FOUNDER OF N.Z. RUGBY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 11 August 1928, Page 4

FOUNDER OF N.Z. RUGBY.

(To the Editor.) iSir, —It Seems to be agreed that Rugby started in Now Zealand from. ■Nelson, but who was tiro founder is not ■so clear. In your issue of the 9th inst. •the honour appears to be claimed by ,Mr iR. O. Tennent. Undoubtedly he was one of the early town players and amongst the first, but the claim h ! as also been made by Mr C. J. Monro, of .Palmerston North, I think. The late Air Alfred Drew was also a keen town, ■player. I have always understood that the' game originated with the Nelson .College boys. With them the above .named player was well acquainted and .freely associated, particularly Air R. tC. •Tr-nneiit, who had a, brother, a student •at the college. It is possible, therefore, that the town players had their .first, instruction from the college boys or profited by watching them at the .new .game. The college boys in. their turn were instructed by the Rev. F. C. .Simmons, the then new principal. One ■of the first things lie did was to go ■down into the playground and stop the •gaine as it. was being played and down to that time h'ad .been played both in ■and outside of the college grounds, ■and to explain some of the new rules and how the game was to .be played within fixed boundaries instead of •wherever the ball could be kicked. The first games were then played under his personal direction and instruction. The late Aft- T. H. Nicholson (whose •son is a well-known solicitor in New .Plymouth) was present on the occasion ■and told me last time ,I met him that it was not Air iC. J. Alonro who happened ■then to be claiming the honour, but •the Rev. R C. Simmons, -who started •Rugby in Nelson. Your article does not say where Air Tennent obtained his j knowledge of the .game. Mr Nicholson [ had no doubt whatever that the Nelson founder of the game was .none •other than Air Simmons, the then newly appointed principal of the college. .As Air Simmons came from Dunedin it may be that there are still earlier to•■(•ords o'f the game in Dunedin. At any rate I think it will be found that the College Bovs’ Club played the game .before the Town Club, founded by Mr Tennont. Yours, etc., — NELSONIAN.