A South African journalist was outraged when white spectators supported the New Zealand Māori rugby team playing the touring Springboks at Napier.
Maori Sport
Events In History
3 October 1888
The privately organised rugby team was the first to wear the silver fern and an all-black uniform.
Articles
Natives' Rugby Tour, 1888-89
The title of 'The Originals' was bestowed on the next New Zealand rugby team to tour Britain, that of 1905-6, but even though it was soon forgotten, the Natives' tour was to have enduring significance for New Zealand rugby and society. Read the full article
Page 1 - New Zealand Natives' rugby tour of 1888-9
The title of 'The Originals' was bestowed on the next New Zealand rugby team to tour Britain, that of 1905-6, but even though it was soon forgotten, the Natives' tour was to have
Page 2 - Rugby in 1888
The rugby played by the Natives was different from the game we know today.
Page 3 - Maori and rugby
In 1872, 'Wirihana' became the first recorded Maori rugby player when he turned out for
Page 4 - Preparations
In the absence of any body regulating the game in New Zealand, Eyton was free to promote a tour of Britain as a private
Page 5 - The 'Noble Maori' arrive
After playing nine matches in New Zealand and two in Melbourne in the southern winter of 1888 (with only two losses), the Natives set off for Britain by
Page 6 - Daily routines
Between their first and last matches in Britain, the Natives played on average every 2.3
Page 7 - Unsporting behaviour?
Although hacking and tripping had been banned in the 1870s to make the game safe enough to appeal to gentlemen, rugby remained
Page 8 - Natives and northerners
In 1888 the gentlemen who ran the Rugby Union (and the Empire) were based in southern England, and the England test was played in London. Yet the playing strength of the English
Page 9 - Rugby and society
What effect did the Natives' tour have on rugby and wider New Zealand society? It showed that New Zealanders could compete on equal terms with representatives of the imperial
Page 10 - Matches played
Games and scores Total (rugby games only): played 107: won 78, drew 6, lost 23 Points for: 772; Points against: 305 In Britain: played 74: W49, D5, L20 Points for: 394; Points
1981 Springbok tour
For 56 days in July, August and September 1981, New Zealanders were divided against each other in the largest civil disturbance seen since the 1951 waterfront dispute. The cause of this was the visit of the South African rugby team – the Springboks. Read the full article
Page 3 - Politics and sport
South Africa's apartheid policies and attitudes created obvious problems for New Zealand rugby, given the prominence of Māori in the
Māori rugby timeline
This timeline covers some of the key events and major players in the history of Māori rugby. It was compiled to mark the centenary of the first official New Zealand Māori team. Read the full article
Page 1 - Māori rugby timeline
This timeline covers some of the key events and major players in the history of Māori rugby. It was compiled to mark the centenary of the first official New Zealand Māori
Page 2 - Further information
Links and books for further reading about Maori
Biographies
Tom Ellison was captain of NZ's first official rugby team in 1893. He invented the wing forward position and in 1903 wrote one of the game's first coaching manuals.
George Nēpia is considered to be one of New Zealand rugby’s finest players. He played all 32 matches for the famous 1924-25 ‘Invincibles’ on their tour of the British Isles, France and Canada.
Ernie Asher was a prominent Māori rugby league player and sports administrator
Main image: Cheering the Maori team (cartoon)
"Surrey Team" cheering the "Maories" on their appearance during the New Zealand Natives' Rugby Tour of 1888/89
