The Greatest Rugby Tour on Record

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 197, 9 August 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Greatest Rugby Tour on Record

New Zealand Natives, 1888-89

Seventy-four Gaines in Twenty-five Weeks

(By

“Magpie”)

Long before Rugby history was maide in the United Kingdom by visits of the original All Blacks in 1905, the Springboks in 1906 and 1912, the Wallabies of 1908, and the Invincible All Blacks of 1924. the most remarkable world’s tour in sporting history was made by a team of Maoris.

rpHEY played matches in England. JL Ireland. Scotland. Wales. Victoria, New South Wales. Queensland and New Zealand. In Great Britain they continued in the space of 25 weeks to play no less than 74 games, of which thev won 49. drew 5. and lost 20 a truly remarkable result considering the hard work entailed on the team through the extraordinary number of matches, the travelling and the quality of some of the teams opposed to them. Strictly Amateur, The record would probably have been much more largely in their favour had they contented themselves with playing fewer games, but the expenses connected with the tour were so great that it was absolutely necessary for them to play extra matches in order to obtain the necessary funds to enable the tour to be a financial success. The tour was carried out on strictly amateur lines, the Rugbv Football Union of England practically having control of the finances. Then physical strength and scrummaging powers were then most noticeable features. They defeated, amongst other teams Ireland. Swansea Newport, and Blackheath. Owing to the fact that at that time the English and Scottish Rugbv Unions were at loggerheads (a periodical occurrence) no international match was played against Scotland and the tourists did not go beyond Hawick. The team’s popularity, however. may be gauged from the fact that Invitations had been received to play Edinburgh Univarsity, the Fottos club, and other noted Scottish Rugby teems. The final summary of their tour In England. Scotland, Ireland and Wales, Plaved Won Lost Drawn 74 49 20 5 In Victoria. New South Wales. Queensland and New Zealand. Played Won Lost Drawn li .V 3 0

Those 108 games were played between July 1888 and August 1889, out of which neriod obout four months were spent in travelling, so that the average all through was about three matches weekly. Capt. Joo Warbrick. The captain of the team was Joe Warbrick, of Auckland, who first secured his provincial cap in 1877. He was still playing for his province in 1894. In the United Kingdom tour they scored 394 points against 188. Of these Pat Keogh, the brilliant Otago half-bnck. scored 34 tries. Daw Gage, one time To Auto College student, played in 68 games out of the 74 played in the United Kingdom. Veterana of the Rugby game to-day are emphatic when they state that present-day players are not as hardy as those in the good old days, and In view of the deeds reviewed above It must be agreed that there Is something In their contention.