The first game of
Rugby played in New Zealand took
place before the New Zealand
rugby Football
Union was formed. From
early European times, football in various forms had been played but from the description of
the game in local
papers, it is certain that the
match between
Nelson College and Nelson football
club, played on 14
May 1870, was played under rugby rules.
Credit for the introduction of
Rugby to New Zealand
goes to
Charles John Monro, son of Sir
David Monro, Speaker in
the House of Representatives from 1860 to 1870. Charles Monro, who was
born at
Waimea East, was
sent to Christ's
College, Finchley in
England to complete his education and while there he
learned the
rugby game. On his return to
Nelson he suggested that
the local football
club try out the rugby rules.
the game must have appealed to
the club members for they decided to adopt it.
A visit to
Wellington by Monro later in 1870 resulted in a game being arranged between
Nelson and Wellington. This
match was played at Petone on 12 September and was won by Nelson by two goals to
one.
In 1871
the game became organised in
Wellington and it had spread to
Wanganui by the following year.
Auckland adopted
Rugby in 1873 while
Hamilton followed suit in 1874. By 1875
The game had become established all over
the colony and a team representing Auckland clubs undertook a two-week
southern tour. Matches were played (and
lost) against teams from Wellington,
Dunedin,
Christchurch,
Nelson
; "NZ All Blacks")
button beside categories below to add/edit content
