RUGBY IN AMERICA

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 277, 20 November 1913, Page 8

RUGBY IN AMERICA

PURELY A UNIVERSITY GAME.

IHO IMMEDIATE PBOSPECT OF 1 IT BECOMING NATIONAL. J * I I 1 From Our Special Correspondent.) I I SAN FRANCISCO, October 20. I "Distance lends enchantment to the I view."' With the visit of the American ■Universities' team to Australia and New i Zealand in 1010, and the .subsequent tour lof California by Australia and now New I Zealand, the Rugby legislators of the Dominion probably have visions of America becoming a. great international stronghold of Rugby football. I am afraid that their dreame will not be realised. Of course, I have had only limited opportunity of coming- to this conclusion, perhaps, but there is one thing .—Rugby will be a long time before it comes to bo the great game in America, if it ever docs =0.

i There arc many things operating [against the taking up of Rugby by America. In th-e tirot- place, it is not the ; public who have adopted it, as they have done in the colonies. Rug-by got in early in New Zealand and Australia before any j other game was introduced. With America it ie entirely different. Here Rugby has to push kts way into favour past a multitude of other games and I attractions. 11 n<l «mi- of them excellent gamrs. 100, th.i: is.iv* , Ion? held public fancy, and a* Jar :irt I van see will continue to do «o. It \:- no; the masse* who play Rugby hvre at. they do in the Antipodes. Look st the constitution of the California Rujrby Union. It is composed of the following football dubs:— University of California. Stanford University. University of Nevada. University of Southern" California. Barbarian Club. Santa (1-ir.i C-nllege, Olympic Club, and St. Mary's College. >o you see that Hiifrb} h.-'i- been taken up only by tbc university men (mrs: of the teams of the affiliated civ's arc ex-student fifteens) and a couple of colleges, whose players subsequently pi to the univer?itifs. And why did they take it up? Borate the old Amrri.-.m game was banished from thfr-c institutions, and it meant, either taking up Rugby or dropping football ni;ogi-tbH?r 'Moreover, the Rugby Union here seems to be more of an advisory board than a governing body, as in New Zealand or Australia.

I think it can h» taken as certain that this v.;il be ihe limit of the extent of the spread of Rugby here. It will be purely a university game, and not the national one in. i:. is in New Zealand. Another thing lhat might nl<sn be mentioned is that men who have played and know the old American frame prefer it to Rugby. However, that by the way. 1 One thing i* sure, however, and that is the univcrekicK. having taken the game up will always play it, and will no doubt continue to improve. But don't run away with the idi-.i that it is the American people who are playing this game, or are likely to play it.

When 1 stated that ''><• universities would no doubt improve. I meant what T said, and there iri no douV.. that t'ney j have improved Uieir game to a great extent. Bat they have not done as well as thc-v should have done. To some exten the climate is responsible. Foothill hats 10 lie played here in the fall, so as to avoid the rainy seafion and breaking into the 'track men's training. The weather is too hoi, in the period set apart lor the game, and participation in it in far from being pleasurable. In fact, i: must be an ordeal. But the most retarding element is that Stanford and California, the two strongest clubs, and, in fat-:. the whole of the affiliated clubs make too much of the annual game ■between Stanford and California, Tlim i≤ the one. great cvciH in the football ; season here. Yes, even the New Zealand j matches are a secondary consideration beside th:* annual contest. This ie 6olid fact. "Why, in last Saturday's game the Stanford team was composed practical! of second fifteen men. The best men were spelled because they might get injured and be pun. out of court for the bis game, as they -call it. California pur' (sued the same policy. Imagine Xew Zealand ma-king the matches played, say by a touring team from England, 'a secondary consid-eraition to a match for the ftanfurly -Shield! Yet that is the exact equivalent to what the Americans do. The big game is even-thing. For weeks beforehand they eat. drink, and sleep big game, and the whole aim and object of the football season here is to turn out a team that can win the big game. All other considerations go by Ihe board. They do not look upon the New Zealand matches in the same light at all. I do not mean to suggest that New Zealand is shoved into the background, far from it: but nevertheless the games with the All Blacks have not nearly the. same significance as this annual "match between the rival Universities. All the matches played previous to this are regarded as .-o much practice, and the improvement of their game or teaching each other to plry better does not enter into the question at all. It may strike some people that it 13 a fine thing to have a match for which such a keen struggle is made, but the fact remains that the win is the sole object of the teams. Nothing matters so long as one side or the other scores a win. Good football, and it must be said, fair and sportsmanlike play, are thrown to the winds in the overwhelming desire for victory. Under these circumstances it

is customary to lind that what looked like progress before a match wa3 only a very thin veneer covering that ancient and deep-rooted spirit of the old American {ramp. "Fight-" T"ntil the whole programme of matches a.-sumos the same significance hero that the big same does football will not make the headway that it should. .And it should be borne in mind that with the bis game the football season here virtually ends. That is to say, that this year the football season in California will end on November Sth, the date of the big game. The only game after that will be the match between >Tew Zealand and the 11America, team. That term All-America is somewhat imposing for the actual representation of the country.

Again, the American athlete strikes mc as being very much of a manufactured article. He is not naturally robust and athletic like the Xew Zealander. All his great deeds and his ability come from earnest and diiisent training under the most careful- and painstaking roaehin:; and attention. Hp i≤ a delicate hot-house flower. The University mpn who are the footballers in this country are not very old, averaging, I suppose, about twenty, and they cannot stand the rough usage of a football game that the New Zealanders are accustomed to. This is another point that militates against improvement. Horeaser, a stnstays, four yearsr^t-coQege^

so that the personnel of the teams is constantly changing. Also the teams are not chosen on the showing of the players on the field. When the football season starts some two hundred men known as the football squad arc chosen. These all practise, being taught by coaches, and the teani is chosen from amongst them not by a selection committee, but by the coaches; usually it i= done by one man, the chief coach. He selects his team almost at once, and it is hardly ever altered except on account of accidents. As the coaches or the majority of them know very little about the game or how to play it. it an be seen that a 'Varsity team is not truly representative of the students. However, it i= an old custom and it goes. That is how Rugby football i≤ played in California, and there does not seem to be. any immediate prospect of changing the old order of things. Rugby will remain in the Universities, but it wants capable and experienced coaches, and the elimination of the "only game of the season before it can hope to become equal to even New Zealand inter-provin-cial standard.

STANFORD, AND THE TUKF. How fine it was to feei once more the ground beneath one's feet, and to romp over the green grass as at home instead of experiencing the drag of the dirt field and choking dust. Ever since landing, although matches 'have been won ea-sily enoug.li, the consoling cry amongst the boys has been: "Wait till we get to ! Stanford." Imagine with what pleasure jwe looked upon that field of rolling I green, than which there are very few better in New Zealand. This \va o home, and at last we ielt that in the two games against the University <'aliformI ans would see football as it sbould be ! played, and realise that it was worth ! playing. And they were not disappointed, for'in both matches the All Blacks pave splendid cxliibitione. and their *pf>ed ;ind cleverness completely overwhelmed jail opposition, and dazzled the spectators. They scored altogether l"0 points in 150 minutes' play, and this huge total would have lieen considerably increased jif the goal-kiriving had been anywhere j near the average. ; Palo Alto, where the Univor.-itv is 1 located, ie about thirty miles =mit!i of j San and after about half an , hour in the train we. arrive,! shortly j after noon on Monday, October 1:?. and 1 were given a rousing reception .it the station by the students, led by the University band. The grounds, which were formerly the property of Leland Stanford a great railroad magnate who founded this University in memory of his only son. begin close to the town, and omor j about 10.000 acres. Splendid buildings and ; I fraternity house.- cnver the campus, an.! risht royally have the visitor? from the Antipodes been entertained d-urin;.' their week's stay. On Tuesday morning practice was held. in the afternoon we were taken for an

automobile trip through the hills, and 0:1 Wednesday the first match was played. Thursday ' morning, more practice, the feature "being the first appearance of "Teddy" Roberts, whose leg is so much improved that he is expected to play 111 another week. In the afternoon the majority of the team, but not all «i them, were entertained by the University girls .it the sorority houses, and towards 1 five o'clock everybody piled into motor trucks for a trip into the hills at Woodside. the country sent of the Schilling family, win-re the teams won , entertained at" a barbecue. A splendid time was experienced by all. Another workout was held on -Friday morning (the boys are not going short of work I. and in the evening we were taken to the I moving pictures. The return match was played on Saturday, and on Sunday | we caught an early train and embarked for JSanta Cruz, the famous watering place of the Pacific. Coast, which can boast that it entertains during the season more American society than any cipher similar resort in the states-. V. c were over three hours in the train, and the ride took us through some magnificent mountain scenery, and we also experienced the novel sensation of travelling through valleys and canyons that have been devastated .by forest tires that are still burning. On both sides of the lino the forest was entirely destroyed, only the trunks of the big trees being left. As far as the eye could see :t was a scene of desolation, and the heat and smoke from the still-burning forest made that part of the journey rather uncomfortable. About cix miles from Santa Cruz we broke our journey and got off to view the Big Treets. The giant redwood tree is found only in this part of the United State-, and it is one of the scenic wonders of the country. Imagine single trees growing more than 100 feet higher than the. top of the Christchurdi Cathedral spire, or topping by hundreds of feet the highest parts of any of the buildings in New Zealand. All ' the -wood is in the trunk. They have branches, but they are small and grow close to the trunk, which is always splendidly straight and perfectly symmetrical. Here is one tree which is at present 285 feet in height, after having had To feet of its top 'broken off by the wind. At 'Uhe rjase it is 35 feet in dia-meter. and it is 4 feet through at the top. It is estimated to be 5.000 years old. In one hollow trunk 75 people have been accommodated without discomfort. The giant stature of these trees is astounding, and yet the wood is very soft and easily worked. It never rots, and its value as lumber is considerable. A single tree sometimes constitutes a, fortune. But these scenic monsters will never wince with the bite of the suw or axe, for their territory is a, national reserve,

We continued our journey in the next train, and spent an enjoyable aJternoon in Santa Cruz, fc-winiming in the Casino's splendid salt-water bathing pool being the chief attraction. The pool ie equipped with a line diving (.chute which propels the diver forward into the water with great force, and the New Zealandera found this great fun. Downing* descents usually ended in enormous quantities of water bring thrown into the air, and his dive? wore the source of much amusement to the spectators. The return journey at night through the burning forests wae a magnificent sight. We have now been on land more than a fortnight, and there has not been a day on which the sun has not shone brightly, and the sky been clear. Imagine a perfect summer's day in New Zealand, followed by an endless succession of similar days, and you get a good idea of the weather we have •become acquainted with since our arrival. It is now well towards 'fihe end of the autumn season here, but on Sunday tie thermometer registered 90 degrees, and every day is a reproduction of its -predecessor. There is very little wind, and it is altogether too hot for football. To have football under similar conditions in Sew Zealand, imagine the inter-island game being played on New Year's day. Yet with the Americans it" seems to be unavoidable. The rainy season is approaching when, they say, it rains every day just as it is at present fine every day, so the season cannot be postponed; and, again, football cannot be eJijwed. to .interfere with, the tracfcSCTeaD^iwikh-hpgins—iii. " - ' ,

FOURTH MATCH.

NEW ZEA.LAND 54, V. STANFORD UNIVERSITY 0. j Tin , fourth match of the tour <\a£ played against Stanford on Wednesday 1 afternoon. It was generally understood ' tha.t the opposition was about the 1 strongest we would meet as a club, but j the All Blacks were thoroughly at home lon the turf, and they simply overj whelmed the students to the tune of 34 ! points to nil in a game of two thirty- ' live minute sj«4llj. The backs revelled iin their ability to get a strong foothold lin the, turf, aa-j their speed was amazing j and their cleverness simply left the opposition standing. Hie wliole team ! playeJ splendidly, ami tiie forward 3 were I almost as fast a= the backs. They were i into everything, sometimes joining in the passing rushes. McDonald, Dewar. Downin?, and William-" werr splendid. Dcwar's display at. wing-forward was high grade. The weather was fine and the attendance amounted to about -2,000.

The teams were:--New Zealand.—Full-back. Cuthill; three-quarters. Lynen, Roberts, and JlcGregor; five-eighths, Mitchinson and MttKx-nzie: half-back, Taylor: forwards. Dewar (wing), SeHare, Williams, Bruce, Wylie. Downing. Cain, and McDonald.

I Stanford University.—Full-back, Davideon; three-quarters. Urban, Carroll, and Reeves; live-eighths, Lachmund and I Austin; half-back, Tilton; forwards, I Darsie, fila.se, (Jard ; Dubcndorf, Clover, Hall, Peck, and Soper. Referee, Mr. S. S. Phillips. Fast play characterised the opening of the same, and -within five minutes of the start McDonald ted the forwards down Ito the Stanford line in a magnificent loose I j rush, which was rounded off by Bruce j 1 scoring. Roberts was unsuccessful with 1 1 the kick. Attacking again, New Zealand j penned their opponents on the line, and j the ball came out to the backs, who Started a passing bout. When the ball leached Mitcliinson he was blocked by three tacklers. so he cut in neatly when in front of the post.-, and dropped as pretty a goal as one could wish. It was a clever piece of play that completely amazed the spectators. Dewar fooled si couple of tacklers. and got away with Me.Kp.nzie and McDonald in pursuit, and pas-ing let McDonald over beside the posts. Mitchinson missed the easy kick, and our goal-kicking was again showing up very poorly. Taylor's passing was wild, and was throwing the tire-eighth astray to some extent, but it did not materially decrease the rate 01 scoring. Now Zealand were continually on the attack, and from a bli.id 'side pass! i Mc-Kenzie side-teppel four men and i scored well out. Mitchinson's kick was I ur.sue.-erfful. McGregor- carried play do-.- to the line, and from a line-out Wylie da.-hed away and scored a try which Cuthill faiicd to convert. The failure of the place kicks was getting monotonous. Then ensued the. best bit of combined play of the match. The ball w«>nt right along the line of backs, all of them going at .lop speed, and when it reached Lynch something very solid would have been n-cded to stop him. Roberts kicked .1 fine goal. Then Stanford, who had simply been running after J the black-, got their first chance. Taylor threw out a wild pass from the scrum, and it was intercepted. Roberts' pace enabled him to catch the interceptor, j but for five minutes the New Zealand line, for the first timr on the tour, was seriously threatened. A force eventually relieved .the situation. In the second spell the backs got away on a passing rush, and Mitchinson scored close to the corner flag. Roberts kicked a good goal. A long kick from the New Zealand ±:> found one of the Stanford wing.-, out of position, and Lynch dashed up, secured, and scored on the corner Roberts' kick hit the post. From a line-out Wylie obtained the ball, and dashing down to the full-back, passed to Downing, who touched down close to the posts. Roberts converted. Practically every try-getter now was backed up by at least lour comrades, each of whom could have scored, and tb.il feature ot the New Zealand play was an eye-opener Ito all dlifornians. McGregor' centred and Wylie followed up. and kicked over the lino, but McDonald boat him for the touch-down. Roberts kicked a "oal the try being beside the posts. Mitchinson tnrew out to McGregor on the blind side, and a grand run by the sturdy little Aiicldandcr beat all opposition, and no continued after he got over the line until he pla<-ed the ball under the posts Cum missed the kick. Dewar clevorlv leinted and set Wylie and McKenzie off, and McKrnzie ran over a few yards from tin' posts, but Roberts missed the kick I-rom a scrum at half-way Tavlor broke dean away, and threading his vrar through the whole team scored in a fair posh ion, Roberts failing to convert. Downing Wylie. Bruce, and M ,-Kenz,e were next associated in a bout of short snappy passing, a.mi r.lcKen,-ie scored' being attended by ..bout half the team' Lynch missed the kick. Just M the gun vent.the backs started a rush, and before the ball went out of play I.vnch scored convert COraPr, ""* Rot * rte COu]d «*

Fli"lH MATCH.

XEW ZEALAND (56) V. STAFFORD UNIVERSITY 0). The return game with Stanford was played on Saturday. and again an ea«y win was recorded. The game was played in two spells of forty minutes each, and in that extra ten minutes the New /Sealanders scored no fewer than 17 point:. The best Stanford men were resting, but the fresh players put up a much better fight than the Wednesday squad. " " The teams were:--New Zealand: Full-back, Cuthill; three-quarters, Stohr, Roberts, and McGregor; five-eighths. Mitehinson and ray; half-back. Loveridjre; forwards Murray (wing), Sellars, Williams, Atkinson, Wylie, Cain, Graham, and Douglas. Stanford University: Full-back, Kauffman: three-quarters, Crary, Andrews, and Urban; five-eighths, Patterson and Davidson; half-back, Tilton; forwards, Ogden, Sandstrom, Whittaker, Watkins, Dubendorf, Soper, Peck, and Wines. Referee, Mr. L. S. Reading. In the first fifteen minutes New Zealand advanced into the Stanford territory a dozen times, but each time the attack was hurled back with good defence, and it was not until a scrum was formed on the line that Loveridge was given the first chance. Quick as lightning he dashed round the side of the serum, and before the opposition had realised his intention not to pass he was over the line for a. good try. Stohr failed with, the kick. The next try came, from passing between Gray. Matubinson, Roberts, and Stohr, and Roberts converted the latter's try from a difficult angle. In a dash for the fins X&veridge in falling passed to Murray -wie scored, trat Xovetidg&.-J»a4'_ twisted, hjs-anfcie

badly, and bad to go off. Stohr kicked a. splendid goal. Lynch, came on, and Gray moved up to half. From a forward passing bout Wylie scored, but Roberts could not convert. From a scrum near half-way Gray passed to McGregor who cork-screwed his way over, near the posts. Stohr goaled. More fine passing by the backs let Stohr over, and his kick just got inside the uprights. Half-time.

i The second >pell was characterised by i fine play on the part of the blacks. Murray was the first, to score, accepting I a pa=s from Gray who bad made all the ! play. Stohr failed to convert. The I forwards dashed away in a loose rush. I and. dribbling over under the posts. j Douglas and Atkinson scored a joint try. Lynch kicke.d the goal. McGregor secured at half-way, and, running right i through the opposition in a marvellous j fashion, scored a magnificent try close Ito the posts. He received a great ovation for a brilliant piece of work. Roberts failed with the kick. Murray got away from a line-out, and scored in a similar position, and Lynch made a poor effort with the kick. A diagonal run by Roberts let him over on the corner, and Stohr kicked a grubber. Mitchinson cut across the line of play and scored. Graham kicking the goal. Robferts obtained the ball, and sidestepping all attempts at collaring grounded the ball under the posts, and Cuthill goaled. The last try was scored by Mitchinson, Williams missing the kick. An unfortunate experience has befallen Bruce. He cut bin leg on the Willochra, and it didn't heal, consequently pi"?'" 1 ? on the dirt grounds did not do it any good, and blood-poisoning developed, on Thursday. It has been rather serious, I for th« Auoklander has had to be operated on in Waverly Hospital, Palo Alto, and I believe that it was a very close J thing. He ie now progressing favourably, however, and will soon be all right. "Teddy" Roberts ha*> been receiving good attention from trainer Harry Maloney. of Stanford, and his leg i* just about 'ri?rrt. The team was e-plendklly looked after at Stanford, and MaloneyVi work dceerves special mention. The boys were all very sorry '.o leave, and wo'rde cannot express their gratitude for the good time they had there. The displays of th« New Zejjanders on the turf were 100 per cent better than on the dirt grounds, and efforts are being made. I understand, to have the game againot All America team, ■which is 6ft down for the dirt ground at California University, played on the turf at Stanford. It wou'd be much better from every point of view, except, perhaps, finance., if the game were played at .Stanford, but at time of writing it in not ■ known whether it is intended to mike ■the alteration.

'AVhil'e at Palo Alto tome of the New Zealand-ens acted in the capacity of coaches to the schools round about. The Palo Alto High School boys were coached on 'the morning before a match they wen engaged in and whether it was th-c result of I he tuition they received I cannot say. but they won by 30 points to nil. McDonald, E. Roberts, and one or two others went down to Santa Clara to coach the 'Varsity 'team, which we play to-morrow. At Stanford also the boys did a good deal of coaching, and the hints they imparted will no doubt be of considerable benefit >to the student*. It was this fine feeling of comradeship tha 4, made our ay at Stanford so enjoyable, and it was hard work getting the boys away. Most of 'them promised themselves a return visit before leaving for home.

The team visited the California Land Show last night, and gave some of their war-erics and songs, which delighted the crowd. We are very much indebted to private persons for entertainment here. Mr. .Julius Joneen was responsible for the invitation to the Land Show, and in many other ways has been very good to the team. Mr. A. A. Wheeler gave six of us a right royal time a few days ago. A few New Zealanders have come forward, but not as many as we expected. I learn that there was an organised Australasian Club in .San Francisco before the fire, but it has not. been established since, and the Antipodeane are now so much scattered 'that it is extremely difficult to get into touch with them. In fact, it is almost impossible unices they come forward. Most of them come from Auckland, 'but I have met one from 'Wellington and one or two from Christchurch. The Aucklandere who left their cards were Mr. George Dowsing and Mr. George Partridge. Mr. Dowsing is in the hotel business, and is al present awaiting the completion of a new house. He intends to make it a Ne>v Zealand club when he gets going. Mr. Partridge is a professional masseur. Mr. Walter Wright, brother of the well-known Ohristehurch solicitor, stopjwd us in the street one day. He has been in this country for some years, and, as he says, it* now almost completely American, but he devoured the information we gave him as to how things were with the Dominion. Mr. Ernest V. Williamson, of Christchurch, is "working for a p>ano compa.ny here. He c.vme over not long ago. Mr. Tom Dclamore, from the same city, is in rc-rular work. .Mr. Jack Williams, on the stereo staff of the "Examiner," state* that he. served his time on the "Auckland Star," and also worked for some time for the "Lyttelton Times" Company. They are all keenly interested in the doings of the team, and are rejoicing over the victories that the boys have won. I have also received several letters from Englishmen expressing itheir best wishes for the success of the New Ze.alande.re. The New Zealanders that I have met 6tate that they are doing well here, and that as far as "they know others from the Dominion are in good positions. But I believe the majority of them "want to get back. They say that a man is not any better off here under a bigger salary than he ie in New Zealand with less money. The cost of living i≤ terribly nigh, and the ways and means of spending it are infinite. The American dollar is worth 4/2 in English money, but its purchasing power seems to 'be just about equivalent to a shilling. A meal in an. hot-el seldom costs lees than a dollar, and tou are lucky if you get off with that. I know men wearing suits that cost 50 dollars. They are not one whit better than a New Zealand tailor-made 5-guinea suit. In fact, the Americans prefer the clothes our boys wear. The old style of American clothes with wide peg-top trousers is stated to be out of fashion three years. Fashions here at present are all English. The American .twang has teen conspicuous by its absence. With the exception that the. Americans pronounce their vowels short where "the New Zealanders have them long, there is very little, difference in the spe-ee-h. It is quite different from what some of the team expected, and it reems that the slangy visitors who go to the Antipodes are not, at all typical of the Teal .American. Some of their phras«B are inexplicable to us, however.

I hear that Air William Unmade trill not he able "to accompany the All America. team to Australasia, boxing /been unable to make the neoewary UTenehijstib.g^caae^.Jtft ,

.George Jamee, of the Pacific Coast AslEociation will make the trip as manager, it -will be particularly bad luck for Mr Uinnack, for he deserves all credit for his efforts in. getting the team together. The task has been no ligbt one. While at Stanford. I caw Templeton, -who Jβ a likely member of the team. He is very anxious to go if he can make the arrangements. I saw him do the hurdles in a shade over loe., and he is also good in other events.