FOOTBALL.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, 25 August 1923, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

ti-ie evolution of the game

As the Rugby game has developed, the tendency has been to increase the number of backs at the expense of the forwards.

In the early days, when scrums extending over some minutes were the rule, it was imperative to have weight in the pack, and consequently every club put into the field nine forwards, for their solid shoving capacity. Play was mainly confined to the forwards, and when the ball did come out to the backs their work was of a purely individual character. Indeed, it was considered bad form for a man to pass the ball before he had been tackled; and a forward who tried to use his feet was greeted with cries of “Play the game! Not Association! Rugby football honours were for the strong in those days, and the swift three-quarter and the light, clever forward were of no account. The introduction of three threequarters brightened up the game considerably; but it was not until the four three-quarter system was adopted that the game became attractive as a spectacle. Mr A. J. Gould was the prime agent in this revolution; and although the conservatives on ■ the committee of the English Rugby Union were a long time before they /recognised the value of the innovation, they gave in at last, and now no one would be bold enough to recommend a return to the old style of formation.

But the New Zealanders have gone even beyond the Welshmen in their endeavour to open up the game, and the result of their cogitations is the much-discussed wing-forward. This gentleman, whose chief function seems to be to, as far as possible,. impede the opposing half-backs, is a very different person from our . old friend the “winger,” who flourished in the days of S. M. J. Woods and Frank Evershed. These two fine players were practically given roving commissions. Sometimes they would go into the thick of the scrum, at others they would fall back among the backs and lend a hand in tackling. Wherever the fight was thickest they were ''always to be found; but they were never guilty of obstruction, and were never—hardly ever—given offside. The following tables show the evolution of the open game, the dates given being, of course, only approximate: — The Seventies. Two full-backs, Two three-quarter backs, Two half-backs, Nine forwards. The Eighties. One full-back. Four three-quarter backs, Two half-backs, Eight forwards. New Zealand Formation—l9os. One full-back, Three three-quarter backs, Two five-eighths, One scrum-half, One wing-forward, Seven forwards.