FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 28, 1 February 1913, Page 16

FOOTBALL.

The fact that Scotland defeated France on New Year's Day at Paris by 21 to 3 indicates -that the trouble between the two countries on the question of veiled professionalism in France has been settled. At one time it appeared as if the whole of the French international programme was dn danger of being cancelled. The trouble arose through the importation of British players into France, and by French clubs advertising for players with a promise of obtaining good positions for them. Quite a number of British players are with French clubs, including Percy Bush and "Teddy' Morgan. The body which controls amateur sport in France proposed to settle the difficulty by adopting a system of licenses for British players, subject to the Home union's consent, and this woul_ appear to have been acceptable.

The Northern Union, having considered the amended proposals of tbe New South Wales Rugby League for the visit of an ! English team to Australia next season, has come to the original conclusion that . it cannot see its way clear to despatching a team to this country in 1913. Apparently tbe feeling in Northern Union circles toward the dominating League in Australia is by no means cordial, and yet [the N.U. dtseJi :..., .- >ntributed to things

•which, it now deems unsatislaccory. The Northern Union game in Australia is not in any sense dependent on the visit of an English team this year, or within the next four or five years (says a Sydney writer). At all events, those who desire to see this game brought hack toof the atmosphere created by the of the atmosphere of created by the money-bags, will not regret that an English team is not to come out. The position taken up by the N.U. may or may not be inspired by antipathy to the Australian authorities, but whatever the cause of theiT action, it should in the end be beneficial to the game, by tending to make a broader line of demarcation between English and Australian players.