THE NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10574, 27 January 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS

A TALK WITH THE COLONIAL

MANAGER,

The members of the New Zealand Rugby team are typical colonials (says a writer m the Glasgow News). In their nature, a6 m their work on the field, they remind one of the colonial troopers m the South African wai - — fearless and daring m the fight, and modest and unassuming m peace. Peace reign-ed'supieme m. Jjie Alexandra hotel, where the colonials put up at Glasgow, and accordingly the News man who was sent up to interview some of tho players found his task anytliing but simple.

Tho interviewer tackled the first man he saw coming out of the scrum. "Really," he said,' "I would ratlier not say anything, and, as a matter of fact, I have nothing at* all to say that would interest anybody. But if you wait here a minute I'll send out Johnston. He can talk."

Johnston duly emerged from the chamber of ham and eggs. "Talk!" said he; "I can't talk. The man you want is Smithy. He'll keep you going."

But Smithy had accepted a long pass, and was far beyond the interviewer's reach.

The manager was m the smoking room^ and so was Captain Gallaher. Mr Dixon was settling some arrangements for the next match, evidently very busy, so the interviewer approached the captain. The captain shook his head, said not a word, and pointed to Mr Dixon. Mr' Dixon spoke — not much it is true, but he spoke. "It is very kind of you to call and inquire after us," life said; "but we have really nothing to tell you. We may have impressions and ideas, but they are our own. We play our games as well as we can, and leave the spectators and tlie reporters to form their own impressions of us." *

"There is an impression," said the interviewer, "that you were lucky to win against Scotland. Do you Bhare that opinion?"

"Certainly not. The score speaks for itself."

"But if Scotland hadn't ?"

"Quite so.* But don't you think that there is as many 'ifs' that could be advanced m our favor?"

' "Were you surprised at the strength of the Scots?"

"No, we are never surprised at anything, because we never form an opinion of any team tall after we have played them.*' . .

"Having played them, then, what do you think of them?"

"They were a very good .team." "Were you particularly impressed with the forwards??' ■-■-■'•-

"The wholo team was good." Beyond this, however, Mr Dixon would not go. In answer to other questions, he said that the attendance was- "large," and the ground "hard." Matters of management called for his attention, and with a courteous "Good Morning" he ran out of touch.