RUGBY IN DOMINION

Southland Times, Issue 21100, 4 June 1930, Page 11

RUGBY IN DOMINION

BEGINNING IN NELSON,

FIRST REPRESENTATIVE MATCH,

With regard to references by Dr. G. J. Adams, president of the New Zealand Rugby Union, to the first Rugby football match played in New Zealand, it is claimed that Nelson had the honour of arranging the first game, and that the first interprovincial match was played in Wellington. The Nelson Football Club is the oldest club in the Dominion.

Mr C. J. Monro, one of the two survivors of the first match, still has vivid recollections of the first encounter, states the Palmerston North correspondent of the Wellington Post. He says the first game was played in Nelson, and it was the first interprovincial fixture which took place in Wellington. Mr Monro said that he introduced the game in Nelson direct from England, as he had played at Home several year himself, and was keen on the sport. In regard to the interprovincial match referred to, he had also arranged the details in connection with this event. There was no club in Wellington at the time, and he had got together the best team he could secure. Some of the players were recently out from Home, but the majority of cases they had very little experience of Rugby. The difficulty then arose as to a ground. The Basin Reserve was swampy and unsuitable, and there was no locality that seemed satisfactory. Mr Monro made arrangements with the authorities to bring the southern players over on the Luna—the Government steamer which was on coastal work—and they were landed in Wellington by this method. The veteran eventually found a paddock at Petone, and the footballers were taken ouf to it in drags. R.ain had caused this area to develop into a bad state, however, so that the venue of the game was transferred to another field. “Nelson won the match, and that Vas on September 12. 1870,” says Mr Monro. “Mr R. C. Tennant, of Napier, and myself are, I believe, the only survivors of the two teams. The captain of the Nelson side was Mr Alfred Drew, and Captain Isherwood captained the Wellington side Both theee gentlemen resided in Palmerston North for some years afterwards.”