RUGBY PROFESSIONALS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 12, 9 October 1907, Page 6

RUGBY PROFESSIONALS.

THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. (Specially Written for Tim Dominion.). (% A. H. Baskervillc). EVOLUTION OF THE TOUR. Colombo, September 11. Tho possession of some money and a lovo of adventure, and an article appearing in a London daily paper, are m the first place responsible for a team 0 f Now Zealand Rugby footballers visiting Groat Britain and playing combinations affiliated to the English Northern Rugbv Union. _ The article, written by F. W. Cooper, a Northern Union enthusiast", indicated that thero existed in tho North of England a keen desire-to see their clubs or players try conclusions with a team of Now Zealahders. The following extract proves this:—"What many old players, like myself,' would like to see, would be a match botweon a picked Northern Union team and the Colonials. I have no hesitation in saying that I could pick fifteen players who will willingly givo their services to play such a match—the proceeds of which could bo given to charity—and I have, little doubt that my side would achieve victory. The wearers of the Silver Fern have not been defeated, but thev have not played the cream of English football. Such men play under the banner of the Northern Union. The men who opposed the Now Zealanders at Headingloy are the weakest lot who ever donned tho Yorkshire jerseys, and tho visitors did not achieve anything out of the common when they beat them. Is set thinking. ' .from a conversation with ■ a returned 1905 "All Black," I gleaned that the Northern Union authorities had actually held out a substantial gate guarantee for a match with the New Zealanders, but of course this proposal could not bo entertained then. This set me thinking. .Why shouldn't a Now Zealand team play the Northern Unionists ?. Strict amateur players will answer, "because some of, their players are professionals." This' argument seems weak if we keep in view the fact that in the sister Association code; amateurs and professionals often play on'the same side and frequently against''each other.. ,'A representative fixture, Amateurs versus 'Professionals, is sometimes'played 'in England. Peoplo in the colonies would not demur if air Association team were to travel from New Zealand and play the • principal British clubs, .which . are. nearlyv all professional. Therefore, why should an, outcry be raised if a Rugby team did likewise? • It was thought that perhaps friends would consider a player mercenary, and regard him. in an unfavourable light if ho formed' one of a team.to go Homo and i share in the pleasures and profits—if any—of a British Northern Union tour;, But all.doubts on this point were set at rest by them expressing an' opinion, when sounded, that it would-be a shrewd and rather sensible idea. In. fact they all seemed to rather like,tho''scheme. ■ . The Scheme Progresses. Guarded conversations with prominent Now Zealand players elicited tho information that with* few exceptions they would bo willing to join a team, if' one was formed with that purpose in view. So I set to work. The Northern Union clubs were circularised, and, 'an offer of. 70 per cent, of the gross gates obtained; also a guarantee of; £3000 for a series of matches in the 1007-8 season. The guarantee was for a Ne.V Zealand team, not as was reported in some papers for a team that had'to' contain a certain number .of New Zealand representative players. A free hand was given in tho matter of • selecting a team. Once tho schemo was 'fairly started, and . advertised'. gratuitously by the different Rugby Unions, no difficulty was experienced in getting togother a strong combination. The trouble was the selecting of a team from tho numerous applicants for positions in it. " . .' ;." Of course, ono could not hope to get absolutely the best team that New Zealand could produce to break away, and run the risk of permanent disqualification from playing the amateurgame, yet strango to say a number of people thought this actually possible. They wanted'•' to ; see the" best, team go Home,' and wore disappointed becauso their hopes were not realised. Amateur Methods. Before proceeding further' it should be mentioned now that if a capitalist had promoted the tour • with an idea of. making money, ho could have-se-cured a team that would have satisfied many others, by taking Homo a fow vbry prominent players as professionals, that is, by paying them a certain sum of money and their" expenses. But this would have spoile'd -uo whole ground-work of the scheme Our idea was to get players to travel ilomo as amateurs, that is to pay tneir own expenses, and divide tho gate proceeds equally, as the Australian cricketers do. Wo hold that wo are still amateur footballers, because we do not, 'nor do we intend to gain a living by ■ playing football. Wo aro taking a trip to England at our own expense. The mero fact of pur playing against teams which play a tow professionals does not alter our status ono jot. Tho-Australian Press, upon becoming acquainted with the idea of our tour, in most cases cut out the word professional altogether when discussing "All Black" play or players. It was better acquainted with conditions of this sort than the New Zealand Press. , Selecting a Team. In solecting a team to represent the colony against the Northern Unionists, a number of conditions had to be takon into consideration which a majority or people—although well acquainted' with amateur', Rugby points—knew very little of. The thirteen aside game', and the recent amendments in the old Rugby rules by the Northern Union, had, according to newspaper reports of matches, altered the stylo of play considerably. ' One radical chango, for instance, the abolishment of the lino out—and the substitution ■ always of a scrum ten yards.in the field as a means of bringing the ball into play after going into touch—made a great-difference.. Some Now Zealand forwards' are noted fortheir cleverness on tho lino-out, and aro included in representative teams sometimes because of their skill in this direction, apart from other qualifications. Of course, theso would not bo ' ideal men for our purpose. Again, it seems that another new Northern Union rule should result in tho ball being centred more when returning it, instead of being invariably kicked into touch as in the New Zealand amateur game.' It is easily seen that this should result in tho play being faster and more open, so that a speedy man, pro- . viding ho is a good scrummager, should bo our ideal. A slow heavyweight would be at a great disadvantage at Home, ovou if ho was a good lino-out man and scrummaser in New Zealand. Points in the Forwards. Another thing had to bo considered in selecting thi/forwards—there should be a big proportion of hookers or front ' row men included. The thirteen aside ' rule will probably necessitate a reduction in the number of pack men, so that it is likely the thrce-two-one formation will bo adopted in the serum, if it is found that five New Zealand forwards packed their own way (two-three) aro incapable of holding six Northern Unionists. It is also understood that

the packs in tho. North of England have to bo formed very quickly, and this might necessitate our forwards packing in on tho first-up first-down principle, that is tho first two or three men to arrivo at the sceno of operating the scrum go in the front row, and the remainder pack in behind,, irrespective ot their New Zealand scrum merits or qualifications. So koeping this in view, good all-round forwards such as Trevarthen (Auckland) and Gilchrist (Wellington), who can also play in the front row in New Zealand, were preferred. Tyler, whose brilliancy in open play is well-known in Auckland, was included on this scoro, and also because it was known that ho could play in the front row position if required thero. Other' regular hookers (New Zealand formation) included are Dunning and Mackrell (Auckland), and Watkins, Callam, and Baskervillo (Wellington). . 'Some.of' the latter can also play in other positions in the scrum, if required/, Turning now to tho lock position in the scrum, wo ■ wero confronted with a problem—a lock may not be required at all 1 However, Wright (Wellington) was not includod solely because of his lock qualification!!, He can'play well everywhere in the scrum. The re-' maining. forwards chosen—Johnston (Otago), Pcarce (Canterbury), and Cross, Byrne, and Lile (Wellington) are all good scrummagcrs, 'and can also hold their own with the best' of ..the colouy in tho open field. "-.'.■.'-■'' Many otlior New Zealand, forwards with good local reputations—no doubt \ excellent men.if triod it. a good team— applied for positions, but they were passed oyer, in some cases, reluctantly by us, because wo could not.soo them, play,-or givo an exhibition .of their' prowess. , The Back Division." : Tho selecting of half-backs presented : another difficulty, as we wore, a little uncertain as to the of tho players in that position. A North-' em Union rule practically eliminates the wing forward of the New Zealand' gairio, by rendering. him useless, it;, prevents a half-back (or wing-forward) advancing around the scrum when his opponents have secured possession by ~ ■ hooking—even in front of his own backrow forwards—until the ball is heeled > absolutely clear of that scrum. This rule gives an attacking scrum half-back a clear start if he is dexterous, in snapping up the ball. One should; there- . fore, for scrum purposes, be quick'off. the mark, fairly fast,,and a good giver of passes. For defensive purposes in the open field he must be a good tackier and rush stopper." .'"" Our half-backs—Kelly- and Tyhe j (Wellington)'; and Gleeson' (Hawke's '" Bay)—performed' fairly well in "the Sydney matches, and justified their inclusion, although thoy.were not quite up to the.high standard set, by our recognised New Zealand representative in that position.. F. Roberts will, long re-• main a model half-back . for colonial, players to educate themselves up to.' ' The- five-eighths chosen are all well-' known men in New Zealand football.' Todd and R., Wynyard were nominated, from : Auckland—no doubt.for, these positions in this year's North,lsland team. W. Wynyard, a brother to the, other of that name,, is considered-"by-, some Auckland critics, to be his equal on the field. Wrigley, the so]o Wairarapa'representative in the team, will fill a five-eighths position, although, like M'Gregor, he , can also-play m the three-quarter line. . . ,\ Other three-quarters'besides-the. latter two players mentioned are Smith' and Rowe (Auckland), and ;Lavory v (Canterbury and South Island). Mes. scnger, the Australian star player, will , most likely fill tho centre three-qaaitor position, although he is quite at home : on tho wing. Ho can also play fiveeighths if required. '~..' , . ' ."' Turtill, who represented the Domi- /, nion against New South Wales on the occasion'of their 'ast visit to Not Zea-' land, and;the:South Island this year, was'given tho full back position. Rowe, though nominally a ' centre • tnreoquarter, will act as emergency full' .back. ■'.'"'; .'• ■ ' v '...,'. Ceneral Comments. ,' D. Fraser, a Petone (Wellington) club forward, visited Sydney with tho toam, and was included over there. Besides rondering assistance, clerical or otherwise, in conducting the- tour,' he can play'if required. . Tho team, regarded collectively, should do well in England. There are a number of young'players, included, hut in most cases they aro'tried men. The leaven of old players should soon teach them . the finer points of the ; game, and bring'out any dormant foot-' . ball that is in them.' ■Wright: , (Petone) has. been .elected captain of the team, G. Smith (Auckland), vice-captain, and, these two, with ' Johnston, will be tho Selection Committee. All the team are well, and in' first-class spirits. : , Th 9 Match with CeylonThe team played tho representatives of Coylon on September 12,, and won by 33 points to 6. I send you the comment of the'"Ceylon Times.": "The display of tho 'ill BlacksV realised the high expectation formed of them. .'■ They are. a stupendous, team and aro likely, to cause a lot of -cartachp when they start playing in England. Though thero was. a great deal _to learn from their play, they .represent simply a counsel of perfection to a country liko Ceylon, where it is impossible to devote tho time,' ) attention and study to the game that tney must have done. ' Every man knew his game , thoroughly and the combination exhibited- the. machinoiike precision and the absence of blundering .which is to be seen,in.'a firstclass professional Association team at ■ Home,' combined with the individual brilliancy usually to be seen in -such a sidp. The way every, man appeared to be in just tho ;right placo when required and tho consequent marvellous, quickness, with which openings wore taken advantage of, tho hall being one minute in. their own ■ twenty-five and in less than half a minute being taken over tho other side's lino,;shows that in SScvc Zealand, . Rugby has been raised to the skmo perfection of. almost, automatic combination as Association has been raised by English and Scottish professionalism. This state of elliciancy can only bo the despair of Ceylon "teams, but there were a. good many lessons to be gained from the ' All Blacks,' such as sharpness in forming and 'breaking up the..scrums, quickness in. handling, smart heeling and tho old lesson's of quick following up. Tho magnificent 1 kicking and passing arc, of course, .'matters of practice and individual efficiency.' I did not notice a single comploto development ?f the wing forward movement as it _ had been explained ' / to me in theory, in the morning., Most of tho scoring resulted upon smart picking up or interceptions of passes. Tho 'All Blacks' were always on the look-out; for an opportunity of darting in botweon our players and taking their passes. Tho formation of the backs appeared to bo exceedingly well adopted to ; the quick short passing-game, having the advantage 'that tho mon cannot bo 'marked as three-quarters standing in a singlo lino can be'. There were fine individual displays yesterday afternoon.. Messenger is a n'amo that we arc sure to hear of frequently when the Homo matches begin His speed and diabolical .tfickinoss wore such that it is almost an impossibility to stop him, whereas his value . as a plncc-kick must be'enormous' to' tbe team. He shone out clear amongst a galaxy of line players. All tho 'others, with tho exception' of full back, appeared to be almost equal in their high degree of skill. If anybody it was Cross—a tremendously : strong' - and Uect forward—who struck one most among them. The hill-back, Turtill,,did not show to groat, advantage yesterday. His position was the' only one where Ceylon on the day's play outshone tho other side."