RUGBY IN ENGLAND.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 29 January 1909, Page 2

RUGBY IN ENGLAND.

"A WRETCHED GAME."

LONDON, December 11

It is no wonder the public in the colonies asks for something better, and the public in England finds something better (in the Association game), when it is possible for lUigby teams of international class to put up such a miserable exhibition as was seen at Richmond on Saturday. Many hold that the Anglo-Welsh team failed in New Zealand because they were too lazy to win. They failed on Sattirday because they' went on the field believing they must fail, and made no effort to mould a better destiny. It was a contemptible spectacle. The Australians have a peculiar shabit of slowness in realising that they are a winning side. Critics here have remarked — and it was most appearent on Saturday — the failure of the "Wallabies" to perceive their own superiority, and by a dash and a spurt to convert a mutual and half-hearted defence into a vigorous attack, a"nd a consequent debacle of the other side. If Dr Moran's side had realised the position earlier on Saturday, it might have won by 50 points instead of only 24. But there was no credit in winning such a game. Dyke played an excellent game for the Anglo-Welsh', and there were fourteen others on the field. For the Australians, Ward-Prentice was the star performer, the most picturesque figure on the field, and Wood came back to form a little. The game was interrupted every few seconds by the whistle, and scarcely a scrum was broken up before the ball had been called back three or four times. It was a disreputable game.