FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13983, 12 February 1909, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

1 have referred ere this to the feeling animating some of the Midland counties' Rugby clubs (says an English athletic writer, who do nor surely play the game in the true spirit of amateurism? .1 am told that the recent match between Coventry and Rugby was disgracefully rough. J. C. M. Dyke", the talented Coventry fullback, was so seriously kicked on the head that he had to be taken to the hospital, suffering from concussion of the brain. Coventry are rather concerned by his statement that he will not play football again. By the way, 11. Laxon, the Coventry halfback, who has been visiting friends in America, on his way Home from the New Zealand tour, is expected back at Coventry. He will immediately resume his place in the team. From time to time we had heard of the great strides which the Rugby game was making on the Pacific Coast of North America (says the Athletic News), but the news contained in the following letter from an old Kendal man now in California is really striking. He states that the football is' really good, and that what is required to give it a real impetus is a missionary visit from an English side. Rut let the correspondent's letter speak for itself:—"ln season 1905 the Stanford and California Colleges took up Rugby football, and in February, 1906. the 'All "Blacks' of New Zealand played an exhibition game against Vancouver at San Francisco. The game has had to undergo a tremendous amount of adverse criticism, as the American football public look upon football as a fight more in the category of pugilism and bull-fighting than as a recreation, and it has been hard to convert them to the open, scientific, and less brutal game of Rugby as played in England. The American collegian is an entirely different personage to his English confrere: lie goes into sports with tremendous vim, and he is trained by professional coaches in all branches of sport: that is one reason they are enabled to outdo the British athletes, who are seldom so well trained. The annual game between the Stanford v. University of California Colleges took place at San Francisco on Saturday, November 14. About 18,000 spectators saw the game, which was. an exceedingly fast and good one. tho Stanford team especially having learned the passing game to perfection. They could make a good showing against any ordinary club team in England. The gate receipts amounted to 35.127 dollars, or about £7000, which is the best gate they have had, and speaks well for the popularity of the new game. It is hoped that the amateur Australian team now in England will be able to play at both Los Angeles and San Francisco.* If they do they will find foemen worthy of their steel, an excellent climate, and doubtless a good financial return." Tho Athletic News, referring to the proposal of the New Zealand Rugby Union to amend the rules of the game, says: — "It may be mentioned that these alterations will come into force in the next New Zealand season, and wo only wish another motion had been carried, that by Mr. Wilson, of Otago, suggesting that, the rules regarding professionalism should bo revised in the direction of paying players for loss of time while touring with representative teams. That and an alternative plan that an allowance of 6s per day out-of-pocket expenses be allowed players on interprovincial tours outside their own districts and to county members absenting themselves from their homes for a period of 72 hours, were lost, so that there is no chance in the meantime of a real rumpus between the colonial union and that of England. But it will come. Divers delegates declared they anticipated being on the losing side, yet would their day of triumph come! 'the Rugby folk will know where they are. We hope the Welsh Football Union relish the alterations made by their New Zealand friends. If there be one of them which can improve tho game of Rugby football as dating from the time of the Gwalian renaissance —I?93and demonstrated by the great sides of the Principality wo fail to see it; and it is to be trusted that they will back up the unions of Ireland and Scotland in the attempt to maintain the best traditions of the game."

THE GAME IX ENGLAND. [FROM OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] London", December 31. The following is the English team selected to meet Australia at Blackhcath on Januarv 9:— G. H. D'O. J-von (Surrey), fullback; H. Bennetts (Cornwall), E. W. Assindcr (Midland Counties), F. N. Tarr (Oxford University), and E. R. Mobbs (East Midlands), threcquarters; R. 11. Williamson (Oxford University), and another (halfback); A. Ke-.vnay (Northumberland), S. Penny (Midland Counties), W. L. Oldham (Midland Counties), G. Cooper (Midland Counties), R. Dibble (Somerset), P. .1. Down '(Somerset), F. Knight (Devon), and A. D. War-rington-Morris (United Services), forwards. At long last the English Rugby Union has got to work on its inquiry into the methods of the Leicester Club, which were impeached long lx'foro T. Smith left for New Zealand with the Anglo-Welsh. It is little wonder that professionalism grows up. under the noses of such a body. The inquiry will open at Leicester on January H. F M. Chapman, the New Zealand Cambridge student, is regarded by "W.L.S." as having the best idea of the game of all Hie Cantab pack, but unfortunately he lacks height. D. Macpherson, who in now studying medicine in London, has been selected as a colleague to Colin Gilray, the threequartor-line of the Anglo-Scots teams which is to play the provinces in the Scottish trial match at Raeburn Place to-morrow. J Mehaffv (Invercargill and London Hospital) played for the South of England in the North v. South match on Saturday (won by the later"by 29 points to 9). Young Steve Joubert, who played fullhack for the Springbokkcn on their English tour, is now studying in Holland and has come over to England to play football during the Christmas holiday-. lie is playing wing-thrcequarter with a team of his fellowcountrymen who are studying in England. Criticising the Northern Union cup final between Wigan and Oldham, won by the former by one point, the Athletic News says: —" The men of the match were John Thomas and Launeelot Todd. The victory and the cup may really be described as duo to Thomas, for if he, only actually scored one try he made the other. His play was well-nigh perfect. Todd was also most effective in all that lie did, and the New Zealander was the pivot for the third line. Tho Oldham threcquarters were the best section of their team, and their combination at times was positively dazzling. Smith and Tyson were the more effective wings, and the New Zealander's efforts deserved to retain the trophy. Smith wears well and can rise to the occasion, but. on Saturday he was opposed by men equally sneedy and clever, and—well, even George Smith must tire. Tyson was Tyson at his best. His runs were thrilling and ho had the vilest luck with two efforts which -deserved to score." Ramsden, of New Zealand, who has been playing for Hunslct, is now on the books of the. Bradford Club; He played in the three-quarter-lino against Hunslct on Saturday, when Bradford was defeated by 19 points to 5.

Young Kelly, formerly of the All Black professionals, played for St. Helens on Saturday as stand-off half to Trewith, and initiated three bouts of passing that ended in tries l>eing scored by Barton. Salford won by 15 to 14. Wrigley is playing regularly for Huddcrsfield. b h

Some six weeks ago, during a friendly discussion on the respective merits of tho '• Wallabies" and the " Kangaroos, ' the manager of the latter combination declared that in order to satisfy the critics he would challenge, the " 'Wallabies" to a game either under the rules of the Rugby Union or the rules of the Northern Union, Mr. Giltinan declaring that he had even more confidence in his "boys'" abilities to play the old Rugby same than the new. The challenge was stmt on Friday, but it. is scarcely worth while regarding the fixture as a probability. Statistics have been compiled by the British Medical Journal of the casualties in connection with American football. They show the results of this year's football playing in America and a summitry of the results for the past eight years. For 1908 the total deaths are 10, and the total number injured 27?.. The total tor the past eight years is 113 killed and 1377 injured. Many of the latter are described as permanently maimed.