FOOTBALL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2084, 9 January 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL

N.Z. PROFESSIONALS AT HOME. United Presß Association —Copyright (Received Jan. 8. T--ID I’-tn.) SYDNEY, jan. 8. The London ‘ Daily Telegraph” says that the New Zealanders showed gratifying improvement mi their •match against a combined s:de of •Dewsbury and Batlev clubs. rno game in' the early stages was verv evenly contested. ’1 lie only :-core in the first half wins a try obtained by the home team. The second half was crowded with exciting incidents, marking exceedingly clever nlav. on the part of the colonial backs. This, however, was not bef ire Dewsbury had added another try. From this point the All Blacks attacked very strongly, and in quick succession tries were obtained by Johnson, Smith, anil Wynv.ird, while three goals were kicked by Messenger, tho colonials winning by IS to 8. ' (Received Jail. S. 10.0 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. S. In reference to the Times’ comments on tho New Zealand football team cabled on December 3rd, tho extract was from a lengthy articlo by a correspondent-, who in the course of a-review of the players and their doings says the visit was a much more serious affair than generally anticipated. The team certainly was not as good, man for man, as Gallagher’s team, hut the writer’s impression is that at their best- they are quite as strong individually and collectively as a fair international side in this country. Unlike Gal--x lagher’s team, however, they have not been careful to keep in good condition. The fact that the 70 per cent, of the gross gates which is theirs by arrangement with the Northern Union having already brought in nearly twice the guaranteed £3OOO, seems to have demoralised several members of the team, who when at homo wero merely wage-laborers, well content to earn £2 a week in the field or in a factory. It is highly probable that the majority of tho visitors will eventually accept engagements with the Northern Union clubs. _ v In the 1 course jof the article tho writer says : —“No doubt the New Zealanders have been and still are handicapped by tlio unfamiliar and unnatural rule's invented by the Northern Union. They have not yet overcome the natural desire to try to take the ball from a tackled player.”