Christ’s College was ‘an important nursery of New Zealand football, especially as its old boys went very active subsequently as members of the Christchurch Football Club. This club, founds in 1863, at first had its own system of rules and in 1873 rejected a motion by an old Rugbeian Charles Boulton, to adopt Rugby rules; but reversed the decision in 1874.

The first records of football in Wellington date from 1868. In that year W. L. Rees, W. James and C. Bunny, among others, subscribed mone; for a round ball. An oval ball was unprocurable but eventually they obtained one from Melbourne. A match between Wellington civilians and the Royal Irish Constabulary was arranged, but the civilians turned out in such poor numbers that the game was played between two teams of soldiers, and proved unfortunate for one of then Lieutenant Pearson, who broke his leg. The year 1868 also yields a record of a match at Auckland It was played in the Domain, by what has bee described, perhaps somewhat uncharitably, a ‘a motley crowd with a small black football.’

The game was still in its evolutionary stage: and although the visit of H.M.S. Rosario to Wellington and Auckland in 1870 was a milestone, in that the first matches were played against an outside team, it did little to clarify the rules controversy, as the sailors were not particular what sort of football they played. It is recorded in fascinating account of the three matches at Auckland that they were played under ‘nondescript rules,’ in the old Albert Barracks; that the officers and sailors of the Rosario arrived with goalpost and a ball; and that two of the Auckland team played in eye-glasses!

Both the Association and the rugby codes in New Zealand claim descent from these matched Some of those who played for Auckland again the Rosario were afterwards prominent in soccer (among them the well-known Dacre brothers and some in rugby. At any rate a club was formed in Auckland as a result, and another match was played the same year against a goldfields team at Thames. The Green Harp miners at Coromandel, in a lusty spirit of rivalry, had previously challenged Auckland to a match for £200 a side each team to consist of 100 men, but this epic contest did not come off.

The Wellington Club, second only in age to the Christchurch Club (both these clubs still survive was also formed in 1870, and had matches again the Rosario and Nelson. The Nelson match arose from the fact that a small steamer, the Luna, was going to Nelson to pick up mails, and C. J. Monro obtained permission from Sir Julius Vogel for the Nelson team to have a free passage back to Wellington in her. The ‘ Lunatics,’ as they were not inappropriately termed, were beaten 2—0, the match being played at the Hutt. The teams were 14 a-side, and one of them, being short of a man, had to press its coach driver into service.

These matches between Wellington and Nelson became annual events and the experiences of the Wellington  team in1873 shed vivid  light  on travelling conditions of those days. The steamer called at Picton en route, and, since it was Sun­day, the Wellington team piously went to church in a body, an example which some of its successors might do worse than follow. They arrived at Nelson on the Monday. The match had been arranged for the Tuesday, but bad weather caused the captains to agree to a postponement. Then the weather cleared and they agreed to play. This vacillation so irritated one of the Wellingtonians that he withdrew from the team. The following Saturday it was found possible to play a return match, as the steamer on which the Wellington team was to return was bar-bound at Onehunga. Wellington’s temperamental player, stating that he had been insulted by some of his col­leagues (which is not surprising) still refused to play, and relations were distinctly strained. Eventually the long-delayed steamer put in an appearance, and the party got back to Wellington after an absence of ten days.