The New Zealand Team.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3617, 9 January 1906, Page 3

The New Zealand Team.

WHY OUR FOOTBALLERS SUCCEED. ' son of our solicits, supplies' ’the “ London Standard *’ with an ivderview he has had at Home with one cf the New Zealand team. In answer, the Rugbyite said “ rapiditv of .'attarl-.r-science, and individu d initiative are gaining our victories.’’ . “On the other hand, the teams we five met, though possessing pace, on&i, and form, lack science. In what wav ? Well, when a man gets the bail, Me, more than often otherv i ,e, does not know what to do with it. Ibis applies more to their forwards. They don’t bustle ; they don’t get going. When our men get it, they at once da,sh into the opposing pack, and, if possible, wriggle through. That is where we make ground. For instance, last Saturday the Blackheath backs got several excellent openings frblii the scrum. Mo other English, team has gained the ground against us that they did from such; but there, a .knowledge of tactics was wauling. They ran more for the line out than the touch line, and passed without judgment, so much so that when th«ir ■wing three-quarter got the ball there were two or three of bur backs to oppose him. Our method of attack is different. It is made so as to have only one man to oppose two of ours ,30 »he whig. That tailing to give ns a chance i) score, the ball is centred, othei'W “ kicked across the field, v berc. the "thrge-quarter on the opIg and a five-eight are waiting ing between them and the That is how our first try 1 at Blackheath. The dry ls favourable to our game, we met Surrey under similar i. with the same referee as ;ath, our score, I venture to might have been near 6o ility is a phase of the game e English clubs appear to be New Zealanders make a (dyofit. Practically speaktan in the team can fill a gap emergency, whether in front ml herein, 1 think, is- the very man knowing what to

do. Thus, we have learned to deliver our attacks, not only from behind the scrum, 5 but also in th© line out and the loose. A demonstration of developing j an attack from a loose rush only i occurred at Blackbeath, when Glasgow (a ? : >rw::rd)' scored. The vanguard I dribbled the ball past the three- ; quarters, and then, by a series of quick.! passes, baffled further defence.” | Questioned as to points of their game, j ’ the New Zealander went on to say that j the disposal of forces in the field was j regarded as a debatable point. “We ! have every confidence in our system of three three-quarters, two five-eighths, and a half, as opposed to the English system of four three-quarters and two halves.. Take a scrum, in mid-field for instance. The proximity of our two five-eighths, should we get the ball, enables an attack to be developed at ones from the serum Without having to go to the three-quarter line. On the other | hand, the way the English halves are 1 placed renders them liable to be j smothered by our wing-forward, and | that failing, their three-quarter line have scarcely time to move ere oitr fiveeighths end half are attacking them. To remedy this, some of the English teams have advanced their three-quarter line closer to the genirri. Our backs take advantage of this to kick the boll over their heads to either angle of the field, so that the opposing full-back, by the time he gets possession, is in danger of being overwhelmed by our wing three-quarter, who, of course, has followed up. “ Another point of difference between , English and colonial methods is the formation of the scrum. Our system is known as the 1 lock.’ The ‘ three front rankers ’ have been tried in New Zea- j land several times, and is now considered to be inoffectice before the two hookers, ; who constitute the vanguard of our ; scrum. By lifting their outside feet to- j gether, they seize the ball as if with a pair of tongs, and it is shot out through j the legs of the centre forward into the . hands of the half-back. Beside our system we all think that the English formation is Unwieldy. “Without doubting the impartiality of English referees,” continued the New Zealander, in answer to a question, “ most of them would please us better j if they gave more attention to the finer | points of the game. For instance, when ! the ball is thrown into the scrum, New j .Zealand referees hold it is either in or | out, so long as it lands past the foot of the outside man. If a man kicks it out with his inside foot, that is not considered illegal. Should, however, he I raise his foot before the ball touches ground, his side is immediately penalised with a free kick. Then, apparently, our j referees differ in their opinion to that of j the English in tne definition of ‘ off-side.’ Our referees hold that a man is off-side ' when within ten yards of an opponent taking the ball that, of course, has been kicked from behind the former. The fact of the ball striking the opponent before ho returns it, does not put the man within ten yards of him on-side, i If he charges or interferes with the op- i ponent a free kick is given. In the i case of ‘ knock-on,’ if the advantage is to the side that does not commit the breach, no whistle is blown. Too much hdgging after a man has been collared 1 is allowed also. I think, with others of the team, that there is too much whistling. The idea of the New Zealand referees is to prevent this, because it. tends to destroy tho spectacular effect of the game. Tho line umpires could do witli some instruction as to the use

of the flag. “ Rugby football is our national game,” said the Maorilander in conclusion. “ The interest it excites, and tae followers it claims, eclipse all other sport in the colony. The configuration of the country, clear atmosphere, and immediate access to grounds, are conducive to a vigor us study of the game. E cb leading club has its own gymnasium, where, on wet half-holidays and evenings, the art of scrumming, hooking and defeating an opponent or. the line out are reduced to a science, Twice a week some clubs assemble in the evening, first for several ‘ sprints,’ and thou a discussion on tactics. Theory first and practice after—that is the whole secret of success.”