Sean Fagan

Tour Programme issued for the 1895 visit to Sydney of the Victorian Rugby Union team.

'Football' of some description was first played in Victoria in the 1840s and '50s.

As with the rest of the British Empire and the USA, it is arguable what code the games closest resembled.

It would be difficult to conceive that the rules of Rugby School had no presence in those matches.

The first recognised football match was played in 1858 between teams of forty-a-side from Scotch College and Melbourne's Church of England Grammar School.

Many AFL texts claim this to be the first match under 'Victorian rules' - however, this is impossible as such rules were not argued, and then agreed upon, until a meeting the next year amongst seven prominent footballers.

Four of these footballers had played under varying rules in Britain's schools and universities, including the main initiator of the movement, Tom W. Wills (who had been a student and footballer at Rugby School). The resultant 'Victorian rules' code is a mix of the preferred rules taken from various English games, including elements of rugby.

The first known game played under rugby rules in Victoria took place in 1877. Sydney's Waratah rugby club and Melbourne's Carlton F.C. were keen to broker a 'football fusion' between NSW and Victoria. To further their cause, the clubs played matches under both rules in the two capital cities. The Melbourne match was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Their plan failed to gain enough support from rugby clubs in NSW and the two colonies went their separate ways, though Victorian rules gained enough interest in Sydney for a few clubs to form.

Melbourne's station as the end-point of sea journeys between Britain and Australasia, proved to ensure some life was regularly breathed into the rugby code in Victoria during the following decades.

The impending arrival of the British rugby team in 1888 was sufficient reignite some interest amongst Melbourne footballers. Forming a combination called the 'Melbourne Rugby Union', the team played against the British, losing 15-5. The visitors remained in the colony, playing Victorian rules matches against local clubs (including in front of 25,000 at the MCG against Carlton).

A fortnight after playing against Britain, the Melbourne rugby team took on the 'New Zealand Native Football Team'. Comprised mostly of Maoris, the New Zealanders were on their way to England. Before more than 10,000 spectators, the Natives won 3 (tries) to nil. The home team surprised all by holding the visitors to a draw in the second match.

Local rugby teams continued to be formed in Melbourne through 1889, taking on various names and mixing team combinations to keep up competition and interest. In May, the New Zealand Natives returned, playing (and winning) three further matches - against Melbourne, Navy XVIII, and Victoria.

Later in the season, the Victorian team travelled to Sydney to take on NSW. As expected, the Victorians were beaten, though the scores of 13-6 and 17-14 were respectable. The results were not so much a measure of the rise of rugby in Melbourne, but the number of 'ex-pats' involved. The Victorian captain, F.L. Scarborough, speaking at Sydney dinner for his team, said: "I regret to say there is not a single native-born Victorian in the team."

Without further rugby visits to Melbourne, interest quickly dissipated. The NSWRU tried to engender growth by sending a team south in 1894. In a major shock, Victoria defeated NSW 3-0 in the first match. However, the Victorians could not repeat the dose in the second match of 1894, nor two more in Sydney the following season.

Interest again faded, only to be stirred by the arrival in 1899 of the Great Britain tourists under Matthew Mullineux. Another Victorian team was roused into action, but were overrun 30-0 by the Brits in the final match of the tour. Interestingly, the Victorian team and the match were organised by the Victorian Football League. An Australian rules game was played as the early match, and a crowd of over 10,000 attended.

Repeating a now well-established pattern, interest in rugby seemingly disappeared as soon as the visitors ship left Port Melbourne. No further rugby took place until 1908 when the Wallabies arrived from Sydney to join their ship for England.

The Victorian Rugby Union was formed in preparation for the visit. Again though the local team (who wore blue and gold jerseys) was predominantly former New Zealanders and New South Welshmen, as well as Queenslanders and Britons. A crowd of 1,500 attended the MCG, watching on as the Wallabies won their first match of the tour (26-6).

This time though the visit appeared to have finally given enough impetus for a local club competition to be formed in 1909. The founding clubs were Melbourne, East Melbourne, South Melbourne, St Kilda and University. Melbourne won the first premiership, securing the 'Dewar Shield'. The arrival of WW1 ended any real prospects for the continued growth of rugby south of the Murray River.

References.
Sean Fagan, The Rugby Rebellion
Geoffrey Blainey, ,A Game Of Our Own: The Origins Of Australian Football
Greg Ryan, Forerunners of the All Blacks
Jack Pollard, Australian RU: The Game and the Players
The Referee
NSWRU / ARU archives