1894 New South Wales rugby union tour of New Zealand


The 1894 New South Wales tour of New Zealand was a rugby union tour of New Zealand undertaken by the New South Wales representative side. During the tour NSW played matches against provincial New Zealand sides, and one against a representative New Zealand team.
New South Wales won four of the matches, including the inter-colonial match against New Zealand, and lost the other eight.

Summary

The New South Wales team, known as "Cornstalks", played their twelve tour matches in only one month. They lost all their matches against North Island sides, but in the South Island lost only one matchagainst Canterbury. Their wins in the South Island included the only match against New Zealand, which was an 8–6 victory in Christchurch. Reflecting on the tour after returning to Australia, members of the team claimed that the wet weather they experienced in the North Island accounted for their poor results there, with the New Zealander's displaying much better ball handling skills in such weather.

Matches

Scores and results list New South Wales' points tally first:
Opposing TeamForAgainstDateVenueStatus
Auckland111425 August 1894AucklandTour Match
North Island31529 August 1894AucklandTour Match
Taranaki6211 September 1894New PlymouthTour Match
Wanganui - Manawatu0133 September 1894Recreation Ground, Palmerston NorthTour Match
Hawke's Bay12175 September 1894NapierTour Match
Wellington598 September 1894Newtown Park, WellingtonTour Match
South Canterbury23010 September 1894TimaruTour Match
Canterbury31113 September 1894Lancaster Park, ChristchurchTour Match
New Zealand XV8615 September 1894Lancaster Park, ChristchurchTour Match
West Coast20619 September 1894GreymouthTour Match
Nelson Bays13422 September 1894NelsonTour Match
Wairarapa32125 September 1894WairarapaTour Match

Touring party

The New South Wales Rugby Union selected 25 players to represent the colony on tour. However according to Sydney's Evening News although "the names of some really first-class players are included in the team it cannot be called a thoroughly representative one" due to the absence of a number of players. The team were: