FOOTBALL IN NEW ZEALAND.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 20 June 1900, Page 1

FOOTBALL IN NEW ZEAL AND.

(By A. D. Thomson, Wanganui.) We take the following interesting article from the current number of the Young Man's Magazine; lam conscious that in agreeing to write on the above oubject I have undertakori'atask that is by no means easy, especially as my football experience omits Otago altogether. From the beginning of the game in New Zeuland that provinoo and Auckland, judging from the results of the matches with visiting teams to which I shall have occasion to refer, divided premier honours, and Otago, in some respects, has ■ develoved a game considerably different from that of the other provinces, and. not without success either. It is a matter of regret io me that I have never seen their their representative team in the field, and thus cannot speak from personal observation of their methods. I have, however, had the pleasure of seeing all the other provincial teams, some of them frequently, and am old enough to.remember what I think must have been the first stages of the game in New Zealand, and -my endeavour will be to give a short aoceunt of it as then played and its stages of grpwth since. The players numbered fifteen then &s now, but ten were used as forwards (all in the pack) and five as backs. The formation -of the scrum was — one man in front, two behind him, then three, anel then four ; thus forming a wedge, and the aim was for the front man to secure the ball and let the others push him and the ball along Once a pack such as this got moving forward it was not easy to stop, especially when as was frequently the case, there would be two or three- twenty-stone men in it, and an expedient I have seen resorted to was for one of the defending side to lie down behind his own men and let all the players fall over him. Such a thing as getting the ball out of . the scrum was against all tactics— the scrum Cwas the place for it, and-there it certainly was about three parts of the time. Wing players were unknown ; there were two quarter-backs immediately behind the scrum, two half -backs (now called three-quarters), and one full-back. There was no attempt -at- combination amongst the backs, punting was unknown except as a sign of a beginner, but drop-kiok ing waß a very strong feature of the back play, and I think in. advance of that of the present day both for distance and accuracy. Passing was very very rarely seen, except, •Jfcrhaps, to the fast man— who was the hero of the team. Matches were played in four spells of twenty minutes each, and rarely ended without a " maul in goal," lasting any time, from five minutes to twenty during which players and spectators formed a ring ronnd the two or three men who were struggling to get complete possession of the ball ; until this was done by one side neither could claim it. There was not the rush and huny about the game' there is now-a-days ; but there was honest hard work about it, though they did take their time over it. The visit of the first Sydney team in 1882 was an eye-opener to those who indulged in thiß old-fashioned style of things. Auckland and Otago, apparently more advanced than the rest of us, more than held their own, but the others were hopelessly outclassed. The Sydney men were all fast, several of the forwards being back men in their own' teams, and to iheir speed they added wonderful dodging ability. There was no waiting for regularly formed scrums; and for the fust time was seen what could be done by combination in following up. There were always five or six Sydney men following-up one of their players running with the ball, and vainly did our men collar one after another — the ball was never with the man collared. New Zealanders, however, proved apt pupils, and when we sent a team to pay the return visit in 1884 they outclassed the New South Wales teams both forward ahd back even more completely, 'winning eveiy game. This I would call the second stage of ■the game. .. There was still much to learn, however, in the working of the scrums, and in the combination not of backs alone nor of forwards alone but of both. These were taught us by the English team of 1888, and by ""he Native team in 1889. Previously the passing had been to a great extent slqw throwing, but both these teams went in for short, quick, low passes wbich, taken by a maii-at Bpeed, proved' very effective. Both, too, were very successful with feinting tactics, and introduced many fine points pf play, such as systematically kicking across the field towards men in front and running straightforward so as to put them " on side:" The scrum-work of the two teams differe4 considerably ; the English scrum being long and narrow, eight men in four rows of too, while that of the Native team was more like the present formation; in fact the scrumwork of the present game is to a-great extent taken from that of the Native team. The English scrum proved very serviceable for screwing tactics but was not so well adapted for getting the ball out to the backs. ;I doubt very muai_ if, on the whole, we haye ever had as strong a team as the Native team playing in New. Zealand, and it is their style of game that we are still developing. ' ; 1

There are two' matters upon which the rules might, I think, be altered with advantage. First, with reference to Touch-line play.— lt has been suggested, and I hope it will soon be the law, that the ball should be thrown at at least five yards from the touchlino, A great deal of tiresome play within a yard of the touch-line, uninteresttng to both players and spectators, would then be avoided. The second is regarding Wing Forwards. They are, undoubtedly, the cause of more wrangling and rough play than anything else, and on this account alone, it would be advisable to do away with them. It could easily be done by providing that all players not in the scrum should be considered " offside " unless tKey kept behind the rear rank of tbe scrum. A great deal of unpleasantness on the field would be avoided, the baok play would have more opportunities, and the game as a whole, lose much of that fierceness which sometimes develops into brutality, and which, if not severely checked, will soon cause it to fall from its - place in popular esteem. I know that even under the present rules the Otago team do hot play wing-for-wards and consider they are better without them, but I know also that other teams have tried to do so without success. A rule such as I have saggested would, I think, lead to a more open and therefore to a more interesting as well at a more skilful game. ; lam sorry that my observation also compels me to say that a rougher style of play has been developed during the last few years. By rough, as distinguished from hard, play I mean qnnecessarily bumping into or throwing an opponent. lam strongly of opinion that this is done deliberately sometimes, and the only way to stop it is by referees to use their powers of ordering off the field without hesitation. They will always . find the Unions ready to support them in putting down anything objectionable. The system of " pointing," too, is, I consider, becoming more common and is detracting from the fau sportmanlike manly spirit in which the game should be played. By '■' pointing " I mean not only cribbing a yard or two beyond a mark or on the touchline, but such play as shouting to an opponent that he is "off-side" when such: is known not to be the case. Whether this can be penalised as obstruction or not may be a question, but it is not the fair straightforward game, and recent rules and decisions are in tho direction of stopping this kind; of tactics. It is, however, still too often considered a smart thing to do, and, if successful, even a matter of congratulation. In conclusion, I would say that every club now recognizes that combination of all the players is the first essential to success. This combination cannot be attained if the players only see one another on the field , in fact', I consider to nave combination comradeship is necssary — comradeship not only on the field but off it as weli. Let any one call, to mind the successful teams of recent years, and he will have an illustration of what I mean. The fellows are continually together, chums always. They consequenty know almost jby instinct when one is near tnem on the field of play, and a very important consideration selfishness goe3 altogether. If one scores, all are as glad as he is; there is no jealous rivalry amongst them, and when this spirit - is directed by a '* general," as we have gotjin the habit of calling him, it is not easy to pre--vent success following it.