OTAGO REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Star, Issue 15293, 19 September 1913, Page 5

OTAGO REPRESENTATIVES.

TO THE EDITOH. t Sii',—ai'iou.s letters having appeared in the Tress adversely criticising Eckhold as an Otago representative. ] think that all unbiased followers of the game will agree witli ms that Eckhold lias more than answered his critics. I hold no brief for hirn or for the Southern Club, but after having watched his play closely I think the selectors are to be congratulated on Jvc?ping him iu tho team, notwithstanding ti:c , opinions so freely expressed by the rations correspondents. Eckhold has been playing against great odds, and it is a wonder that he has played so well as lie has. Take the match against Waivarapa, W hen he kicked two goals there was scarcely any applause. Compare this with the cheering yesterday when Fortune conxerted the last try. What happened yesterday against Wellington? I'p to the time Eckhold was injured and had to retire Otago had all the best of the game. Childs certainly passed the ball out smartlv Irom tne scrum, but the defence of the backs lacked solidity, and tin's is where Eckhold is invaluable. Each time the ball was kicked off after a force it was generally marked well inside the halfwav in a good position for Wellington to place ?' rvoultl not have happened had Eckhold not been injured. The mo-t biased critic must admit that Eckhold is a player still to be reckoned with, and in my humble opinion he is still our best scrum half.—l am, etc.. . , September 18.