THE FOOTBALL MATCH.

Evening Star, Issue 3922, 18 September 1875, Page 2

THE FOOTBALL MATCH.

To the Kditor.

Sir,— Referring to the forthcoming football match between Otago and Auckland, I would crave the favor of a few lines' space in your valuable journal to make some comments on the men composing the Otago team. In the fir*t place there are two clubß here the Duneilin and the TJ"ion. The latter, although the jounger ciub, is very muoh stronger than the other. Two matohes have been played between the*e clubs, and the Union was th« victor in both c.ises, and. under the.-e circumstances, it is remarkably strange that the Dunedin Club sh-uldliave a tempted to ignore the existence »>f the Union 'Jlub by appointing a committee consisting wholly of their own men to make arrangements tor the mutch. It is, thereforf, not a matter of surprise to me to Bee that the team selected is very much weaker than it would have been had some of the best players of the Union Club been substituted for such men as Park, Lambert, and M'l-eau. The beam is in no ;,en*e of the term a. representative one, except of the. Dunediu dub; and if the Auckland team should

score a victory it cannot be said that our beat players have been beaten, but oily second and third rate men. However, to p’-o oeed. A. K. Smith is to captain the team. It is difficult to know on what grounds this gentleman has any c l aim to a place in the team, except that he is the captain of the Dunedin Club. He plays well for about half an houi and then succumbs. K ext come tiie “ hacks,” who are both reliable men, and who will do their utmost to cover the weakness of their companions. The “ three quarter hack ”i« a tower of strength in himself, and is ore of the prettiest players we have ever had in Otago. The “half-backs” are average players, but rather too light weighted to make a stand atrainst the Auckland “sixteen stoners.” Of the “forwards,” a great many have only practised within the last week or two, and are consequently in very poor form, M'Lean has never played under the Rugby Union rules since he was put in the learn, and will, of cour-e, be all at sea on Wednesday next. M‘t< inn on is an old Scotch player, and has played in two of the international matches between Kngknd and .Scotland. Ho was for two years captain of the Lerwick Football Club —one of the best in the United Kingdom, He will do more than any other man to pull off the match on Wednesday. The Thomsons and Macan are very good players, and are. in good practice. Our clubs have not been in the habit of playing the Rugby Union rules, and thteam will have to play carefully if they wish to win the game. I would conclude by expressing my regret at the one-sided way the team has been made up, and hope that in future greater impartiality will be manifested by the “ powers that he ” that is, the Dunedin Football C'ub.- I am, &c.. an Admirer of th* Game. Dunedin, September 18. To the Editor. SlB, —ln your last night’s issue you inserted a letter signed *‘ Drop Kick,” some of whose statements should, t think, be contradicted. Neither of the players mentioned, nor I think any of the team, has gone into such severe training as he would have us believe. “ Drop V. ick ” goes on to complain of the selection made by the committee of the team which is to nphold the honor of Otago, and mentions several names that, in his superior wisdom, ought to have been chosen. I have no doubt but that if he would disclose his name be would, even at this late hour, be commissioned to re-construct the team, including, 1 have no doubt, his own name. “ Drop Kick ” intends throughout to be facetious, and his remarks should be passed in silent contempt, only that his irony might mislead strangers.—l am, &c., Antl-HcmbUo. Dunedin, September 18