1888-1889 New Zealand Native football team

The 1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team was a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

football

Football

Football may refer to one of a number of team sports which all involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...

team that toured Britain

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

and New Zealand in 1888 and 1889. The team was composed mainly of players of Māori ancestry, although several Pakeha

Pakeha

Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...

were included in the squad. The tour was a private endeavour, and was not an official representative team. The tour was organised by Joseph Warbrick

Joe Warbrick

Joe Warbrick , born Joseph Astbury Warbrick, was a Maori New Zealand rugby union player born in Rotorua who played for the All Blacks in their 1884 tour to Australia, and the 1888–1889 New Zealand Native football team....

, promoted by Thomas Eyton, and managed by James Scott

James Scott

James Scott may refer to:*James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth , noble recognized by some as James II of England*James Scott , British MP 1710–1711*James Scott , British naval officer...

. The team played 107 matches during their tour. Although most of the matches played were Rugby football

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

, the team also played Victorian Rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

and Association football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

in Australia. The squad consisted of 26 players, and they achieved a record of 78 wins, 6 draws

Tie (draw)

To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...

, and 23 losses.

In 2008, the team and its organiser Warbrick were inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame

IRB Hall of Fame

The IRB Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Rugby Board that recognises special achievement and contribution to the sport of rugby union. The IRB Hall of Fame covers players, coaches, administrators, match officials, institutions and other individuals...

Background

The idea for a team of Māori team of footballers to tour Britain was that of Joseph Warbrick. He had initially proposed a team of Māori or part-Māori play the touring British

British and Irish Lions

The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...

side in 1888. This developed into a venture to have a Māori team Britain if a preliminary tour of New Zealand was successful. After learning of Warbrick's plans, Thomas Eyton contacted him to help manage the tour. Eventually James Scott joined the partnership, and the roles of the three were decided; Warbrick as captain, Scott as manager, and Eyton as promoter.

Warbrick started assembling a team for the tour in early 1888. He did have difficulties assembling a team due to player availability, and failed to secure Jack Taiaroa due to his university commitments. Some players who were available for the tour withdrew due to the inclusion of part-Māori in the team. There were twenty Māori players selected for the team. However after the defeat to Auckland

Auckland Rugby Football Union

The Auckland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Auckland Region, in the North Island of New Zealand. Its colours are navy blue and white in a hoop design. Auckland's top representative team have won New Zealand's top provincial rugby competition 16 times, more than...

five Pakeha players were added to the team. Due to the inclusion of Pakeha players the team was renamed from the New Zealand Maori to the New Zealand Native Football Representatives. The final team consisted of 26 players (including Warbrick).

The team toured New Zealand before departing overseas. The team played against Hawke's Bay

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union

The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. The union is based in Napier.-Representative rugby:...

, Auckland, Nelson

Tasman Rugby Union

The Tasman Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union at the top of the South Island in New Zealand. It is New Zealand's newest provincial union, founded in 2006 with the amalgamation of the existing Marlborough and Nelson Bays sub unions...

, Wellington

Wellington Rugby Football Union

The Wellington Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union in the city of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand...

, Canterbury

Canterbury Rugby Football Union

The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a substantial part of the Canterbury region, in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand...

, South Canterbury

South Canterbury Rugby Football Union

The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play from Alpine Energy Stadium located in Timaru.-History:...

, and Otago

Otago Rugby Football Union

The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago Region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial...

. The first game was held against Hawke's Bay in Napier

Napier, New Zealand

Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...

on 23 June 1888. They played nine games in their preliminary tour of New Zealand of which seven were won. Their last match was against Otago and was won one try to nil was played in Dunedin

Dunedin

Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...

on 31 July 1888.

The team departed for Australia from Dunedin on 1 August 1888. The team arrived in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

where Scott recruited a Victorian Rules coach Jack Lawlor to coach the team while they were in Britain for possible Victorian Rules matches on their return to Australia. The team did play two matches while in Melbourne; both were rugby matches against the Melbourne Rugby Union team with the first won, and the second a draw. They departed from Melbourne to Britain via Suez. The team arrived in London on 27 September 1888.

Matches played

Played in	Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	Points for	Points against
Rugby matches
British Isles	74	49	20	5	194	188
New Zealand	17	14	3	0	119	51
Australia	16	15	0	1	239	66
Total	107	78	23	6	772	305

Ireland vs. New Zealand Māori

Ireland: T Edwards, DC Woods, A Walpole, MJ Bulger, J Stevenson, RG Warren capt., HW Andrews, EG Forrest, JH O'Conor, JG Moffatt, JN Lytle, J Waites, R Stevenson, JC Jameson, FO Stoker

New Zealand Māori: W Warbrick, DR Gage, EEM McCausland, F Warbrick, P Keogh, WT Wynyard, C Madigan, W Elliott, GA Williams, W Taiaroa, TR Ellison, W Anderson, JA Warbrick, Maynard, Goldsmith

----

Wales vs. New Zealand Māori

Wales: Jim Webb

James Webb (rugby player)

James 'Jim' Webb was an English-born international rugby union player who played club rugby for Newport and international rugby for Wales.-Rugby career:...

(Newport), George Thomas

George Thomas (rugby player)

George Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Newport and international rugby for Wales...

(Newport), Dickie Garrett

Dickie Garrett

Richard 'Dickie' Garrett was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Penarth and international rugby for Wales. Garrett was a collier by trade and in 1908 was killed when he was crushed by a coal truck....

(Penarth

Penarth RFC

Penarth Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club based since 1924 at The Athletic Field, Lavernock Road, in Penarth, in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales.-Origins and early history:...

), Charlie Arthur

Charlie Arthur

Charles "Charlie" Suckling Arthur was an English-born international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff and international rugby for Wales...

(Cardiff

Cardiff RFC

Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...

), Norman Biggs

Norman Biggs

Norman Witchell Biggs was a Welsh international rugby union wing who played club rugby for Cardiff and county rugby for Glamorgan. Both Biggs and his brother Selwyn played international rugby for Wales, though they never played together in the same match for Wales...

(Cardiff

Cardiff RFC

), Charlie Thomas

Charlie Thomas (rugby player)

Charles 'Charlie' Thomas was a Welsh international rugby union utility player who played club rugby for Newport and invitational rugby for the Barbarians. Thomas won nine caps for Wales.-Rugby career:...

(Newport), William Stadden

William Stadden

William James Wood "Buller" Stadden was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Cardiff and Dewsbury. Stadden won eight caps for Wales over a period of seven years and is most remembered for scoring the winning try in 1890 to give Wales their first victory over England...

(Cardiff

Cardiff RFC

), Frank Hill

Frank Hill (rugby player)

Frank Hill was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff. Hill won 15 caps for Wales over a period of ten years and was given the team captaincy on four occasions....

(Cardiff

Cardiff RFC

) capt., Alexander Bland

Alexander Bland

Alexander "Alec" Frederick Bland was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Cardiff. Bland won nine caps for Wales over a period of four years.-International career:...

(Cardiff

Cardiff RFC

), Sydney Nicholls

Sydney Nicholls

Sydney 'Sid' Herbert Nicholls was an English-born dual code rugby forward who played club rugby under the union code for Cardiff and in his later years league rugby with Hull. Nicholls won four caps for Wales and was part of the Welsh team that beat the first touring Southern Hemisphere team the...

(Cardiff

Cardiff RFC

), Jim Hannan

Jim Hannan (rugby player)

Jim Hannan was a Welsh international rugby union player who played club rugby for Newport. A strong tactical forward his scrummaging work was excellent and could pivot the whole scrum around him....

(Newport), Theo Harding

Theo Harding

Charles Theodore 'Theo' Harding was an English-born international rugby union player who played club rugby for Newport and international rugby for Wales...

(Newport), William Towers (Swansea

Swansea RFC

Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...

), William Bowen (Swansea

Swansea RFC

), Dan Griffiths

Dan Griffiths

Daniel 'Dan' Griffiths was a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Llanelli and international rugby for Wales. Morgan was a collier by profession.-Rugby career:...

, (Llanelli

Llanelli RFC

Llanelli Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union club founded in 1875 and its senior team is one of the leading club sides in Wales. The club began the 2008-09 season at their historic home ground of Stradey Park in Llanelli, but moved in November 2008 to the new Parc y Scarlets in adjacent...

)

New Zealand Māori: W Warbrick, EEM McCausland, WT Wynyard, DR Gage, W Elliott, F Warbrick, P Keogh, G Wynyard, A Webster, HH Lee, GA Williams, A Warbrick, D Stewart, Wi Karauria, TR Ellison

----

England vs. New Zealand Māori

England: Arthur "Artie" V. Royle

Arthur Royle

Arthur "Artie" V. Royle was an English rugby union footballer of the 1880s who at representative level played for England, and at club level for Broughton Rangers, playing at Fullback, i.e. number 15...

, John William "J.W." Sutcliffe

John Willie Sutcliffe

John William "J.W." Sutcliffe , commonly known as John Willie Sutcliffe, was an English football and rugby union player. J.W...

, Andrew Stoddart

Andrew Stoddart

Andrew Ernest Stoddart was an English cricketer and rugby union player. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1893.-Cricket career:...

, Richard "Dicky" Evison Lockwood

Richard Lockwood (rugby)

Richard "Dicky" Evison Lockwood was a rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1880s and '90s who at representative level played for England from 1887 to 1894, and was captain in January and February 1894, and at club level for Dewsbury , Heckmondwike /, and Wakefield Trinity...

, William Martin Scott

William Martin Scott

William Martin Scott was an English international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Cambridge University and Northern...

, Fernand "Fred" Bonsor

Fred Bonsor

Fred Bonsor was a rugby union international who represented England from 1886 to 1889, he also captained his country. At club level he played for Bradford FC.-Early life:...

capt., Frank Evershed

Frank Evershed

Frank Evershed was an English rugby player who played internationally for England between 1889 and 1893 and a cricketer who played for Derbyshire....

, Donald "Don" Jowett

Donald Jowett

Donald "Don" Jowett was a rugby union footballer of the 1880s and '90s who at representative level played for England, and at club level for Heckmondwike, playing in the Forwards, e.g. Front row, Lock, or Back row...

, Charles Anderton, Harry James Wilkinson

Harry Wilkinson (rugby)

Harry James Wilkinson was a rugby union footballer of the 1880s who at representative level played for England, and at club level for Halifax, playing in the Forwards, e.g. Front row, Lock, or Back row...

, Harry Bedford

Harry Bedford (rugby)

Harry Bedford was a rugby union footballer of the 1880s and '90s who at representative level played for England, and at club level for Batley, playing in the Forwards, e.g. Front row, Lock, or Back row...

, William Yiend

William Yiend

William "Pusher" Yiend was an English rugby union forward who played club rugby for Hartlepool Rovers and international rugby for England. In 1890 Yiend became one of the original members of the Barbarians Football Club...

, John W. Cave, Frederick Lowrie

Frederick Lowrie

Frederick "Fred" William Lowrie was a rugby union footballer of the 1880s and '90s who at representative level played for England, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Batley and/or Wakefield Trinity, playing in the Forwards, e.g. Front row, Lock, or Back row...

, Arthur Robinson

New Zealand Māori: W Warbrick, EEM McCausland, WT Wynyard, C Madigan, W Elliott, DR Gage, P Keogh, G Wynyard, J Rene, HH Lee, TR Ellison, GA Williams, W Anderson, W Taiaroa, R Maynard

----

Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	Goals	Behinds
Victorian Rules matches
8	3	5	0	27	40

Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	For	Against
Association Football matches
2	0	2	0	5	12

Background

Matches played

Ireland vs. New Zealand Māori

Wales vs. New Zealand Māori

England vs. New Zealand Māori

See also