FOOTBALL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8832, 7 June 1907, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

The Professional TeamPress Associaticn. Auckland, June 6. Mr David Gallaher, o£ Auckland, a member of the committee which selected the Now Zealand team for Australia, arrived from Christchurch tc-day. Prom ■what ho has heard in the South, Mr Gallaher is of opinion that the professional tour will fall through. “ They may bo able to get good forwards ” ho said, “ but I do not think they can get good hacks. As for the ‘ All Blacks,* they may get one or two (not selected for Australia) but I do not think they will get others. The general opinion in the South is that tho tour is ' off,’ though the promoters may proceed with tho men whom they can get ” It was tho belief in the South, lie said, that the movement was being mainly organised in Auckland, colour being lent to this by the twelve Aucklanders refusing to sign the team for Australia chosen on Monday n.ght, but it is impossible to publish it, the reason being that all players before being included are required to sign another declaration. Mr Gallaher brought copies of this undertaking with him aid all the players selected whom ho has seen have signed it. Until all have been seen not only in Auckland but also in tho South, the team cannot be announced, the selectors having chosen several alternatives in view of possibility of some of those selected refusing to sign. When all willing to do so have signed tho names will bo telegraphed to "Wellington, and from there the team will he announced to-morrow.

The New Zealand TeamPress Association. Wellington, Juno 6. The following team represents New Zealand on tho Australian tour:—Pullback, G. Spencer (Wellington); threequarters, "Wallace and Mitchinson (Wellington), Dive (Taranaki), Fryer (Canterbury); five-eighths, Hunter and Mynott (Taranaki), Eckhold (Otago); halves, Roberts (Wellington), Coleman (Taranaki), wing-forward, Gillctt (Auckland); forwards, front rank, Casey (Otago), Tyler (Auckland), locks, Cunningham (Auckland), Paton (Otago), side and back, O’Sullivan (Taranaki), McDonald and Johnston (Otago', Seeling and Francis (Auckland), Hogan (Wanganui), J. Spencer (Wellington).

Press Association —Copyright. Sydney, June 7. The Telegraph says that the selection of such a powerful team for Australia should effectually settle the question of tho strength of tho New Zealand professional team to visit England. The team gives tho impression that it is tho one tho selectors would have chosen if the whole of tho front rank players were available, aud it will be interesting to see where a professional team of equal strength can come from.