Videos

Beneath the Maori Moon. An extensive 13-part television documentary film series exploring the history of Maori rugby, since the 1870s. Sean Fagan of JottingsOnRugby appears in Episode 1 “Beginning” (and later episodes). You can watch the ‘Beneath the Maori Moon’ episodes @ Maori TV.

Our Men Play the Rugby Game. A Youtube clip of a goal kicked in AFL (Australian rules football) illustrates in one passage of play many of the reasons that supporters of the rugby codes in NSW, Queensland and New Zealand rejected the Victorian game in the 19th century. Watch the video and then read what old ruggers would have made of it: link.

Warbrick (1888 NZ Natives). An award-winning short film by brothers Meihana and Pere Durie exploring the story of 19th century Maori rugby hero Joseph Warbrick and the 1888 New Zealand Natives team that toured Australia and Great Britain. An excerpt from the film can be viewed @ Youtube.

Rugby film from 1901. Rare film footage of an English rugby league game from 1901. Teams were still 15-a-side and five years before the play-the-ball rule was adopted, the referee calls (as in both rugby codes in England at the time) for a scrum after every tackle to avoid rucks and mauls. The footage can be viewed @ Youtube.

Action from Bigside. A 1940 film adaptation of the book Tom Brown’s Schooldays included some football action at Rugby School – not an exact representation of the schoolboy game of the mid-1800s, but does give some semblance of it (well, better than others perhaps!). Watch @ Youtube.