Football.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3612, 15 February 1906, Page 2

Football.

Speaking to the “ N.Z. Times '* London correspondent about the falling-off in the play of the New Zealanders towards the end of the tour, Mr Dixon said his men had undoubtedly gone “off” by the time they met Wales. He traced the deterioration to the hard travelling and playing which followed upon their match at Blackheath. When the New Zealanders defeated Blackheath by 32 to o they were right at the fop of their form, and gave a grand display of dashing football. But for the next few weeks they had too much travel" ling and hard International games. “It was at the Crystal Palace match,” said Mr Dixon, “that I noticed they were beginning to fiil. Th° strain of the tour was telling upon thou. I watched them closely at Cheltenham, and although they won by a very big margin, it struck me they were playing worse. From there they went, to Cheshire, and then to Yorkshire, and in each match ran up a big score, but the quality of their football was steadily deteriorating. Then came Wales ! ”

THE CANTERBURY UNION.

The outcome of the trouble with the New Zealand Union over payment of 6s, disallowed by the head body, is that the Canterbury Union are disqualified. The Canterbury Union have decided to notify the Canterbury members'of the New Zealand team on arrival in Auckland, and also that steps be taken to lay the whole matter before the English Rugby Union for decision.