FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 72, 8 December 1906, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

— ■ — » . , ■ (By "Pakeha.") Now that the Springboks have upcnclcil the Welshmen, the "know-alls" m Ihe Rugby' world are screeching out "I told you so," whin, as a matter of fact, the result of the Scotch match made them absolutely cockcsjre of "Taffy" com ing out on top when he happened the way of the Africanders. Amongst the number is George Dixon, who plaintively informs a ."Times" reporter m all seriousness that "Wales last year was not so overpoweringly strong, but we (the "All Blacks") were stale." This is dishing up ancient history with a vengeance and our Rugby friends might just as well have it thrust down their throats that Dick Seddon is dead. Dixon goes on to inform the verdant "Times" reporter that Ireland's defeat of Wales last year after the "All Blacks" had left went to confirm his contention. This is about the richest , Rugby gem I have had the pleasure of gazing upon for a long time. •Did Dixon ever take the trouble to read the several accounts m the English newspapers of that match ? . If so, his own comrnonsense must have convinced him that the tactics initiated by the Irish forwards j completely crippled .the offensive capabilities of the Welsh rearguard. Friend Dixon, for his own reputation, ought to thoroughly digest the views of experts on that game before stuffing the "Times" man with such bally nonsense. The writer is compelled to say that he cannot accept even the manager of the "All Blacks" as the highest authority m the colonial Rugby world by a long chalk,- but he didn't expect George to give ..himself away so completely as he has done m the present instance. The plain, unvarnished fact remains that the "Snrinpboks" victory over the "Leek" representatives is a wee bit galling to that section of Wellington Rugbyites who imagine that the threeisland representatives can lick creation, and they hasten to dish up ridiculous comparisons on the Afrikanders doinc what our men were unable to accomplish. Why not give the Afrikanders full credit for a great victory instead of raking up this nauseous "staleness" excuse. It is bad taste, to say the least of it, to whine about the little principality coming out. top-dog m the Cardiff struggle last December. A hundred years hence, that three-point victory will still remajn debited against New Zealand m the world's Ru«rby records, and all the blithering talk from George Dixon. and other apologists will not blot it out. India is not apparently the nicest place m the British dominions to show off your Rugby prowess to the best advantage. A gentleman, who a few seasons ago chased the toeball m Birmingham, gives his^ English Rugby friends a vivid account of his experiences m his two matches m Bombay- "I was," be says, "nearly killed m the last match. One mad, silly, ram-brained, all arms and legs sort of idiot, collided with me, and my injuries were as follows :— Nasty bruise on the right lef and on left shoulder, violent blow on my head and behind the ear, my teeth-plate bent and front teeth knocked sideways. My - football days are over." Both Llanelly and Cardiff will have something hot m store for the "Springboks." Up to the present the South Africans have played twenty matches, and have scored 441 points against forty-seven : the New Zealanders m their first twenty matches scored 624 points, and had twenty-two scored aeainst them . The London Hospital Rugby team 1 has recently received a valuable recruit m the person of a New Zealander named Heale (so a London. Paper savst. who is said to be a really hi^h-cla/vs exponent of the game and a brilliant half-back, Who is Heale, anyway ? The Glamorgan team that met the South Africans was a hot lot. No less than nine played for Wales against New Zealand, viz., Winfield, | Gwynn-Nicholls, Gabe, Morgan, Bush, i Owen, Joseph, Jones and J. F. Williams. The remaining rix were close \m to representative form, so thnt the .Smith Africans have reason to he snt'^rtt wiih their win by six points ( to three.