A New Zealander who has shone in the English club rugby scene is being deported back to this country, Radio New Zealand reports.
Rewiti Vaimoso has played on the wing for mid-ranked side Scunthorpe since he moved to the Lincolnshire town almost 10 years ago.
However, he is being sent home after splitting up with his New Zealand girlfriend, who has British residency rights due to her Scottish relatives.
Scunthorpe Rugby Union Club has run a campaign to overturn his deportation, which it calls insensitive.
Special mention for Rewiti Vaimoso who leaves Scunthorpe RUFC after this weekend. A wonderful servant of the club and a damm fine player.
— Ross Jackson (@rossjackson121) January 9, 2015
Vaimoso was born in Matamata to a Samoan father and Maori mother. He moved to Britain in 2005.
The Home Office said Vaimoso, known as Woody, did not merit a grant of “leave outside the rules”, and he was due to leave the country on 19 January.
His former captain and coach at Scunthorpe, Phil Sidebottom, said it would be sad to lose a player who had worked so hard for the team and also helped coach young players.
He also won support from local Scunthorpe MP Nic Dakin, who told the BBC: “It seems barmy to me that we're looking at sending somebody back who's integrated into our community, who's contributed enormously.”
