Rukingi was born on 23 January 1892 to Wiri Rogers and Meretina Hamuera Pango.
Reke played rugby union for New Zealand Māori under the name Joseph Rogers.
[2] Reke played for Rotorua and represented New Zealand in 1912 and on the 1913 tour of Australia.
No tests were played in those years however, with matches instead against New South Wales and Queensland.
Rukingi married Lenare Elizabeth Gordon on 7 October 1920.