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A New Zealand rugby player who has played for an English club is being deported from the United Kingdom.
Rewiti Vaimoso moved to Scunthorpe in September 2005 with his girlfriend, who has Scottish relatives, but has now split with his girlfriend and lost his right to stay in the country.
Scunthorpe Rugby Union Club has run a campaign to overturn his deportation, which was due to happen on January 19.
Club Chairman Malcolm Yates told BBC the team was "truly devastated" by his deportation.
"He's worked at the steelworks and paid his taxes. For a guy who has done so much in the community - he's worked in schools - everything about the man is just wonderful.
"For a government to be insensitive as this is just beyond belief."
Vaimoso, who is known as 'Woody', was born in Matamata to a Samoan father and Maori mother.
BBC reported Vaimoso believed he was "an easy target" and said the last couple of months had been "heart-breaking".
"I've put nine and a half years in this town," he said.
"Rules are rules and the problem is they're not very flexible towards certain situations or have any compassion. I'm just going to have to move on.
Scunthorpe MP Nic Dakin told Radio New Zealand Vaimoso had contributed to the community and would be missed.
He said he has written to the Home Office, spoken personally to the Immigration Minister and brought the issue up in the House of Commons.
He told BBC: "It seems barmy to me that we're looking at sending somebody back who's integrated into our community, who's contributed enormously."
In a statement, the Home Office said the player's reasons for wanting to stay "were not exceptionally compelling or compassionate and do not merit a grant of 'leave outside the rules"'.
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