FOUNDER OF FOOTBALL.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 4 August 1928, Page 3

FOUNDER OF FOOTBALL.

EARLY DAYS OF RUGBY. INTERESTING REMINISCENCES. To Mr R. C. Tennent, who is now living in retirement at Napier after having completed 52 years’ service with the Bank ot New South Wales, belongs the honour oi being the founder of the first Rugby football club in New Zealand. A keen athlete in his day, Mr Tennent represented Nelson at cricket and football, and was also the champion mile runner .of the province for three year's. In an interview with the AVellington correspondent of the “Otago Daily Times” he related some interesting reminiscences of the first interprovincial match played in the Dominion, and had also something to say about the standard of play to-day. “It was either in 1868 or 1869,” said Mr Tennent, that the “first club was formed in New Zealand.” Finding that there was nothing to do in the winter month's, the young men nt Nelson, where Mr Tennent was attached to the staff of the Bank of New South AA’ales, decided to call a meeting with a view to forming a club in the district. “A dub was formed,” said Air Tennent, “but we were not quite certain what rules we should adopt. AVe had the Association rules arid the rules of the Victoria Association. AVe decided to give both a try out, and while we were doing so Air C. J. Munro, a son of Sil- David Munro, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, returned from England, where he had been attending school at Cherborne. He suggested that we should try Rugby. AVe did, and we liked it better than any of the other codes. AVe formed a club, and I was elected secretary and treasurer. The Nelson College adopted the same rules and thus the game was started. After we had been playing for about two years Air C. J. Alunro wrote to me from AVellington, stating that the Government steamer Luna was visiting Nelson to pick up Panama mail, and that he had seen Sir Julius Vogel, who had granted the team a free passage to AVelling-

ton on the Luna to play against a fifteen of English players. AVhen we came over we found the Basin reserve half covered with water and unplayable, so we decided to play at the Hutt. AVe went out in two drags. AVe found a suitable field near' Petone, and it was there that the first international Rugby match was played, being won by Nelson by three goals to nil. The rules, as played then, were similar to those played now. with the exception that when a scrum was formed all the forwards stood opposite one anothei in a. line, the ball was thrown in between the lines by one of the players, and everyone kicked at it as it passed. In those days only goals were counted. The game was very fast—much faster than it is today, and the running and drop-kicking of the players was a feature.

“The following year the visit was re turned, the game being played in the Nelson Botanical Gardens. Nelson again won by three goals to nil. The third interprovincial match was played in 1874 on the Basin Reserve in the presence ot the Governor and a large crowd of spectators. Many of the armed constabulary were in the AVellington team, and the game was a- most strenuous one, Air Alfred Bunny, of the Nelson side, being taken off with concussion of the brain, and a Wellington player, on - of the con stabulary, with a broken leg. It ended in a draw.”

Mr Tennent played for Nelson in all three matches, and was captain in the third match. When he left Nelson he was captain of the Patea team for five years. AA’hen he retired from football he was elected a life member of the Athletic Club (Wellington) in recognition of the fact that he was the founder of Rugby football in New Zealand. “It may be interesting to players to

know," said Mr Tennent. “that Sir Douglas AlcLean played for AA T ellington in the second interprovincial match and Air A. B. Campbell, now of Napier, for Nelson in the third match; and also Mr James Burnett, late Chief Engineer of Railways. The captain of the AVellington side in the first two matches was Air Isherwood, and in the third match Mr Werry. On the Nelson side the captain of the first match was Mr Alfred Drew, of Palmerston North; in the second, Archdeacon Kempthorne; and in the third Mr Tennent. “The game,” said A*.' Tennent, “has increased enormously in popularity. At first it was played mostly by the colleges and men in legal and mercantile pursuits. Today it is New Zealand’s national game. I consider that the standard of play was never higher than it is to-day, and I look forward with a certain amount of confidence that New Zealand will win the majority of the test matches in South Africa. My experience of 60 years has been that the love of the game has increased to an enormous extent. It has invaded every section of the community, and if it is not carried to an excess it will be for the ultimate benefit of the whole nation.”