THE FIRST REVERSE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12378, 18 December 1905, Page 6

THE FIRST REVERSE.

Up to Saturday the prospect lying before British footballers has seemed "all black." Yesterday the blacknces was transferred to New , Zealand, for the special cablo message which Sunday after Sunday has cheered the hearts of all patriotic New Zealandere yesterday brought them, for tho first time, the bittomcfis of defeat. "Gallant little Wales," which takes football more seriously than do its neighbours, and naturally, therefore, is more successful, liad, sn spite of all our hopce to tho contrary, beaten New Zealand by the narrow margin of threo points to nothing. Tho news took the brightness out of the sunshine, spoiled the flavour of many a Sunday dinner and possibly interfered with tho full enjoyment of many a sermon. There was something pathetic in the demeanour of the crowd round the Post Office steps. Before one reached tho place where week after week one has read the news of victory, prescience of disaster fell upon the mind. Little groups stood about, talking in eubdued tones, as,if they were discussing some dire tragedy. Somo of the mest optimi/rtio tried to convince themselves and others that the message was wrong. The blow would have been Ictss severely

felt if it had happened earlier iii the toar, but the truth is that the continued success of the Now Zealand team had led us ell to gradually set for it a standard of absolute invincibility. When, therefore, defeat did occur, New Zealand as A whole was quite unprepared for the 6hiock, and suffered accordingly. There is always in such a ease a tendency on the part of the losers' friends to make excuses. It may be said at once, therefore, that ■without -detracting from the value of the "Welshmen's win, the cabled report of the game shows that as far as luck contributed to the result, it was against the New Zealanders. Wallace was within an ace of scoring a try on one occasion, and almost at tho end of the match another opportunity to ecore was lost by an error on tho part of another of our men. Tho Now Zealand team •was also not quite tho best that could have been put in tho field if nil the men had been available. Smith's absence argues that he was unable to play, possibly through injury in a previous match. His inclusion would undoubtedly have strengthened tho team, and many expert*players think that Cunningham might have __ been picked ■with advantage to tho side. The policy of playing tho toughest of the international matches almost at the very end of the tour, -when the visitors must be feeling the effects of a constant succession of matches, has also been questioned. We can hardly say without affectation tliat the better side won, because details of the play prove that it was "anybody's game" right up to tho close, and if it -were to bo played again to-day, it is quit© possible the New Zealanders -would -win. The gamo must have been one of the hardest and most exciting ever seen in Great Britain, and though all must havo wished our team to add another to their long list of wins, no one will say that they did not do full credit to the colcmy.