Panui added: Wednesday 15 May 2024

Kua hinga he tōtara haemata i roto te wao nui a Tāne, i roto i te wao nui o te riiki
Māori, ko Richard Bolton. Tangi kau ana rā te ngākau.

Haere ki ō nui i te pō e tatari mai nei ki a koe, kia rongo anō koe i te aroha nui o ōu
tīpuna. Haere ki ō wheinga e rere nei i Te Ika Whenua o te Rangi, ki reira okioki tahi
ai. Waiho mai tō rahi i konei tangi mapu kau ai ki a koe, kia kī te puna aroha me te
puna auhī i te tangi me te mokemoke.

Coaching & Development was Richards forte. He coordinated many NZRL national
tournaments and training camps. He was a Kiwi Player (Kiwi #499), a Kiwi Manager
and held full time positions with the NZRL and Auckland RL. He was a life member
of both organisations, and we were privileged to have him as a representative player,
board member and life member with NZ Māori Rugby League.

Richard played loose forward out of the Mount Albert club and also played for
Auckland, the Kiwis and NZ Māori. He led the NZ Māori side to the unbeaten capture
of the inaugural Pacific Cup in Port Moresby and a narrow loss to Wales on home soil
in 1975. Richard also coached the team to Pacific Cup glory in 1986 and ’88, before
serving as a trainer for the team at the tournament in ’90. He played and coached
NZ Māori teams and ran Pacific Cup tournaments. It was his blueprint that set up our
NZMRL tournaments. He was an eloquent, articulate man that loved rugby league
and especially Māori rugby league.

He was a twin, he lost his wife Beverly several years ago, and is survived by his
daughter Kim.

Moe mai rā e te rangatira, kia au tō moe – rest in