The New Zealand Native Football Representatives' tour of Britain is a lesser known tour. The first New Zealand representative rugby team to tour beyond Australia, they played their first game in Britain on 3rd October 1888, but the title of 'The Originals' was somehow bestowed on the second New Zealand rugby team to tour Britain, that of 1905-06. But even though it was soon forgotten, the Natives' tour was to have a lasting significance for New Zealand rugby and society.

The Natives had originally been called New Zealand Maori after five Pakeha were selected to strengthen the touring party, it was renamed by its promoter on the basis that all 26 team members were born in New Zealand. However two of the Pakeha were born overseas. Most of the team assembled at a training camp near Napier in May 1888, and they played their first match against Hawke's Bay on 23rd June 1888. Before they left New Zealand they were condemned as a 'poor team' who wouldn't beat the top local club sides. But after they slipped quietly back into the country a year later, their play was praised as a 'fine exhibition of what several months of combination and practice will do'.

By the time the Natives dispersed at Auckland in August 1889, they had played a staggering 107 rugby matches in New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain, winning 78 of them - plus eight Australian Rules and two soccer fixtures! For much of that time no more than 20 of the touring party were fit, forcing those that remained into a playing schedule that no modern team would contemplate.

The 1888-89 tourists' team cap was notable for the first use of the silver fern in New Zealand rugby. A symbol that would come to be used on most New Zealand sporting uniforms.

A match programme article for Newport v New Zealand in 1989 reported much of the following on the 1888 game. The Maoris returned home with the record in Great Britain of:-

Played 74, Won 49, Drawn 5, Lost 20, Points for 394, Points against 188.

Having started on June 23rd 1888 the tour lasted until August 24th 1889 - a year and two months! In all the party played 107 matches, won 78, drew 6 and lost 23. In New Zealand, where the tour started, the Maoris won 14 out of the 17 games played and all 16 were won in Australia. The tourists completed their 74 games in the U.K. in less than six months and it must have been the most exhausting programme any group of players had undertaken. On occasions games were played on three successive days yet the party consisted of only 26 men. Not surprisingly, on account of illness and injury, backs often found themselves in the pack and forwards were pressed into service in the back division. One of the Maoris, Davey Gage, played in 68 of the 74 games played in Britain.

The tourists were not all Maori - four were "white" and a number of others only part-Maori. Joe Warbrick, the captain, had three brothers with him - one, William, was to become the star of the tour. Others to impress were the "white players" - Pat Keogh and W. "Mother" Elliot at half-back, G.A. Williams an outstanding forward, and E.M. McCausland, a strong-running three-quarter who was aiso a fine goal-kicker. All four were to play at Newport, in the first major Southern Hemisphere side to take on The Usksiders, as was T.R. Ellison an outstanding Maori forward, who later in his career switched to half-back.

The team of '88 beat Ireland 13pts to 4pts in Dublin, but lost to England 7pts to nil at Blackheath. Most of the matches took place in the industrial north where the attendances were larger than the rest of the U.K. The tour of Wales took in Llanelli, Swansea, Newport, Cardiff and the National XV at Swansea. The games against Llanelli, Cardiff and Wales ended in defeat, but wins against Swansea and Newport redressed the balance.

The match at Newport on Wednesday, 26th December was reported in "The South Wales Times and Star of Gwent" on Friday, 28th December, 1888.

As to the match - eight thousand spectators were present and the gate realised £316. Of this amount £209 went to the visitors after payment of match expenses. The Newport team had suffered a hammer blow when Arthur Gould had to withdraw at the last moment. Gould was the most prolific points scorer ever to wear a Newport jersey and the recipient of 27 caps. The match was played in difficult conditions as it had rained heavily for a week, but there was plenty of action to thrill the spectators. After holding the Maoris up to half-time (the visitors "led" by 5 minors), a plucky Newport team conceded three tries scored by Pat Keogh, Wi Karauria and Tom Ellison. In those early days a try counted for one point and a goal three points, so the score is recorded as Maoris 3pts Newport nil.

NEWPORT- C. Mqggridge; G. Slade, J.E. Webb, G. Thomas, W. Fothergill; C.J. Thomas, T. Downe; T. Harding (Capt), J. Hannen, T. Edwards; H.T. Day, E. Jones; T.C. Graham, W. Golightly, T.H. Griffiths.

MAORIS- D. Gage; H. Wynyard, W. Wynyard, E. MCausland; F. Warbrick, W. Elliott, P. Keogh; T. Ellison, W. Karauria, G. Wynyard, A. Webster, H. Lee, G. Williams, D. Stewart, A. Warbrick.

In noting the Maoris' exhausting schedule it should be noted that before the Maoris game on 26th December, Newport played Gloucester on 22nd December, and after the Boxing Day game took on Moseley on 27th December, London Welsh on 29th December, Oldham on 1st January and Llanelli on 5th January!

The Times of 27th December 1888 carried the briefest of comments under "THE MAORIS v. NEWPORT (MON.). - Some first-class play was witnessed at Newport yesterday, when the New Zealanders won their 35th match by three tries to nothing."

However, the Western Mail of 27th December 1888 carried a much more comprehensive report of the game as follows:-

"NEWPORT V. THE MAORIS."

"VICTORY OF THE NEW ZEALANDERS."

"There never was a bigger or more enthusiastic crowd on the Newport ground than that which assembled on Wednesday afternoon to witness a match between the Maoris and the home fifteen. After a lot of heavy rain during the past week the ground could scarcely be other than frightfully wet, soft, and heavy. The afternoon was fine and open, giving the immense crowd of spectators a good view of the game. After the victory of the New Zealanders over Swansea on Monday betting was about even, and when it was known that Arthur Gould would not play for Newport the partisans of the black and amber boys were somewhat chary to speak in too hopeful terms. Newport made a much inferior show in the matter of physique when the rival fifteen turned out. Cheer after cheer was raised as the men took the field. Shortly before three o'clock Ellison kicked off from the Nursery end, and George Thomas, putting in a short sprint, returned to the half, Mc.Causland got a free kick and sent the oval into the home 25, where Webb took possession and dropped back to neutral territory. A sharp forward fight ensued, the visitors pressing into the Newport half. Up came the home pack, however, and, by a good dribble and a punt by Webb, quickly transferred the venue. The game was very fast. Lee started a grand dribble, and, backed up by Elliot, took the ball right away to the Newport line, the home side having to touch down. W. Wynyard returned Webb's drop-out, and a couple of scrums were brought off, slightly in the home side. Graham and Edwards started a fine dribble back, and quickly brought things to the Maori 25. The visitors went back by a forward rush to no man's land. Keogh, by a strong rush, tackled Webb as he tried to break out with the ball for a run. Downe, however, soon started a return dribble, but Gage took up the oval and dropped in touch at the half. The Maoris took some holding, even on the slippery turf after a weeks' rain. From a throw-out in the visitors' half Ellison made off with the ball at his feet in grand style, swooping down on the Newport position, and Moggridge eventually had to touch down. Immediately after the full back saved a tremendous rush to the line by falling on it and again touching down. H. Wynyard got a free kick after the drop out, and sent the oval into touch at the centre, where scrimmages led up to Webb getting away to the line, but when he passed F. Warbrick took it and was tackled by G. Thomas opposite the Maori 25 flag. The visitors' forwards swooped up to the centre with a rush, and then ran up to the home quarter. Day relieved and sent into touch, still in the Newport 25. Slade kicked up, and Keogh having taken it was chucked in touch. The ball was passed to W. Wynyard, whom Webb smartly tackled, driving the play back to the half. The Maoris made a fine rush back, and operations were transferred to the Newport ground. Charlie Thomas put in a neat punt, sending the ball in touch in the visitors' half. Keogh got away with a good corkscrew run, and was only brought down by Harding, who pulled his jersey off, in the home ground. Lee started a grand dribble, and, being well supported, took the leather over the line, where Charlie Thomas fell on it, and touched down again. Webb dropped out, and Keogh returned, following which another splendid dribbling rush was started by the Maoris, who exacted another minor. Play was confined to the centre for a time until the visitors once again brought their feet to bear on the ball, rushing on to the Newport 25. Half-time was then called, the Maoris having got five minors to nil. Webb re-started, G. Wynyard returning to the centre with a short punt. A couple of kicks were exchanged between W. Wynyard and Moggridge, and then Charlie Thomas dribbled along the touch line to the Maori 25, where scrimmaging ensued. Things were getting exciting and Richards, the referee, came in for a lot of hooting as he called the ball back as the home men took things on with a dribble. The line was crossed, and Maoris touched down. The visitors, urged on by the slight reverse, swept away to the Newport end, and came close to the citadel. Keogh got possession from a scrimmage, and ran over, getting a try. McCausland's kick did not bring off a goal. A fast forward game ensued. Lee and F. Wynyard took up a grand dribble and made Moggridge touch down. From the Newport 25 Lee started a fine dribble, which was taken up by Ellison and Karauria got a try, close to the touch line, but no goal came off. A lot of long dribbling up and down the field was brought off, Newport improving with the use of their feet. The Maoris were up to a great many tricks, which served them in good stead. A strong rush up to the Newport line resulted in a third try falling to Ellison, but again the goal failed. Keogh went off with a fine sprint, but Fothergill kicked back along the ground to the Maori half, and George Thomas dribbled up to the line, but Gage was equal to the emergency, and dropped back to the centre. Newport drove on and got a touch in goal. A similar point came off from a kick over by G. Thomas. The home men played up stronger, rushing the visitors down on their own ground in very good style. Lee, however, started one of his grand dribbles to the line, and was only brought to earth at the Newport 25, which had to be defended strongly to ward off another try. "No side" was whistled soon after, leaving the Maoris victorious by three tries and five minors to three minors. The following were the teams: - Newport: Back, C. Moggridge; three-quarter backs, G. Thomas, G. , W. Fothergill, and J. E. Webb; half-backs, C. J. Thomas, T. Downe; forwards, T. Harding (captain), J. Hannan, T. Edwards, H. T. Day, E. Jones, T. P. Graham, W. Golightly, and T. H. Griffiths. Maoris: back, D. Gage; three-quarter backs, P. Warbrick, W. Wynyard, H. Wynyard, and R. McCausland; half-backs, W. Elliot and P. Keogh; forwards, T. Ellison, Karauria, G. Wynyard, A. Webster, H. Lee, G. Williams, D. Stewart, and A. Warbrick. Referee, Mr. E. S. Richards, Swansea."