FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 193, 9 May 1908, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY;' • ■■■ * [BY AhistobcljUS.] -,THE BRITISHERS' TOUR. •' Saturday, May .23.—Wairarapa- "and Bush Unions,.at Masterton. ■ . . ' Wednesday,. May '27..-—Wellington Union, at Wellington.' ".V . s-. ; Saturday, May- 30.—Otago Union, at Dunedin. ■■: ; .• .:, •. > 1 Wednesday, June '3. —Southland "-Union, at Invorcargill. • ••.. Saturday, Juno 6.—South Island,!,at Dun- . odin. ■ ■ \ • . Wednesday, Jnne . 10. —South -Canterbury - Union, at Timaru: . Saturday, June 13.—Canterbury Union, at .-^Chnstchurchvv.. ;v -■ • -.-a*. Wednesday, June 17.—West Coast and Buller Unions, at Greymouth. Saturday, June . 20.—Nelson ■ : and; Marlborough Unions, <it Nelson!' Saturday, Juno 27.—New- Zealand, at Wellington.. Wednesday,, July I.—Hawlco's Bay Union, ■■■". at Napier. . v, " . Saturday, July 4. —Poverty Bay Union, .at Gisborne. ; . [Wednesday, July -B.r-Manawatu and Horowhenua Unions, at Palraerston. . . i Saturday,.. July 11.—Wanganui- Union,: at' , Wanganui.■. 1 WeSn^day,-July 15.—Taranaki Union, at Now Plymouth.' , Saturday, July 18.t—Auckland Union, at Auckland. • Saturday, July -25—North Island, at Auckland

OUTMATCHES. •POSITION' OF THE TEAMS. • . : V" : ■' i ''tig » V"V" /' . li ' ' d •' r • lj-. - • . si'- ° a a ■ •' : -§ -' K J;r v>>: .'a.,'*s o . • : . d..,-,0 ;ai . g «• X J- ' ,3 S £ £ O, Melrose ... ... 2 2 0 0 31 3 i - Oriental ■ ... .'2 2 0 0- 17 11 . 4 •Wellington 2. 1 0 19 '3 3 Athletic ' 2 1 1 0' 33 6 2 .Petone ... ... ,:2 . :.l ~1 0 16 8 2 .Old Boys 2 . 1. 1,0!) 11 2 , Poneke .... 2 ; -1". 1 0: ' 6 15 2 St. James 2 0 1 1 6 9 1 .. Southern '2--. >0-- 2 .0 3 35 0 Victoria College 2 0 2' .'0 5: 3D 0 _ The arrangements at Miramar showed some improvement last Saturday, but thero is still a greatt deal, to do-..before things aro shipshape. Tho- "grandstand" -on the northern touch lino of No: I"ground was a marked advance: on the previous week's ■'accommodation,' and was. literally rushed by the speotators. ; ! 'The.grbunds shoiild: receivo ■> immedia.te - r espocially : No: 2, which is. tho"worst,of :the :four. A .mah ar'ihed with s letj. loose ;i ,this; ground for a week.i"; It , will be rather late'to commence thia work after, a few ankles have been broken or • •sprained. -'' > • • • . TheV-:frM>dis]tributibnr' , <)f /programmes at Miramar ■ last Saturday was welcomed by . spectators." , Tho programme was .neatly arranged'"and gave; the' names arid weights of the various play.ors as; well as', their positions on the; field' }V i t hcom monda bln accuracy: The move is'a distinctly good one,.more especially as tho production of the programme is carried out by a ••pHv4to- < s|»g^toi tKe . authority v of the 'issue, "the' programme as ."official." V ; " The series, of matche's played .last -Satur- ' day/ drew a large crowd; to Miramar. l The :r- spectators instiftctively flocked; to the Petone* . Oriental. matcji of . the'; quartette,: h. arid their judgment,.was-upheld.. ..The subur-. ban team has had' a -long - rStt; .ofi' successes- ■ and. of -the; game .were i'not I ''sorry to see them 'defeated' by: Oriental."At the same time Petone had the better of .the , .game, ; and-it-was only in few • minutes that; Oriental succeeded in . pulling the ; game off:Vl- Petone'*have';a young team • .this, season, 'and miss the services of Cross,' Byrne, Wright, arid Tyne iri: the " forward ranks. The/only old'hands left in the pack are Hardhafii, ReaUy; v '-K"riight, and 3il'GilL The-backs- are. all : tried players with the ex- "• ceptiori'j>r.-:Macklejj wing-threequarter, and • House, "centre. ' ; ;'/T; v . .7?::'.'.,',. . Oriental ; have ; a; ; good , solid packi ,-and a 'bright lot -bf; backs/who' should' improve .as they,-: get to- -know one another's , stylo, of '. play better. ' . ..7 ' -'■ : '

Highet,_. ',did not'inspire confidence, his' Handling of tho ball being faulty ■ on At; the; same;time' ho • made no bad mistakes;'and was responsible . for; some nice: saves.'V V ThejUack .'and whites have a strong scoring : ' properly fed they. must . do a- lot of damage. Mona Thompson's • ability in' ,this > '"directi6n: r is 'well-known,-and; • the.'otheT;'wing,} Mathpson,\is - quite as ; dangerous a man;:if ; he' gets: anything like" an •opening. Sturroch in the is flashy, but does/riot appear, to* .have settle^-down . properly yet.' . ' The five-eighths, Gibbons and M'Leod, ■ are both full of promise, but like tho centre they have yet to hit upon a better under- . standing of .the men' behind them.' Littlo more necd .be said of .the half than he is Fred- Roberts. purpose, more-than-brilliancy, characterised his play on Saturday: ' ; Daly, on the wing,; is .a . jnew man. ;. Ho was full of energy; . byt : a'vgood-deal 'of: it' seamed .to•bexmisdirectfed. / : '■ , Of the forwards Isaacs was always'to the', fore, and Warbrick, Heenan, ; and Lambeti; also stood- out'-well. ' ; i •£•;•''-V //}' Mick Ryan-gave a good all-r.ound dismay- ,. »s full back called -brt a good deal, and responded well.: Otjtho •other backs J. Ryan ; played- a fide defensive ' game, and so did Green, the latter the ball away from . the scrum bezCjitifully. Instone "also did' some good work. . . The Petone pack' worked well) an 3. no iman in it better than Ready. l Knight Slso'put.in some capital work in the scrum/' and was repeatedly to the fore onjthe 'Hardham,- on the wing, played a gfeA game; in fact, he has never shown up;'to'better afl- • vantage than ho did in the first half of the ' second spell. - '.' ~. * i r. '• The &ami;;:did not callforth the best'Melrose of. The , game, wa's : interesting' at 'times, i,but .not' in- . teresting' enough , to attention .of the,spectators.'.. ~ : / ; I ••'/■ ?r6m the spectators'. of View the Poneke-St. James game [disappointing. The 'match~was'.'fought betweentbe'.'forwards,;'but {was. tight, the game , did riot lend ftjelt to anything ap. proaching' a ' spectacular'display.' Neither side, had much advan'togo in the forward division/ . /w'. . ■ ••' . ; . The - St. - James forwards were more successful' m out-'of the . scrum at the commencemijiVbut the Poneke men'soon took as "push," a method - .which almost iijvtrfably resulted in. a tight scramble, in whjoJ.tbey. had the advantage. The St.' Jame&jbacks had some, opportuni-ties-te' show powers an the first spell, but(-thdr, attack lacked finality, chiefly throu£^ ! /the five-eighths running 'across'the fieW'with the ball, and-thus leaving the wingswith'.moro than a'fair share of men to of the rearguard acquitv ted themsety£S/well - when called .on to defend. -full-back, played a safe '. game, with power and judgment. and . speedy runnoi, "looked wry idah'gerous. 'on':'a few occasions; So. also cfyl Neilson, who, in addition, showed ' that ho?yas.'not; lacking in defensive qualities, was'a smart half-back, who '■ did a gefld amount of work.... ' ~ In tic forwards,'.'Wright, Sutherland, and R. Wifhtoh put'in some hard work. ■ • / \ Tlic/foneke backs suffered much through ' ,'the : a)sence ;of. their two mainstays, Wallace and £•• Mitchinsbri.: They had few chanpes to - el|oyv what they could do at attacking,' but ordeal in. the. first spell most of. ~.tli(i'ir displayed saferiess. Paul, the full-back, <v"w«nt'- through a- good deal of work' without .• '-'makine-any 'mistake. ,:

Twohill was the star of tho three-quarter line, while Flannagan, a very young centre, jrepeatedly showed that'he- was of the' right, stamp. Gardner and Tilyard also deserve commendation for their' work. Dennehy and Calcinai shone out well in the vanguard, while O'Brien and W. Wighton were hardworking in the tight work. The passing of the- Athletic backs, which .was extremely, poor at the beginning 6f Saturday's match, showed wonderful improvement towards 1 the end of tho game. - O'Leary playod .a hard back game for the College against Athletics. G. V. Bogle, five-eighth for Victoria College, appears to .be off colour this season. ' Hitchins, the Victoria College centre, who is reputed to be good on attack, never had a chanco. on Saturday. ' '' ' ■ Victoria College, who proved inferior to Athletics in every department, were, greatly handicapped through the absence of Goodliehere and A. Bogle, the enforced retirement of Fell at an early stage of the contest, and the partial disablement of Tudhope. Of the Athletic, backs, Pool,' wing threequarter, 'and Gordon, five-eighth, played best. The fomcr completed, several passing rushes in fine style, .and :the latter made a number of nice openings. ■ The. Athletic forwards, among whom Wilson, Bell ,'and Cunningham were the 'resplendent stars, showed splendid form last Saturday.. Time andi again they gained considerable, ground, as a result of screwing-tho scrum.' -, Fast . dribbling rushes : were, a 'feature of ;their. play. Most of ;■ rushes made., by their side .originated from long line-outs.- : . . . . - ■•During-tho...progress ofi tho senior, match between Victoria College and Athletics oh Saturday' two of; the members of the,firstmentioned team wxre hurt.; Foil; the full back, had the misfortune to sustain a brokori. uose,.Mvhilst Tudhope, -one of tho forwards, had-his shoulder injured. : ' Of' the Old' Boys' vanguard, Alexander -was easily the:pick on Saturday. -.' . •' The Wellington' rearguard are slowly acquiring combination.,: Several good [chances to develop, passing rushes were, however, allowed to pass on Saturday. 1 - Aborcrombie gave an improved display for Wellington, against - Old Boys. , , , -,y M'Kay, the ex-So v uthland representative, who. is a. member- of the pack,' is .rapidly He ,'was 'always in'the: thick of it in Saturday's niatch. ' i Systematic training' stood 'tho< Wellington forwards in good stead on Saturday. Had they put extra vim into ; their' work at an earlier stage the scoro would of .a...surety been, much higher. As it was Wellington Had -much the 'better' of the second!- spell, ■particularly tlie iattqr end. ■ ' > Both the full backs in the match between Wellington and ,Old Boys were much below par i V ■ ''"■■ '"''■ • It is:very evident.from the senior matches which have already taken place in the -Wairarapa, that', that district will have to rely mostly: upon ?its forwards jiri order to make any show against the British, fifteen. "So far the back, play 'amongst -the Valley 'teams discloses .''ifi;. , which tends to .lukewarm exhibitions, instead, of prompt,: workmanlike actipn. ■ Collaring in a proper term also appears to be a . negligible quantity which is kept sternly in ■ tho background by-Wairarapa .rearguards..;. .Qld time footballers who saw'the 'English' team battle; against. Wairarapa .twenty:'.yea'rs - ago will Remember the. manner in: which tho . repeatedly : brilljant - back-passing. attacks,'of Anderton, Buniby, and'others wore stifled in their, infancy almost by tho equallybrilliant tackling of Baumber, the pocket, hercules country' half, who,' frequently | collared 'as many.; ! ( as... four - mcrf- 'lii vdne'.; ruiiV , Harry Wrigley was anothfer: great---Wairarai)a l tackier,' 'who came after! 1 Baumber, and- D'Arcy was' still'another!'~. " -- --- - --- - ■ - -

Tile, Masterton Red Star senior championship/match .played at Masterton; pro-, vided "an interesting'", encounter. "<■ There wis' .notj-'much'' diffo^ence?-between the twbi for.ward;>:divisionß'j;''.;but ithe Stars failedTsiidly' with ' theif rearguard, .which, -with • tlS&iexception of Adams. (half-back),- did not: seem; to .have ; a'proper idea- of , defensive'play'. ,: There-was no system of back deferice.,': ; Man; for.» man is ...about the' -simplest mariner ? in . which: to ' staya: passing attack, . and; thero should.be nb- indecision about' the •If a,;back;makes un his mind that ho''will account',; for ;!iis.Vyis-a-vis;-/his • side; .will''n((t be:far; put,of the'hunt ; (everything elso-ibe'-' ing equal)' when ';the,'whistle, 5 sourids'. '' ; ?&'•: :The'..Masterton ' backs . gave ..a - .better,. ex-" hibitioii than they did 11 the previous- Sat-' lirday. O'Leary: played-as five-eighth; and when he got the , ball; he invariably; .threiv it. about. . Tho .result'.'was' seen - in- 'one ' or two "very , meritorious""scores;/.notably :'wlien Darvejl- andJ'Halndley.; in. the first' spell.'- ' Handley 'is .said toVbe an' erratic back, button' Saturday ...he at' times' captured the leather in passing rushes like a second, Absolom, arid his- one . try was a brilliant piece of work'. Darvell showed iriiproved form. , This iplayer.: is 'the; proper build' for, a good, all-round three-quarter, - and 'if he' can: only infuse the- requisite amount of, energy arid - intelligence, into his play, he has.,nothing .to fear.. ;'-' O'Leary' gave jiig;.usually Vfinished Vexliibitiori; especially/ as regards ■ kickingi : ' It seoms a pity '.that he has not sqme: one / , associated' with" him who can . make him. • extend himself .more aggressively. There.-fs no doubt: : he has it .in him, arid if brought orit, shoiild, furnish' WairaraDa with one" of' the most brilliant backs , in New ; Zealand.- ;; Tli,ompson, -.the .- /Masterton,. ;■ full-back ; , played' a' very fino gariie. , He had . rio collaring to.doj. but he made no mistako'about • gliding the line:. ; . ' ■•« , Adams, the Star half, is , one of those • little'follows, with'a big heart. ,He revels in'punishment, and comes up smiling every time )fpr "more." Amongst the other backs, 'Duggan . 'committed, an irretrievable ' error, in the second spell, in waiting on,'the goalline ~for- Darvell, instead , of going up to meet,»him. He had plenty .of time to do this/as Darvell was'very undecided about going "eyes put," and had he.gone up he riiust, have .collared the Masterton threequarter,, and. so have prevented a, score. " V ' Brenchley, Lyall, and Ross were:an excellent trio in the Masterton forward division. Both Brenchley arid Lyall played well in the ■loose .';and line-out; while. Rossj .who is one of the nuggety sort, grafted hard throughout the game.. The whole of the forwards, 'However,'.would g(| .much better with a "little more steam. Doubtless this will come with condition. The ..Star ■ scrum;,'was about, as • wel?-set up as one could / wish. .The front rankers, M'Carthy arid another, knew their business well, and tbey heeled out slick and clean when they got the ball.. Nothing could be ■ done, however, as Andrews, "the. five : eightli, was quite at sea iri an attacking' game; M'Kenzie,''a young wing-forward, manifested symptoms. of Becoming: a. top-notcher. He' followed the leather " a greyhound, arid was in every rush." Scorror arid Stewart seconded his efforts ably. The Star forwards all'round played a very fine game. Carterton,;'last year's,'champions,'- con-' tinue'd :; tlieir * winning -career, •by beating Greytown 2to nil. The Greytown fohvirds again played a good game, but there was rio. cohesion:, amongst their backs. Carterton would probably, have scored "more points, had-not-several of the backs adopted Severely selfishplay. Amongst'tho' forwards, Cadwallader..,proved his worth ,by scoring two tries. , Honderson also shono in tlio looso.. This playor is an untiring worker, but lie: is hardly big enough for ' a wingforward. His nlaco is in the back "rarilc of the scrum-. C. C. King, of'the Oriental senior, twisted his 1 knee rather badly on Saturday. . - 1 Freddy Roberts was uijlucky ericugh to have, a tooth knocked out and several loosened on Saturday., • - Abbott, tho Zingari and Otago rep. forward-,' is in ill-health, and hns retired from the gamo for the season. . Tho Southland Union decided to invito, the Taranaki Union to send; a. representative team to visit Southland this season.! ■ F... Chapman, • right win" three-quarter, who is to tour'with tho English team in New Zealand,.is reported to be both speedy arid clever.

• In tho junior match'between Athletics and Onontals on Saturday, J. Sandham, a member of tho last-mentioned team, had his shoulder sprained. Tho attendances at tho Rugby' Lcaguo matches at Sydney on April 25 are stated to have been somewhat disappointing, the largest crowd numbering ■ 1500. The receipts at the recent Ireland v. Scotland match at Dublin just fell short of four figures. . The previous record for a Rugby match' in Ireland was £967." Owing to a recent injury to the muscles of his leg, tho captain of the last British. Rugby team that toured Now Zealand (D. R. BcdeliSivright), is not likely to bo seen again in. international matches. At the latest meeting of the Wellington Referees' Association the necessity. for lino umpires taking up their positions at the goa!l posts when a shot is being made was emphasised. A copy of the Canterbury Union's annual for 1908 has come to hr.nd. Tho little book, which.is edited by the hon. secretary of tho TJnion, Mr. W. G. Garrard, contains 200 pages, and is brimful of information to footballers and followers of the game. Several former students at Wellington College are distinguishing themselves in Rngby circles at Home. H. Hoby and P. M-maghan played. last season for Guy's Hospital' first XV. Another Old Boy, Eric Mackenzie, was included with itho t Edinburgh University firsts, and his play was spoken of in eulogistic terms. ' There are two players named "J. P.. Jones" among the three-auarter backs in the British touring team. _ In order to avoid confusion, the representative of Monmouth is known as "Polity," whilst his namesake, who hails'from Kent, is called " Tuan." "If New Zealand is not to bo abandoned to professionalism, the visit of ths British team is a necessity "—Mr. G. H. Harnett, manager of tho team, in a speech prior to leaving England. '•:, ' THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, 1908. ' . ; FINAL' POSITIONS. ~i . ■ ® § d "S" 5 £ a iS _ i for Agst. •i _ , „ v G.T.P. G:T. p; 1. Wales ... '3 3 0 0 t<6 645 51 28 Scotland '3 1. 0 2 ; f*6 232 4 4 32' 2. ■," England 3 1\; 0 2 ' 72 41 f«9.3 47 Ireland 3 1 0- 2 |4 224 f5 : 4 35

fPenalty goal. '*Dr.opped goal. An English writer states that," as a result' of the tour of tho professional All Blacks; tho membership of Northern-Union clubs .increased /largely all round indeed, "some of them more than doubled the number of t-h-eif subscribers. : • 7 ; i_" i;. P*: "Tuan"- Jones/ a member ;of 'tho' liritish touring team, had . the .misfor.tuno to his collar-bone •• through' -falling heavily in the yfinal match of . tho season between Blackbehth' and Newport;- which eventuated a few days before the departure of the visitors. \

. Home papers warmly eulogise the display given by J. Davey (a half-back in tho British touring team) in the' recent contest between England and •: -Scotland. The "Winning .'J 5 ?, sa y? : "He.was : a''distinct' success, taking the' passes froni Williamson with abHi 16 securacy. •on every • occasion sa've one: Both - halves feared' nothing' and took all that came, to tlieni iii the - way of saving'and tackling." , ,' ••••■■■ ■ It will 'be noticed- that in tho cabled report of the "New Zealand-New South' Wales' professional Rugby 'match played last Satur-days-it was stated that the New Zealanders had only thirteen .men to' their opponents' fifteen.- Two, men are a big h:\ndicap, hence the possible , reason of 1 defeat. Another possible reason is_ that the New Zealanders did not want to wiiiy and were'looking 'ahead: for 3 s substantial -gate in the}next game'. ' There is no doubt about the dilemma- in which the managerial, heads, of. the Rugby game aro placed over 'the professional business? As a spectacular display, the game as played by the professionals seems ,to be superior to our _ own system. The. public are almost certain .to support tho most attrac'tiye display, and in a ibig city like ,Sydney, it is. probablo.,.that the. professionals' will come 6ut oventually 'on top, 'If Wellington were' as :big a. city ;a's Sydney, the Wellington RughyJ Union would ! : nbt' : have darkl-to, desert the .Athletic 'Park in .favour of Miramar, because the ground; woiild :-have :"been up;by the professionals, iridvpatronised by- tho .public- m- preference •Jto^tfirimar. vlO-rie'.-wonders,'why the New'Zeaiand Rugby; vUnion does riot issue an-'annual 'which worild | '.serve'all'.the .TJnions: New South Wales arid} Queensland issue annuals, England arid ■ Wales issue ■. annuals; why - not Now Zealand? " - ■■■'■ :;■' ■: - v : ! - Carterton and Masterton seniors are to. meet;.'this afternoon at 'Masterton'. \ ■ The" game',.should be a very even orie. ■ Carterton; will possibly be slightly superior: iri the forward division, while. Mastertonshould excel with their rearguard. The Wairarapa senior- -championiship -seems to --lie between' these two .teams. ;..

The Wairarapa Rugby Union' has classified. Moana, the To Ore ,Oro junior .skipper, as a senior player. Moaria is a well-built' Native; who can. shear sheep, toss sheaves, and wrestle with almost anybody,'but at present lie .carries to.o'much avoirdupois to play a good game'of football. In a"'match last Saturday, he was only demonstrative to any extent ■ when he - fell upon an opponent, who-usually arose from the encounter with'a much-flattened' out appearance/ D; -K. , Logan, skipper v of the Masterton 'senior team, and Wairarapa represeritative for -a. period of nas retired from active participation in the game. Logan was a - liliputian half-back, who in his ; time' "absorbed' more kicks through stopping forward rushes \ than most othor : players in the Dominion. He was in every respect an .able, and intelligent half, arid .he'narrowly escaped ..being selected in the famous' "Ail' Black" contingent.. ' ■ •1 ■ ; \ A football club - has been formed 1 at /Alfredtori, which is at present tho home of "Jimmy" Owen', one-time Otago and Wairarapa representative.' If Alfredton can t\irn out a few Oweris in the next few years, the district will secure 'considerable Rugby eminence.- "■ ' .

The minimum guarantee of £3000 to the professional "All Blacks" was barely sufficient to cover tho actualexp'enses of the journey, and had" the tour proved a failure, tho individual members of the -team, in addition to going home empty-handed, would have had to dip! deeply into'their own pocket 3 to provide the amount incurred in hotel arid other incidental expenses in this, county.'- It is, therefore, not sportsmanlike to begrudgo those who took the initial risk the .financial success which has been achieved.—"Athletic News." ■> -G. W. Smith made his appearance at : "Oldham: the other - Saturuay m his now capacity as . a member of the Oldham' Northern Union professional team. , ' Smith was in'the threequarter line, ■ arid played a very sound .game. . . .On ono occasion he secured the ball in his own quarter, and evading a host of opponents, 'gave his winger a clear run in. The referee ruled N the New-Zea-lander's pass, to bo forward, but another breakaway on the part of the Oldham backs ended in Smith scoring a try.-. Leeds, tho opposing team, were beaten by 24 points to 5. L. B. Todd, the other New Zealander, who has joined tho Northern Union, also took tho fiold.tlie same day, "and' helped Wigan to defeat Bradford. The late Orlando Wells, whoso death occurred in the Wellington Hospital recently, represented Auckland in 1886, 1888,1889 and 1890. . Roferring to 1 his-decease a Northern writer says"On > tho field there was no more: unselfish player, and it was a great boast of his ..that he had never scored a try, but had assisted in the' getting of hundred's. He was-always impressing on young players to play for their side, and not for ;themselvos. In addition to representing Auckland on the field, ho was for somo timo a member of the Management Gommittee of the Auckland Rugby Union, as chairman. Out'sido of football he' was also an ardent Towing enthusiast, and rowed in numbers of racos locally. Tho deceased loaves a widow and family, to whom athletes and footballers throughput the Dominion will join in oxtending a heartfelt sympathy.".. Who is the best full-hack in England? This question engaged a considerable amount of .attention just prior to-the selection of tho representative team to meet Scotland on March-21. " It-was rumoured,!' remarks the ' Athloiic News,' " that G. H. Lyon, t-ho Kent fiill-back,' might be honoured with the' choice, seeing that, lie-was about to leave England on foreign service, and would bo

absent from England for a considerable period. There existed in some quarters a desire to restore E. J. Jackctt, the Cornishman, to his old place. L.von may bo a fine kicker—probably ,he punts farther than any full-back in the country—but he has not had the experience of Wood, of Gloucestershire, and if Jackott has had oven greater experience than Wood, lie, on the other hand; lacks the merit of the latter. As a matter of fact, .whether as regards gameness and ability —what a grand "thing it is'when a man can combine _ these two qualities in Rugby football!— Wood is the most successful full-back England has had for years." It is strange,, yet true, says the "Referee," that tho coming of Rugby League (or N.TJ.) football in Sydney has,'in ono highly important matter, unwittingly done 'very good service to the Rugby Union game. Several old players, and others not so old, who had been fixtures;in the District teams, wont, over" to the League, and tho strange consequence is that 'in a majority of in- . stances tho vacancies have been 'filled by 3'ounger, smarter; and better players. The Rugby Union team to tour in NewZealand probably would not be -considered good enough to do duty for England in an International match at Home, yet one would not bo surprised to see tho visitors fare far better against the full strength of New Zealand than the English fifteen did four years ago. A party'that is constantly travelling and playing together is bound to ' develop the spirit of co-operation in a very'high de-gree,-and this natural production of combination was the great secret of New Zealanders' success, here. If a 'team had suddenly been chosen to play one match for that country against England, it is by no means certain, that tho latter would have been beaten. —." Illustrated 'Sporting and Dramatic News." . . Some members of tho Wellington Referees'. Association.hold that a referee should'not be. required to attend a meeting of the Wellington' Rugby, Union, in addition to supplying a report on any " incident" which may have taken, place'during a match controlled 1 by him. Seeing that the referee is the sole arbiter in regard to all questions of fact, they hold that ho should not have to be subject to interrogation. " Why," quoth one member at tho meeting last Monday, "when a referee attends a meeting of the-Union so many questions are :put to him that before long he . does not know, whether he is standing on his head or on his feet!"

; Fain "would wo. have said something favourable on- tlie side, or would wo have expressed, hopes of the men's success. Candour, however,. prevents any optimism. It never looked like.being a powerful confederacy; the men do not represent the strength of Rugby football in England, and Wales. We have' players who would have shaped well against .New..-Zealand ,'or Australia, who ' with ox-* and the'itraining which would be the result of the return victorious from tho-Antipodes i but not oiio of them will be in the party whom Mr. George Harnett will manage. This, is the simple truth of the matter: Now, what chanco would these players have had in this country against bur last colonial invaders? Simply none. They' .would have been smitten hip and thigh by the team that heat Scotland in that memorable game, at' Edinburgh—playing at, their best ; so how they will perform against ah equally powerful opposition in the Dominion is surely apparent to the veriest tyro in Rugby football matters. It may he necessary at the present juncture in colonial football to send a team to the Antipodes, but no. side at; all'would have been preferable to a team that cannot hope to win Test matches. —" Sporting, Chroniclo."