FOOTBALL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9913, 30 July 1910, Page 6

FOOTBALL NOTES.

ON THE FIELD AND OFF.

(By MUDDIED OAF.)

I went to Lancaster Park last Saturday morning expecting to seo the playing area practically under water, and was agreeably surprised to find that it was in realjy good order. There' had been a lot of straw put over the eastern part of the ground, probably with the idea of protecting the ground from a frost. Ido not know if the straw on the ground acted as any protection or not, but an hour before the game started it would have been difficult to find a more perfect football ground. The water had all gone, .and there was an excellent, foothold without it being muddy. Then canto the rain soon after the game commenced, making the ground slippery and the ball very wet and greasy. Old players of ten years back "were expressing opinions that the ground would be under water and totally unfit to play on,, having, no doubt, memories of many a mud scramble. The fact is that the ground has wonderfully improved, from a football" point of view, the past few years, however much it may have deteriorated from the cricketer's point of view. Nowadays when Lancaster Park is bad nearly all other playing areas are in the same state I have noticed during the week several letters in the papers from those who are afraid to sign their names criticising the Selection Committee for the team chosen, the playing of most of the players and matters generally. It is curious that those letters did not appear before the game, but, on, the other hand, the Selection Committee was loudly praised for its fine selection, which recalls the old adage that anyone can prophesy after the event. It is not difficult to find the cause of the poor showing of the local team- —and it was poor, everyone • must admit. The visitors, who are a heavy set of players, especially forward, had. heard even before their arrival in the town of the ability of the local back division, and naturally took steps to keep the play as far away as possible from the rearguard. Playing a scrummage formation quite new to the dominion, and having the weight and strength to hold the pack, the visitors' forwards practically controlled the game, and, further, took no risks in opening up the play. Hence it was that whenever any of the local hacks got the ball, besides having to beat the opposing backs, they had to deal with the visitors forwards first, and the contract was too much for them.' In addition to this, it must be acknowledged that the backs can play better. It is an axiom of the game that beaten forwards mean beaten hacks, arid unfortunately the province has no really highrcl&ss forwards, although one who saw the gam© against Ota go stated that the Americans beat Otago in the pack just as badly as the Canterbury team were beaten.

It is to bo hoped that the poor showing of the backs will not cause the selectors to alter the team, otherwise the side will never gain any combination, and in this connection I noticed that at the meeting of the committee l of the Union held; during the week, comment was made that tho ( team had had no practice together before the game. It should bo the duty of the selectors, after selection, to see that' the team is improved as much as possible. The province has a big programme of "rep." games this year, and everv effort should be mad© to build up "the beat- team from those available.

Murray, the EUesniero back, played a splendid gam© at wing forward. I remember him at Christ's College showing much proficiency in the same position. He was easily tho best_ player ■on the local side, although " that wonder of consistency, Gray, did tvell. The Albion back fctoou out by himself for his good work, and was congratulated all round on his fine showing. All- sorts of work seemed to make no difference to him, and as I have already mentioned this season no greater injustice was done to any player than when Gray* was excluded from the recent New Zealand team. Next to F. Roberts, he should have been the first back chosen. The play of the other backs was too bad to be true, but Weston, somewhat redeemed himself by his excellent place-kicking. He did not make a bad. attempt in any of his efforts, and his first kick from Murray's try was magnificent. .

The Canterbury forwards were. outclassed from start to finish; it was impossible for them to shift the opposition in the pack, but the play of the forwards in the open was most disappointing. They wandered about in an aimless sort of way and failed to get into the work with any degree of dash or determination. I wish the side would copy Murray's work.

•Now a word or two about the 'Americans. I had the pleasure of meeting several and found them splendid fellows. They acknowledged at once they knew little of football and were anxious to learn everything they could relative to the game. No secret was made of the fact that the Californian colleges took to Rugby under compulsion. The authorities decided that their local game had to be abandoned and that English Rugby had to be played. The students nearly all refused. Then, said the authorities, English Rugby or nothing, and, as one remarked to me, " We wero up against it and took your game on, and now like it." The Americans have played Rugbv only about five years, and tho players state that four of those were 'spent in trying to unlearn the old. game. When all these facts are taken into consideration it must be allowed that the players have made wonderful progress, which, if continued,'will prove hard! to beat in a few years. One has only to think that in this country we have never played any other game, and flatter ourselves wo are the "top dog," and then call to mind the good showing of our visitors after having to unlearn their own game and try to master ours all in a space of five years.

The backs can kick and-kick accurately, Brown, at full-back, and Dwiggine being really first-class. Naturally the back play was more crude, as backs cannot master the finer points of tho game as quickly as the forwards. It is doubtful if a finer body of forwards, as men, ever played at Lancaster Park, and the side has some knowledge of forward work. All the side can tackle, but there was an absence of fast footwork amongst the front division. If the backs had kicked all the time and the forwards had known how to go on with the game by fast footwork, I am sure the side would have made a better showing.

There is no doubt but that the three-two-three scrum mage formation totallyupset tho calculations of the local forwards. Tho New* South _ Wales team has played it for some time, but with a. strong heavy pack like tho Americans it is very difficult to combat. When the centre man of the front three is lifted and swung over the ball as it goes into the scrummage, it makes it next to impossible for the opposition to secure possession. I hold strong opinions that the stylo of play is illegal, but it passes muster by New Zealand controllers of the game, in the same manner as the " loose head " of tho British team was allowed to go unchecked. Visiting teams are quite justified in adopting the style if they are not penalised. One of the chief objects of the game nowadays is to secure possession r>f the ball in the pack, and any way that can be devised wliich is considered legal by the referees is worthy of imitation.