GRATIFYING IMPROVEMENT IN DEWSBURY MATCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8, 9 January 1908, Page 5

GRATIFYING IMPROVEMENT IN DEWSBURY MATCH.

" THE TIMES " COMMENT. SYDNEY, January 8. Commenting on the match played against Dewsbury and Batley combined, • the ' London " Daily Telegraph " says I that the New Zealanders showed a gratiI lying improvement in this contest. The j game in the early stages was very evenly contested. The only score during the first half was a try obtained by the home team. The second naif was crowded with exciting incidents, and a display of clever play was given by the the colonial backs. This, however, was not before Dewsbury and Batley had 'added another try. I From this out the New Zealanders ati tacked very strongly, and in quick succession tries were obtained by Johnston, I Smith, and Wynyard, while three goals i were kicked by Messenger, the colonials 1 winning by IS points to S. In reference to the recent cabled comments of the •' Times " on the New Zealand footballers to the effect that' they were not careful to keep in good condition, and that financial success seemed to have demoralised them, the files received to-day show that the extract was from a lengthy article by a correspondent, who, in the course of a review of the players and their doings, said: — j " The visit is a much more serious alfair I than was generally anticipated. Tl.« team is certainly not so good, man for man, as Gallaher's team, but the writer's impression is that at their best they are quite as strong individually, aud collectively they are a lair international side. " L T nlike Gallaher's team, however, they have not been careful to keep in good condition. The financial success of the tour .(the 70 per cent of the gross I gates, which is theirs by arangctnent ; with the Northern Union, having already ! brought in nearly twice the guaranteed j £3000) seems to have demoralised sev- ; eral members of the team, who, when j home, are merely wage labourers, well content* to earn £2 a week in the field or factory. It is highly probable that a majority of the visitors will eventually accept engagements with the Northern L'nion clubs." In the course of bis article, the writer says that there is no doubt that the New Zealanders have been, and still are, handicapped by the unfamiliar and tinI natural rules invented by thu Northern I Union. They have not yet overcome their natural desire to take the ball away from tackled players.