page:  = 1888 – 89 New Zealand Native football team = 
   
   The 1888 – 89 New Zealand Native football team was a New Zealand rugby union team that toured Britain , Ireland , Australia and New Zealand in 1888 and 1889 . It mostly comprised players of Māori ancestry , and also included some <unk> ( white New Zealanders ) . A wholly private <unk> , the tour was not under the auspices of any official rugby authority ; it was organised by New Zealand international player Joseph <unk> , promoted by civil servant Thomas <unk> , and managed by James Scott , a <unk> . The <unk> were the first New Zealand team to perform a <unk> , and also the first to wear all black . They played 107 rugby matches during the tour , as well as a small number of Victorian Rules football and association football matches in Australia . Having made a significant impact on the development of New Zealand rugby , the <unk> were inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame in 2008 . 
   After a preliminary tour of New Zealand in 1888 , the side travelled to England via Melbourne and Suez . The Māori players initially provoked curiosity due to their race , but the British press subsequently expressed some surprise that the side was not as " Māori " as they had expected . Playing their first match , on 3 October against Surrey , the team was subjected to a taxing match schedule , and frequently played three matches per week . Their early matches included a 9 – 0 loss to Middlesex , but their form improved in November , when they won 10 of their 13 matches . The team played its first international match on 1 December , against Ireland , and won 13 – 4 . This was followed by a win over one of the strongest English county teams , Yorkshire , and a 5 – 0 defeat against the Wales national team . By January 1889 the <unk> had played 36 matches in less than three months , winning 22 of them ; they had spent most of their time in the north of England , where the playing strength was strongest and the crowds largest and most profitable . 
   In a return match on 19 January , Yorkshire fielded a stronger side than in the first match and inflicted one of the <unk> ' heaviest losses , a 16 – 4 defeat . The team then went undefeated until 16 February , when they faced England . Officials of the strictly amateur Rugby Football Union ( RFU ) had become increasingly concerned at the behaviour of the New Zealanders , regarding them as unsportsmanlike , and tensions reached a nadir in the aftermath of the England international , during which the RFU secretary George Rowland Hill , <unk> the game , awarded a number of controversial tries to England , prompting three of the <unk> to temporarily leave the field in protest ; England eventually won 7 – 0 . The <unk> apologised afterwards for their behaviour , but the damage was not repaired . The New Zealanders left England without an official send @-@ off , and travelled to Australia where they toured Victoria , New South Wales and Queensland . They then returned to New Zealand , where they displayed a level of combination not seen in their home country before . They went 31 games undefeated before losing their final match , on 24 August 1889 , 7 – 2 to Auckland . 
   The <unk> ' final record in rugby matches was 78 wins , 6 draws and 23 losses . They introduced a number of tactical innovations to New Zealand rugby on their return home , and their tour contributed to the formation of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union in 1892 . Seventeen of the team 's 26 players went on to play <unk> in New Zealand , and two , Thomas <unk> and David <unk> , subsequently captained the New Zealand national rugby team . 
   
   = = Background = = 
   
   The idea for assembling a team of Māori footballers to tour Britain was conceived by Joseph <unk> , a rugby player who had toured with the first New Zealand national team in 1884 . He initially proposed a team of Māori or part @-@ Māori to play the touring British side in 1888 ; this developed into a venture to have a Māori team tour Britain if a preliminary tour of New Zealand were successful . <unk> of <unk> 's plans , civil servant Thomas <unk> contacted him to offer help managing the tour , which <unk> accepted . When James Scott , a <unk> , subsequently joined the partnership , the three men decided that <unk> would be the team 's captain , Scott its manager and <unk> its promoter . 
   <unk> started assembling a team for the tour in early 1888 . He had difficulties assembling a squad due to player availability , and failed to secure the talented Jack <unk> due to his university commitments . Some Māori players who initially agreed to play later pulled out when the eligibility criteria were relaxed to allow squad members who were only part @-@ Māori . Twenty Māori or part @-@ Māori players joined the squad ; five <unk> ( white New Zealand ) players were added after the team lost to Auckland . Due to the inclusion of these <unk> players the team was renamed from the " New Zealand <unk> " to the " New Zealand Native Football Representatives " . The final squad comprised 26 players ( including <unk> ) ; of these at least five were full @-@ <unk> Māori , while fourteen had a Māori mother and a <unk> father . The parentage of some of the players is unknown . 
   The team toured New Zealand before departing overseas , playing against <unk> 's Bay , Auckland , Nelson , Wellington , Canterbury , South Canterbury , and <unk> . The first game was contested against <unk> 's Bay in Napier on 23 June 1888 . They played nine games in their preliminary tour of New Zealand , and won seven of them . Their last New Zealand match before departure , against <unk> played in <unk> on 31 July 1888 , was won by one try to nil . 
   The team sailed for Australia from <unk> , leaving on 1 August 1888 . In Melbourne , Scott recruited Jack <unk> to train the players in Victorian Rules football in Britain as preparation for possible Victorian Rules matches on their return to Australia . The team played two rugby matches against the Melbourne Rugby Union team , winning the first and drawing the second , before continuing to Britain via Suez . They arrived in London on 27 September 1888 . 
   
   = = <unk> in England and early matches = = 
   
   The team were met in Britain by local rugby administrators , including an official of England 's Rugby Football Union ( RFU ) . The first match of the tour was against Surrey , where the team became the first New Zealand side to perform a <unk> , and also the first to wear an all black uniform . That the team was predominantly Māori provoked curiosity from the British press – at the time , most Britons had not seen non @-@ white people – but there was some surprise that the team were not as " Māori " as had been expected . " They are not unlike Europeans , " a Scottish reporter wrote in November 1888 ; " that is their resemblance is great when one remembers that they were a savage tribe no further back than a generation " . The Surrey match , which was <unk> by the RFU secretary George Rowland Hill , was won 4 – 1 by the <unk> after they scored two tries . 
   The <unk> next defeated both <unk> and Kent , before defeats by <unk> and Burton @-@ on @-@ Trent . Both defeats were unexpected , and in the <unk> match , injuries played a part – the tourists played most of the match at least two men down , as replacements were then not allowed . The team recovered to win their next game , against Midlands Counties in Birmingham . Their next fixture was against Middlesex in a match not open to the public , and hosted by the Earl of Sheffield at Sheffield Park , <unk> . The Middlesex side contained a number of international players , including Arthur Gould . Middlesex won easily , with the <unk> play characterised by poor tackling . The final score was 9 – 0 , with three tries conceded by the New Zealanders . Prior to the match both sides had enjoyed lunch with wine – an indulgence the <unk> were not used to . A report in the Auckland Star had this to say of the game : 
   The New Zealanders expected to meet a mere exhibition 15 of scratch players , whereas Mr Rowland Hill had carefully collected the best possible team available . Such " passing " as the Home men displayed the <unk> <unk> admit they have never previously witnessed . Said <unk> whilst we were on the platform waiting for the London train , " I think they would have just beaten us , even if we had been in good form . " 
   Following the match against Middlesex , the team travelled to the north , where the strongest English rugby teams were based . Yorkshire and Lancashire dominated the county championship until many of their respective member clubs split from the RFU in 1895 over the issue of " broken time " payments . The New Zealanders lost to Hull 1 – 0 , defeated <unk> , then lost to Wakefield . After their first draw of the tour ( against Northumberland County ) they defeated Stockton @-@ on @-@ <unk> and <unk> . Joe <unk> appeared in the match against <unk> , but aggravated the foot injury that had kept him out of the side until that point . These victories were followed by a 13 – 4 defeat to Halifax on 10 November . The team then won seven matches in a row , including one against <unk> RFC , their only Scottish opposition of the tour . The last two matches that month were a loss to <unk> and a 9 – 0 victory over Liverpool and District . The team had played thirteen fixtures during November and won ten of them . By this point , the team was beset by injuries – of the fifteen players that played against <unk> County on 24 November , five had injuries . The squad comprised only 26 players , and the tourists were often struggling to field a side . Nevertheless , their heavy schedule continued ; on 30 November 1888 they left for Dublin , where a match had been organised against the Ireland national team . 
   
   = = Ireland , further English matches , and Wales = = 
   
   The Ireland fixture was played at Lansdowne Road , Dublin , on 1 December 1888 . Both teams had a number of leading players out injured – the Irish were forced to make four changes to their original selection . Ireland led 3 – 0 at half @-@ time after scoring a converted try , but the <unk> improved considerably in the second @-@ half , scoring four tries . Patrick <unk> scored the first two tries , and his play was praised by the local press . The third try scored was by Thomas <unk> after a counter @-@ attack by George Williams . The try was not converted , but the strong finish from the New Zealanders gave the visitors a 13 – 4 victory . The Irish press were surprised by the loss and strongly criticised their team , but Ireland did go on to defeat Wales two tries to nil in the 1889 Home Nations Championship . Following their defeat of Ireland , the <unk> played Trinity College and then North of Ireland . The match against Trinity College was drawn 4 – 4 , and despite <unk> not playing , the Native side played much better than their previous fixture . The team then travelled to Belfast , where they defeated North of Ireland 2 – 0 on 5 December ; scoring two tries to nil . 
   After returning to England , the <unk> faced Lancashire in Manchester , where they lost 1 – 0 . Two days later they drew with <unk> Bulldogs , despite their opposition scoring five tries . Their next match was against Yorkshire , who were one of the strongest counties in the country , and went on to win the inaugural County Championship that season . Yorkshire fielded a weakened team , and were subsequently defeated 10 – 6 by the <unk> , who scored six tries . After a further two victories , the team travelled to Wales , where they lost 3 – 0 to <unk> , before facing Wales on 22 December . 
   At the start of the match the home crowd were fairly hostile towards the Welsh team due to fans of both Swansea and <unk> feeling slighted by the lack of selection of their players . Four teams dominated Welsh international selection at the time , and out of the 15 @-@ man team only William Towers and William Bowen of Swansea and Dan <unk> of <unk> had been selected . The match was played in Swansea , and the lack of local players may have contributed to a poor crowd , with gate receipts of only £ 120 recorded . The crowd 's hostility impacted on the players , and <unk> Norman <unk> was " <unk> nervous " at the start of the match . <unk> , aged 18 years and 49 days , became the youngest Welsh international player – a record he held until the debut of Tom <unk> in 2010 . Despite the <unk> aimed primarily at <unk> , Charlie Arthur and George Thomas , the Welsh team produced an excellent effort , especially from the forwards . 
   Towers scored the first Welsh try , which was converted by Jim Webb . The <unk> replied with a spirited run by <unk> , but he failed to break through the Welsh defence . The tourists trailed even further after George Thomas scored a <unk> try <unk> the half @-@ way line , which went some way to silence the <unk> from the crowd . Webb , playing in out of position at full @-@ back , missed the conversion and then failed at a long distance goal from a mark . The <unk> continued to push , with Elliot coming within five @-@ yards of the try line , and when <unk> did manage to cross the line he was carried back into the 25 @-@ yard line before he could touch down . In the second half Wales continued to push their advantage when Alexander <unk> <unk> the ball into the <unk> ' 25 ; this was collected by Sydney Nicholls , who managed to get the ball across the try line , allowing Jim <unk> to score . <unk> for the <unk> and <unk> for Wales both subsequently came close to scoring tries , but there were no further scores in the game . 
   The match was also of historical importance because of the Welsh tactics employed . In the 1886 Home Nations Championship Wales had <unk> the four three @-@ quarter system , wherein the team would play with eight forwards rather than nine , and instead employ an extra centre three @-@ quarter . The system was deemed a failure and was particularly unpopular with star Welsh player Arthur Gould , whose formidable ability as a back allowed his club team Newport to retain the additional forward . With Gould working in the West Indies , Wales again tried the four three @-@ quarter system against the <unk> , and its success saw the team permanently adopt the system . Within six years the other three Home Countries had adopted four three @-@ quarter style of play . 
   Before they left Wales , the <unk> played Swansea and two other local clubs , Newport , and Cardiff . They defeated Swansea for their first win in Wales , and followed this up with a victory over Newport in front of 8 @,@ 000 spectators . They finished their Welsh matches , and the year , with a 4 – 1 loss to Cardiff in front of a partisan crowd . 
   
   = = Return to England = = 
   
   The side entered 1889 having played 36 matches for 22 wins and three draws . The <unk> ' play had improved throughout November and December following poorer form in their October matches ; positive press reports reflected this improvement . The team would go on to play a further 17 matches before their 16 February international against England . January started with a 4 – 1 loss to Bradford , during which 25 police officers were required to keep many of the 12 @,@ 000 spectators , many of them non @-@ paying , in order . This was followed by victories over Leeds Parish Church , <unk> , <unk> Rangers , and Huddersfield . Following further matches against <unk> , <unk> , and <unk> , where the team drew , lost , then won , the side faced Yorkshire for a second time . 
   Yorkshire had been criticised in the press for fielding a weakened line @-@ up against the <unk> when the sides first met in December . After the unexpected loss , Yorkshire were determined to make <unk> and a strong side was selected for the county , including Fred <unk> , Richard <unk> and John Willie <unk> , all of whom would appear for England against the <unk> later that season . Described as " knocked about " and " stale " , the <unk> struggled to compete against such strong opposition , and Yorkshire scored three converted tries before a try to <unk> left the scores at 9 – 1 at half @-@ time . The second @-@ half was little better for the <unk> ; they conceded a further two tries as well as a drop @-@ goal . The second of these tries was scored by <unk> after he ran the ball from his own half . <unk> scored a converted try late in the match , but this didn 't prevent the <unk> suffering their largest defeat of the tour : 16 – 4 to the <unk> . <unk> later described the match as " without a <unk> , the biggest beating we received in our whole tour " . 
   After a victory over <unk> Valley District , the team travelled west to play <unk> , Devonshire , Taunton , and Gloucestershire , and won all five games . The victory over Somerset was the New Zealanders ' largest of the tour ; they scored nine tries in a 17 – 4 victory . Half @-@ back <unk> played outstandingly for the <unk> , while the entire side demonstrated superior passing and combination to their opposition . Devonshire and <unk> suffered heavy defeats by the New Zealanders , before a strong Gloucestershire side was dismissed . After defeating Midland Counties , the <unk> returned to London . 
   The team had two further matches before their international against England . The first was against one of the strongest clubs in England , <unk> . Andrew <unk> , who had toured New Zealand and Australia with the 1888 British Isles side , played for the club in their 9 – 3 defeat to the <unk> . The New Zealanders won having scored four tries , including two by <unk> . Their next opposition was a United Services side mainly comprising Royal Navy players . The <unk> were again victorious , this time 10 – 0 . The match against Oxford University was postponed due to heavy <unk> , and so the team had a seven @-@ day break from playing – their longest of the tour . 
   
   = = England international = = 
   
   The match against England was causing the <unk> ' players and management problems before it had even begun . The team manager , Scott , was in dispute with the RFU over where the match should be played – the RFU were adamant that the match should take place at <unk> 's ground , but Scott wanted the game to proceed at The Oval , where a larger crowd , and therefore higher gate receipts , could be secured . The strictly amateur RFU establishment were already suspicious of the profit @-@ making motives of the <unk> , and were unwilling to yield on the selection of venue . The RFU was also in dispute with the other Home <unk> over the formation of the International Rugby Football Board ( <unk> ) . Following a disputed try in an England – Scotland international match in 1888 , the Scottish authorities had pushed for the establishment of an international body to oversee the game , but the RFU insisted that they would only join if they held a deciding vote , arguing that they deserved this as they were , they asserted , the senior body , and had the most member clubs . Ireland , Wales and Scotland consequently refused to play against England until 1891 , when , following arbitration , the RFU relented and joined the <unk> . The absence of international matches was a factor in England agreeing to face the <unk> on 16 February 1889 . 
   The line @-@ ups selected for the 16 February match were both strong , and close to full strength . Though 12 of the England side had not played internationally before , all were experienced at domestic level . The match was <unk> by Rowland Hill , who had also <unk> the <unk> ' first match in Britain , against Surrey . The opening of the first half was a scoreless affair , with much tackling and <unk> on the heavy ground . Later in the half England scored two tries through Harry Bedford , but both were disputed by the <unk> , who claimed that one of their players had grounded the ball in @-@ goal . England took the two @-@ try advantage into the second half . 
   Early in the second half a third disputed try was scored by the English . The try and its aftermath caused controversy and a rift between the <unk> and the RFU . <unk> attempted to tackle the English player <unk> , and in the process ripped his shorts off . The <unk> quickly formed a circle around <unk> to allow him to replace his clothing without being seen . While this was happening one of the English players , Frank <unk> , picked up the ball and scored a try . The New Zealanders protested , believing that play had stopped after claiming <unk> had called " dead ball " – but Hill awarded the try , prompting three of the Native players , Dick <unk> , Williams , and <unk> <unk> , to leave the field in protest . The <unk> players were eventually persuaded to return , but not before Hill had <unk> play . <unk> was very critical of Hill , particularly because he was also Secretary of the RFU . <unk> wrote after the tour that " gross as these errors were , they were insignificant when compared with another that Mr Hill committed at the outset of the game , <unk> , <unk> at all in that game " . The disputed try was followed by a final try for the English , who ultimately won 7 – 0 . 
   The RFU , at Hill 's instigation , promptly demanded an apology from the <unk> ' captain of the day , Edward <unk> , who had led the team as Joe <unk> was injured . The English authorities of the time believed that the decision of a referee was above question , and that protesting a decision as the New Zealanders had done was unsportsmanlike . The RFU threatened to bar any of their affiliated players – in other words , the entire rugby playing population of England – from facing the <unk> if they did not <unk> . <unk> swiftly sent an apology by telegram , but this was deemed inadequate ; he therefore sent another , four days after the game : 
   The London establishment that governed the game were disturbed by the New Zealanders ' approach to the game ; reports of rough and over @-@ aggressive play by the <unk> had steadily increased in frequency since their arrival in Britain . In the north of England , criticism of the visitors ' <unk> was rarer ; the tourists were accepted as playing the game in the same spirit as their local opponents , which in the north was a more working class sport than in the south . Some of the <unk> , including Joe <unk> , accused the RFU and the English press of hypocrisy , claiming that they were quick to <unk> the New Zealanders for rough play , yet tolerant of similar behaviour from their own players . 
   
   = = Later matches and departure from England = = 
   
   The <unk> remained in London following the England international . They defeated London Welsh on 18 February , before losing first to Cambridge , then Oxford University . From there they travelled north and won two matches before losing to Leigh . After a win over <unk> , there was a defeat to Oldham , played on a ground <unk> said was so frozen it was dangerous . After reversing their previous loss to Halifax with a 6 – 0 win , the <unk> suffered a loss to Barrow and District on 7 March . The New Zealanders then had a run of seven straight wins before a 1 – 1 draw with Hull . <unk> were then defeated for the second time in two weeks in the tourists ' last match in northern England . 
   The team struggled to find an opponent for their final match in Britain . They eventually played Southern Counties , and beat them 3 – 1 . This was their <unk> match in the British Isles and their 49th victory . The authorities and press in London continued to view the team negatively , and the <unk> boarded ship without a formal farewell . This perceived <unk> from the RFU provoked some criticism from the press outside London , as well as from the team manager Scott , who felt that with the team 's official apology after the England match , the controversy should have put to rest . 
   
   = = Australia = = 
   
   The majority of the <unk> left Plymouth on 29 March ( <unk> and Pie <unk> followed a week later ) . They arrived in Melbourne in May , where the team played mostly Victorian Rules football , hoping to make more money that way . Although the side had employed Jack <unk> to coach them in Victorian Rules during their tour of the British Isles , the heavy schedule and high injury count had left little time and energy for such training . As a result , the Victorian Rules matches were a failure ; the players ' <unk> with the rules , combined with the fact that most of the <unk> were rugby forwards ( and therefore less suited to the more open Victorian Rules ) , ensured that they failed to perform well on the field and struggled to attract large crowds . The side played nine Victorian Rules matches in total , including one in New South Wales , but won only three of them , all against relatively weak opposition . 
   The side 's success in their rugby matches contrasted to their failure in Victorian Rules – the New Zealanders played three rugby matches while in Victoria : against Melbourne , a Navy selection , and Victoria . The matches were all won , with their game against Victoria a 19 – 0 victory . After this they left for Sydney for further rugby matches , and defeated New South Wales 12 – 9 . After two further victories , the side again faced New South Wales , and won the match 16 – 12 . Another two victories followed , before the team played their only association football matches of the tour – both defeats . 
   The team travelled north to Queensland , where , as in New South Wales , rugby was the dominant code of football . Consequently , the team exclusively played rugby while in the region . The <unk> faced Queensland at the Association Ground in Brisbane . The 8000 spectators witnessed the New Zealanders overwhelm the <unk> to win 22 – 0 ; the <unk> did not exert themselves in the win , and the score did not reflect their dominance . After a further two matches , against <unk> and Ipswich ( both of whom were comfortably defeated ) , the team returned to Brisbane for a rematch with Queensland . In contrast to their first meeting , the first @-@ half was a close affair , and the two sides were tied at the conclusion of the half . Billy <unk> suffered a kick to the head , and had to retire early in the second @-@ half . Following the loss of <unk> , the play of the <unk> improved and they recovered to win 11 – 7 . Not long after the game concluded rumours circulated that some of the players had been offered ₤ 50 by <unk> to throw the game . <unk> later said : 
   It was on the occasion of this match that four of our players were thought , in racing <unk> , to be playing " stiff " , and that they had been got by some <unk> ; at all events , when accused of it at half @-@ time and cautioned , they played a different game in the second half . 
   The response from the team 's management was to suspend four players . The team travelled to <unk> , where they defeated the locals 19 – 0 . The <unk> included a replacement player for only the second time , Charles <unk> , after the <unk> reduced the playing strength of the side . The team then travelled back to New Zealand , and arrived in <unk> on 5 August . 
   
   = = Return to New Zealand = = 
   
   Two days after their return , the <unk> faced <unk> , who they defeated 5 – 1 in front of a crowd of 2 @,@ 000 . The side suffered further injury , to Harry Lee , and recruited <unk> W. <unk> for their match against <unk> District on 8 August . Despite playing the match two players down , the <unk> comfortably defeated <unk> 16 – 3 . Following the side 's return to New Zealand , the <unk> Rugby Football Union demanded that the team 's management explain the accusations levelled at them in Queensland . <unk> responded by insisting that the players had only been suspended while an investigation was conducted , and that the management was confident no wrongdoing had occurred . The Northern Rugby Union ( since renamed Queensland Rugby Union ) summarised the incident and aftermath in the 1889 Queensland Rugby Union Annual : 
   ... it was apparent to a judge of the game that something was wrong with the <unk> , as they were not showing their usual dash and combination . Four members of the team were suspended , a charge being made against them of attempting the sell the match . The matter was bought before the <unk> Union , who passed the following resolution : That , having heard all available evidence regarding the charges against certain members of the Native Team , and having received an explicit denial of charges from the accused members and a satisfactory explanation from the management , we are of opinion that there are no facts before us <unk> the allegations ... 
   It is unlikely , given the attitude of the <unk> Rugby Union to the <unk> before their departure , that they would have dismissed the allegations if <unk> evidence had existed . The side was back to full strength following the return of their suspended players when the side faced <unk> in <unk> . The <unk> <unk> their opponents five tries to two , and won 11 – 8 . The side 's star player and half @-@ back , <unk> , stayed in <unk> when the team departed for <unk> . The side faced <unk> 's Bay , who were touring , in <unk> , and <unk> defeated them 13 – 2 . The <unk> ' play was praised by The Press : " ... the <unk> of the black passed with remarkable accuracy and <unk> between their legs , over their shoulders , under their arms and with their feet " . The side then faced Canterbury on 17 August , who they <unk> 15 – 0 . The report published in The Press said of the <unk> ' performance : 
   The play showed on Saturday afternoon was a fine exhibition of what several months of combination and practice will do ... it must be admitted they were far and away too good for our local men . In the loose , in the <unk> , <unk> , passing , <unk> , or running they were very much indeed Canterbury 's superior . Such runs as were made by <unk> at full back , by Madigan , <unk> , and W. <unk> , the passing of H. <unk> , F. <unk> , and all the backs as well as several forwards , the rushes of <unk> <unk> , Maynard , <unk> , <unk> , and <unk> , and the <unk> and <unk> powers of nearly every one , <unk> their opponents ... 
   The side left <unk> and travelled north where they played <unk> in Masterton . The match was won 10 – 8 , and the next day they faced Wellington , who they also defeated . The fixture against Wellington was nearly abandoned because Scott and the Wellington Rugby Union could not agree on a venue ; the match went ahead only when the Wellington officials agreed to cede the <unk> all profit from the match . After this the <unk> travelled to Auckland where they played their last match , against the province on 24 August . The match was lost 7 – 2 after each team scored two tries each , but the <unk> kicked a drop @-@ goal and a conversion . The loss ended a remarkable run of matches – the <unk> had a 31 @-@ game unbeaten streak in rugby matches that started with their victory over <unk> on 9 March ; the side won 30 , and drew one match between the defeats . 
   
   = = Impact and legacy = = 
   
   The tour had a significant impact on the development of rugby within New Zealand . It was the first tour of the British Isles by a team from the Southern Hemisphere , and the longest in the history of the sport . By the time the <unk> returned to New Zealand , they had developed into a side superior to any in the country , and introduced a number of tactical innovations . Seventeen of the 26 players went on to play <unk> in New Zealand , and two , <unk> and David <unk> , subsequently captained New Zealand . 
   The tour also prompted the eventual formation of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union ( <unk> , later renamed New Zealand Rugby Union ) in 1892 ; one reason for its formation was to ensure greater control over any future touring New Zealand sides . The <unk> sent an officially sanctioned New Zealand team , captained by <unk> , to tour Australia in 1893 . The <unk> are also the <unk> of the Māori All Blacks , a representative team organised by the <unk> , that first played in 1910 . The Native team , along with Joe <unk> , was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2008 – the seventh <unk> . 
   
   = = Squad = = 
   
   The squad consisted of 26 players . The exact names of several of the players is unknown . The number of matches played is a minimum number only – the line @-@ ups for a number of matches in Britain and Australia are either incomplete or unknown . 
   
   = = <unk> played = = 
   
   
   = = = Overall = = = 
   
   
   = = = <unk> = = = 
   
   
   = = = = Ireland = = = = 
   
   Ireland : T Edwards , DC Woods , A Walpole , MJ <unk> , J Stevenson , <unk> Warren <unk> . , <unk> Andrews , <unk> <unk> , <unk> O <unk> , <unk> <unk> , <unk> <unk> , J <unk> , R Stevenson , <unk> <unk> , <unk> <unk> 
   New Zealand <unk> : William <unk> , David <unk> , Edward <unk> , Frederick <unk> , Patrick <unk> , <unk> <unk> , Charles Madigan , William Elliot , George Williams , Dick <unk> , Thomas <unk> , W Anderson , Joe <unk> , Richard Maynard , Charles Goldsmith 
   
   = = = = Wales = = = = 
   
   Wales : Jim Webb ( Newport ) , George Thomas ( Newport ) , <unk> Garrett ( Penarth ) , Charlie Arthur ( Cardiff ) , Norman <unk> ( Cardiff ) , Charlie Thomas ( Newport ) , William <unk> ( Cardiff ) , Frank Hill ( Cardiff ) <unk> . , Alexander <unk> ( Cardiff ) , Sydney Nicholls ( Cardiff ) , Jim <unk> ( Newport ) , <unk> Harding ( Newport ) , William Towers ( Swansea ) , William Bowen ( Swansea ) , Dan <unk> , ( <unk> ) 
   New Zealand <unk> : William <unk> , Edward <unk> , William Thomas <unk> , David <unk> , William Elliot , Frederick <unk> , Patrick <unk> , George <unk> , Alexander Webster , <unk> <unk> , George Williams , Arthur <unk> , David Stewart , <unk> <unk> , Thomas <unk> 
   
   = = = = England = = = = 
   
   England : Arthur " Artie " V. <unk> , John William " <unk> " <unk> , Andrew <unk> , Richard " <unk> " <unk> <unk> , William Martin Scott , <unk> " Fred " <unk> <unk> . , Frank <unk> , Donald " Don " <unk> , Charles <unk> , Harry James Wilkinson , Harry Bedford , William <unk> , John W. Cave , Frederick <unk> , Arthur Robinson 
   New Zealand <unk> : William <unk> , Edward <unk> , <unk> <unk> , Charles Madigan , William Elliot , David <unk> , Patrick <unk> , George <unk> , <unk> <unk> , Harry Lee , Thomas <unk> , George Williams , W Anderson , Dick <unk> , Richard Maynard 
   
   