Te Arawa has been hugely instrumental in the development of Māori rugby. In 1904, Te Arawa welcomed the touring British at Ōhinemutu and then invited them to play a game of rugby. This was the first time since 1888 that a team consisting solely of Māori had attempted to be formed. When Tuoro Pango kicked the winning conversion, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. Unfortunately, the game is not recorded in official records as it was deemed to be unofficial. In 1908, an Arawa XV played the visiting Anglo-Welsh side. On this occasion they couldn’t repeat the same result as four years earlier, yet like their predecessors the game does not appear on the official record for the same reason. The first team the New Zealand Māori played was the Rotorua Sub-Union in 1910.