Preparations for the Match.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7822, 13 August 1904, Page 6

Preparations for the Match.

The influx of people in connection with the Britain-New Zealand match having strained the accommodation of the city to an almost unprecedented degree, the New Zealand Rugby Union was about to fall back on Bellevue Gardens i'or the British team's quarters. when the difficulty was overcome by private ofi'ers. His Excellency the Governor kindly offered to put up three members of the team at Government House, and private citizens have volunteered to accommodate the others. It is admitted that the accommodation of the Kew Zealand team in commodious quarters at sunny and sheltered Day's Bay, with good ground facilities for practice, is working out excellently.— lost.

The New Zealand backs will be a bit heavier than the British. More importance, however, attaches to the respective weights of the forwards. The New Zealand team has not been accurately weighed, but taking their recent approximate- weights and the weights of the British forward division, as published at Christchurch, they compare as follows: — Great Britain—D. B. Bsdell-Sivright, lost 41b (captain); S. X. Crowfcher, 14st; B. I. Swannell, 12 *t 4!b ; D. Dobson, iy 3 t 41b ; A. F. Harding. 18at 21b ; T. S. Bevan. 12st; R W. Edwards, 13at 6!b ; S. M'Kay-Saunders, lost 6!b; total, 101 st 121b: average, a little over loat. New Zealand—M'Minn, list 61b ; Tyler, 12st 101b; Fanning. 14st; Glenn, Io3t; Cross, lpst 61b ; Nicholson, lUsfc 2.1b; Seeling, lost: Gailaher (winger, not in scrum), 123t 121b; total, 103 st 81b; average, nearly lost. But the seven scrummers will weigh in aggregate 90st 101b, against the British scrucnineiV 104 st 12ib.

The New Zealand Eugby Union intends to present to each player in the matsb. against Britain tomorrow a cap. Messrs Chas. Hill and Sons have been entrusted with the order. The cap is a very handsome one, the body being of b'.ack velvet with rich silver facings. The N.Z. and fernleaf will be worked in solid silver.

A published statement has been made (says the Pod) that " Tyler and McMinn were beaten on Thursday for the ball five times out of six," An experienced scrummer who played in the scratch pack scouts the statement, and affinm that Tyler and McMinn secured the ball five times out of six !