FOOTBALL IN AMERICA.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 586, 27 December 1915, Page 3

FOOTBALL IN AMERICA.

AND SOME CANDID CRITICISM.

Owing to the split in the western States on the style of football, the University of California deserted the ranks of tho Rugby code, and adopted the exceedingly aggressive American "arm-our-plated" game. When they met Washington University in the annual encounter, the Californians were severely trounced to the tune of 72 points to nil.

Stanford University adhered to the Rugby code, and as a substitute for the great annual intercollegiate contest staged so many years between California and Stanford, the cardinals found themselves opposed to Santa Clara University The Santa Clarans claim to-be the Pacific coast champions, and included two Sydney footballers in their ranks, namely, Bate, in the front rank, and Pye, one of the breakaways. Both played a finc«game, but could not save their team from defeat by .50 points to nil. dim Wylie, of Auckland, former Australian and New Zealand representative, who is studying engineering at Stanford University, played a remarkable game for Stanford, but the hero of the afternoon was undoubtedly the popular captain of the Stanford pack, Danny Carroll, the wellknown international exponent of Sydney, who played at centre. The winners subsequently held a mock funeral over the Santa Claraus, and unveiled a tombstone!

Seldom does one get a candid criticism of American football from an American critic. Here, however, is what a New York writer had to say with regard to the reversion of some of the California!! college clubs to the American code:—"lt is rather interesting to note J. R. Glasscock, the football coach, of the . University of Nevada team, commenting on tho decision of a University to abandon the Rugby game for the American. The other day, after reviewing the differences between the two styles, i.e., the open Rugby game, with the ball constantly changing hands, the long runs down or across the field, the kicks to touch, high centres, and dribbling, versus the massed formation plays of the American to gain a few yards without open play, he said: ' Waterloo may or may not have been won on the Rugby fields of Eton or.Harrow, but I have some doubts to the outcome t/f that famed battle if it had not been for Blucher and his mass formation thrown in at the right time. The tactics used by the Germaps to-day of massing troops at the right time, in the right 'spot, are similar to those used in American football, and it has been found repeatedly that this force, when applied correctly, will plough through any loose formation whether the finale be Petrograd or between onr opponent's goal.' "Apart from the ratlier clever appeal to popular feeling just now, or the greatly admired 'my country, right, or wrong, my country' spread-eaglism, it may be stated that the one great reason the Rugby gaino is not liked here is because it calls specially for qualities of absolute fairness and the gentleman (for want of a better term) spirit, which—as yet—we only j>ossess in the exceptions that are necessary to prove the rule. Wo can hold our lads down to the'close formation, frightfulness; we have taught them no longer to strike one another in the face during a game, or to purposely go out to disable the best man on the opposite side; but —I am sorry to say —we are as a nation still a long way from posseting the attributes to play Rugby as I played it in the far away days when a man who l played what "was then called ' association' was looked upon as a 'sissy,' and: as lacking the red blood of sport ia his j veins.''