FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 66

FOOTBALL.

NOTES BY FULL BACK. . Three players — R. Gibbs, Ralph Thomas, Jtnd J. Li. William6-r-"whose names have been cabled out as joining the British team for "New Zealand, are among the very best in Wales. . Williams and Gibbs have &1- j ready won their international cape, ' and the other is said to be in the running for Jhe honour in the contests which *are to take place this month and 1 next between "England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.' -Their usual position is in the_three-qu*rter ;line, although Gibbs has figured as a half in an international, match. An English critic says "Gibbs is a strong, resourceful, versatile player," while another is responsible for the^ following:— "Gibbs is such a fine all-round player he may be chosen as a five-eighth, with djecretionary powers to do a bit of packing' if the necessity detnands the strengthening of the scrummage." J. ~ "L. Williams is a favourite ' with the masses, who admire a epeedy' man who runs straight -towards his objective ' point. He is a left wing three-quarters. Gibbs and Thomas are centres. ; > „ : t • - During a Rugby match in England Harry TTotterdelV one"of- *ouch-judgesj. dropped fiiead' -while running back^to iis place "oft «he~ touch-line sifter seeing goal 'kicked l>y the home team. ' -' He was 24 years of ■ge. . At Tyldesley, on the same afternoon, ' John lice,-.a k collier, aged -21, at Atherton>, dropped 'dead on the field, apparently from " heart failure. -. - . 3/he Scottish Rugby Union does not support the proposed tour of British footballer* " in New Zealand, as it is likely to in-* directly strengthen- the professional movenaent. 1 The only inference' from this is that the Rugby Union of- Scotland has no elevated idea of 4he,/ sportsmanship of New "Zealand Rugby Unionists. It would appear that, the- feeling of antagonism from ~ Scot* tenors r ßug[by Union • the .New Zealanders 'report having encountered' off the field in i Scotland . has not yet died out. "" _ '.«• . ~ j y It ie reported in Wellington that a syndicate, boasting plenty of capital/ is prepared Ito come -forward with a. "sum of £20,000, Uf necessary," for the purpose of gystemati'oally exploiting the game, as played under '/the professional code,- in the Dominion.. It Ss proposed to make special 'efforts in the professional missionismg "■ movement in 'Auckland and Wellington, though the othe. metropolitan "centres will riot be overlooked. Under the heading, "A Welsh Rugby, Sensation," 'the.'-' London* - Sporting -jLife, publishes- the following paragraph froin' its Cardiff correspondent :- i -Quite' a. sensation fits " been - created , in --Welsh '^Rugby circles fcy':the *aiinouiicement7'th'at rthe Northern, jUnioii game .has ' obtained a -in, • Cardiff, that R. J. David, the brilliant "Cardi3Land,TWelsh-?ntem"a.tional half back }< 3b««;depa.'rte^{or "Wigan, -' The .exact .terms^ ifor * which" David- has joined tb« . Lanca- , Hhire club are £200 'down, £2 ios> jtor -a^ .tvin, £2 fis for a dt&ir, > a.nd-£?' tor- a, loss. %n. addition, -will, -jaroyide. David [*rlth work worth. 'fiP a, week. His loss will Jbe a, great one^bptnjto' Cardiff »-an.d.\Walea.; -•It -is also announced "from a reliable source tit a Northern ' Upion . "team has - been rmed in Cardiff, and " that negotiations ye been well advanced for "a match beech the New Zealanders and the.Ca-rdiff-ub in the early part of • the New Year-" lIA. suitable ground -has been taken on what '.will best be known as Watson's old timberirard. Not only this, but arrangements, f re> being made with several: Northern Union, teams to play at, Cardiff, and thus'introduce the Northern Union game into the, Welsh metropolis: ; The Northern Union Executive has great confidence fEat onoe X, start is made there, will be ho difficulty in getting the leading Welsh playere to join the club. '» The death of Mr John H. Hammond occurred suddenly, in London in Novenv fcer. He vfas one of the most esteemed md best-liked personalitiea in. London Kugby, a fine, player, and c most enerpetic taiember of the committee of tiie union t (representing 'the .central district, ', which (inoludes the colonies. --He made his mark "tearly at Cambridge, and appeared for his sUniversity against Oxford in 1881. He twice .visited South "Africa^ playing 1 •• in «very mya-tcH of the British tour of - 1891, Wnd in 1905. acted as manager of the team Jthat Mark Morrison captained. Hfl had lgr©at laith in the development 0/ *tne )game at the Cape., and was muchm*flrested in" the-hrifliant snooet* u<r jraul Mttoos's side last season...- Ijo.» untimely end • be widely mourned by 'a large .circle , )»f friends. , .',<■, -,ti r • The Rugby Uniopa.of England, Wales, cables the Referee London. have -decided io invite thefc New South Wales. Rugby- Union to send > team Home next season. 'The visit of the New South Wales teanr to jEngland. " Jaß been regarded as certain since last ■ ..winter. The Scottish Union is t not men--Ji^ned as having joined i» the invitation. But that union received the New /lealandert very coldly, and has since thrown cold wate^ on the projected team to visit "New Zealand on the ground that it would tend to' encourage professionalism in^ New Zealand! The* Scottish Rugby Union has taken up a very peculiar attitude^ in reBpect of New Zealand, yet went out of iits way to idolise and hold, up. the South Africans as^ patterns in sportsmanship. There appears to be a. good deal in Scotland's . attitude towards New Zealand Rugby, to .which sportsmen generally will . take exception (says Sydney Referee). But New Zealand defeated Scotland, and Souta 'Africa did not. ENGLAND v. WAIiES. , LONDON, January 19. In the football match under Rugby rulea Wales defeated England by 23 points to 18. j The game was level ■ and, exciting -though ■ 1 playecP in. a fog. " | AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY TEAM. PROPOSED VISIT TO AUSTRALIA. " AUCKLAND, January 19. ' Apropos of the^proposal'of the Manage- ' ment Committee of the Auckland Rugby .Union -to" include a senior team from the Auckland University in the district system ' of football, the secretary of the Auckland University College Football Glub writes: "It % is now practicaly settled that our club will play a "senior team under the auspices ' of the Auckland Rugby Union during the coming season. The feeling in football circles is one of satisfaction, for it is plain to all that football here needs some new element to add interest and to bring out fresh players. At present it looks aa if the

'Varsity will not disgrace itself, for a falHy. strong team should be seleoted from a hundred odd enthusiastio students. For some time communications _ have been received' from the Sydney "University inviting a New. Zealand University team -.over to Australia for the season 1908. The movement is - well on , jFoot," and has received .strong support from the colleges and uni- ; verities on this side. It has' been eugi gested that the team should leave Welling- } ton on July 8." j _