February 26 - 1919 NZ Army defeats Australian Imperial Forces

The NZ Army team had a further win at Richmond on February 26th, 9 – 0 against the Australian Imperial Forces in a game abbreviated to two fifteen minute spells owing to the state of the grounds. Little information is available about this game, it does not appear to be mentioned in Papers Past, though, as can be seen below, other matches played at the same time involving seemingly lesser New Zealand teams are mentioned.

Possibly the reason that the NZ Army v AIF match did not rate a mention is that it involved two overseas teams, whereas the games mentioned concerned English clubs with presumably established media connections.

With three tries to nil in a half hour match this was a reasonably comprehensive win for NZ Army, perhaps not surprising for a team that included eight All Blacks: Percy Storey, Dick Roberts, Jack Stohr, Billy Fea, Charles Brown, “Moke” Belliss, Richard Fogarty and Mick Cain.

Scores:

NZ Army 9. E A Belliss, A Gilchrist & G J McNaught tries.

AIF 0.

“SERVICE FOOTBALLERS.

(Received 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, February 27. At Rugby football Llanelly, 9 points, defeated the New Zealand machine gunners, 3 points. The Royal Naval Division at Devonport, 16 points, defeated New Zealanders from Salisbury, 3 points. The New Zealanders from Torquay drew with Cardiff, there being no score. The New Zealander’s reserve team beat Coventry, 13 to nil.”

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=AS19190228.2.75&cl=&srpos=0&e=——-10–1—-0–&st=1