniva Pacific
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