This is the only time Taree has hosted an international team from any football code. For many years after World War II visiting international rugby league teams would play matches against North Coast divisional sides. However, Taree was never granted a match.

The All Blacks/Manning game was also the only one played outside of Sydney in New Zealand's nine game tour. Despite heavy conditions following days of rain the All Blacks overpowered Manning 70-9. A number of sight-seeing trips planned for the visitors during their stay had to be cancelled because of the poor weather.

The Taree Park field was also reconfigured to exclude some of the worst affected areas, although this reportedly caused some confusion for players from both sides.

The All Blacks were right at home heavy going and managed plenty of free flowing football, running in 17 tries.

"The visitors showed the Manning public how Rugby Union football is played by classic players,'' a lengthy report in the Wingham Chronicle observed.

"The organisation throughout was unbroken. When a movement started the backs were into line like soldiers."

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Rugby league started in Australia in 1908 and the game was extending through regional NSW. Lured by the promise of match payments, many areas adopted league in favour of union when organised sport resumed following the Great War. League's growing popularity was a major concern for the NSW Rugby Union.

However, in 1920 rugby was still the main winter sport in the Manning. This was noted by speakers at a dinner held at Pankhurt's Cafe following the All Blacks/Manning encounter.

According to the Chronicle report, Mr H Symes was the chairman at the function while the mayor of Wingham, Mr H Machin and president of Manning Shire, Mr H E Milligan, were among the guests. Mayor of Taree, Mr L O Martin, was an apology.

The chairman noted that this was the first visit by a New Zealand team to the North Coast.

"For that reason the footballers of the Manning consider it a red letter day,'' he said.

"There are rumours that next year league would be in the district,'' Mr Symes warned.

He said that if it came he would quietly step down as he was a true rugby union man. However, he hoped the All Blacks game would help thwart league's advances.

"Could any person who saw the game ask to see a better game?'' he continued.

Shire president Mr Milligan said the game attracted the biggest crowd ever seen at Taree Park and he hoped the All Blacks would return. If that was to be the case Mr Milligan suggested the Manning could include some players from the Wallamba area. (Wallamba was in the Manning Shire).

All Blacks manager Mr T H Jones said the score was a record for a New Zealand side in NSW.

He also noted that of the 23 players in the touring party, 16 were returned soldiers from the Great War. This was met with an enthusiastic response from the crowd.

He said the action of the NSWRU in giving the Manning the match was worthy of the greatest praise. He also made mention of two Manning players - Oscar Quinlivan and Bas Richardson.

"He did not think he's seen a better back over here than Quinlivan, with the exception of Lawton,'' the report said.

"He also appreciated the style of play of Richardson and hoped to see those two playing for NSW against the All Blacks.''

Mr Jones also referred briefly to rugby league and hoped the Manning would stick to union.

"Any player in New Zealand who became professional would not be reinstated to union,'' he emphasised.

Manning Rugby Union secretary Mr W O Delves responded by saying he was confident 'the old union flag would still be flying in the Manning for many years to come.'

The Manning River side was: J O'Neill; J Schneider, R McBroom, Oscar Quinlivan, C Croker; F Quinlivan, K McLennan; JP Mooney, N Toms, C Chapman, S Smith, G Cannon, G Anderson, P Richardson, R Mills.

Manning captain Oscar Quinlivan believed if the weather had been fine he was sure his side would have given the visitors 'a much better go.'

"He thought that after the match that day, the spirit would be knocked out of those who advocated league,'' the report continued.

"He could assure that after the match that union would do him.''

History shows that the Cundletown born Quinlivan did switch to league. A wing, centre or lock he played eight seasons for South Sydney between 1923-30, winning two premierships, while he represented NSW on five occasions.

His brothers, Alan, Jack, Clinton and Leon also played with Souths. By the early 1920s rugby league was firmly established as the premier code in the Manning. Rugby went into recess and didn't return until 1976 when the Taree Bulldogs formed to play in the newly established Mid North Coast Zone.

The Bulldogs won their only premiership that season - but that's another story for another time.

EXACTLY why the All Blacks journeyed to Taree in 1920 to tackle a Manning River Selection in a rugby union representative match has been lost in the mists of time.

This was the only game played outside the Sydney metropolitan area in the nine game tour, where the All Blacks won all matches. All other encounters were against NSW or Sydney representative teams.

Renowned New Zealand rugby historian and author, Ron Palenski offered a few suggestions as to why the All Blacks played here when contacted by the Times.

"I suppose it was one of those promotional exercises that touring teams used to indulge in,'' Ron said.

"Getting to Taree would not have been especially onerous for the players since it was a single train trip from Sydney.

"I note in the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer for July 30 1920 that the referee of the match, a bloke called Herlihy (who presumably travelled up from Sydney too) was quoted as saying that the Manning River had done good work for rugby and "the Union felt it a duty to arrange the present visit of the New Zealand team to the Manning in part payment for services rendered".

"I assume the NSW Union was worried about the strength of league in the area and was encouraged by the rugby union response to it.

"Bear in mind that at this time, rugby had practically ceased to exist in Queensland and the NZRFU had agreed to play NSW every year to help the cause.

"An additional factor may have been a bloke called Dick Hungerford, a New Zealander who had worked in the Manning River area around the turn of the century and was a steward and committee member of the Manning River Jockey Club.

"He subsequently moved to Sydney and, in 1920, was a member of the NSW Rugby Union committee. He may have had some influence on the tour itinerary.

"From my knowledge of the way tours were organised, the NSW Union would have come up with the itinerary and sent it to NZ for approval.

"It's very unlikely that anyone on the NZRFU would have asked for a game in Taree, but they certainly would have approved the promotional reason for the visit,'' Ron concluded.