FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 167, 6 July 1908, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

Earnest A'. Portus. an e\ Sydney University player, and now at Xew t'olleg", Oxford, contributes a letter to the last issue of the Referee on the dunger (if tin- spread of professionali-oi in Urili-hj Rugby. Portus holds out liftl-* letpe fur! Amateurism. Iu the course of'bU letter be makes the following reference In jlnXew Zealand team of 100.1: — w J Im' famous All Blacks came to Knghiml. after serine I hey conquered. Xever befon? was there such a tram, The public flocked to see them, tlrt;'gute-momM-rolled in. and the trip whs easily ;i financial success for the promoting Union. IV.it two years afterwards several of this splendid amateur team, which the Kurdish Rugby Union had introduced, and which, had gained Xew Zealand its linger rei>utation i» England, came back as members of a professional team to make money for themselves and the Xorthcrn Union. Naturally, tlien, the amateur British Rugby bodies were nn- ! noyed at being practically the means of ! introducing what proved a valuable asset j to Northern Unionism. And it is on this | account that tlie New South Wales , team oM!M»8 is really a last trial. The Scots and Trish Unions stood out of the project, after having their fingers burnt before what they call k< encouraging professionalism," but Kugland and Wales stuck to their guns, and would not eon demn Australia unheard and untried. But should any of the Illfls Xew South Wales combination be unable .to resist 1 the insidious whispers <;[ Xorrhern Unionism. I fancy it will Ik* a long time before another amateur Australasian Rugby side appears in the Old Country."

And the AH Blacks' visit iu BUKi (continued Portus) makes this project*! tour of the Xew Sonlh Wales still further a more delicate matter lo engineer. (J. may a* wel) say now that the South African tour of lias even further complicated matters in what manner you will see later on.) fSo where you will in Kngland in Rugby circles, and you will find the Xew Zealand team of WOo unpopular. Men whopluved against them, ami the proprietors of the hotel* where they stayed, have alt more of criticism than praise for the silver fern men of two years ago. Various reasons are advanced as the cause of this. People say it was their style of play, in which case the blame is on the English referees for allowing it. Others maintain that the team starting witli such phenomenal wins and achieving such wonderful record* began to get bigheaded off the field and on. And one. prominent Knglish International, with whom [ was discussing the question, remarked that he thought much of their bad reputation was due to jealoilsy. For myself. I am inclined in think the subsequent re-appearance of some of the All Black* professionals is responsible for the whole of the present feeling. I dare say that in Xew Zealand there is much to say on the other «ido of the question; but I only tell you what is my experience. and I write all this to show you in what n curious position the Xew South Wales team of I'HIS will bo. It will be a test io see if colonial Australian footballers are going to be popular and well-regarded by England or not.