FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18566, 26 November 1923, Page 13

FOOTBALL.

UkDER LEAGUE RULES. FORTHCOMING BRITISH TOUR. [FBOH oue OWN correspondent.] LONDON. Oct. 14. Arrangements for the ' tour of the British Rugby > League team to Australia and New Zealand, next year (says the Athletic News) are receiving final consideration by the Rugby League Council. As regards the New Zealand part of the programme, terms, time of visit, and number of matches are understood to have been decided upon by the Colonial League and agreed to by the Council. New Zealand was desirous that the tour should open there, but this departure from previous arrangements was not satisfactory to New South Wales, and, as before, the New Zealand matches will bring the tour to a, close. Much speculation exists as to who will be selected by the council to undertake the duties of managers. If previous arrangements, are followed two will bo appointed, and indications point to the final choice of the council resting between Mr. J. H. Dannatt, the chairman, Mr. E. Osborne, of Wigan, and Mr. John Counsell, of Wigan. •

THE RUGBY GAME. ALL BLACKS AND. FIVE-EIGHTHS. [from OOR own CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON, Oct. 10. Comment is made by "Mercian" in the Athletic News regarding the five-eighths formation in New Zealand Rugby. This is apropos of the All Black tour next year. " The last time the All Blacks were here," ho says, " they introduced us to the fiveeighths formation. I know, of course, that they played three tbreequarter backs, and that they had their full quota of forwards, but at any rate the formation was outside what might also be described as. the unwritten rules of the game. It will surely only bo logical, if Leicester. Bath, etc., are to be reprimanded by the Rugby Union for not observing these unwritten rules, for the New Zealanders to be told before they arrive that they must please bo orthodox. It is possible that too much attention has been paid to a. subject which has very little chance of ever finding a sponsor to bring before the Rugby Union. It is more than likely that a good many members of that body, like a good many members of the public, are not enamoured of the five threequarter back game, but there is a very big difference between holding those views and going bo far as to prohibit clubs following their own bent, and playing »s many backs and forwards as they are perfectly entitled to do by the r.ulea of the game."