Photo / Brett Phibbs
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Va'aiga "Inga" Tuigamala's widow Daphne Tuigamala has led tributes to the beloved sporting legend at an emotional funeral.
After the service concluded, the body of the former All Black was driven for a last lap around the rugby field of Kelston Boys High School, where it was held.
Earlier, Daphne told mourners that she met Inga when the pair were in their teens but she "wasn't that keen but he was so persistent".
"The commitment that went into pursuing me was another level. So much so I made a comment about a nice car I saw on the road, one day. A few weeks later he turned up with that exact car, just to impress me."
Tuigamala, who played 19 tests for the All Blacks as well as a long stint with Manu Samoa and English rugby league side Wigan, died suddenly aged 52 on February 24. His funeral, at his old school, Kelston Boys' High, is being livestreamed here.
This Monday the couple would have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary, she said.
"We almost made it, honey. Goodnight, my love ... doing life without you will never be the same.
"The world loved and adored you, but we were your world."
The 19-test All Black, known to a generation of fans as 'Inga the Winger', died suddenly aged 52 on February 24.
Fesola'i Onosa'i Pisitoa Tuigamala thanked mourners, who included the Consul General of Samoa, Sir Graham Henry and Sir Michael Jones.
"Inga's a public man. He's not only our family but we noticed the love around the world, that people that live far, they travel to be here today for Inga's funeral service."
Pastor Tavale shared prayers and said they were there for "Inga the Winger".
"We're here to celebrate the man he was."
Tuigamala's brother, Afioga Tamapa'a, spoke on behalf of their mother.
"This guy to be honest, he was one of the ugliest kid in our family when he was born", he said to laughter.
The Tuigamala family came to to New Zealand in 1974, when Inga was 4, and moved to Invercargill.
"Basically he's a Southland boy."
He was a boy who was always forgetting to bring in socks inside, not a good move during a cold Southland winter, when they would go hard outside.
"Next minute I can smell something. It was Inga's socks in the oven."
The superstar winger's death stunned the sporting world, with fans and former players grieving the loss of a man beloved for his blockbusting, dynamic play on the field and infectious personality off the field.
Tuigamala's immediate family, including widow Daphne and their four children are now addressing those present.
One of his sons remembered his father's "infectious smile".
"A smile that brought our people together … that brought a lot of joy and laughter to our mum's life."
"Dad, I'm so proud to be your son."
"We love you so much. You've won your race, mate"
Daughter Salote Tuigamala spoke about how much her father had enjoyed the last year.
"He was happier than he'd ever been … we take a lot of comfort from that.
"He reversed his diabetes. He was going on bike rides. He was taking mum out for coffee, even though he was telling me he was going for a meeting. He was spending times with his grandkids. He got to take care of our beautiful grandmother."
"I just want to say, dad thank you for loving us … and especially all of your grandkids. We love you dad, we're gonna miss your smile and your voice."
Tuigamala's league stint came after he played 19 tests for the pre-professional era All Blacks between 1991 and 1993, scoring five tries in the black jersey.
Later, Tuigamala pulled on the blue and white kit of his country of birth, notching 23 tests for Manu Samoa from 1996.
Former All Black coach Sir Graham Henry, who was headmaster at Kelston Boys' High School when Tuigamala was a student, described the rugby great as a "good mate" from the earliest days.
"Not often do you have good mates when you are the headmaster and they're the student."
He used to knock on my door and say Sir, can I talk to you about rugby ... and I loved to talk about rugby."
Tuigamala and fellow student Apollo Perelini, later a rugby international for Samoa, were "fantastic men in the school", who didn't realise how important they were in helping him understand Pacific Island culture.
"I came from Christchurch, I taught at Christchurch Boys' High School … and I taught at Auckland Grammar School, but there wasn't a lot of Pacific Island students in those schools.
"I said what does this school need to do to bring the best out of those students and [Tuigamala] said, 'make them happy'.
"So I said I would smile at them, which is very difficult for me", Sir Graham said to laughter. (edited)
"But they said just provide what they're interested in - music, art, cultural groups, sport - if you provide those things, they will do better in the classroom."
Tuigamala and Perelini were the pioneers who "told other young men they could do the same".
"Inga was our first All Black - by ours I mean, this school. They gave other people belief that you could do it, and in the next 10 years there was another 10 All Blacks from this school."
Tuigamala played 49 games for Auckland and 19 for the All Blacks, Sir Graham said.
"In 1993 he rang me, and he always called me Sir or Mr Henry, and asked to meet ... he said, 'I'm going to play rugby league in England'.
"I said, 'What are you doing that for Inga, you could be the one of the greatest All Blacks'.
He said, 'look Sir, I've got to look after Daphne and the family, and my mother'. And I felt really humbled."
Tuigamala got "a hell of a shock" at Wigan, because he wasn't fit enough, Sir Graham said.
"But he showed huge tenacity and he got through what a lot of young men wouldn't have got through, and he became a superstar.
"Wigan had a golden period, and he was one of the golden players."
Later Tuigamala returned to rugby, and ended up playing more tests for Manu Samoa than the All Blacks.
"I think in the back of his mind he always wanted to play for Samoa."
"I'll never forget this guy", Sir Graham said."I know he had a lot of faith in God, and that gave him a lot of backbone. But he also put himself in difficult situations that not many young men do, and he made a huge difference to people's lives. He loved people, and they loved him.
"Mate, I'll miss you."
After news of his death, former Wallaby Tim Horan likened Tuigamala to another powerhouse All Black wing guaranteed to strike fear into the opposition.
"Inga was Jonah before Jonah arrived", Horan tweeted.
"Jonah & Inga where the 2 players in the All Blacks you never wanted to see with the ball."
The All Blacks also paid tribute on Twitter, calling Tuigamala "an icon and an inspiration" who achieved things on and off the pitch others "could only dream of".
"All Black number 900, you will never [be] forgotten."
Off the field, Tuigamala was a married father and grandfather, and held the paramount chiefly titles of Tuigamala and Fesola'i, given to him by his aiga (extended family) and villages in Samoa.
In the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours, Tuigamala was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby and the community.
The following year he travelled to Samoa with David Tua to help in the aftermath of the Samoa tsunami, which killed 180 across Polynesia.
John Key also spent time with Tuigamala, crediting the rugby great with helping contribute to his successful election result in 2008 after joining the future Prime Minister on the campaign trail.
"I shall always remember Inga for his infectious smile and bravery."
Life after rugby also saw Tuigamala become a funeral director, but Tuigamala & Sons was placed in liquidation in 2013.
At the time, Tuigamala was understood to have been owed around $130,000 in unpaid funeral fees and said he'd found it difficult to collect money from grieving relatives.
"I'm not one to turn people away in their time of need," he said.
But he refused to be despondent and didn't want any pity.
"You're only a failure if you get knocked down and stay down. My passion to help my community and my people still burns fire in my belly."
Tuigamala's cause of death hasn't yet been confirmed but he was about to launch a new video series on his health struggles, including being diagnosed last year with type 2 diabetes and having previously suffered a stroke.
"The reality was, I was facing an early graveyard," Tuigamala said in a preview video of the series, Project ODICE (obesity diabetes intervention champion evangelist).
"My father died at the age of 48 from a stroke ... I suppose for me, I just don't want to be another statistic."
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