LEAGUE FOOTBALL TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17880, 7 September 1921, Page 7

LEAGUE FOOTBALL TOUR

AUSTRALASIANS IN ENGLAND. A CONFIDENT TEAM. A. and N.Z. LONDON. Sept. 5. The Australasian League footballers were met at Southampton by Mr. Wilson, secretary, Mr. Fil'an, chairman, and eight other representatives of the Northern Union, who came? from Leeds. On arrival at Waterloo Station early in the afternoon the bronzed players, all in wonderful condition, were easily recognised by their stalwart bearing, their kangaroo hatbands, and their faces wreathed in smiles. They were conveyed in taxicabs to the Imperial Hotel, and met bv a representative of the High Commissioner.

Messrs. Ball and Cann, the managers, are enthusiastic and assert that a fitter team never stepped off a boat. They are thoroughly ready for the stern programme ahead, and will acquit themselves creditably and honourably. During the voyage they kept fit by Swedish drill, ball punching and other exercises.

Cubitt, the captain, told the Australian Press Association that it was a wonderful team. He was confident of a successful tour. The team particularly ' shone in epeed and handling the ball. The players had beard of the Australian cricketers' surprising defeat at Eastbourne, and eagerly listened to the interviewers* account of the match. It was confided that two-thirds of th« players were teetotallers, and one remarked, "That's why they brought us through America; there must have been an ulterior motive." They spent, a happy time at Niagara Falls, Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal, in most of which places they were entertained. On Tuesday they will be entertained at Australia House, after which at noon, they will place a wreath on 'the ; cenotaph. On Wednesday they leave for I Harrogate, their headquarters during the ; tour. s