FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 7655, 4 July 1888, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

THE ENGLISHMEN ON NEW ZEALAND PLAYERS.

On the arrival of the English footballer* at Melbourne their captain, Mr Seddon, was interviewed by a representative of the Melbourne ' Sportsman, and in the course of a long conversation some chat ensued as to the Rugby game as played in New Zealand. Mr Seddon said: Throughout New Zealand the men, individually, are quite equal to our own players, but they seem to play exactly as we did in England two or three years ago. In England the game is cut bo very fine that we have found out all the fine points, and we utilised our knowledge in New Zealand, and whilst the players there perhaps take a couple oat of five chances we score four out of the five. The style of passing the ball in New Zealand is certainly not equal to ours. Their idea of passing is to throw the ball behind without looking where their men are placed. My opinion of passing is that a man should never pass unless the man he passes to is in a better position than himself, and if he is charged, he should turn his back towards the man who does so, and pass with both hands. I have continually drilled into our fellows the necessity of using both hands. The New Zealanders seemed to think that passing with one hand is good enough, but that is a mistake,

As to the physique of the New Zealanders ?—They are heavy men and good scrummagera. We do not believe in too much scrummaging, and try to make the game fast and open, and therefore we try to screw the scrum in order to get the ball into the open. Why should we push through nine men when we can screw the ball out much quicker, and, besides, the play is much prettier to watch. Then the New Zealanders do not play a proper concerted game, Sometimes a man got the ball, and could have passed to someone in a good position to "run in" ; but the man seemed to forget that there were fourteen other men on his side, and his sole idea was to score a try, and everything else went out of his head, except the idea of crossing the line. In our team the men play to each other, and pass at the proper opportunities. Perhaps the New Zealanders are a little better in a scrummaging than we are. As to the Rugby game of New South Wales ?—We were well treated there. The New South Wales players are certainly not up to the New Zealand standard. Generally they are much too small for Rugby. They are thus placed at a disadvantage. They have some smart players, but I think a " good big one " is better than a " big little one." They are three or four years behind the time.

They made a draw with you at Parramatta road ?—Yes, King's College, past and present, nine of the best nun being former students. I imagine that most of our fellows were sore and stiff in the first half, as the College scored two goals, which meant 10 points. Our fellows woke up and scored five tries in the second half, equal to 10 points. Three out of the 5 points were behind the posts. As to New South Wales players, Colquhoun, a three quarter-back for Sydney, is a very smart player indeed. Wade is also a good man. He was not picked in the return match, and I think it was the greatest mistake made. Cameron, a little fe low, half-back, played a very pretty game, but prettiness has not much effect in Rugby.

As to the disqualification of Clowes of Halifax by the English Rugby Union!—We cannot play Clowes at all. I think the Rugby Union have dealt harshly with him. Had he known he would become a professional for accepting a comE' aratively small sum of money for his outfit e would not have taken it. He wanted to give the money back through the secretary of the Union. The Yorkshire County have been trying to get the disqualification removed without success.

It is stated that the whole of the members of the present team will be called upon to show cause why they should not be deemed' professionals!—lf I am called upon, I will ignore the matter altogether. They must prove me to be a professional. I do not think I' ought to be called upon to prove I am not. One of their rules is simply that clubs can pay travelling and hotel expenses for their players, and what more has been done in this instance Ido not know. So far as 1 can judge, not one of our players has received any money for his services. I have not, and I know for a certainty others have not.

Why should the English Rugby Union object to the tour?—l do not know why they should object. Shaw intimated his willingness that they should pick the team and manage it altogether, and they said they could not get up a team. He said he would get up a team and place it in their hands. They objected to the various propositions, and would take no notice of the team now out here. I think some opposition came from cricketing circles, because Shrewsbury, Brann, Stoddart, and Smith were wanted at Home for the cricket season.

What kind of grounds did you play on in New Zealand! —I have never played on better grounds; You see they are cricket fields. Now in England they will not allow football tin cricket grounds, Which are often almost under water in the wet season; consequently we secure a place with rough turf, because it is always better for soakage. In New South Wales?— The grounds were hard, as rain had not fallen for some time.

Is the assertion true that the Association is supplanting the Rugby game at Home ? No. I believe the professional element will sap the foundations of the Association game. Good juniors are snapped up, and thus the sources of the supply are checked. Junior clubs are afraid to let it be known that they have good men. During the course of the conversation Mr Seddon stated that the team would not have suffered the two defeats, one by Taranaki and the other by Auckland, if it had not been for the " too good treatment" extended to them by the New Zealanders.