FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15705, 6 March 1913, Page 10

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. Br Full Back, J. Clarke, the Dimedin and Otago representative full back, who was a member of the Otago team on the northern tour Jaet season, left for Melbourne, via Sydney, on Wednesday. He purposes residing in the Victorian capital permanently, It has practically been definitely decided that a combined New South Wales and Queensland team will tour New Zealand during the coming season. Tie Sydney Universities team will also tour New/ Zealand, ' and a Maori team wil 1 visit Sydney.

Largely as the result of the mission of Mr W. Hill, hon. secretary of the New South-Wales Rugby Union, to England a •iew months back, tho relations- between Great Britain and the colonics in football matters are onco again placed on an amicable footing. It may bo that what was mildly termed in England "a regrettable affront" to New Zealand by the invitation to tho Springboks, when the Maorilandors in all courtesy should have been asked to make another tour of England, may bo remedied soon by an invitation being sent to New Zealand, and this may be followed by a cplonial tour of a team worthy of England.

Mr Hill, who saw tho all-conquering South Africans, has some interesting comparisons 1o make. Asked if tho Springboks were not something exceptional, Mr .Hill remarked: " No, they are not. They arc lino big men, especially the forwards, but they only play an orthodox game, and-1 think, judging by their haphazard 'scrum work, they would be in for a bad time' if they met an organised scrum of anything like the same weight as themselves. Tho 1903 Maori land forwardswould compare with them physically, and I think the last New Zealand vanguard— the 1910 lot, which included Francis. Patterson, Paton, and ' Rangi' Wilson— would havo been too good for them. There is no system with them. The first men up are tho firet down. One time they will pack 4, 3, 1, and tho next 3, 3, 2— in fact, any old how." As individual players the South Africans did not impress" Mr Hill greatly. Of the khree-uuartere he liked best M'Hardy, who can pace it splendidly. The South Africans prefer Stegmann, but Mr, Hill docs not agree. Just thea another enthusiast put in a question, "What about their forwards? Have they got any Seelings among them?" "Not much,", said Mr Hill. After this explanation of the play of tho South Africans, Australasian players and public will be more than ever interested jn the promised visit of the Springboks. "Bv tho way, Mr Hill, are tl\ey really coming l ?" "Yes, I think so, but not yet, of course. They kept on- impressing iipon me ho\v eager they were to meet Australia and Now Zealand—in deed, lam certain they are anxious to make the tour. Of course, •you must remember that their season is the same as ours, and that may affect the matter~of arrangement, but th.it they wilK come is ccrtain." Mr Hill ww.not taken with many of the Springboks individually, except Douglas Morkel, who, apparently, quite dims the lustre of the best placekicks we have seen. "He is simoly wonderful" onthu6?d Mr Hill, "lie kicks thepi from all angles, long and shorthand he 'reminded me of Wiekham in the ease and apparent lack of effort with which ho sent them over." One aspect of tho famous Springboks delighted the Australian secretary. They are a splendid lot of fellows, and 'their behaviour on and off tho field -was excellent. Mr Hill. said. "They are a clean lot of players, and their popularity is easilv understood."

Compared with the Now Zealajidcrs, the first Springbok and the. Australians. thr> South Africans of 1912-J3 have not scored freely,. which tends to show a general improvement in play.

** . w i.i . S J !'■ Mil I £ £ o j £ (2 Jfev Zealand .. .. 32 31 0 1 830 39 South Africa (1) .. 29 26 1 2 60S 85 Australia .. 30 23 2 5 423 147 South Africa (2) ' .. 26 23 0 3 403 56'