N.S.W. TEAM'S PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 48, 5 September 1928, Page 11

N.S.W. TEAM'S PLAY

THE OPEN GAME . Dealing with the tour of the New South Wales team to date, Mr. C. IS. Morgan, the manager, states that the young team in his charge has performed very well in the games played in the North Island centres, and it was gratifying to find that their style of play had como in for so much praise. The team consisted mostly of young, inexperienced players, but though they were lacking in experience they were not lacking in the desire to do all they possibly could to show how football should bo played. He did not suggest that they had come over to show New Zealand how to play. "We knew what we wore taking on in coming to New Zealand," he remarked, "and we realise that while there are twenty-nine of last year's best players away in South Africa you still have players hero of almost equal calibre. We quito understand that this is the home of Rugby football, and that the game is almost a religion with the good people here. Our boys to dato have played an excellent game, and we hope to give New Zealand really good j matches in the Tests. May the best team win. " Mr. Morgan pointed out that New South Wales did not cater for a forward game. When the forwards had' done their job it was expected of them that they would come in as backs. The idea was for every man on the field to be a back. They believed in throwing the ball about, and by all accounts their efforts in this direction in the matches played in the North Island had been pleasing to the spectators. One of the scoring movements at Wangauui was about the most spectacular that Mr. Morgan had ever seen, nearly all the members of the New South Wales team taking part in j the passing. PROGRESS IN AUSTRALIA. Eugby football prospects in Australia, he considered, were better today than they had been for very many years; in'fact, they had never been better. In Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia teams were springing up. The growth was particularly noticeable in Victoria, and a team from this State had given the New South Wales team a very excellent game prior to the latter'a departure for New Zealand. Mr. Morgan considered that had circumstances permitted several of the Victorian players would havo been included in the team for New Zealand to strengthen it materially and to make it a representative Australian team. That, however, was a matter for the future. The progress of the gamo in Australia was no doubt very gratifying to New Zealand, as any improvement in Eugby in Australia was in the interests of New Zealand football. Mr. Morgan paid tribute to the New Zealand Rugby Union for all it had done to' help the game in New South Wales. There were many stalwarts there who had stuck to the game, and their efforts wore now being rewarded. "We havo been given a wonderful time during the present tour of New Zealand," said the'manager. "People in every walk of life have como forward with invitations, - and we are only sorry that we have not been able to accept them all. We are looking forward very keenly to our visit to the South Island." Regarding the injured players, Mr. Morgan stated that the two who were hurt at Auckland were getting on splendidly, and would possibly be playing again very shortly. The Now South Wales team has received numerous messages of congratulation upon its performances to date iiud best wishes for success in the Test to-day. A cablegram from Mr. J. Noseda, secretary of the' New South Wales Eugby Union, states: —"Tho president and council send heartiest congratulations on splendid showing, and every good wish for success in Test." A similar cablegram has been received from the "Dirty Beds," otherwise Glebc-Balmain, the club of which Mr. C. E. Morgan is president.