RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6494, 14 April 1908, Page 7

RUGBY FOOTBALL

THE BRITISH TEAM. MEN NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE TO MEET. (From. Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON. March 6. The names of the British Rugby team that is going out to New Zealand and Australia were published this week. They differ slightly from the list which I sent you some weeks ago, but one or two alterations have had to bo made since then. Among the backs Griffiths (Monmouth) and J. Du vey (Cornwall) have joined the team, and Imrie has dropped out. I'. Jackson (Cornwall) and T. W iloon (Cumberland,) have joined the forward brigade, while Boyian has retired. The following is the official list: — J. C. M. Dyke (Pcnarth, Coventry and Wales), and E. J. Jacket! (Cornwall and England), backs. F. E. Chapman (Durham), R. A. Gibbs (Glamorgan and Wales), J. L. Williams (Glamorgan and Wales), K. B. Griffiths (Aloninouth), J. Ponty Jones (Monmouth and Wales), J. P. Jones (Kent and Guy’s Hospital), P. F. McEvcdy (Kent), H. H. Vassall (Oxford University and England), three-quarter backs. J. Davey (Cornwall), H. Laxon (Midland Counties), W. Morgan (Kent and London Welsh), and G. L. Williams (Lancashire), half-backs.

H. Archer (Guy’s Hospital and Somerset), R. Dibble (Somerset and England) P. J. Down (Somerset), R. K. Green (Glamorgan), A. F. Harding (London Welsh and Wales), F. Jackson (Cornwall), G. V. Kyrko (Somerset), E. Morgan (Glamorgan), W. L. Oldham (Midland Counties), J. A. S. Ritson (Northumberland), L. S. Thomas (Glamorgan), P. Williams (London Welsh and Wales), and T. Smith (Leicester), forwards. The party numbers twenty-eight, of whom nine are Internationals. It has been organised bv Mr George H. Harnett. of Kent County, a member of the Rugby Union Committee, who will act as manager. The other officials will be A. F. Harding (captain), and P. F. McEvedy (vice-captain). Originally it was hoped to include players from Scotland and Ireland, but the unions of these countries have sot their faces against Rugby tours on the ground that they tend to professionalism. The colours are red and white, with a narrow edging ctf blue, and the team will, according to present arrangements, sail for Wellington by the Shaw, Savill Shipping Company’s s.s. Athenic on Friday, April 3rd ne Much difficulty has been experienced in getting together anything like a representative team through the attitude of the Scottish and Irish Unions, and the side going out includes no Scottish and Irish players. The list now published Should be capable of yielding a strong fifteen under a captain of so much spirit and experience as A. F. Harding; but it is of necessity something of an experimental team, and there will be, perhaps, a little disappointment that brilliant players are not plentiful in tho party. R. A. Gibbs, of Cardiff, and H. H. Vaseall, of Oxford, are the great "class” players behind the scrummage,-and tho element that must be relied on to make tho tour a success will be tho forwards. These have been, obviously chosen on the experiences of the* New Zealand team which toured under D. Gallaher’a captainship two years ago, and the powerful and hard scrummagers of tho West and North of England and South Wales should hold their own against tho sturdy type of players commonly associated with New Zealand.

Half-back seems to be the weak spot in the party. H. Laxon, the old Cambridge Blue, and W. Morgan belong to what ie colloquially known as the "nippy" species of half-back; W. J. Davey has done well for Cora wall as a "stand-off," and Gerald Williams,y it is understood, was . reserve for England last season. There is a great amount of variety on the threequarter line, and the full-backs are both very trustworthy. Whatever the misgivings about the constitution of the side, the players all possess the spirit of the game, ‘and are sure to pull together under the influence ot the manager, Mr Harnett. It will be noticed that only two members of the combination that toured in Australasia in 1901, namely, the New Zealand P. P. McEvedy and "Captain" Harding, are included in Mr Harnett's party.