THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL TEAM.

Evening Star, Issue 7484, 31 March 1888, Page 4

THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL TEAM.

Although the English players have left for this part of the world, the cable haa brought us no fuller information aa to the personnel of the team. There are, however, a few more names mentioned in addition to those we commented on a fortnight ago, as likely to be amongst the visitors. Of these the most important is that of F. Bonsor, the famous half-hack of the Bradford Club. Bonsor has represented Yorkshire for tour years, the North during the same period, and England against Scotland twice, against Wales twice, and against Ireland once, in seasons 1885-6 and 1886-7. He is a splendid half-back, serving his three-quarters in a style never seen in the colonies, and stopping forward rushes grandly. His tackling is his Btrongest point. \V. Stadden, formerly of Cardiff, now of Dewsbury, is another capital half-back, though not of Bonsor s calibre. He lias played several times for Yorkshire, but is not an International. Percy Robertshaw, of Bradford, is a fine three-quarter back, especially good as a centre, though a little inferior m that respect to his brother Rawson, who represented England for two years. Percy has not yet won his International cap, but he has represented Yorkshire on several occasions, and is but a shade under the first rank. If the names above given, together with those before mentioned, prove to be accurate, the back division will be very Btrong, consisting of F. Bonsor and W. Stadden, halves; R. E. Lockwood, P. Robertshaw, and A. E. Stoddart, threequarters ; and J. T. Haslam, full backthree Internationals and three strong county men. An exhibition of scien' licback play by these will be a treat. —' Pi tss.' The team are exDected to reach Duuedin on the 20th of next month, and the first match will be played at Invercargill on the 24th. They meet Dunedin on the 28th, and a Becond match will be played on the Tuesday or Wednesday following. Mr Lillywhite, writing from Christchurch, says : " The team will be twenty-seven strong. It is very strange that the names were not cabled out when they left, but, judging from letters received, they will be a strong combination."