January 9 - 1889 NZ 'Natives' win four in row

“Match 41 – versus HUDDERSFIELD at Huddersfield, January 9.

Score: Natives – 2 goals, 1 try.

Huddersfield – 2 goals.”

From “RUGBY FOOTBALL AND THE TOUR OF THE NATIVE TEAM”, compiled by T Eyton. Published 1896.P. 48.

“THE MAORI FOOTBALLERS.

A SPLENDID RECORD.

London, January 10th.

The Maori footballers played and defeated a team representing Huddersfield yesterday. The match was a close one, but the Maoris scored two goals and a try against two goals obtained by their opponents. The Maoris have now a splendid record for their tour. So far they have played 42 matches, and of these they have won 27, lost 12, and drawn 3. They have scored 211 points, and had 96 scored against them.”

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The following account appeared in the Auckland Star in February 1889, having presumably been sent by surface mail. It gives some indications of the tour conditions.

“London, January 11. On Saturday last I went over to Manchester, and paid “‘our boys” a visit at the Grosvenor Hotel. Fifteen of them had gone to Leeds to tackle Kirkstall on a ground near the “Nitrate King’s” recent purchase (Kirkstall Abbey), but there were enough invalids, and to spare, left in the house to talk to. I found Tom Ellison, usually the cheeriest of pals, “grizzling” over the fire with a bad cold and a sore arm. Madigan was there too, and complained that his ankle still pained him diabolically and he was kept at home by his bad leg, which is not healing well. Joe Warbrick himself seemed, however, to be in the worst plight, barring perhaps Sandy Lee, who has two bad ears. It seems the match at Bradford was a very rough one, and that the local players and sightseers showed themselves most bloodthirsty brutes. One man (no doubt accidentally) danced a pas seul on the unfortunate Joe’s head till he was senseless, or all but senseless. Doctors had come promptly forward a short time previously to assist a local man who seemed to be badly hurt, but in Joe Warbrick’s case the only cry was, ” Cart him away ! ”

At Cardiff the Maoris were hooted whenever they seemed to be getting the best of the game ; but the Cardiff folk were polite compared to the Bradford’ “tykes.” Whether the populace had conceived a prejudice against the Maoris, or whether it was simply that they couldn’t bear to see their men lose a point, the New Zealanders don’t know, but they say that never since they began the tour have they been so ill treated. The very children howled insults at them in the streets, and after the match was over it was only by keeping well together and walking in a compact phalanx that they avoided a free fight. Since I last wrote the New Zealanders have played matches against Leeds Parish Church Club at Leeds, at Kirkstall against Kirkstall, at Leeds against Brighouse Rangers, and at Huddersfield against Huddersfield, scoring brilliant victories in each instance.”

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