Football.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 90, 17 April 1909, Page 14

Football.

RUGBY NOTES. By "Dropkick." Tho Eastertide matches came and went without affording anything of exceptional interest for spectators, though tho players seemed to enjoy themselves and to get a little training as they went on their not over-stTessful way. Today's matches on the Athletic Park, between teams of seven a eide, should result in much more interesting football, though the effect on the players will b& very exhausting if they try to keep up the pace, for a seven-men-team match is to this writer's mind the most exhausting form of football ever devised. THE RUGBY SPLIT. On the matter of the trouble between the Scottish and (English Rugby Unions, The Post's London correspondent writes : — "A week ago (26th February is the date of the letter) it was thought that the Rugby split was at an end, and that the international match would undoubtedly be played as intended, but on Saturday the Englis-h Union received the following letter from Scotland : — "Edinburgh, 19th February. "Dear Marriott, — I have to acknowledge yours of yesterday, intimating that your committee met and! considered 'the terms of my letter of the 12th inst. We note that they ha^ye accepted the resolution of the Interntaional Board with regard to allowances to players. We much regret, however, that your committee ignore our request to make the board's resolution apply to the payments made to the New Zealand players, which accordingly remains the cause of dispute between us. "You will observe from my letter of the 12th inst. that the passing of such a resolution by your committee was preliminary to the match being played, and we therefore fee' that until your committee pass such a resolution, we can do nothing more in the matter. — \Yours sincerely, " J. A. SMITH (Hon. sec.)." Quite a sensation was caused by Colin Gilray's^ decision not to play for Scotland against Ireland to-morrow, the story getting about, that he was influenced by Scotland's attitude with regard to> the "crime" of the New Zealanders iji accepting daily expenses. The fact is that Gilray, Williamson, and Tarr are all too busy at Oxford preparing for their examinations to make the trip to Edinburgh A later letter from The Post's correspondent, dated sth March, states that there is hope, from the tone of a subsequent letter from the Scottish Union, that the split with England wiU be healed definitely. The Scottish Union's latest letter is as follows: — "Edinburgh, 27th February. "Deal- Marriott, — I have received yours of the 25th, and it is a matter of great regret to my committee that you did not express the views therein stated when you wrote on 18th inst. in reply to mine of 12th. "We shall be quite frank with you, and admit that our reason for desiring your committee to apply the board's resolution to the cash p.ayments to the New Zealanders is in order to make that resolution retrospective. The difference between us is whether the resolution of the board to the effect that cash payments to players are contrary to the principles of amateur football i 6 retrospective, or is merely confined to the future. You maintain that the resolution does not affect the past, while we maintain that if it means anything it must mean that past payments, as well as future', are contrary to, those principles. Were the resolution not retrospective it would mean that all acts of professionalism which may have been committed prior to February, 1909, are to be blotted! out, and cannot be called in question, a result which we cannot accept, and which we are quite sure your own committee would not desire. "To preserve the right to challenge any such payments we feel that the resolution ought to be declared retrospective by the board. In. order to meet you, however, and to obviate the necessity of another board meeting, we are prepared to go the length of considering our end's as served if you give us your formal and definite assurance that no objection will be made by you to any union raising the question of any irregularities which may have occurred prior to the date of the resolution with colonial teams or otherwise. "Please understand that in asking you to disapprove these payments we had no desire that the status of the New Zealand players should be affected thereby. — Yours sincerely, "(Sifined) J. A. SMITH* Hon Sec." A FOOTBALL FAMILY. The Welch football fifteen in Wairarapa, and the Harraway cricket eleven in Green Island, are recalled by the challenge of seven brothers named Williams, of Haverfordwest, sons of a former police superintendent,, to any other seven brothers in the United Kingdom to play a game, of Rugby football for £200 and the championship. The brothers are not only football players, but several have been exceptionally good on the running path. In walking matches, as amateur boxers, and at billiards, they could, it is said, .confidently challenge any team of seven brothers in the world. Their ages range from 22 to 43. The football challenge was accepted by the brothers Randall, of Llanelly j the brotheis Phillips, of Maesycwmmer -, the brothers Davies, of Llandilo; and the brothers Williams, of Ammanfordall, in South Wales ; and by the brothers Hallj of Gloucester, and the brothers March, of Newcastle-on-Tyne. No Scotch or Irish team has accepted. The matches will be played on the Saturday before Easter, probably at Carmarthen. If the Haverfordwest brothers win, they will challenge any other seven brothers in the world. ENGLAND v. FRANCE. France and Wales met, on Tuesday in an internat>onal Rugby football match -on the Colombes ground ; 8000 spectators were present, including some hundreds ■of British excursionists. Many Welshmen wore leeks in their buttonholes. Ten minutes after play began, Lesieur (Erance) retired hurt, but he returned ■ shortly afterwards. The early part of the game was very open, the Frenchmen defending well. They were remarkably quick, and tackled well, but were contantly nonplussed by the fine Welsh passing. Half-time was called with scores at 9 points to nil in favour of Wales. In the second half the visiting team had things practically all its own way, and it put up a total of 47 points. France's only goal was kicked by Mauriat from a try by Eagot, amid wild cheering. INSIDE INFORMATION. A well-informed correspondent who is familiar with the motives and intentions of the Scottish Union writes to the Pdll Mall Gazette : — "The resolution of the Scottish Committee expressly mentioned the payments made to the New Zealanders, and is thus retrospective and specific, whereas the acceptance of the offer by the Rugby Union in their letter of 18th February ignores the condition, and does not make any men-tion of the New Zealanders. As the Scots regard the admission requested as a condition precedent to their consenting to play the match, we have the deadlock. The Rugby Union has, therefore,.] now ta decide befewefift-* -fiffies&L pjEj]

frien.lly relations with the Scottish Union, and of matches with Scotland and a rupture \\ith New Zealand. "As the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union adopted a defiant tone at their last meeting," he continues, "and there was much talking of 'cutting the painter,' and declaring the union independent of the Rugby Union ; as in addition tho council made several drastic changes in the rules which are to come into force during the coming New Zealand Sea-son, whether approved or otherwise by the parent union (for the New Zealand Union is affiliated to, and under the jurisdiction of, the Rugby Union, and is in precisely the same position as a county union) ; finally, as a proposal to legalise payment for 'broken time' was just lost and the adoption of professionalism was openly advocated and largely supported at the meeting, it is clear that a rupture with New Zealand is likely to occur in the near future. In view of these facts, and the avowed change that has come over the views of the committee on the subject of colonial tours, it will be matter for surprise if the Rugby Union do not pass the resolution requested by the Scottish Union. Thi moment this is done there will be peace; un<il it is done, England and Scotland will not meet." THE COQNTY CHAMPIONSHIP. .The succe-fj of Cornwall in the southern division of the County Championship was rather a surprise after the poor form they showed at the opening of the season and the fine forward play of the Midlands. No encounter this season caused such excitement or was looked forward to with greater interest than this game. The Midlands unfortunately made alterations from the side originally selected, but competent substitutes filled the vacancies. Cornwall lacked the services of Wilson, their international forward, but otherwise were full strength. The southerners started with the Wind againht them, and the counties soon took up the attack At half-time they led by 8 points to 3. With the bronze in tbei' favour Cornwall at once settled down attacking, and ijavo tha visitors no qua'ter. They scored five times, converting all but the first try, making the_ final score 26 to 8.