FOOTBALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9212, 15 April 1908, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

THE ENGLISH TEAM

NOTES ON THE MEN. [From Oxra Correspondent.]

LONDON, March 6. The names of the members of the British Rugby team that is going to New Zealand and Australia next month were published this week. GSJie team differs very slightly from the list which I sent you some weeks ago, but one or two alterations have had to be made since then. Among th© backs Griffiths (Monmouth) and J. Davey (Cornwall) have joined the team, and Imrie has dropped out. 'F. Jackson (Cornwall) and T. Wilson (Cumberland) have joined the forward brigade, while Boylan has retired. The • following is the official list : — J. C. M. Dyke (Penarth, Coventry and Wales) and E. J. Jackett (Cornwall and England), backs; F. E. Chapman (Durham), R. A. Gibbs (Glamorgan and Wales), J. L. Williams (Glamorgan and Wales), ;R. B. Griffiths (Monmouth), J. Pority Jones (Monmouth and Wales), J. P. Jones (Kent and Guy's Hospital), P. F. M'Evedy (Kent), H. H. Vassall (Oxford University and England), thyee-quarter-backs; J. Davey (Cornwall), H. Laxon (Midland Counties), W. Mprgan (Kent and London Welsh) and |G. L. Williams (Lancashire) j half-backs; H. Archer (Guy's Hospital and Somerset), R. Dibble (Somerset and England), P. J. Down (Somerset), R. K. Green (Glamorgan), A. F. Harding (London Welsh and Wales), F. Jackson (Cornwall), G. V. Kyrke (Somerset), E. Morgan (Glamorgan), W. L. Oldham (Midland Counties), J. A. S. Ritson (Northumberland), L. S. Thomas (Glamorgan), J F; Williams (London Welsh and Wales), T. Wilson (Cumberland) and T. Smith (Leicester), forwards. . i

The party numbers twenty T eight, of whom nine are internationals. It has been organised by Mr George H. Harnett, of Kent County, a member of the Rugby Union Committee, who will be manager. The other officials will be A. F. Harding (captain) and P. T. M'Evedy (vice-captain). Originally it was hoped to include players from Scotland and Ireland, but the unions of these countries have set their faces against Rugby tours on the ground that they tend to professionalism: The colours are red and white, with a narrow edging of blue, and the team will, according to present arrangements, sail for Wellington by the Shaw, Savill Shipping Oo.'s s.s. Athenic on Fridays April 3 next.

Much difficulty has been experienced in getting together anything like a re*: presentative team through the attitude of the Scottish and Irish Unions, and the side going out includes no Scottish and Irish players. The list now published should be capable of yielding a strong fifteen under a captain of bo much spirit and experience as A. F. Harding, but it is of necessity something of an experimental team, and there will be, perhaps, <a little disappointment that brilliant players are not plentiful in the party. R. A. Gibbs, of Cardiff, and H. H. Vassall, of Oxford, are the great " class" players behind the scrummage, and the element that must be relied on to make the tour a success will be the forwards. Those have been obviously chosen on. the experiences of the New Zealand

team which toured under D. Gallaher's captainship two years ago, and the powerful and hard scrummagers of the West and North of England and South Wales should hold their own, against the sturdy type of player commonly associated with New Zealand. Half-back seems to be the weak spot in the party. H. Laxon, the old Cambridge Blue, and W. Morgan belong to what is colioquially known as the " nippy " species of half-back ; W. J. Davey has done well for Cornwall as a " stand-off, " and Gerald Williams, it is*understood, was reserve for England last eeason. There is a great amount of variety on the three-quarter line, and the lull-backs are both very trustworthy. Whatever the misgivings about the constitution of the side, the players all possess the spirit of the game, and are sure to pull together under the influence of the manager, Mr Harriett. It will be noticed that only two members of. the combination that toured in Australasia in 1904, namely, the New Zealander P. F. M'Evedy and "Captain"' Harding, are included in Mr Harnett's party.