Page 30 - 2020 SoMJ Vol 73 No 2_Neat

The Birth of Rugby Football in Malawi 21

interest was displayed in the game and there was a good attendance
of spectators. The weather fortunately was dull and the ground in
fair condition.”
4

Zomba Rugby Club XV, 1932

The first Nyasaland XV on its journey to a match in Salisbury (now Harare), 1933

The opening paragraph of the report implies that this was not the first
game of Rugby played in the Protectorate as the correspondent notes it is “the first
for many years”. However, it was only after this game that a concerted effort was
made to play the game on a regular basis and to create an administrative body to
th
organise and oversee the sport. Therefore, I take 5 February 1921 as the real start
of Rugby Football as a regular sport in Nyasaland.
Returning to the report of the actual match, the correspondent praised the
Blantyre defence in the face of continued attacks from the “Settlers”. At half-time
the Settlers led 3-0 through a try by Darcus. Shortly after the re-start Blantyre

4 Nyasaland Times 10 February 1921
th