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Today in History
3 October
1888 NZ Natives team plays first game in UK
Privately organised and mainly Maori, this was the first national rugby team to wear the silver fern. During their tour of New Zealand, Australia and Britain, they played 107 rugby matches – winning 78 of them – plus eight under Australian rules and two soccer games.
After a demanding six-week journey by steamer the team disembarked at Tilbury, England, on 27 September. They prepared themselves as best they could for an expected 50 or 60 matches over the northern winter. The 'noble Maori' had arrived 'to play an English game against English players'. Six days later, wearing black uniforms and after performing a haka, a team which had 'caused much curiosity' efficiently defeated a scratch Surrey XV 4-1.
Image: the Natives team, 1889
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