What happened 100 years ago Part 2: Representative Rugby

The Dominion headline the morning after Hawke’s Bay had successfully defended the Ranfurly Shield against Wellington – away from home at Athletic Park. This was the biggest domestic rugby fixture played in Wellington in 1925. 

Part 1 Club Rugby 1925:

What happened 100 years ago Part 1: Club Rugby

Wellington representative teams played 11 matches in 1925, for eight wins and three losses.

The A team played 10 times and won seven and the B team took the field once in a first-class status game and won over a combined Manawatu-Horowhenua side.

In notable games of the season, Wellington played and beat the All Blacks prior to their tour to Australia in the first game of the year, and they challenged Hawke’s Bay for the Ranfurly Shield on home soil at Athletic and lost.

A New Zealand side that visited Australia in June included Lance Johnson (Wellington) and Leslie ‘Shag’ Thomas (Petone).

On 25 July Cliff Porter and forward Harold Sly (Oriental) played for the North Island in their 16-5 win over the South Island at Invercargill.

A New South Wales team came to New Zealand and Wellington supplied three players for the test at Auckland, Kenneth Svenson (Athletic), Mark Nicholls (Petone) and Cliff Porter (Athletic). Nicholls kicked six conversions in the 36-10 for New Zealand.

A combined Manawatu-Horowhenua-Wellington team played NSW in Palmerston North on 22 August, losing 20-8. This team included Wellington players Porter, Sly, Johnson, N.A Walters (Berhampore), Hubert Hickey (Poneke) and Albert Wilson (Poneke).

Brief re-caps of each of Wellington’s 11 matches in 1925

3 June 1925: Wellington (10) v All Blacks (6)

High anticipation for this match, to pit the best of Wellington club rugby form against the best in the country. Wellington has previously played eight matches against New Zealand teams on the eve of their departures to overseas tours, and had won two of these. A bitter southerly swept up Athletic Park, ruling out an open game. Both teams scored two tries, but it was superior goal-kicking by Wellington’s Mark Nicholls that won the day. Petone five-eighth Nicholls made his kicks, including a sideline conversion, while New Zealand’s kickers Blake and Donald each missed two conversions from close range. The teams dined together at the Grand Hotel and attended the Wellington Rowing Club’s Ball at the Town Hall. New Zealand sailed for Sydney the next day.

1 July 1925: Wellington (25) v Taranaki (11)

Wellington’s opening game against domestic opposition resulted in their defeat of Taranaki in Hawera. Wellington’s forwards dominated as they led 15-3 at halftime, with University midfielder Eruera Te Whito o Rongomai Love scoring twice and wing Kenneth Svenson once. Taranaki launched an early second half comeback but Wellington held on and Svenson crossed twice more for a hat-trick. Love would later be the commanding officer of the Māori Battalion and would die in Egypt in July 1942.

5 August 1925: Wellington (19) v Southland (3)

The first home game against provincial opposition, this midweek fixture at Athletic Park was described as a “ragged” game that fell short of representative standard. Wellington played into a moderate wind and a try to Athletic wing Malcolm Warwick converted by Petone’s Mark Nicholls put them up 5-3 at the turn. Second half tries to Berhampore fullback N.A Walters and Petone and All Blacks flanker Leslie Thomas sealed the win.

8 August 1925: Wellington (8) v Canterbury (6)

A quick turnaround for this Saturday game against Canterbury who were coming off an unsuccessful Ranfurly Shield challenge. On the 10^th anniversary of the Chunuk Bair battle, a stiff southerly blew up Athletic Park and a tight, willing match unfolded. Cantebury led 8-3 up to the final few minutes, when Cliff Porter scored out wide for Wellington and Mark Nicholls converted for Wellington to avert defeat.

5 September 1925: Hawke’s Bay (20) v Wellington (11)

A few years earlier Wellington had started the tradition of taking the Ranfurly Shield to away games, as far afield as Invercargill. Holders Hawke’s Bay, who had won it off in Wellington (in Wellington) in 1922 put it on the line at Athletic Park for their 19^th defence. A then Wellington domestic game record crowd 25,000 came to this match, which saw Hawke’s Bay wing Albert Falwasser score a sensational 95m try in the opening minutes. This rocked Wellington but they came back to lead 11-9 at one stage with a popular try to centre Kenneth Svenson. The Maurice Brownlie-led Hawke’s Bay forwards then took charge. The winning try was scored by Brownlie after fullback George Nepia had been bumped into touch in the corner moments earlier.

12 September 1925: Wellington (31) v Otago (10)

A week later, Wellington regrouped in style at Athletic Park. Like the previous week, the visitors made a fast start and went up early with two tries to Lyall Townsend with the sun and wind at their backs. Wellington quickly got on top and went on to win six tries to two. Pōneke forward Jack Shearer scored two of these tries.

19 September 1925: Wellington (28) v Wairarapa (12)

With Cliff Porter, Kenneth Svenson and Mark Nicholls away assisting the All Blacks to a 36-10 win over New South Wales in Auckland on the same day, it was fully expected that Wairarapa would extend Wellington. It was another windy day at Athletic Park and Wairarapa used it their advantage to build a 9-0 halftime lead. It wasn’t nearly enough, Wellington hitting their straps and overrunning them in the second turn. There were five individual try-scorers.

23 September 1925: Wellington (17) v King Country (11)

This was listed as an ‘A’ team match, but there were several new players in Wellington’s team elevated from club rugby. The ground at Raetihi was partly flooded and continuous rain fell throughout. All Black Mark Nicholls was playing in the midfield though, and he helped Wellington go up 17-5. A messy second spell in the wet saw King Country score two more tries to elevate their final score.

26 September 1925: Auckland (23) v Wellington (11) and Wellington B (38) v Manawatu-Horowhenua (12)

Two matches on the same day.  In Auckland, the A side lost to Auckland. Wellington made a bright start, Athletic club forward Charles Osborne scoring a try and Mark Nicholls kicking well for a 11-3 lead. Auckland then went and scored 20 unanswered points to swamp the visitors. Meanwhile, the B side was at Athletic Park hosting the combined Manawatu-Horowhenua side and won well. Pōneke forward Jack Shearer scored a hat-trick and Pōneke five-eighths Fred Tilyard, University forward James O’Regan and Pōneke wing Percy Hickey each scored doubles.

30 September 1925: Whanganui (24) v Wellington (21)

In their final match of the season, Wellington’s supporters were hoping for a positive finish in this midweek match at home. Whanganui were far hungrier and more determined. Last minute Wellington team changes, which included Cliff Porter moving from wing forward to five-eighth, were also a factor. Whanganui got on top early and maintained their edge. This was Wellington’s third loss to the River City side at home, following defeats to them in 1912 and 1922. For Wellington, Berhampore’s William Deere scored two tries and Pōneke wing Percy Hickey scored the other.

References for the above match summaries are reports of the day by the Dominion and Evening Post newspapers.

Look out for our recap of the 1926 representative season this time next year.

The previous year’s representative rugby season wrap below.

1924 – a season in review. Part 2: Representative Rugby