Editorial: Relax, it's only a game

Mark Dawson, Wanganui Chronicle editor

Tomorrow night, a simple game of rugby may do many things ...

Have the nation holding its collective breath; restore or vanquish Kiwi pride; go some way to further defining New Zealand's national identity; deliver a blow to colonial rule - and almost certainly upstage the rapturous victory parade that the America's Cup sailors revelled in yesterday.

The All Blacks face the British and Irish Lions in the decisive climax of a series that has gripped the nation - at least, most of it.

We have had a win a-piece, moments of brilliance, a sending-off, assorted foul play, controversy to spare and a brutal physicality to make grown men wince.

In team sport, rugby remains the fiercest test of physical and mental courage.

But All Blacks coach Steve Hansen told us yesterday: "We're really only playing a rugby game."

And the much-anticipated contest is put in perspective by an extract from Nelson writer John Ewan's forthcoming book Accidental Immigrants, the story of the Powell family who emigrated from Leeds, England, heading for India but ended up in Aotearoa.

The year was 1883 and the Whanganui rugby team set off to play Nelson - by ship, of course.

But the game, played at the Botanical Domain, lacked one key ingredient - a referee.

The match had already become torrid when one player broke a leg. Matters became worse when captain Charles Powell touched down, his try disputed. With no referee, it was left to the line umpires to adjudicate, but they couldn't agree so the try was disallowed.

The players couldn't agree either, so at that stage Whanganui left the field and the match was abandoned.

There was no higher authority to appeal to - the NZ Rugby Football Union was not formed until some years later.

Rather than being admonished by his union for walking off, Charles Powell remained captain of the provincial side and went on to become a referee and later chairman of the Whanganui union.

Expect another chapter in rugby's rich tapestry to unfold at Auckland's Eden Park tomorrow night.