FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 125, 9 November 1907, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

!(By "Pakeha.") <; ~ ,j, ■ In anticipation of the visit of the British footballers to our part of the world next season, and the job as pilot of the combination on their wanderings through the Dominion, "Gaily," so it is reported, has placed an order with the High Commissioner's staff for a red, white and blue hat-band of a far more gorgeous hue than that disported by him when travelling round with Sivwright's team. And won't It put on dog m the winter months of 1908. Taking everything into consideration, the season, says "Rebound" m the Sydney "Sportsman," has not been too bad at all. The play to my mind has been better, and the most pleasing point- of the lot is the fact that we have beaten New Zealand, played a draw with them, and generally given them a really good shake up, which will, . m future, induce them to only bring the very, strong-.

est team across to do battle against the wearers of the blue. It is to be hoped now that the Union have got the rep. team to such a pitch, that endeavors will always be made to keep on hand a really strong rep. team. The same writer declares that the one thing he will always regret is the loss of Messenger m the K.S.W. team to visit England m 1908. As m the case of the All Blacks, it is growing almost tiresome the regularity with which the pro.-Do-mdnionist ruggers are lowering the colors of the Fogland " toeb.allers. They have seemingly by • their presj ent run of successes got the tails of John Bull's boys completely down, and they come on the field to be walloped just as a matter of course. It is amusing to hear some of the members of the Queensland Rugby Union denouncing the evils of professionalism m the light of the fact that some of those who have, thus unburdened themselves, it is related, were invited to Sydney by , the New South Wales Union to witness matches played between New Zealand and Australia and accepted 3s per day— 'the amount paid by that body to players of that State on tour. People musn't forget that the pro. ruggers "are under a big handicap m having to play quite a different game from E.R.U. code. Though light is made of the difference m the two codes by many writers and followers of toeftall, the change is great, especially for those who have not had any previous experience of Northern Union football. In the circs our boys have done remarkably' well, even if their wins have been registered against weak teams..