▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁the ▁first ▁international ▁competition , ▁the ▁Home ▁Nations ▁Championship ▁had ▁begun . ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁year ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁rugby ▁se vens ▁tournament , ▁the ▁Mel rose ▁Se vens , ▁which ▁is ▁still ▁held ▁ann ually . ▁ ▁Two ▁important ▁over se as ▁t ours ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 : ▁a ▁British ▁Is les ▁team ▁visited ▁Australia ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand — although ▁a ▁private ▁vent ure , ▁it ▁laid ▁the ▁found ations ▁for ▁future ▁British ▁and ▁Irish ▁L ions ▁t ours ; ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 8 – 8 9 ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Native ▁football ▁team ▁brought ▁the ▁first ▁over se as ▁team ▁to ▁British ▁spect ators . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁history ▁of ▁rugby ▁union , ▁a ▁time ▁before ▁commercial ▁air ▁travel , ▁teams ▁from ▁different ▁contin ents ▁rarely ▁met . ▁The ▁first ▁two ▁notable ▁t ours ▁both ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 the ▁British ▁Is les ▁team ▁tour ing ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁Australia , ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁team ▁tour ing ▁Europe . ▁Trad itionally ▁the ▁most ▁pr estig ious ▁t ours ▁were ▁the ▁Southern ▁Hem is phere ▁countries ▁of ▁Australia , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁South ▁Africa ▁making ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁a ▁Northern ▁Hem is phere , ▁and ▁the ▁return ▁t ours ▁made ▁by ▁a ▁joint ▁British ▁and ▁Irish ▁team . ▁T ours ▁would ▁last ▁for ▁months , ▁due ▁to ▁long ▁travel ing ▁times ▁and ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁games ▁undert aken ;