Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND Licensed Victuallers' Gazette. With which is incorporated the Weekly Standard Thursday, August 4, 1904. NEW ZEALAND’S REPRESENTATIVE FOOTBALL TEAM.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 752, 4 August 1904, Page 6

Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND Licensed Victuallers' Gazette. With which is incorporated the Weekly Standard Thursday, August 4, 1904. NEW ZEALAND’S REPRESENTATIVE FOOTBALL TEAM.

Very considerable curiosity was evinced as to who would be chosen to represent I the full strength of the colony in the coming test of strength between the British team and New Zealand, which will take place at Wellington on the 13th inst. The team has now been selected, and may certainly be considered a powerful combination, although it will be very generally admitted that an improvement could have been made. To begin with the back division very genuine surprise was felt at the inclusion of P. Gerrard, of the North Shore Club, as full back, and no doubt not the least I astonished man was Gerrard himself. J True, he is a fine tackler, a fair kick, 1 and a very cool player, but even so it | seems a hazardous thing to do in the I biggest match of the decade to take a I man from his accustomed place and put j him where he has had but little experi--5 ence. Surely throughout the colony there must be a better man in this particular position than the Auckland three-quarter, but it is evident the selectors, who should know, think otherI wise, and there is this to be said that Gerrard is a solid, trier all the time*

Curiously enough he has not been placed in this position in the Auckland v. Wellington match. With the three-quarter line some fault can be found, but then it is impossible to please everyone. Wallace, although we would have preferred him at full back, has shown himself equally good, in the three quarter line, and no exception can be taken to the Wellington player, but can this be also said of his town's mate, D. McGregor ? Recent reports of his play do not suggest that he is in form, a point which the selectors should always bear in mind. The other three quarter, Harper, is considered to be one of the best Canterbury has put into the field for many a long day, and although Aucklanders will be inclined to think the inclusion of one of the recognised cracks of the Is orthern City, such as McKenzie, would have strengthened the line, yet the point is of course a debatable one. No exception can be taken to the next lino of defence, which consists of three very sound exponents of the game Wood is a very fine player, who, however, has “ developed a leg,” as they say in racing, which may possibly come against him. W. T. Stead, who acts as captain of the team, is said to be showing splendid form, and to him has been given the honour of leading the team. He plays a slashing game, but against | Canterbury did not show up well, a | local scribe stating that his judgment was at fault, and that he was easily tackled No fault can be found with P. Harvey, whose quick work behind the scrum and whose good kicking and sound defensive work have gained him golden opinions in Christchurch. Coming to the forwards opinions differ as to whether Porteous, the Otago wing forward, should have been included. We are of opinion that two wingers should be played, as to these men the duties of smothering the work of the British halves should be entrusted, and the Wairarapa player, Warner, is highly spoken of in this respect. The pack is a very solid one, all the men being good hard workers. Three in Tyler, Gallaher and Seeling belong to Auckland, Canterbury has two in Fanning and Cooke, while Cross (who might have been improved upon), of Wellington, and Glenn, of Taranaki, make up the balance. It will thus be seen that players have been chosen from all over the colony, and taken altogether the men should render a good account of themselves. To do this, however, a lot of practice together will have to be done to gain the much-needed combination, and also the members will have to train properly, and not take the half-and-half measures that are customarily indulged in. In Australia the home team has generally held its own in the first half, but has tired greatly in the second spell. On the other hand the Britishers have played the game right through, most of the scoring being done after the Australians had played themselves out.. Our men must be ready to be on the ball from start to finish, and nothing but solid training will enable them to do this, •j he New Zealand Rugby Union has been villified by all sorts of critics, competent and otherwise, for doing this or not doing the other, but we are confident that the Union is fully cognisant of the difficulty of the task ahead, and that every possible step will be taken to achieve the success so dear to every New Zealander’s heart, a victory over the British team at our own national game of Football.