That dispute, originated in 1906, had led some colleges (such as Stanford and California, Berkeley Universities) to switch from football to rugby.

The All Blacks (which had toured in North America for the first time in 1905) had already made their contribution to the spread of the sport in the west coast.

New Zealand took the tour seriously, with a squad led by veteran player Alex McDonald that won all their matches in North America with large victories, conceding only 6 points in 16 games.

Such hard defeats were a depressing result for the hosts, with the media emphasizing the skill difference between Californian players and the New Zealand side.

Several players competed in the national team in the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games where the US won the gold medal on both occasions.