STEWART Horton has paid tribute to his former York Wasps' Rugby League Club team-mate Tawera Nikau following the news the ex-New Zealand international has had his right leg amputated.

Nikau, who starred for the Wasps during their 1990-91 season, needed a number of operations on the leg after coming off his motorcycle following a collision with a car in Ohinewai, New Zealand.

However, complications arose from those injuries and surgeons at Waikato Hospital were apparently forced to amputate below the knee late on Wednesday night.

The news is another tragedy to befall the 36-year-old, following the suicide of his wife Letitia in 2001.

Former Wasps' hooker and coach Horton was full of praise of Nikau, who won 19 caps for New Zealand before going on to represent his native Maori people in 2000.

"I knew he had come off his bike, but that was it," he told the Evening Press.

"He has had some real bad luck of late.

"When he came to Wasps, he was so far advanced of the rest off us, both on and off the pitch. After games he would drink just water to rehydrate himself before we had even heard of doing that.

"He was a nice bloke, a real fun guy, but he was serious about his rugby and would get on with it on the field.

"He was one of the best players I have seen at York - if not the best.

"My sympathies go out to Nikau and his family."

A hospital spokeswoman, acting on the family's wishes was unable to comment on the reports, while New Zealand rugby league executive director Selwyn Pearson described Nikau as 'one of the game's favourite sons'.

Updated: 12:46 Friday, August 01, 2003