NOTES BY FULL BACK

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 63

NOTES BY FULL BACK

A Press Association telegram advises that at a recent meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union a loan of £500 was granted the Ota's 0 Hujfby Union. This ' loan :t: t might be mentioned, is to cover the expenses incurred in the improvements effected- at Oarisbrook. The Dunedin member of the New Zealand professional team now in England, who recently wrote advising that his share of the profits would be about £400, has exaggerated the figures, for the cable informs us that the profits per man are £150, including the J&l * week which, the members have beßn receiving during the tour. Signs are not wanting of the approach of the coming season, and general meetings of. clubs are thus early in the air- The Dunedin is the Erst club to hold ite annual meeting, set down for Monday, March 2. One of the professional "All Black? team, writing to a friend in Wellington, calculates that -when the team gets back to New Z.eal&nd he will be. £*50 in pocket aa a [ result of the tour. He significantly adds: There are few of the boys who ha-ve stuck close to the old adage, 'Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof,' consequently, their share will havg shrunk to rather «m«U, propor- ■ 'Via regard to the rumour that several of the Dominion's leading Rug-byites have, made up their minds not to play in matches Against the Britishers next season .unless reimbursed- for the- loss of time, I em ascured (says a Wellington writer) that the players in question will stick to this resolution, come what may. 'Phere ls , ***£ ev«\ such a lot. of 'backing and filling on tha part of footballers, as witness Basteville's experiences .before the "All. Black professionals got started on their journey, Siat I wouldn't be at all. surprised to see t&ere&l conspirator* in this- movement slink back into their holes immediately the N Z.R.U. shows the mailed fist. . The secretary of the English Rugby Union i» not yet in a position to mate P» w .io die names of the British team which wjjl leave England in April to tour New Zealand. The men selected are being communicated witk to say finally whether they can^definitely make the trip, and when *1 1 have replied, the fulL fist will be given out. It is very unfortunate that flcotand and Ire- , land Should have held aloof £ rrotm t the project, and no reason is given for their attartude. W*les, however, has eo^operated very willingly with the English Rugby Union, and a T number of good Welsh players are keen on making the trip. Among those who Shave, accepted invitations are Reggie Gifoba, Ralph Thomas, and J. L. Williams, tssn &ns&sr.&r& s So "rail out with the lift Bntnh team, of Newport, and the renowned J. P. Jones, of Pontypool. Tlie team, when <W»*«f L ia expected to (prove one of the strongest combinations tb.atjba.ve ever departed from th Thu« fer*eyery player who has been invited has accepted the J^lf ose of the Rugby team for New ' Zealand. "Nothing; could emphasise the difference between amateur and professional sport better than the treatment accorded bV the press (Wish) tc thevtwc -New W I land teame of Rngby footballers. The amateur team provided a topic for conver,BAfcion, and the interest in thexr doing* j never waned until the day that they took ship from Southampton to return once ■ more to "New Zealand. The professionals i are noticed in a. few lines, and the chief interest in their doings appears to be fte size of the gate. They are frankly here for money (says the Britiah Australasian), and no one attache* much importance to : their losing or winning * match. Posßibly the playing resulte of the o lub I games have not been all that the All ' Blacks " desire^ but no fault can. be found with the financial part of the visit, for, ! not including, the Salford gate, the gross receipts were, roughly speaking, £10,000 from the '2s matches ylayed. As -the [ Northern Union did not guarantee hall this amount for the whole programme qf 1 31 games, their guests have little to com- \ plain about. ■ ! There have been many rumours and speculations concerning the proposed visit of a Rugby Union team to New Zealand next spring, but they were set at rest by ! the official announcement fhat the English ! Rugby Union would aend out * "British" ' team as invited to do, and that Mr George fHarnet* will probably accompany the ■ tourists as manager. No official reference was made to the- attitude of the other national unions towards the trip, but we . (Athletic News) are in a, position- to «a.y that the rumours as to Scotland's hostility *re correct, and that no Scotsman will accompany the team, with the -Scottish Union's consent. In this attitude Ireland will probably concur, but it is <iyd.te> a misstatement to say that Wales will do likewise. As a matter of fact, the Welsh, authorities are heartily supporting the enterprise, and there will be a strong leaven of Welsh players in the team. The object of both the English and the Welsh unions it to fight professionalism in the colonies, '

and lack of support from Scotland, and ppssibly from Ireland too, is rather keenly felt. Up to the present time the names of about 70 players have been, handed in as candidates for the trip. "--