General Gossip.

NZ Truth, Issue 265, 23 July 1910, Page 3

General Gossip.

A correspondent writes, to the following i effect : . Why is it that during the past few years, whenever Wellington selectors ' 'have been called upon to pick a team to represent the province they have always . started to experiment with their back players ? In the case' of the team selected to play against the American' universities' team last week, the experimentalism was patent again. O-ranting that the forwards are a good crowd, and dM well, what is the reason that the man who becomes a champion m one part of the field is immediately, m representative games, moved to another position '! Wow ; we have two' crack players m Wellington at the present time, mind, 1 don't say we have not got any more, but these two, Roberts and Mitchinson, stand out particularly m this case. Ktfberts is recognised as the best half-back m the Dominion. He plays m. that position for his club and for ' the Dominion. The selectors see fit to play him at five-eighths. In that position he has been tried, and is not by any means a champion. Thus Wellington loses his services as a crack player. ! With regard to Mitchinson, the same applies— our best centre three-quarter back, where he is undoubtedly a star player, removed t 0 five-eighths, where he neyer was a hero and never will be., If a team is possessed of a player or two players who excel m any one particular place on the lieW, what is the use of weakening a team all ' round by taking them from their accus- ! tomed positions and putting others m their place who are not so good. UJvensoh, for his club, does not play left wing ' fchreeHquarter, still Vhc is jammed there m a rep. team. JtCvenson is not a great ' scoring back, a^nd yet he is put m ' ttoe scoring position of the tteM. Jimmy Ryan, because lie is the best full-back m Wellington, has to play m the threequarter ranks. That won't matter, because he's sound anywhere, but to nil the ' position of full-back by putting a really good five-eighths into the position ap- i pears to be ridiculous. What has iUnvig ever done that he should be made Mil- j back m a representative team 7 If it j was necessary that he shonld be m the J team, wfoy not . let him play m his own j club position ? Altogether it appears to \ me that not only is this sort of selection unfair to the i players, who are taken out ; of their own positions and pitchforked ' into other places, but it is equally galling .t o those other players who have played m set positions all this season, and [are then toM, 'or virtually given to understand, that they are not class enough j for higher honors, tout also that they are so much below class that the selectors have been obliged it 0 turn them flown and 'i fill tfoeir places toy fellow-players wfco'oc- ■ cupy other positions m the field. It certainly isn't m any way encouraging to \ young players m the position to have to understand that there is not a five-e*gM!h player m the city good enough to grab ) his place m a rep. team m his own j ,place. Whether toe teanS has been selected with a view to a possible re-arrange-ment on the field one can't tell, but m the event of danger it would be quite possible, but if Wellington, which commands a powerful team this year, is gogoing to beat the northern provinces, her j selectors had better take every opportunity of giving their rep. team, as it is intended, every chance to get together, and do what the last touring team failed to do— 'beat the representatives of tlic northern city for the Sbield, which they won't do unless. -Chey send a team up with an attacking three- quarter line. It's not m this teem as selected. "Fair ; Mark" agrees, to a large c:.tent, >vith the i above, but can hardly believe that the team was selected for ■ aything further than the American match. As the Wellington forwards beat the visitors, the backs had a pretty good time, but l don't think the selectors would care to , play Mie team that way against Auckland or Taranalci.

Meeting the manager of the late New Zealand team, m course of conversation he made some remarks that may lie repeated. Firstly, as regards the players themselves — a happier, family coukl not have been got together m a day's? march, he declared. From* the time they left Wellington till they arrived back everything was lovely. Referring to the playing capabilities of tine team, Mr Meredith is full of enthusiasm, particularly for tire forward brigade Ac an old player and

selector, he docs not remember ever seeing such a fine team of fonvards. l<'rom the start of the tour till the finish they went at it baWheaded, and, with tne exception of the second match against Australia, when one or two of the teani showed signs of weariness, they never f once let up. It would be invidious to make any distinction between them, but Francis is probably the best forward m tbe Commonwealth or Dominion to-day. Mr Meredith states that some of ttoe others improved out of all expectation, and piayed as they never played before. Irimey, of course, was a cripple. He stripped only once for the fray m Brisbane, and promptly got injured again m the same place. Speaking of tbe toadc play, tbe manager has to acknowledge that it was not up to the standard of some of the best N.Z. teams, mainly owing to the fact that the forwards could not get the ball from the scrum, but the astonishment of the team was Paddy Burns, originally selected as a half back to assist Roberts, who turned out the most dangerous of toe threequarter line. Wilson (Auckland) was injured, and it took Stohr some time to get over his knock received m Wellington before departure, after which he proved himself. Ryan and O'Leary were steady and solid," as expected, and Mitcbinson was as good as ever. Great things are expected of Mitchell m the future, but lie must learn to keep m his allotted place. Also Harry A very did not play so much off side as one might think after reading reports.

From reliable information comes the news that the Maori team have got an absolute champion five-eighths player m Kaipara. Some of his work m Sydney was astonishing, and one member of the N.Z. team says : "He's out by himself as a New Zealand five-eighth at present."

The reason the Australians got the ball m the scrum from New Zealand is a very old one. Playing under a rule that says the hall is put m the scrum immediately after it passes the first leg, it stands to reason that with three men m the front rank facing two, two of the three mast be further out than either of the two, and as a consequence the ball never reached the N.Z. hooters at all. "Hie same trouhle occurred here with -Che English team (Harding's), who insisted on the same rule being observed. In fact, on one occasion, Harding's team played a front line of four tp ensure keeping tne ball away from two N.Z. hookers.

Dwyer, this year's full-back for New South Wales, at one time bade fair to become a popular hero. One weH-inown Sydney wrefcer, referring to the second test match, went so far as to write thus of him,: — "I have seen a good many fullbacks, but I have never seen the part so well filled as it was by Dwyer on Saturday. No matter whether m the open or m a bustle, he was just the correct thing, and his. tackling was great. It was heartbreaking io tbe New Zealanders to find on lacking or dribbling to the home goal-keeper jtnat he would reach the touch4ine well back m the visitors' half. Dwyers was a perfect exhibition of how to play full-back. He compares more than, favorably with any New Zealsmier or Englishman • we have ever had here.". I have not seen what the same writer had to say after the third and final test m Sydney, but the Dwyer boom burst up badly m tliat" match. It is a great mistake to boom a young player from the jump, and make him fancy he is at least a Wallace. It comes all the harder when he discovers he isn't.

The Maori team have, by their play In the match against Otago, proved their form m Southland to be untrue. This writer has always held the opinion that the team would prove a hard nut to crack when they got into their stride. The Maori, generally speaking, is a.particularly hard man to train and keep m decent condition, but these chaps would appear to have managed that part of it. Some of the returned New Zealand reps, who saw the team at work on the other side teJS me[ tlrajt,i;bey have got one or two real champions amongst them, notably Kaipara (flvereighth). J. O'Leary got a nasty fall m the first test m Sydney. So bad was the tumble that he collapsed after the game, and was found to be suffering from concussion of the brain. An' eye-witness tells me that the accident occurred when O'Leary made one of the headiest and most brilliant tackles it had ever been his lot to witness. Except for his great effort, a score was a certainty. ,,, After seeing tile American team play their first match m the Dominion on Saturday last, one is more than ever certain ; that a match against the combined Universities should have been arranged. The game would have been a big draw, and the teams mote evenly matphed than when playing our strongest provincial teams. Presumably the management committee have their reason, but it is to be regretted that monetary matters should make their action a necessity. In the interest of the game generally, someone might have stretched a point.

The .well-known Australian writer, '•'Cynic," . stages that, m tbe opinion of .<<. A Midtdicton, the Sydney and Australian Iv'-'&i'j captain of this year, and ajso oho of the best forwards m the "Wallabies," the last New Zealand team possessed the finest set of forwards against whom he had ever played, being undeniably superior, to the Welsh pack of last season.

The American team of footballers were duly received at the Town Hall, Wellington, by his Worship the Mayor, Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P. The welcoming part of the ceremony was. m the hands of tbe Mayor and Mr G. F. C. Campbell. Mr Burbank, manager of the visiting team, is a capital speaker with a fund of" humor, and the war cry given Vy the full team is indeed a fearsome and wonderful novelty. The Melbourne University Rugby team, tackled Sydney University on July 5 In Sydney with somewhat disastrous effect to themselves. Of Sydney 'Vaisity is a set team;*; and has been playing as a combined body ail this season.; Melbourne, who are new churns at the game, could not, therefore, possibly expect to win. Sydney won by 31 to nil.

In the second game between the two teams, Sydney again showed their superiority by winning by 34 to 6. The games were not interesting, but Melbourne University showed to advantage m certain parts, . linerkicking, tackling, and an especial lead m drop kickin©-rb«t' they bad no concerted attack, and had to 1 go under. Melbourne will' improye.

Reports of the* last match played by. the Americans m Sydney tend to show : that they had improved out of all recog-, nition as a corribdnation. They draw with.? a solidly strong combination of Sydney, and, according to reports, played a very, fine game, especially forward. Alter last;, Saturday's play m Wellington, one must ; ! wonder what they dM with their form on*j the way over from Sydney, because theyj showed no form of that sort m their firsv match.

The result of the American tour 'm Aus-. tralia m points, etc., is as under : — Flayed 8 matches, won 2, lost 5, drew 1. Points scored 66 to 101— not half bad for a teaim of novices.

One notices by press reports that Dan Weir was obliged, as "captain of the Wellington N.Z. Football Club;' 1 tomake himself busy at the farewell BanflMet to the Americans m Sydney. We can just; unagine Danny Weir at this! sho"w, When.;, N.S.W. Rugby legislators were judioiously: patting California on the hack. He, of course, has to chip m, and tell the visitors that they would not get feted aad banqueted m New Zealand as they had been m Australia, but they would get all the football "talk" they wanted when they got to this Dominion." Well, if they saw very much of friend Weir they would get all -the football talk they needed before ever they got here. He would probably coach the team on the way across frani Sydney, if they took ,him at all seriously. D.W. never did hide his light under a bushel.

Why can't sonic people leave well aloue After Burns, of the Wellington Rugby Union com-mittee, had sprung the Irce pass voucher on to the public and been proved wrong, lie had, of course, to try to excuse his error, stating 'ne didn't incaA what

lie said, or didn't say what he meant, or something. He Icucav the N.Z. RugbyUnion officials never get passes. Of course he knew .! Then why on earth did he accuse them of using passes they never, had ? His explanation was the most feeble tiling on record ; it was that the N.Z.R.F.TJ. commit teemen attended matches only under their own jurisdiction. To which let us say. m a loud, aggrcssivo tone, "Rats V There has not been a single Saturday this season that some of Uiem have not been present, friend Burns. We hope with you, Mr Brown — level-head-ed chairman — that the matter will be allowed to drop.

The members of the English League te&m arrived m Auckland on Sunday last after being signally defeated m their final match m Australia by 32 to V ls. One doesn't take much notice of their defeat, but the remarks by Mr Houghton (manager) arc real good. In the first place the Englishmen are not professionals. The team was ■ allowed 10s per week on board steamer, and 20s per' week while playing. Each married man was allowed an additional 20s per week while absent from home. Good enough ; but how does he reconcile with amateurism the fact that the players divide one-third of the profits as a bonus after the toux ? Why not say straight out that there are .only two bodies of Rugby footballers, viz., amateur and professional ? The English team by virtue of division of any part of the profits become unquestionably professionals. The statement that the allegations of rough play, etc., m Australia are unfounded must be put down, as a joke. Pethaps Mr Houghton thinks we are so far distant from Australia that we don't see their newspajjers or get tQieii; private reports. If he thinks that, he is wrong, and he may as well know, as our friends from California say, "right here," that the disgraceful scene on the Agricultural Ground m Sydney on the occasion of the famous free fight has done more to injure the prospects of the League game m New Zealand than the ■visit of his team can ever hope to do good.

The Americans are nothing, if not a bit spectacular. They have a war cry that is good, but trying to the performers. The little gem of all, however, was the call from the grandstand on : Saturday last as they walked on to the field, "Rah, Rah, Harvard, California," J with a typical yejl at the end, and the; team tried to look as if they didn't ex-, pect it, but just answered as one man! with a whistle and a wave of the hand.

A very graceful compliment was paid to the American team by the trustees ol the, Sydney Cricket Ground. The chair-

man, m a neat speech, presented to Mr Buttoank a large 3ft. x 2ft. photograph of the Association ground, showing the Americans engaged m their third match with Sydney University. There was als 0 a copy for each member of the team, aiftl one for each of the great UaEfornian Universities, viz., Stanford, California, and Nevada. The presentation was wry highly appreciated by the visitors. OaaterJntty appears to have a pretty pot repieseartatLwe team this season. If their forwards are anything like up t o the standard of the backs, the combination will take a tremendous lot of licking. Gray, Weston, Fuller, Fryer, Mitchell, and Burns are a nice lot. Burns is considered 'by many of the returned Mew Zealand team to have been the most dangerous of their three-quarter tine on the Australian tour. He went with the team as a half-back, became the star three-, quarter, and, on his return to his own province, is immediately selected to play five-eighths. Truly selection committees are weird people.

The Maori team proved their undoubted •superiority over the Otago representatives on Saturday last m a decisive, manner, and on Wednesday drew with Wellington. Taken all round, the Maori team must by ■this time be a tmundering hard team to beat. The team comprises a great <deal.of individual excellence, and must have gained good combination. They are also very heavy and fast. \

At the last moment, discretion (-that is, gate-money discretion) has proved, the Setter part of valor m the <atse of the English League team now m Auckland. First of all the public were notified of am intended tour through .parts of .New Zealand., as the manager stated,, "on. mis-' sionary work." We are now informed from Auckland that the team will play only m tiie northern city, leaving there again on August 1 for Sydney. "The \cry of the big gate" m the latter Tom 'ilndler's ground has reached them, and they answer right nobly. The non-professional division of one-third of the gate moneymay have something to do with their decision. At- any rate, they can't be blamed, for a southern tour, as proposed, wouldn't have fetched eightpence. Tills finale should just about settle the JSI.U. game outside of Auckland, and the 1 visit won't do it much good inside the same Auckland, for no team can be got together there capable of extending the Britishers. Neither do the public like to see a very one-sided game, or a game m which one team is palpably letting its opponents down lightly.