DAVID GALLAHER'S DEATH

Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 43

DAVID GALLAHER'S DEATH

A FAMOUS RUGBY CAPTAIN. (Fbom Oou Own Corhespondbht.J LONDON, November 13The death from wounds received in ao» tion of Sergeant David Gallaher, of the New Zealand Infantry, has called forth. &ttpreciations of the great Rugby captain. throughout tho British press. The Morning Post describes him as "tha greatest figure in Rugby sine© Vassal's thna at Oxford. The All Blacks," It "found English Rugby had been overtakeflt by a period of slackness that not evai Wales could rouse, It from, but with his Ideas, developed in practice to a fine art, restored the flagging spirit of Eag» lish Rugby and stirred again the enthusiasm and effort that have since prevailed in tha sport of Rugby. He was a real artist in the novel position—wing forward—but inother hands the work was often clumsily performed and brought many penalties oa those who attempted to copy the master." The Sportsman says: 4 "Gallaher was a fine player in the position known in New Zealand as the wing forward, though theif idea of the wing forward is vastly different from the wing forward as illustrated bf P. Evershed in England; . Gallaher had personality, and, well liked, he <vras 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 puff the ball into the scrum unfairly. He was really an extra scrum half. However, ha survived these attacks, and that he was not nearly so bad as ho was painted in soma quarters was shown by the fact that ha satisfied Mr Percy Coles, then secretary of the Rugby Union, and other referees. Wo never believed that, Gallaher put the ball into tho scrum unfairly, and Mr Coles, who officiated frequently, was in accord on tin* point. Wing forwards, however, were by no means appreciated in New Zealand. Stf 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 1&01, a resolution was passed asking that they should b<* abolished, but this was not accepted hf the governing body. Gallaher played; many dashing games, and led his sldd from one success to another until they .wera deemed invincible. He was a Verltabla artist, who never deserved all the hard things said about him, especially in South Wale 3. A great player, a great judge of the game, who sat on the New Zealand Rutrby Union Committee, David Gallahei' will be deenly mourned by the sportsmen of Maoriland." Mr E. H. D. Sewell, in the Winning Post, writes: "Gallaher will be reerretted everywhere as a straight and good Rugget player. The outcry in 1905 was not agalns*' the man. but aerainst the position oi_ win* forward, in which he played a very difficult part with remarkable ability and taot. Tha crusade in South Wales against him for nq& putting the ball in fnirlv was most /unfatff and unjustifiable, and had not a little t# do with the general playinir below form of a stale New Zealand team in Wales on thafc tour. I will back my evesis:ht as equal id that of most folk, and I never saw Galla* her put the ball in the scrum unfairly. The Welsh accusation, many did not hesl« tate to say at the time, was part of an organised plan for the defeat of the Zealanders. Whether that is true or not, I, at any rate, cannot say. but men whd ouffht to know their business made no> bones about sayinff 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 verv qufet. taciturn sort of cove, who spoke rarely about football or his own achievements. As a captain on the field! he was about as noisy as U. E. de Trafibrd, of Leicestershire, and ns a man I never heard a soul who mot him on that famous trip say a disparaging word about him. Consider in e the much-criticised position ho played in this was possible, to say the least of it. Though over military nge, he gavo up a lucrative job in New Zealand to como over and fight, just as 14- years earlier ho - °ail fame from South Africa. He will long be remembered and l mourned in tho land of thf silver fern."