THE FOOTBALL FIELD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7728, 11 June 1903, Page 4

THE FOOTBALL FIELD.

NOTES. (By QUIDNUNC.) The Selection Committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union has, chosen the following players as having claims to positions in the New Zealand team: — D. M'Gregor, J. Lavery, E. D. Rice, M. E. Wood, P. Harvey (backs), J. Roddick, R. J. Cooke, B, Fanning, and A. Brunsden (forwards). The 1 committee cannot be congratulated on its consistency, as players have been mentioned whose form this season has been anything but likely to lead one to give them a chaiftse of inclusion, whilst, on the other hand, there is included in the list at least one player whose claims can only be judged on the rapid improvement he has made this year. It is to ■be regretted that E., T. Harper is not playing regularly this season, as his absence will undoubtedly be the greatest loss to the back division of the New Zealand team. How tlie committee overlooked the claims of Menzies and Corsbie isj hard to explain. I Undoubtedly, the former is at present showing the besb form at wing-three-quart-era in the Senior competition, and as Lavery, who has improved out of all knowledge this season, is included, the absence of the Merivale . three-quarter's name makes it more difficult to understand. Corsbie has proved that he quite retains his 1900 form, when he was accounted the 'best forward in the province. It is not likely, that R-ioe would make the trip, even if chosen, but if available it would be hard to find a more resourceful or a safer player in the colony. D. M'Gregor is nothing more nor less than a good attacking player, and as his r team has had some difficult games this year (and not the runaway victories of la«t season), he has not been seen to advantage. Wood is showing better form in the inter-club games than he did last year, when an accident- early in the season must have had an effect on his play. Harvey is playing as u.«ual. Brunsden's name can only have been submitted to provide for the contingency of wing forwards being chosen. He has not been near the pack in any games so far this year. Farming's play this year is not deserving of favourable mention, and he must have been

includ-ed on past performances, and on his club form:, so far this year, Roddick is lucky in having been included. Cooke is the only forward chosen who is playing up to last year's form. Once move I return to a discussion of the recent decisions of the, English Rugby Union, to which "Full-Back" devotes some space in the last issue of the " Otago. Witness." The laws of the game provide three ways of bringing the ball into play from touch, but I am only concerned, at present, with one of these ways. Law 12, Section (b) says : — " Throwing it out so as to alight at right angles to the touch-line." According to "Full-Back," "alight" means " alight on the ground," and nothing else. Assuming that he is correct, then the law is broken in every match that is played. When, a player throws the- ball oub and it is taken on the' fall by one of his own side, it has not alighted on the ground, and for that reason; if "Full-Back" reads the law correctly, "Law 12, Section (b), is being broken." I am still unconvinced by my confrere's arguments, as to admit their correctness is to believe that the English Union intends to disfranchise a player for the time being, while, the rules provide for teams being composed of fifteen men. The Competitions Committee of tbe Canterbury Rugby Union decided on Saturday morning to postpone all matches on. account of the state of the grounds. C. White, one of the finest Aving threequarters ever seen in Sydney, is playing in good form this season. H> was through New Zealand with the last New South Wales team, but only as a, spectator, as he •was at the time just recovering from a broken arm. A big effort is being made to re-estabhsn the Victorian game in Sydney, and in some comments on the fact " The Cynic " writes as follows in the Sydney "Referee":— l shall be pleased to see the game established here. But I do nob think that- it will ever affect the popularity of Rugby while the latter game is managed in anything approaching the manner of to-day, for two reasons, first, and chiefly, because Rugby is an infinitely more, attractive and popular game as played here than it was when the Australian game withered away ; and, secondly, because a good Rugby match as it is now played is more exciting and fascinating—that is, to an onlooker who understands both games. One can, of course, pick out a Rugby match or two each week likely to fall a good deal below the stan- ; dard in brilliance and prettiness of comi hinatioh. But even in such a match it will I be admitted that the defence is infinitely sounder than it was ten years ago in clubs of the same standing. And it is often merely a matter, of time for a club that possesses solid defence to develop co-ordinate ! attacking powers. On the other hand, each week some most dashing and stirring Rugby games can be seen. On each of the last three Saturdays I have had the good forj tune to watch a Rugby match that fairly ■ thrilled the people by its brilliance and kept them in a perpetual roar from start to finish. I am told by men who have had every opportunity of judging that Rugby football is now more attractively played here than ib is in New Zealaud— l am told this by New Zealanders themselves. They do nob say that we are going to beat them this year — they believe too much in their players to say that — but they do aay that our football is better for the spectator than theirs. And, by way of explanation, they add that probably the difference in styles is traceable to the difference in climates. The hold that the Association game has on the English public is well known, but the following figures will give an idea of the crowds which watch the games for the Association Cup. In the first round there were sixteen matches, viewed by 241,323 people ; first round (replayed ties), five matches, 102,784; second round, eight matches, 140,850 ; second round (replayed ! tie), 25,000 ; third round, four matches, ! 82,000 ; semi-finals, 87,500; final, 63,102. i The gate receipts amounted to £28,706- 16s Bd,_ without counting the final, the receipts for which were not known when the mail left, A writer in the London " Sportsman," in searching for a reason why London teams cannot hold their own with some, of the -proi vincial and Welsh clubs, strikes at the sej cr-et.of success in football when he says : — " I think the answer is to be found in the fact that the players in thoae districts don't only talk, bub think football-, } otise football, train and do not only thiiui of training for football. Our friends and foes in the provinces have got the whip hand of us, because, in addition to making the game their sole idea during the winter months, they practically play the same team every Saturday, and therefore know each other's play to a nicety. We here in London have other frivolities to attract our attention, and we do not resist the ttmptaj tions of frivolousness." Continuing on other '■ matters in which there is room for improve- ■ ment, the same writer says:— "Another I one of our failings in Metropolitan games, which also apjjlie-s to our international

matches, is our want of following tip. It is positively lamentable sometimes to see the ball being kicked up the field, with the kicker's side all waiting back, instead of going on. on the off chance that the ball may ba kicked back their way or a player may come running back on the side of the field of play on which they are for the moment ruralising. The art of dribbiing is also not properly cultivated. I have seen many good individual efforts in this line and few combined ones, for someone kicks too hard, and offence is frequently thereby turned into defence. There are two points in the mode of Rugby procedure which ought to be changed. First, the throw-in- from touch, should be abolished. At present it delays the action of the game, because it generally results in a knock-on or the ball is thrown out crooked. Why nob have a line drawn down the field fifteen yards from the presenu touch-line, and whenever the ball goes into touch let it be scrummaged on this line in a direct line from where the ball crossed the touch-line? The second point is that the ball should invariably be put into the ' scrum ' on the side nearest the referee. I know at present both these points are to a certain extent optional, but I would do away with this option, and mate it in both cases part and parcel of the rules."