FOOTBALL. NOTES BY FULL BACK.

J. Stalker, the New Zealand and Otago footballer, who recently returned from Sydney, hae hopes of going back to New South Wales and taking up his permanent residence in the capital. Stalker returned home to find himself out of a billet, hence hie desire to get back to Sydney "Mew Zealand as New Zealand counts for nothing in the Home country," tays Mr F. A. Asquith, the well-knbwn Christchurch sportsman, who has just returned from a trip to England, "and it is not by any means the name to conjure with." Mr Asquith discuased with several prominent English footballers the possibilities of a N-ew Zealand team visiting Britain, and all concurred m stating thait the success or failure of such a team would depend entirely upon its play. It could not tra\el a yard on sentiment, nor draw a "gate" on the ttrength of it* having travelled from New Zealand Astooiation football, he found, was gradually edging the Rugby game out. So far as Rugby was concerned, the playera at Home interpreted the rules of the game far more in their spirit than was customary in New Zealand, where the letter was regarded ac essential. This made the game at Home much more sportsmanlike, and if a New Zealand team should vLbit the Old Country it would probably suffer from the refe-reeing The British Rugby football team brought their South African tour to a close on September 12 with a test match against Combined South Africa at Capetown. The Englishmen were defeated by 8 points to nil. During their tour they played 22 matches, of which they won 11, 10-t B, .-^d drew 3. They eoored 227 points and had 133 pointe scored against them. The neglect of Association football, at Oxford particularly, is only explicable in the fact that the two codes oannot flourish side by side (saye a writer in Athletic News). Every district is for one or tbe other, and Oxford is for Rugby. Outside the interCollegiate Cup ties, very little interest is

taken in the "Sock-er" game, and even this excitement la due rather to the esprit de corps than to enthusiasm for the game. Watch two games being played in the parks ot elsewhere, side by side. An enormous crowd lines the ropes at the Rugby contest, while enthusiasm rules at fever heat. Some 20 or 30 spectators -witness the other, and the whole affair is deadly dull. It may interest Mr A. F. Robert*, of this city, who last year captained Cambridge University, to learn that his successor to the captaincy of the Light Blues was likely to be S. Horsley (Loretto and Glare). Other Blues likely to be in residence are Messrs Mainprioe, M'Neill, and Hearfield. The annual general meeting of the English Rugby Union will be held on the 30tih insv. (says the Athletic News of September 21), whe-n several interesting items -vill be di6ciKsed. Possibly the regulation ot oounfy championship qualification will attract the most attention, as there are two propositions for discussion. The committee's nominations for offics-rs are as follow: — President, M. N-ewsome (Yorkshire County) ; vice-pre-sidents, C. A. Crane (Midland Counties) and T. C. Pring (Devon County) ; hon. secretary, G. Rowland Hill (Kent County) ; hon. treasurer, W. Cail (past president). The balance sheet, which will also come up for discussion, shows, among others, the following items: — Balance from season 1900-ISOI. £1851 te lOd; profit on matches, £1066 17s Bd, made up as follows: North v. South, at Blackheath,- £149 14s 6d; Champion County v Rest of England, at West Hartlepool, £131 Is 2d; England v. Scotland, at Richmond, £786 2e ; cost of management, £569 7s Id ; playing' away matches and loss on home matches, £287 la 4d ; donation to South African Loyalists' Fund, £50.- Balance : In hands of secretary, £9 16s 3d ; bankers (London and Newcastle), £1808 19s sd. Deai Full Back, — I am sending you by this mail a footbaU card issued in connection with the visit of the British Rugby team to Durban. Its contents will no doubt be interesting to your readers owing to four Ne-w Zealanders taking part in a match played here — viz., R. Goldstone, A. F. W. Hill, D. Mathieon, and A. B. Roscoe. Hill and Goldstone have also represented •Durban in inter-iown matches for two seasons. A tremendous crowd of spectators attended the match, and at the end of the first spell England had 3 points in their favour. In the second spell, however, their backs played a magnificent gam©, and eventually won by 22 points to nil. As you will see from the card, the British team are a powerful lot, and include some of the best Home players. Hill, who hails from St. Bathans and Dunedin, will no doubt be known to a number of your readers. He played a first-rate game, as also did all the •New Zealanders. Durban has, however, lost his services, a* ho hae gone to Zanzibar. I think in Dunedin he played for the Pirates. T*e result of the New Zsalandero' tour in Australia haa been received with great satisfaction by New Zealanders here.-^ I am, etc., An Old Dtjnedinite. Durban, Natal, September 18. BRITISH TEAM. E. M.. Harrison (Guys', Barbarians, and Mildlesex County) is a full back. He kicks either left or right, is a splendid tackier, and a player of promise. R. T. Scrimshire (Newport, Blackheath, Baroarians, Kent County) is held by many to be the best centre three-quarter in England or Wales. For some seasons he has been the shining light of the Heathens' back division, and not being oapped for Wales gave cause for criticism. R. M. Neil (Scotland and Edinburgh Academicals) plays either at half or three-quarter. A. B. Hir.d (Cambridge, Leicester, and Midland Counties) is a Triple Blue. He is a crack sprinter, but he has something else other than speed m his three-quarter play. He has scored more tries in his day than any man m England. E. F. Walker (Lennox and Middlesex County) is a consistent player, and won an excellent reputation in the South of England as a threequarter. He is brother to "Johnny" Walker, of Durban fame. J. Davidson (N«rth of Ireland) is£ a threequarter, and operates either as centre or on the wing. J. J. Gillespie (Scotland and Edinburgh Academicals) is one of the pluckiest half backs who has figured behind a scrum. He is the beau ideal of the present-day half backs, and is absolutely unselfish. L. L. Greig (Scotland, Glasgow Academicals, and Canrbridge), a half hack, and Gillespie's partner. He plays centre three-quarter well, too. P. S. Hancock (Richmond and Surrey County) is a fearless half back, and another Southern player. M. C. Morrison (Scotland and Royal High School) is captain of the team, and his name is known in the Rugby world equally as well as that -of G. O. Smith in the Socker world. He has skippered Scotland for the past two seasons. D. R. Bedell Sivewright (Scotland and Cambridge University), another forward! who often scores tries as a three-ouarter. He will probably prove the most effective forward of the team. W. P. Scott (West of Scotland and Scotland) follows Morrison's style, and his international honours were nevei questioned. F. M. Stout (England, Gloucester, Richmond. Barbarians, etc.) possesses weight, pace, and stamina, and played against Scotland last year. He was the best forward on the English side. A. Tedford (Ireland and Malone) never tires, and shows up at the en<3 of a hard- fought game. He is the best forward in Ireland. X S. Smythe (Ireland and Dublin UniveiBity) played a splendid game against Wales, and is as effective a player as Tedford. Joseph Wallace Jreland and Dublin University) obtained hit, cap last season against Scotland, and justified his inclusion in the team. Jam« 3 Wallace (Dublin University) nearly had his international colours last year W T. Cave (Cambridge, Cams College, Blackheath, and Kent County). T A. Gibson, a Light Blue. F Follet. a Light Blue. J. C. Hosack (Edinburgh "vt ande.t'-) is heavy, hard-working, and fast. DURBAN FIFTEEN. K. K. Alowat (Durban), full back, Lez..o.t the game at Hilton College, and played loi Che Wasps in Maritzburg. Ho has played ..hree times for Maritzburg against Durban, twice as full back and once as three-quarter, while he has represented Durban in the Inter-town fixture twioe. Height, sft 4in; weight, lost 9lb R. Carlisle (Durban), chree-quarter, learnt the game at Edinburgh Academy, plays a neat finished game with much resource. He has represented Durban upon three occasions in inter-town fixtures. Weijjht, j.ogt 6lb. Rev. C. D. Bcbiaeoii (Durbar.), learnt -rt> play Rugby at Hilton. He is probably She bestknown three-quarter in Natal. Is a very icliable man. He just missed his Blue at the 'Varsity. He has played in many inter-towns. H. R. Rae (Durban), three-quarter, plays half baok for the Durban R.C. He is faat and tricky, and played at Home for Gala. Weight, 12st. H. B. Shire, three-quarter ; can play any-

where on the field. He is strong in defence, kicks and feeds well, and learned the gamo at Hilton. He used to play for tho Pietermaritzburg Wasps, and twico represented Pietermaritzburg against Durban. This is his first season after two idle years.

H B. Fraser (Durban), half back, was contemporary with Cyril Robinson at Hilton. H> has played foi a good London team, and is the best half in Natal; is unselfish, passes effectually, and is an untiring save. Weight, lOst 7lb. R. Goldstone (New Zealancfers), a strong half back, is from Canterbury, New Zealand. G-. Lamb (Durban), forward; played for tha Edinburgh Institution F.C. ; weight, list 121b. H. Pringle (DurEan), forward; plays a typical Scotch forward game; a hard tackier and strong dribbler. Played for Edinburgh against Glasgow two years ago ; weight, list 71b. J. N. Ley (Durban), forward; played for Streatham, in London, and Bamstaple, in the West of England ; a dashing player, and dangerous in the open ; weight, list. E. W. White (Durban), forward; strong, fast, and heavy;' played for Durban in the recent inter-town. He played for Portsmouth ; •weight, 13st.

D. Mathison (Ke wZealanders), forward; weight, 14st; height, 6ft lin. Played for Palmerston North Club, "Wellington, New Zealand, and Grafton Club, Auckland. He has not long been in Durban, having just left the Wasps from Pietermaritzburg. He played for tho City against Durban.

A. F. W. Hill (New Zealanders), forward; hails from Dunedin ; plays a strong game, and is good on the touch-line; weight, list. '. A. B. Roscoe (New Zealanders), forward; ■weighs 32st and stands sft lOJin. He is a good rower, and a strong man on the Rugby field. A. Field (Durban), forward ; learned the game in Yorkshire, is a dargerous man on the touchline and near the goal-line. Usually gives a good account of himself; -weight, 12st 71b.