Story: Nelson region

The Nelson Football Club team poses for a photograph in 1873, around the time of their game against the Wellington Football Club. The first match under rugby rules in New Zealand was played at the Botanical Reserve in Nelson on Saturday 14 May 1870, between the Nelson Football Club and Nelson College. The club won by two goals to nil (at the time a ‘touch down’ was not worth any points, but gave the team an opportunity to ‘try’ to kick a goal).