Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1904, Page 20

Rugby Football.

At the time of writing there seems a probability that a meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union wall be held to protest against Gal nan's name not appearing amongst the fifty-three from which the team will be chosen to go Home next year. What the result of the meeting will be, I am not pi epared to say, but I cannot help remarking that if justice had been done Calnan's playing capabilities there would have been no need to call the meeting I have no hesitation in saying that, judged by hie last season's form, Calnan is one of the finest forwards in the colony. • • • I have been assured that no restrictions whatevei were placed on the Selection Committee — they were asked to select the fifty best players m the colony. That being so, I cannot congratulate the Committee, and can only say that they failed in carrying out thear duties in passing Calnan, by. I may say mote on this matter when the team is finally picked. • • * Writing on this subject brings another into mv mind. It has been- publicly stated — I knew it some time ago, but was given the information confidentially — that the New Zealand Union intends to pay the members of the team a guinea a week for out-of-pocket expenses while the tour lasts. I only menition tkifi to draw Mr. G. F. Campbell's special attention to it. to ask him if the deliberate breaking of the rules of the game bv the governing body of Rugbv football in the colony will tend to make the players more gentlemanly or keep the same purely an amateur Koort? I ask this question because of the remarks made by tihat gentleman at the complimentary dinner given to the Petone Football Club • • • New Zealand's fame is spreading. The following is the copy of a letter received by Mr. Wray Palhser m the first instance, and forwarded by that gentleman to Mr. Norms, hon. secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Union —"School House, Tonbridge.— Sir,— l hope you'll excuse my bothering you, but, seeing that you are New Zealand's representative for Rugby football, I write to ask if you will kindly tell me if there is any handbook on Rugby football as played) in New Zealand. I want particularly the packing of forwards and style of their game, with the particular play of backs, especially five-eighths. I am, yours faithfully. R. L. Aston " Mr. Norns forwarded a copy of the "Art of Rugby Football," from the pen of the late Mr. T. R. Ellison. The New Zealand game is splendidly desonbed in that publication, and should satisfy the schoolmaster's desires.