FOOTBALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 13948, 3 January 1906, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

> ■ . - THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. THE MATCH AGAINST FRANCE. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. PARIS, January 1. There was an attendance of ten thousand, and the ground was heavy, for the match New Zealand v. France. The New Zealanders pressed their opponents throughout the first half, except for an occasional break-away, and scored three goals and one try to France’s one try. After the interval the Frenchmen were quite outclassed, hut scored a brilliant try, which was converted. Wallace placed two of the four goals obtained, and Abbott and Tyler one each. The match ended New Zealand thirty-eight points, France eight points. THE GOVERNMENT MESSAGE. AN AMUSING GAME. WELLINGTON, January 2. The Premier has received the following message;—“Now Zealand defeated France bv thirtyreight points (four goals and six tries) to eight points. Wallace scored three tries, Abbott, Hunter and H&rper two each, and Glasgow one. The ground was ice-bound, and it was a very amusing game.” Probably the Frenchmen themselves had not thought of beating the New Zealand team when they secured a. match with the visitors, but their main object would be to see a good exposition of the Rugby game, and they were apparently justified in their hopes. ‘ Constitutionally, the Frenchman is not adapted to a game that is considered merely brutal by the majority of his race, and however much French boys may learn in the English schools to which some of them go, they seem always to lack something of the Rugby brain and also of the Rugby boot. That they should have scored a “brilliant try ” and made a total of eight points against the New Zealanders must be considered a very creditable performance, and not a great deal worse than some of the “ moral victories ” (by nothing to about twenty points) with which English teams have been credited. A New Zealander recently returned from England had the opportunity of seeing a French team play in London, and though he was convinced that they were not footballers, he nevertheless credited the Continentals with plenty of energy and good intention. The trip to Paris null be a fine outing for the New Zealanders, and their game an incident to be remembered with pleasant, If humorous, thoughts. Their French opponents are to be commended for their evident eagerness to learn something from the famous combination. f THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM’S RETURN. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January 2. The Premier’s offer that the colony shall pay the cost of the return of the New Zealand footballers via Canada' and the United States, to give players a treat and to mark the colony’s appreciation, was considered by the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union at a meeting today. It was decided to accept the offer and to cable to the manager of the team (Mr Dixon), informing him to that effect and suggesting that the team should play matches in Canada and America ©n route, and that the team should leave San Francisco on February 15. This arrangement will give the players three of four weeks in Canada and America. The cablegram contains congratnlatiory references to tne team’s brilliant performance®. The committee also decided to send a message to the Premier, expressing high appreciation of the Government’s generosity. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I trust you will find space in your columns for a few remarks upon your criticisms of the matches played by the New Zealanders i& Wales. After the match against Wale" the suggestion of staieness was brought forward, and that is an open question seeing that only three days previous they defeated Yorkshire County by forty points to nil. How amazingly sudden they lost their form when matched against a team which proved to be as strong as themselves. In the Glamorgan County match, with two internationals included, and very little combination, the comity were defeated by nine points to nil, the lowest score made bv the New Zealanders. You say in your” leader the Welsh country clubs have given them some hard games. Well, with the exception of Glamorgan, none are county clubs. Certainly not Newport, Cardiff or Swansea, each of whom ar© cities only, with a -limited supply of members to choose from, in any case not from 900,000 people. In the Swansea match you quote them as having boon -defeated, by Cardiff, which is correct. Yet yon failed also to state that Swansea defeated the London Welsh team who had defeated Blackheath, which club (not county please) had been defeated by New Zealand a month before. Now, Swansea this year is playin <r without their finest three-quarter, Dan Rees, who accepted from the Hull Kingston Revere, a Northern Union League team, the sum of £3OO in cash and £2 10s weekly to play lor them. I would like you also to remember that when the supporters oi Sieywnght s team suggested staleness, the idea was flouted with strenuous energy by the united Press of New Zealand. Now, can you wonder at being called onesided in your remarks. Tli© New landers have certainly shown England and her Rugby amateur players how the game should be played, and have also the greatest record to their credit, which does them honour. But they have not shown the "Welshmen anything, and if you gave the Welshmen a little more of that “ fulsome praise,” I Jthink it would only bo fair and just. -I am, etc., JUSTICIA. (Wo do not recollect any of the newspapers flouting the idea that BedelSievwright’s team was stale when it wa-s beaten in New Zealand.—Ed. “ L.T.”)