NORTHERN UNION GAME.

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 62

NORTHERN UNION GAME.

AUCKLAND, August 27. The Northern Union Rugby game seems to be creating quite a in local football j circles. A prominent member of the Rugby I Union said to a reporter: "There is a cctoi eiderable feeling of unrest in Rugby circles I throughout the Dominion. The advent of ! the Northern. Union game has shown the i ever -progressive New Zealander that_ imp rovement can be made in his national game. Wherever exhibitions of_ the new i game have been given Rughyites have , grown enthusiastic over the possibilities of I some of the. innovations of trie game." A prominent local refewe, one who has handled a number of "big" games, stated that some of the features of the new game ■would have to be adopted now 'by Rugby I Unions. The players and public would ; demand it, as otherwise they would desert ! the old game, and give their patronage to the new. The new game would tend to | 6top a lot of rough play. I • August 29. ' The Northern Union Football League has decided to send ,a team to Wellington to play representatives of that city on Sep1 tember 5. The team will leave Auckland | on Wednesday next, and will probably play a game at New Plymouth on the way down. August 31. I -The southern portion of the Maori professional football team, which recently toured I" Australia, will leave here for their homes I to-morrow, the match with the Auckland 1 team having been abandoned. The Auckland professional team to play Wellington will leave on Wednesday week, and hope to play a match at Taranaki cai route, i WELLINGTON, August 25. It is proposed to endeavour to organise the Northern Union gam-e on the amateur basis next year. The net takings at the match Wellington v. Wanganui, to be played at Potone on September 7, will be devoted to this object. I INVERCARGELL, August 31. I It ie stated thai the proposed tour of the Invercargill Northern Union team has been abardoned for the present.