FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14281, 1 August 1908, Page 10

FOOTBALL.

THE BRITISH TEAM. ARRIVAL~I>T SYDNEY. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, July £ The Rugby Union welcomed the English team to-day. Mr Harding, in an interview, said the team had been royally treated throughout Now Zealand, and had been given a really good time, but had baon dogged by bad luck. He attributed the loss of several matches to ill-luck. Then, too, the men sustained a remarkable numbor of injuries, limiting the selection, particularly in regard to tho test matches. In the first and third tests England was badly beaten, undoubtedly being outplayed and outgenerallcd. The New Zeaiandere were magnificent footballers. He would like to dispel any impression that the Englishmen's casualties wore duo to roughness. The New Zealanders played a very willing game, but were not rough, and the idea that their roughness was responsible for the British team's injuries was certainly wrong. STATEMENT BY NEW ZEALAND TRAINER. A Dominion icporter cornered Mr T. W. Leslie in Wellington a few days ago and asked him for the plain unvarnished truth about the British team. _ " Well," said Mt Leslie, " the fact of the matter is simply men landed hero too soft. The training put in by therrt during the, voyage was as good as nothingDeck rims are worse than useless. If they had stripped regularly and gono down below with tho stokers they would have been a different lot of men altogether. They ought to have known that the sea voyago would build up flesh, aqd have guarded against it. " I nover saw a team meet with such a run of real downright bad luck," he continued. "Nearly every one of them was injured somewhere, and for every mateh I had to patch one or two of them up as best I could. " Another point about them wa6 their conservatism. They wouldn't tako advice on any points of the game, but preferred to stick to their own good' old-fashioned I style of play. "Tho last big match," continued tho j speaker, " must have opened their eyes. I One of them told me that the New Zealand team for the Auckland test match would have beaten the best team that could be procured anywhere. It would have outclassed Wales easily. By Jove, I won't forget the first rush of the New Zealand forward lino that day. It must have just about flattened the opposing forwards clean out. Our own men are keener footballers—as keen as mustard. Every l union in the country was working eyes out t,o beat the Britishers, who were not, generally speaking a keen lot. The .keenest man among the visitors was, in my opinion, Johnny Williams." SOUTH CANTERBURY TEAM. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, July 31. The South Canterbury football team arrived here to-day. The team will play the Auckland representatives to-morrow. northernunion GAME. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, July 31, The Auckland City Council last evening granted the uso of the Victoria Park for August 22 for the purpose of holding a Northern Union -match. It is understood locally that, a match Wellington v. Auckland will bo played _on that day. Tho Auckland team contains seven returned professionals, and it is said that the balance will be well-known Auckland amateurs. ASSOCIATION. Tho Second ' Grade match Rcelyn v. ■ Wakari will not be played, as UosWn are unable to raise a. team.