NORTHERN UNION FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 168, 18 July 1910, Page 5

NORTHERN UNION FOOTBALL.

ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH TEAM.

RECEPTION BY THE MAYOR.

The British team of footballers, playing under Northern Union rules, arrived in Auckland by the Maheno yesterday afternoon. The team, which is under the management of Messrs. Houghton and Clifford, was met on arrival by Mr. D. W. McLean (president) and the officers of the local league, and taken to the Waitemata Hotel, where they will stay while in Auckland. This morning, after the reception by the Mayor, they were shown round the city and suburbs, and mil be entertained at various forms of entertainment during the week, but the harbour excursion arranged for Sunday has had to be abandoned, as the managers strongly object to Sunday excursions. The visitors are a sturdy lot, typical Englishmen, the team being as follows:

FULL-BACKS. Sharrock, "Wigan, age 27, height sft Sin, weight 14st. Young, Leeds, 25, 5.7, 12.8. THREEQUARTER BACKS. Barton, St. Helens, 25, 5.10, 13.0. Batten,. Hunslet, 21, 5.10J, 13.4. Farrar, Hunslet, 25, 5.8J, 10.10. Leytham, W'igan, 30, 5.9, 12.8. Lomas, Salford, 30, 5.7, 13.5. Jenkins, Wigan, 25, 5.8, 12.10. Jenkins, Ebbw Vale, 28, 5.5, 11.6. Riley, Halifax, 28, 5.9 A, 13.0. STAND-OFF HALF-BACKS. Davies, Huddersfield, 24, 5.8£, 11.8. Thomas, Wigan, 25, 5.7, 11.0. SCRUMMAGE HALF-BACKS. Newbould, Wakefield, 27, 5.C, 12.0. Smith, Hunslet, 25, 5.0, 12.5.

FORWARDS. Avery, Oldham, 26, 5.105, 14.4. Boylen, Hull, 28, o.Si, 13.5. Curzon, Saliord, 2G, 5.11, 14.0 Helm, Oldham, 24„ 5.10 i, 13.2. Jukes, Hunslet, 27, 5.8}, 12.10. Kershaw, Wakefield, 25, 5.5, 12.0. Ramsdale, Wigan, 24, 0.1, 14.10. Ruddick, Broughton, 29, 5.10, 13.4. Shugars, Warrington, 29, 5.11, 14.8. Ward, Leeds, 21, 5.10, 13.4. Webster, Leeds, 27, 5.9, 13.4. Winstanlcy, Leigh, 2-t, 5.9, 13.9. THE MAYORAL RECEPTION. At 10 o'clock this morning the visitors were welcomed to the city by his Worship the Mayor (Mr. L. J. BagnaU) at the Municipal Chambers, when there was a large attendance, including several delegates of the Auckland Rugby Union. The managers of the team were introduced to his Worship by Mr. D. W. McLean, president of the local League. In welcoming the team, Mr. Bagnall said he was pleased to welcome the representatives ol Britain to the Dominion, and hoped their stay would be an enjoyable one. They had come to play New Zealand at their national game, one which we excelled at, and which excited considerable interest amongst the citizens of the Dominion, more so than any other form of sport which we. indulged in. We wore often told we devoted too much time to sport, instead of the more serious business of life, but he was not going to venture an opinion on that phase of the question. What he hoped for was a clean, manly exhibition of football, which would be appreciated by everyone, and which would be free from the objectionable practices which were unfortunately creeping into our national pastime. He expressed the wish that the visitors would enjoy their stay in the Dominion, and that, although he would prefer to see them beaten, he hoped the best team would win. (Applause.) Mr. Houghton, on rising to respond, was received with applause. He thanked Air. Bagnall, on behalf of the team, for the cordial welcome extended, which was fully in keeping with the receptions accorded them by the civic authorities in New South Wales and Brisbane. He absolutely denied the allegations of rough play made against the team, and in this he had the support of the N.S.W. and Queensland authorities. They had travelled 14,000 miles, and it was with no small pleasure that they met children of parents they had left behind in the Old Country. It made them feel that although they were scattered over the four corners of the earth, they were of the one stock. He again thanked Mr. Bagnall for the cordial welcome, which, he said, was in keeping with the kindnesses extended the two "All Black" teams on their visit to England. Mr. Clifford endorsed Mr. Houghton's remarks. The Northern Union game had been belied by people who preferred to stick to the fossilised game as played by the Rugby Union. He was one of the founders of the Northern Union, for after 15 years of Rugby he found that something would have to be done to keep the game alive. Even after the example set them, the Rugby authorities were allowing the game to gradually die in the Old Country, while the Northern Union game was progressing by leaps and bounds. Mr. Baghall replied, expressing thanks for the courtesies extended the "All Blacks" in England, and thought that the visitors would find we were as "British" as "Britain," and that we wotc all united ine one tie for the good of the Mother Country. THE MANAGER INTERVIEWED. Mr. Houghton, one of the managers or the team, when seen by a '' Star" reporter, said they were astounded at the hold the Northern Union same had on

mc puo-iic oi ii.ua craiia,. Shortly alter they landed they witnessed a club game Which last season only had a gaie oi £14 or £15, but which tms season urew something ibie 16,000 people. Tne attend.-1 anee at their matches exceeded the most sangume expectations, and in their last. niatcn they had a ciowd estimated at] 50,000 people, while next door at the Rugby Union match, N.S.W. v. the American University, there were barely 700 people, | and half of these were looking over the fen-ce at the .Northern Union game the greater part of the time. At Bnsbano, also, they had large attendances, taking £700 at the gate 3. Their team was a thoroughly representative one, and had representatives from Lancashire, ¥orkshire, Cumberland, Swansea, Cardiff, and Abervale. The standard of play in .N.S.VV. was excellent, and they were not prepared to meet such strong opposition. Litis boys were below form when they landed, and it was no disgrace to be beaten under the circumstances. When they found form, however, he thought people would admit that they had given good exhibitions of the game. The team had been sent out as a missionary expedition, and the English authorities had been prepared to lose £ 1000 on the trip, but instead they were returning with a substantial profit. "How about professionalism?" Mt. Houghton was asked. " Well," he replied, " all of our team are working men, and work six days in the week. They were allowed 10/ a week while on shipboard, and £1 per week when they landed, wnile married men's families were allowed an extra £ 1 per week during the husbands' absence. If there were any profits from the tour, the team were allowed one-third to divide amongst them as a bonus." "Allegations of rough play have been made against your team, Mr. Houghton." " These have been greatly magnified," replied that gentleman. " Ours is not a parlour game, but a winter pastime, which we endeavour to play in a sportsmanlike mariner. They played a hard game, but they would not tolerate any unfair tactics, and any player resorting to them would get short shrift." "In connection with your big gates the manager of the New Zealand team states that only those who did not understand football patronised your games." "How ridiculous!" said Mr. Houghton. "The public will also go to the brightest and most scientific exhibition. What science can be seen in sixteen men shoving against one another? But I suppose any excuse is better than none." " Most of us think. Mr. Houghton, that the game is too fast for amateurs." "Oh, that is nonsense. Why, you only have to look at the men playing. Their ages range as high as 3G, and they are working every day in the week. Yet they are in sufficient form to lash out a fast game. There are professionals playing our game, but we allow amateurs and professionals to compete against one another, the same as they do in -cricket and other games." Rugby football, under the English Rugby Union, was dying out fast in England, and he was sure they would never have another visit In New Zealand from a British team. On the other hand, the Northern Urnon game was making rapid strides, and the last season was the best they had yet experienced. Mr. Clifford, joint manager with Mr. Houghton, is one of the founders of the Northern Union game. Speaking to a "Star" representative, he said that he had played the English Rugby game for some 15 years. He then recognised that ,if the working man was not to be ex- ! eluded from playing the game something would have to be done, or he would be | -blotted out altogether. Under the Rugby | Union rules a v player was not compensated for loss of time, and this meant the working man would have to give the I game best. Although dubbed by the Rugby Union as professionals, they wore not professionals in the highest sense of the term. All sorts of rash statements had been made which' they had no chance of refuting, but they preferred to be open and above board, and not pay their men under the table, as was done' by the so-called amateur body, and which numbers of his team could testify to. All the members of the team were bona-fide amateurs, and they believed in clean sport, and played the game as it should be played. In the published list of players chosen to represent Auckland on Saturday, Dtuining's name is given as "Dulling." Those chosen are requested to be in attendance at the Turkish Baths on Thursday next at 7.30 p.m.