New Zealand Rugby History
11 Jul 2011
Charles John Monro was sent, by his father, for three years to Christ’s College in Finchley, North London. There he learned a code of football that originated from Rugby School and William Webb Ellis.
He played for the Second XV. He returned to Nelson and convinced his mates to join him playing the game.
On Saturday May 14th, 1870 Nelson College and Nelson Football Club played the first game of rugby in New Zealand at Nelson’s Botanical Reserve. The match was played with 18 players in each side.
Charles Monro played five first class games. He moved to Palmerston North in 1886 and would have had an influence on the formation of the Manawatu Rugby Union founded that year.
By 1888 a British team arrived in New Zealand to play 19 games. The British players became teachers to the New Zealand Native team, the colonial pupils…