NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS AT HOME.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 114, 9 December 1905, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS AT HOME.

" Wales Will Win." Percy Bush on the New Zealanders 1 Chanoes." London, Oct 27. Among the spectators at the Somerset match last Saturday was Percy Bush, who toured New Zealand with Bedi'll Sivnght's team, and who captains the Cardiff team this season. Interviewed after the match, Mr Bush expressed the opinion that the New Zealanders were not as good a side as that which he played against in New Zealand. " The team we met out there, he said, had more Cohesion. The forwards bad more ability, if I may say so, in looking after the game. Their dribbling was almost unstoppable ; indeed, but for Teddy Morgan and Tommy Vile we would have been in a bad way in the test match." In this connection it should be noted, however, that the New Zea* landers had by no means their strongest team out last Saturday, nor did they show their best form. Smith, Hunter, and Roberts were absent, as well as McGregor, whom the Cardiff captain considers a better three-quarter than any one of those who have yet done duty in the present tour ; and the back division on Saturday did not play up to the team's usual standard of excellence. Asked for his explanation of the New Zealand team's success since the beginning of the tour, Mr Bush said : " In the first place, footballers in New Zealand are much keener on the game than they are in this country. It is a passion with them. Then, they come here after a pleasant voyuge, they are in the pink of condition, and they meet our country, and some of the club teams, before our players are in form, for, as you know, for the first month or so of the season placers in the country are not in real fettle, and the combination machinery doesn't run smoothly. The visitors, too, have the advantage of association ; they know each other's play to a nicety, they have nothing to do but to play football, they are well trained, and they keep themselves fit. The result is that they are full of vim, and they are able to play most attractive football. Their passing in the Gloucester match was beautiful, was it not ?" " Having considered all that, what do you think of Wales's chance against them on December 16th ?" "I think Wales will win. If, for instance, the Welsh backs get the chance that the Gloucester backs had they will probably get over the line a few times. I think Gloucester made a mistake in playing seven forwards. Our plan is to stick to our present method, and get eight forwards who will make them scrummage, and ' bustle ' them a bit. If that is done, not only Wales, but Glamorgan County and Cardiff will probably beat them. I prefer not to speak of Swansea and Newport's chances yet, but I think that tho Swansea team of last season would certainly beat them."