RUGBY IN AUSTR ALIA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 310, 24 September 1908, Page 7

RUGBY IN AUSTR ALIA.

♦ DR; M'EVEDY'S OPINION. A PROMISING FUTURE. Dn M'Evedy, who toured New Zealand and Australiawith tho English football team, arrived back in Wellington by the Warrimoo yesterday morning. Ho,has made up his mind to settle in New' Zealand and commenco the practice of his profession, but has not yet fixed on the exact locality. Probably it will bo Wellington, but no definite arrangement has yet been come to. Seen yesterday by a Dominion representative, he gavo some' opinions on Rugby l in Australia and football matters in general. The Games In Australia. '"My personal opinion is that we should not havo lost a game in tho Australian tour," said tho doctor in reply to a.question. Tho first defeat of the team was at the hands of the Western Districts, and tho doctor attributed it to the fact that the men were stiff after a long ride they had had the day before. Somo of them had never previously been ,in the saddle, and the unusual exercise, lasting for several hours, left,'them rather unfit for play. The other' defeat, by New South Wales, was rather the fault'of the bad play of tho Englishmen than tho effect of the good play of their opponents, i Had the visitors made tho most pf their chances they would cortainly have beon tho victors. In several instances tries were lost through the selfishness of the backs; , but what'was generally considered to be a score by Dibblo was disallowed, by tho referee. The Touring Toam. One game was played by tho Englishmen against tho team selected to tour tho Old Country. Tho ground was wet, and on this account tho contest wa3 'almost solely, confined to tho forwards, the English pack, ■proving.to be the better. Had the ground been dry so as to havo opened out the game and made moro back play of it, victory, in Dr. M'Evedy's opinion, would still havo rosted with tho visitors. . Nevertheless, tho prospects of tho_ ,touring' team vrero, ho thought, very bright, especially if they got hard, dry grounds so that-they could .make the games fast. The selection was a, fairly representative one, but there were men in tho Western Districts who . were certainly bettor than somo who had been chosen. In the westorn parts the game was very well played. • , : Tho doctor expressed the • opinion that Australian football was very good; "but," he added, "it- is not the samo as in. Now Zealand. They lack the cleverness and individuality which characterises the New Zealand games."* Dash' there was 'certainty,- and in some branches tho play was superior to -thtlt of Now Zealand, but taken as a wholo tho Dominion was still in the lead as regards tho Australasian colonies. ' Sinco tho doctor's visit to Netf South Wales, four years back, there had been a marked improvement in tho play all round. Ono thing which was. certainly not good was tho refereeiug. In' this respect Australia was decidely inferior. Northern Union Cams. In speaking of tho Northorn Union game, the doctor said ho svas not long enough in Australia to take any note of other branches of football, occupied as his time was with tho matches, of the tour;'but, judging from the opinions expressed by authorities m New South Wales, ho did not' think the professional game was likely to make much' progress. The new movement had rid tho union of some undesirablo players, an in this way had been useful. The Rugby game, however, as it was played in Australia, was fast; it was the aim of all to mako it so. Conditions also favoured them, as their, grounds were always hard and dry. There was not tho samo outcry in Australia as in New Zealand for a spectacular game; they had that already owing to the conditions of tho country.- t.'lf- you had seen the enthusiasm when tho touring team left," said tho doctor, "you Would have had no doubt about the popularity of tho game." Future Tours. Questioned regarding fiiture'touring teams, the doctor said he had no means of knowing what was the mind of tho English authorities on the matter.' , His own personal opinion was, however, that a team would not be sent out in future .unless it could be a fully representative one, and of such a strength as to be sure of putting up a good fight against New Zealand. ; 1 Such a team could be got, and. it : would bo much better than tho _ last one, some of the members of which were hardly known in English football. " Part of the English defeat was duo to their long list, of disasters. In Australia alone Green had two

ribs .broken, Harding broke, the fibula of up his leg, and the doctor himself had his col-lar-bone fractured. These were all pure accidents, not ill the least attributable to rough play. Indeodj except for one New Zealand match they had seen very little of rough play- ; As for their treatment in Australia, they had a magnificent timo of it; in fact, the men bad nothing but the highest praise for the way they had been received everywhere both in tho Commonwealth and in New Zealand, Retiring. Now, a word , about yourself, doctor. Do yon intend playing-in New Zealand? "No," was the reply, "my football career is finished for good. I have been playing for ten years in practically first-class Rugby n>i3 have made two trips to the colonies, ro 1 think I have had my share." The doror stated that he should always contiiiiifi l.> take a great interest in the game a-i'l -to .ill for it that his practice,would perni i. •)."; but he did not intend to play longer, cspr-i.-ialiy after tho injury, he received in tho last. jfouU!.