DAVID GALLAHER'S DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17217, 21 January 1918, Page 3

DAVID GALLAHER'S DEATH

A FAMOUS RUGBY CAPTAIN.

(From One Own Coreespondbnt.) LONDON, November 13. The death from wounds received in action of Sergeant David Gallaher, of the Now Zealand! Infantry, has called forth appreciations of the great Rugby captain throughout the British press. The Morning Post describes him as "the greatest figure in Rugby since Vassal's time at Oxford. The All it continues, "found English Rugby had been overtaken by a period of slackness that not even Wales could rouse it from, but Galkher, with his ideas, developed in practice to a fine art, restored the flagging spirit of English Rugby and stirred again the enthusiasm and 'effort that have since prevailed in the sport of Rugby. He was a real artist in the novel position—wing forward —bat in other handls the work was often clumsily performed and brought many penalties on those who attempted to copy tho master." The Sportsman says: "Gallaher was a fine player in tho position known in New Zealand as tho wing forward, though their idea of the wing forward is vastly different from tho wing forward as illustrated by F. Evershed in England.. Gallaher had personality, and, well liked, he was chosen captain of the All Blacks. His methods were- soon hotly discussed. He was regarded as an obstructionist, a player who got deliberately off-side, and who put the ball into the scrum unfairly. Hβ was really an extra scrum half. However, he survived these attacks, and thai; ho was not nearly so bad as he was painted in some quarters was shown by the fact that he satisfied Mr Percy Coles, then secretary of tho Rugby Union, and other referees. We never believed that Gallaher put the ball into the scrum unfairly, and Mr Coles, who officiated frequently, was in accord on this point. Wing forwards, however, were by no means appreciated in New Zealand, at 'any rate by those who blew the whistle. They were a source of endless troubles, and it is on record that at a conference of New Zealand referees in 101, a resolution was passed asking- that they should bo abolished!, but this was not accepted by the governing body. Gallaher played many dashing games, and led his side from one success to another until they were deemed invincible. He was a veritable artist, who never deserved all tho hard things said about him, especially in South Wales. A great player, a great judge of the game, who sat on tho New Zealand Rugby Union Committee, David Gallaher will.be deeply mourned by the sportsmen of Maoriland."

Mr E. _ H. D. Sewoll, in the Winning Post, writes: "Gallaher will be regretted everywhere as a, straight and good Rugger player. The outcry in 1905 was not against the man, but against tho position of wing forward, in whichjio played a very difficult part with remarkable ability and tact. The crusade in South Wales against him for nqt putting the ball in fairly was most unfair and unjustifiable, andl had not a little to do with tho general playing below form of a stale New Zealand team in Wales on that tour. I will back my eyesight as equal to that of most folk, and I never saw Gallaher put the ball in the scrum unfairly. The Welsh accusation, many did not hesi'tate to say at the time, was part of an organised plan for the defeat of the New Zealanders. Whether that is true or not. I, at any rate, cannot say, but men who ought to know their business made no bones about saying it. It was calculated, whether intentionally or not does not much matter, to put any man off his game, and in this it succeeded. Gallaher was a very quiet, taciturn sort of cove, who spoke raxely about football or his own achievements. As a captain on the field! ho was about as noisy C. E. de Traffbrd, of Leicestershire, and as ' a man I never heard a soul who met him on that famous trip say a disparaging word about him. Considering the much-criticised position ho played in this was possible, to say the least of it. Though over military age, he gave up a lucrative job in New Zoaland to come over and fight, just as 14- years earlier he had done when the call camo from South Africa.. He will long be remembered andl mourned in the land of tho siiver fern."