THE BRITISH FOOTBALLERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 201, 19 May 1908, Page 9

THE BRITISH FOOTBALLERS.

THEIR ARRIVAL IN WELLINGTON

A ' NUGGETY LOT.

Tho wharf: was thronged yesterday morning by crowds of spectators anxious to catch tho first,/gliiiipse'. of v tile- visiting British , foot.The-. White Star, linor. Athcnic arrived qt an early, hour j health Officer did.,not,;leavo. until-' 7 o'clock.-.; A : number of. .represcntativus. of ilio New, Zealand Rugby Union -.also, .wont out,Jo,,w^jcpSno ; ;.tho team. l Thero. was a, Jioavy -fog dilring the. Morning, aujLup .to 8,30 thc-icotb/illerrladen steamer could bo .discerned ; -verj>,clearly. : ...The. fog;,lift«l l ,complete.ly,. l .aiid;,the, visitors: got thcir.Jirst.. impression of," Wellington.' on a perfect..da}'. ; \.-As ifc diw -nenrcr to 9 o'cloclc tlie; crbwd;ancrotise(l perceptibly,- and it soonbnqafeie -'a L ; 3'6li;'6f.feSpcctant fattfs/. and ! o've|'^|;|ioin{'^ tlio. cranesKoven ■ ;bping • iitilisecl. ,%.,Jtho I younger; enthusiasts;.,-jrAt j), o'cto.ck...therstcamer - lifted her 'anchai'sV: and : ifhe : 'WJis' ' tied, ; up -'at • the Queen's'Wlvarf, tii"-9,35; '/'fhen, tJib : ;iush took ' the. crowd gotperhaps .tfeir . ciifibsity was down .from the upper deck,' th"e whiif :lfas, seen, .to ..be iitjei;ally a Gea of upturned faces. ' ;T.hb visitors diseiiiharlied, wero wfti'tnly, welcomed by tlift Now Zoaland Rtlgby"'Union 'officials," and were escorted.to.HliQlQra'nd Hotel, where they are ttaying';'.. ;-|Ajcoiigst; tho: ofneials ■who 'nero pre,ient-;iwe,re ; G. ..Campbell, Nejlc'r Geo, Dixon, J.. Manson,. A.• Laurehtoji;! and.'J. P..;,Av,ery (seci-otary of the .Union).-,s J!rnV .'.- "\yliat-aroitbo iiien like ?' Tho writer's first: 1 impression wa.S one : of disa'prKjintiiicnt- at the Btatufe, of the Britishers. There is' usually a .mixture .in teain,. but , ; in ,tho case, of the visifors'*'th'6r6 to be it 'prenonderance;:of playersi'below wliat we in the-Do-mijiioh'' 'would |c : all '(ani Vaver'ago:; footballer's. height-4abbnt' : 'sffc Sin.-.' This imprcssion-was rathet:'strengthened-than diminished: On! See-. inigith'evAehvat-Jthe'-'-GrandriHotel ■ diiring .the ■ forondoii^.i-According. to tho; rtaiidard-i we.'seti' there :seismod'.to.'br! <jnly.'threo : oMour heavy-weiglits-Zaniongsti'.'the. lotjv and ;Xif .-pressed, to give an opinion, tho writer .would say 'that this must make forweakness in the fotttard rank. : - Btrt/ doos/ - -matter ,of tactics .lie's ;behind;„th§ physical, composition of. -th6j of ..Ne^ Zealari'd/ - *ffive . playing'.'iiflf,- '^pssrri : ''x4F- v piiC'to the;s6'rtim : P' ." ' : Nuggety "is the word that;'.' desbribe's :' three-fifths •. of . the, 'team! Mo(Hum -height'.of bdlott 'it',' yeSJJ* but stocky to. "lfitlf squaro' arid' defrp 'that Suggest Vigoui". and : Brightness in .their football. ,Mr. W. Mor&h. looks thd liglitestj'and certainly has ,t!io least claim to a, lfootbiller's pKystqW; "butlo'iid' Viannot he too : cirof , jlTrrllis.. y brothar, ,with tho last .Hiigfeatu're qi/ihe tcain is its : aggregate '■youth.. Thdre.vis'.'nb' sageestion of' a.i';VEaß ,been " ..in; its . J rattksiiand : :4lWr'e',,arb men ..(diio. ,camc, .df agi. oh'.'the voyago) who may. proved alittie.bett3r:ihan,,cvorilhesolcc-: mwhat :; is; ptaetioalljf.'v-.lhftra itioukl ' football. They, aro keen and bright,,every oiio, and aro all looking , v.'ell , afler tho long. Boa-voyags. Ono 'caii say little; .'more until the gamo is.-'being-.played., -.- ■

THE.CAPTAiN INTERVIEWED.

"AN 'ALU-ROUND. SOUND TEAM." WILL GIVE; US: A, RUN FOB,''OUR -nn.monety t _ ■ you,"iWfl'hatt»'itfiJ:flt-Tfttaftrip,'' Bakli'Mr.'. ;: A. Hardiiig,''. captain/ of'rtho British Mtball tcam/ tio' w H 4W-Mcm.'-l<ept Mvelf ftho* iwholo timo;~and^V6 r all:]rtndedi tHs'nißrning'!lii tho best<-of iheolth 1 ' „ '' x Bavtftyou <<beon '.tfainmg l ; hard. .• during' tho voyage' » > 1 * '

■-'No] wo*hat6 -(ltmo : .V€ry: ; little, "serimi traiiVtilgj but,wo havohadpleiity or cxorciso .we' fiopd 'io.'get.fit®" about '"&(wfeek. ! .'"I don't Bay ire shall play shall certainly'practiso a', good'deal-for a while?' I suppose you' aj'o.facing ttio.'preaent tour with a, fajr: ; amountof/ confidence ?,y ■■ .•. give f6T;y;6ur:inoM^^ that \ tol^Win- vstill ''ftte'S 'iwi&'f 'niaionty'.'X6f' , ;,the' inabiihcs.".''^'-?'-. ; • '• ' ; K : 1/ v

captained in: 1904 ?"J ■'.' Notr'at one of two' stars, in that'tfeain who iire: missing 'in: this one,' but- wo, have an all-round, sound team, and iVo.fate in. tho.; forward di^j»hv^^p^q^'f^ft. : .of.',,t!S .who wero.viii. tho,.d?si;'t.ciarti Dr; At'Evedy,,' who. is our vice-captain; 1 and myself. . . ' " Ainat&ur.' Eiigb'y is certainly : booming in' England.\ ;';Tho'fict; that -several- big' schools wHioh:/havo;.;not;':play'M - Rugby .before.; have lately; takerfit. up must'he]ji''the ga!ne' greatlyin Harrow' used to', a" Ejjcciitl s ,'"gaino <of 'their own,, but ;they' have;how.: liiigby-game.':'. ' Is i.the.tour of. tfri' "-iUI. Blacks."''forgotton' -yet? •:• .Not'V^/^-lSiig'i%yl'ri3iai ! '''irigl4 did a great deal of good to Rugby football in England, and its _ influence: is~still foltl; Such as', that *and 5 -this.- return-'visit which.",we are now paymg aro bound to .havo boiieficial cffects. : in -.stiniulatiiig interest.-, in .the 'gatoe;"- _ The. ; reporter.:.- left.•. Mr.,.; Harding : ; sunninghimself at tho door of tfyj hotel and declaring that he was delighted to arrive 1 in such fine-weather,' as:his last experience of New Zoaland was thatrsoventeen clays' out of twenty-ona.wpro wet..." • .