FOOTBALL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9089, 7 March 1908, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

NAMES OF BRITISH TEAM. Press Association—Copyright., Received March 6, 11.47 p.m. London, March 6. The football team to tour New Zealand will be as follows :—Backs: Dyke (Glamorgan) and Jackett (Cornwall); three-quarters, R. Gibbs and J. L. "Williams (Glamorganshire), Griffiths and Jones (Monmouthshire), McEvedy and Jones (Kent), Chapman (Durham), Vassall (Somersetshire); halves, Davey (Cornwall), “Laxon (Midlands), W. Morgan (Kent), G. Williams (Lancashire); forwards: Archer, Dibble, Down, and Kyle (Somersetshire), R. Green, E. Morgan, L. Thomas (Glamorgan), W. Oldham (Midlands), Ritson (Northumberland), Jackson (Cornwall), J. F. Williams and Harding (Middlesex), Wilson (Cumberland), and another. The team is considered to be fairly representative and will probably return via Australia and Canada. Received March 7, 8.55 a.m. PSg' London, March 6. T. Smith, Leicester, completes the football team. THE NUMBER OF TEST MATCHES. Per Press Association. Wellington, March 6. Discussing the proposal of the Otago Rugby Union that three test matches be played against the British team, Mr G. Dixon, chairman of the Executive Committee of the N. Z.R. U., states that the question of palying more than one test was considered when the itinerary was drawn up. The principal objection to playing more than one teA match was that valuable players, who could obtain leave from their employers to visit Wellington for one test match, might not be able to obtain the necessary leave for, say, three matches in three different centres. The absence of a player from his work on three occasions might seriously inconvenience employers, and it "also had to be remembered that no allowance was made to any player by the Union for loss of wages. He felt sure employers would readily allow extended leave for one match, in which event the team would be able to practice together in Wellington tor some days prior to the contest. He felt confident the executive’s decision was a proper one. MMiojwuwaMmwauM)