New book reveals Whanganui as the first place in NZ to host rugby

WRFU chairman Jeff Phillips (left) with game development manager Tyrone Kemp. Photo / Bevan Conley

Evidence unearthed by rugby historian Dr Ron Palenski reveals the first game of rugby played in New Zealand took place in Aramoho.

Nelson is commonly thought of as the birthplace of rugby in New Zealand but Dr Palenski's new book Our Game: New Zealand Rugby at 150, documents for the first time, that Whanganui hosted a rugby game in June 1869 - almost a year earlier than the Nelson game.

"Both the Whanganui Chronicle and the Whanganui Herald had coverage of rugby matches in the Aramoho area in 1969," Palenski said.

"There was an advertisement in the Whanganui Herald that said 'Football match, Country versus Town.'

'"Town accepts Country's challenge, providing that rugby rules are attended to. Game to commence at 2 o'clock pm on Saturday, 2 June 1869."

Both newspapers ran reports of the match, Polowski said, with both the Chronicle and the Herald mentioning "kicks having to go over the cross bars".

"This of course means rugby as opposed to soccer."

Palenski said that there was no doubt that rugby was played in Whanganui in 1969, but what was "to Nelson's advantage" was the lack of evidence of just who took part in these games.

"I suspect that some of players would have been Irish soldiers who were based in Whanganui at the time," Palenski said.

"The game was most likely played on a farm in the Aramoho area, which was owned by a chap called John Walker.

"At the end of the day, it's irrelevant who actually did the kicking and the running, because it was documented in local newspapers."

The original Whanganui Herald notice of the 'Foot-Ball' match in 1869. Photo / Supplied

Wanganui Rugby Union chairman Jeff Phillips said it was great that "the truth had come out," even if Nelson might be gutted at the news.

"It's a bit like those boys down south with the first aeroplane flight that no one wants to acknowledge," Phillips said.

"I've known about this for quite a while, but there's been nothing as official as having Ron Palenski publish it.

"He's done the research, and we have a lot of history on the game, we just don't know the people.

"There's enough documentary evidence to back it up, and Ron wouldn't have said it if it wasn't there."

Phillips said that a proposed North vs South commemorative game, to mark 150 years of rugby in New Zealand, would be something the city could host in 2020.

"I'm putting it out there, lets bring that game right here to Whanganui," he said.

Local rugby historian JB Phillips said that according to the original report in the Whanganui Herald, the game ran for two hours, only stopping when it got dark.

"It was finished the following Saturday, and there's no doubt about it, the game was played all right.

"Having it in print, and official, is great news.

"We knew about this last year, when Ron came to speak in Whanganui, but now the rest of the country knows about it.

"I've haven't heard anything from Nelson disputing it yet, and perhaps we can claim to be the home of New Zealand rugby."