The Agitation Against the Wing Forward.

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 51, 22 June 1901, Page 20

The Agitation Against the Wing Forward.

Dear Totjchline." — You ask what I think of the Gisborne "Whistler's" and the Napier "Telegraph's" remarks re wing-forwards? These scribes aver that the wing-forward makes the game tight, and prevents passing ! Of course, the winger prevents the opponents from passing the ball — at least, he tries to do so. All the backs try to do the same, all the forwards ditto. The rules allow it ; there's no "Taggy-taggy-touchwood" about Rugby. Why, tackling is one of the finest characteristics of the game. When Wellington played Otago, in Wellington, season 1896, playing two halves against the latter's three, and heeling out all day, did not Duncan and Mason effectually prevent Jack Bennett from feeding his three-quarters? Our football scribes of that day did not howl out for the obliteration of the three-halves game because it prevented passing. Since then, the Wellington representatives have found a way by which two winging-forwards and two halves can effectually beat three halves at all points of the game, if the former are able (as representative wingers should be able) to play a decent half-back game. The outcry against wingers is most ludicrous. In a debate in the House of Lords, Premier Salisbury, remarking on the methods pursued by the War Office, stated that the system was not at fault, but it depended materially on the brilliance and common-sense of those who had charge of the department. The same thing applies to the wing-forward system in Rugby football. "Sammy" Woods, captain of England's internationals for some years, was notoriously a winger who packed at the back of the scrum, being always on the alert to dart out and annihilate the passing of the opposing backs. A Taranaki writer deplores the fact that wingers tend to destroy that brilliance so noticeable in the days of Wynyard, Ellison, Keogh, and Gage. Weil, the present style of wing play was originated by Ellison (did he not paralyse Canterbury with it in 1892?), and its most doughty supporters were Wynyard and Gage. I know, because I learnt my football from them. As a winger, I was in front of "Tabby" when he played his most brilliant game. Ellison, Keogh, Gage, and Co. were born football generals, who studied every point in a game. Besides, did they not have nine months' continual play, six of it against the best teams of Great Britain and Ireland? Should they not know more about Rugby than these country critics, who seldom see the game played correctly, know little of the rules, and whose half-boiled cacographical effusions are incubated in the mud of ignorance and mendacious stupidity ? " 'Ain't it sickenin' ?" The present game is no rougher than it was twenty years ago. Ask G. F. Campbell, Whiteside, Jack Taiaroa, Ellison, A. Bayley, and Jack King how they played in the old days. But, then, the referee was not backed up by an Association and a Union. The referee was picked up promiscuously on the field of play, and asked to take charge. He was not an encyclopaedia — like Norris, Katterns, or "Curly" Ohlson — simply an enthusiast. He heard any amount of "Wanky" (in which his name was freely interspersed), and saw much "stouch." Did he order the offenders off? Not he. Knew better , had a family to keep. Sometimes a belligerent would draw his attention to an offence by hitting him on the nose, and then the old-time referee would take off his coat, cheerfully, and wade m to square matters. Those were the old days. As to semi-professionalism, there is less of it now than there was twelve years ago. Do the present-day football writers know that the team Stoddart came out with m 1888 was a professional one ? That the members of the native team were paid? — sometimes the ghost did not walk. Also, that nearly every union (in days gone by) has been guilty of flagrant acts of professionalism ? But the football writer girds at some tinpot club which gets a tinpot billet for some tinpot player. These critical football writers talk of the decadence of the game. What about the merit in their literary productions? Can they write? Are not the New Zealanders better at playing the game than they are at writing about it? One thing the Greymouth "Star," the New Plymouth "Daily News," the Gis-

borne "Whistler," the Napier "Telegraph," and ' Drop-kick" of the "Evening Post" have done nothing to elevate the game in their several districts. I suppose when they donned a jersey it was generally as an emergency of a fourth fifteen. I feel quite equal to replying to all newspaner critics who would like to discuss with me the rules, or how to play the game. However, lam tired now, and so will knock off — Yours tiuly, Off-Side Mac.

Charlie Bush has gained a place m the Canterbury i cpresentafcive team. Ho has been picked as centre threequarter, and captains the team against Nelson on Saturday. The Queensland "Sportsman" — "Pudden" Colton is a good player, but a vicious opponent. Unless "Pudden" mends in regard to roughness he will deserve to be hounded out of senior football. Davy Gage has arrived in town, and commences training this week with the Poneke Club, and will probably be playing against the Melro6e, on Saturday week. He looks the picture of health. Another old Poneke player I noticed in town tins week was good old Bill Bndson, who a few years back, was a battler among the red and black forwards of that day. Bndson was a champion amateur oarsman in his time in Wellington. Wallace is playing consistently for the Poneke Club, but he is developing a failing which will grow on him if he is not careful. What I mean is, he is inclined to neglect the backs behind him, and go too much on his own. "A word to the wise" in this instance should be sufficient. ' Quidnunc" says of Canterbury football — "Judging by the form shown this season, the province appears to have a really good lot of forwards, but the backs are a very poor lot. The solid safe back is what the Canterbury forwards require, and I am positive, if any games are to be won, the forwards will have to win them." A word in the ear of "Old Ben," the consistent barracker of the Petone Club "A fair catch must be a clean catch at the first attempt, and the mark must not be allowed unless made in accordance with the law — i.e., the heel-mark must be made." This is a case law decision, and the occasion on which he demanded s>o loudly for the referee to blow his whistle on Saturday, the heel mark had not been made It would bo just as well, if barrackers will pass strictures on the referee, for them to get a superficial knowledge, at any rate, of the rules. Mr. W. P MeLachlan has played four times as a representative for Wellington, and, although not chosen in the team to play against Nelson, may yet attain representative honours this season. He was in the 1898 team that travelled North, but an accident on the asphalt track at Pet-one, early in the 1899 season, compelled Ins retirement till this year. He learnt his football at Milton, in the Otago province, and is playing this season better than at any time during his career. "Mac" is a member of the Wellington Club. My congratulations to the Southern Club. At the annual meeting of delegates of the Rugby Union last year, on a proposition by Mr. Laughton, the bylaws were altered to permit of a club being allow r ed to enter teams for any of the Union's competitions. This allowed the Southern Club, which had previously been playing the Association game under the name of the St. Thomas Club, to compete as a thirdclass club Thev were not too successful last season, but this year their first and second fifteens have plaved so well that the Third and Fourth-class. Championships apDear to be theirs In each of these grades, the club's teams havo only two matches to plav, and, unless something unexpected happens, thev should win both. The Southern Club is a Newtown institution, and is an offshoot of the St. Thomas's Gymnasium and Youna: Men's Class among whom the Rev Otho Fitzgerald has done much good work.