FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1442, 12 July 1879, Page 19

FOOTBALL.

We have been asked to insert the following letter, written by the Vice-President of the Southern Rugby Football Union of New South Wales, to a leading footballer in Wellington. It will be found interesting, as showing how little bold the Victorian rules have obtained in New South Wales, 'and also as referring to the proposition of starting intercolonial football matches. The letter is as follows : —

My Dear Sir,— Yours of the 16th ultimo only came to hand on Tuesday last, and it gave me great pleasure to notice from it that football in its noblest form h»s token so firm a hold in your Colony. Football wai first played here, I believe, about 13 or 14 years ago, but only in a very desultory way, there being at that time only one club — the University — who used to arrange matshes against the garrisoß, officers of the navy on the station, or against scratch teams of all-comers. As may be imagined, the game did not thrive .under such a slate of things, and the University Club died away. In 1870 a few enthusiasts— l amongst the number— met together and formed the Wallaroo Football Club. The formation of this Club had the effect of reviving the University, and in the following year the Waratah and onu or two other clubs were farmed, all on the basis of the Rugby rules, but each having a club code of rules which differed in slight particulars ; these differences were the cause of much annoyance in the football field, and, I think about 1874, 1 arranged a meeting of delegates of all the clubs, then numbering about nine, in the Col any to decide on a code ef rules by which all Bhould play. We then unanimously adopted the rules of the Rugby Union of England, and from time to time, as the rules have been altered at Home, we have adopted the alterations, though sometimes after hard fights with "would-be reformers," -who, rather thaa " bear those ills we have," would "fly to others that we know not of " However, we have succeeded in keeping our rules word for word the rules of the English Union ; and now that the more recent amendments have tended to do away with close scrimmages and encourage a fast game, little grumbling- is heard The Union now numbers in its ranks something like 24 clubs, and I am not aware of the existence of any club in the Colony "formed under the 'Victorian Reformed Ruleß !' " except one which was said to have been formed at WollongODg, but has not since been heard of. One of the bye-laws of our Union is, tnat subscribing clubs shall not be allowed to play with non-subscrib-ing clubs except by special permission. I may mention that two or three years ago a strong and organised attempt was made in the Union to do away with the R. U. rules and substitute either the Victorian code, nr. as some of the supporters of the attempt suggested, draw up a code of rules of our own. lam happy t j say that the Rugby adherents defeated the attempt by nearly two to one.

Of late years we have had several proposals from Victoria to arrange an intercf lonial match, but the question of rules has always formed an insuperable difficulty. In 1877, however, the Waratah Glub arranged two matches with the Carlton Club, of Melbourne, under the special permission of the Union one match to be played under our rules, and one under the Victorian code. Both matches were p^yed in Sydney, and. as might have been anticipated, each club won under its own rules, and instead of the Victorian match creating a favourable impression here, it had an opposite effect. 1 ast year the Warattths visited Melbourne with exactly the same result, but they returned with a determination never to play with the Carltons again, their conduct havincr been too brutal and savage even for theWaratah Club, who have been the ptimo movers in endeavouring to introduce the Melbourne paitn here.

From this short history of the game of football in this Colony you will see that the statement made by the "Victorian Reformer" in Wellington, to tbe effect that " Victorian rules have been adopted in Sydney, and New South Wales generally, to the entire suppre'sion of Rugby Union football," is a statement to which no credence can be attached, and is entirely free from fact.

It was very disappointing' to me ai)d jaany others here, that the proposal that emanated last October from Mr F. R. Adams (who, you may know, iB the captain of the Richmond Club in England) to bring an English team to play in the Colonies during the present winter Bhould have fallen through, i have, however, recently heard from Mr Adams, expressing a hope that he may be able to organise a team t-> visit us next year. The reason of the proposed visit falling through was principally tbe diihculty we experienced in finding anyone amongst our players who could afford the time, &c, to accompany the visitors through the Colony t a secretary and manager of tne team, to arrange the matches and the terms of gate-money, &c, for, Mr Adams writes, their idea was that someone would take up the matter out here and guarantee the visitors their expenses — much as the Melbourne Cricket Clnb did with Lord Harris' team. This our Union was hardly prepared to do, aa ! we had so little data we c 00.14 depend upon to calculate the probable takings, football clubs here never having troubled themselves about gate-money, and also, as before mentioned, being unable to find a manager for such a venture. I observed, however, in a New Zealand paper the other 4 day, that a Mr Goodfellow (of Nelson, I think) of one of your clabs, was contemplating a trip to England, and that he expressed a hope that he might be able to bring a team back with him. I wiah him every success, and hope we shall see the Englishmen if they come. Our secretary (of the Union) Mr W. H. Fletcher, left for England by the Cuzco to-day, and he intends calling upon Mr Adams, to that poHeibly he and Mr Goodfellow may meet in London and help each other. Personally, I feel confident that if the affair was properly managed there would be no difficulty in taking sufficient money to pay the expenses of a team from Eogland, especially as I understand that Mr Ad&ms would have been willing

to meet the Melbourne mea half way by playing one match under each code in Victoria, though I feel sure he would repent of suih a determination before he was half through his engagements. With regard to intercolonial matches between New Zealand and New South Wales, I should be delighted to Eec them take place, but I doubt whether we could now organise a team to visit you this season. If, however, you could come over here, lean promise you a right hearty welcome, and as mary matches as you can find time to pity. I am captain of the Wallaroo Club, which has held the pride of place here for many Beaions, and I can answer for it that we will postpone any of our matches already arranged, so as to meet a NewZealtnd team. You could rely upon matches with Wallaroo, University, and Waratah Cluba, as well as one or two tussles with a representative team for the Colony, and of course we would return your vißit the following year. Perhaps it may be as well to go into gorno details now, to save time in case you can arrange a visit. The best time would be about from the middle of July to the middle of August, and kindly give us as much notice as possible, so that proper arrangements may be made about a ground, <sc lam told, too. tbat it has been found the most economical and satitf actory plan that the visiting team should pay their own expenses— i.e., that New Zealand should pay the expenses of their team in Sydney, and New South Wales of theirs in New Zealand, as, of course, in ihtt way things are done less expensively, and withal more comfortably and independently, than when the v siting team are entertained aa guests. 1 think I can promise you free passes on our railways, and all other such attentions, and as hearty a welcome as you would get anywhere. In conclU' ion, I will again say that Victorian football has never obtained a footing here, »ndl hope never will; that the Rugby Union game is played by some 24 or 26 clubs, numbering about 50 or 60 members eacb, amongst whom are, of course, all our leading athletes; that the Victorian fame has been played in Sydney once, and was condemned by near.y all, except old Victorian players, as brutal, unmanly, and un-English ; but that should a team of Rugby players vUit us, either from New Zealand or from England, we Bhall hvilthemas brothers in arms, and do all we can to make their visit pltasant, except that we bhall do our utmost to send them back beaten, in the hopes that they may return to tbe charge annually, until the visit shall be looked forward to with the came anxiety as the intercolonial cricket matches now are. I enclose a copy of our rules, &c , and shall always be glad to hear of the progress of the game with you, and that the Victorian bastard child has been beaten out of the field. DUNEIMN V. UNION. The Dunedin and Union Football Clubs met to try conclusions on Saturday, and, as was expected, it proved a well-contested game, for although the southern club won by a goal and a try against a disputed touchdown, the northern men worked well together, and seemed to show better play, taken as a whole, than their opponents, but the individual superiority of one or two of the southerners won them the game. Fortunately, the weather was beautiful, and all that could be wished for; but the ground, owing to the late rains, was almost as slippery as a skating-rink, and there were several pools of water scattered over the field, offering opportunities for free bathing, of which some of the players involuntarily took advantage. Rose won the kick-off, and at the first rush it seemed as if the southern club would have it all its own way, for the ball was at once taken and kept up close to the Union goal ; but the attacks, vigorous as they were, were as vigorously repelled, each side striving its best to gain the day. The first poiat was gained by Austin (Dunedin), who ran in and touched-down too hastily, aa he could have got right behind the posts. The kick was entrusted to Ulbrick, who went wide, partly owing to the slipperiness of the ball and partly through being too hasty. Goals being changed, the Union men played up with great spirit, rushing the hall through the Dunedin men, and eventually forcing it over the line. This was the best charge of the day, and deserved success for the energetic way in which it was carried through. However, it was not to be, for Wyiuks (Union) and Mallard (Dunedin) took the ball over together, and as the scrimmage was very thick, the umpires could not decide whose the ball was, so it had to remain "disputed." After this each club went in with renewed vigour, and the play of both teams was capital, though Crawshaw, M'Lean, Nicol, and Aijbken for the Union, and Rose, Murray, Cargill, and Sleigh for the Dunedin, were the most prominent, each specially trying bis best to get away for a touchdown, but the gruund was wretched, and prevented what would have been brilliant runs from being more than spurts. Still the Dunedin men, warming to their work, gradually got the ball up towards their adversaries' goal, when the Union back indiscreetly kicked the ball into Sleigh's arms, and he, nothing loth, ' rushed in between tbe posts amid the cheers of the onlookers, and touched down, for which he was carried out by his admiring friends. This won the match indisputably, as Rose, having wipely decided to take tbe try, converted it into a goal, and time was called shortly afterwards. We were glad to see that there was lesß shouting and disputing during this match than is usual, but there were one or two players who seemed to roar and gesticulate more than was at all needful.

VICTORIA CLUB.

A match was played on Saturday on the Asylum ground by the Victoria Club. The game again resulted in a defeat for the ViceCaptain's side, who only obtained three goals, kicked by Chapman (two) and White (one), to their opponents' four, scored by Shaw (three) and Duke (one). The game, although lost, was much in favour of the Vice-Captain's side.