Francis Poipoi Leota is a New Zealand

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

player who represented

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

between 1989 and 1990, including in games that counted towards the 1992 World Cup.

Early years

Leota attended De La Salle College and played

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

until he was 20.Lion Red 1989 Rugby League Annual ''New Zealand Rugby League'', p.12

Playing career

Leota was an

Otahuhu Leopards The Otahuhu Leopards are a rugby league club based in Otahuhu, Auckland. Founded in 1911 Auckland Rugby League season, 1911, the club has produced 49 New Zealand national rugby league team players. The club competes in the Fox Memorial competit ...

junior, in the

Auckland Rugby League The Auckland Rugby League (ARL) 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, including both club and school rugby league. It began in 1910 when the fi ...

competition. He originally played on the wing until he moved into the second row in 1987. He was an Auckland representative and played in three Test matches for the

New Zealand national rugby league team The New Zealand national rugby league team (Māori: Tīma rīki motu Aotearoa) has represented New Zealand in rugby league since 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of ...

between 1989 and 1990. He was a

New Zealand Residents The New Zealand Residents (also previously known as New Zealand 'A', New Zealand XIII, the Lion Red Cup XIII and currently known as the Bartercard Premiership Selection) are a New Zealand rugby league football representative side that is selected f ...

representative in 1990 and 1992.Otahuhu Rovers Rugby League Football and Sports Club Inc
''Auckland Rugby League'' Leota played for the

Sheffield Eagles The Sheffield Eagles are a professional rugby league club that play in the Championship (rugby league), Betfred Championship. The club play their home games at the Olympic Legacy Park (OLP) on the former site of Don Valley Stadium, their forme ...

between 1989 and 1991 and also represented the

Salford City Reds The Salford Red Devils are a professional rugby league club in Salford, Greater Manchester, England, who play in the Super League. Formed in 1873, they have won six Championships and one Challenge Cup. Their home ground since 2012 has been t ...

in England. In 1993 Leota won the

Rothville Trophy The Auckland Rugby League competition has been competed for since 1909 when the first organised match was played between North Shore and City Rovers (won 44–22 by North Shore). The following year an official champion was crowned for the first tim ...

for Otahuhu, which is awarded to the ARL's player of the year. Also in 1993 Leota played for Auckland and represented an Otago Invitational XIII that played the New Zealand Māori side.''Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1993'',

New Zealand Rugby Football League The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year.Coffey and Wood ''T ...

, 1993. p.213 In 1994 Leota played for the

Waikato Cougars The Waikato rugby league team (also known as the Waikato Cougars, formerly as South Auckland) is a New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Waikato Rugby League in New Zealand Rugby League competitions. They competed in the Lion Red Cup ...

in the new

Lion Red Cup The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994 to 1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being a ...

.''Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1994'',

, 1994. p.114 He played for the champion Counties Manukau Heroes in 1996.New Zealand National Premiership 1996
''The Vault''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leota, Francis Living people New Zealand rugby league players New Zealand national rugby league team players Auckland rugby league team players Otago rugby league team players Waikato rugby league team players Otahuhu Leopards players Sheffield Eagles (1984) players Salford Red Devils players Counties Manukau rugby league team players Rugby league wingers Rugby league props Rugby league second-rows Year of birth missing (living people)