SPORTING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8459, 8 June 1907, Page 6

SPORTING.

FOOTBALL.

THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 7. In regard to the football team for Australia, Eckhold and Patton are Lie only two with whom Aucklanders' are not familiar. The most notable Auckland absentees are Geo. Smith and G. Nicholson. The Auckland three-quarter has been playing right at the top of his form this season and the his non-inclusion comes as a big surprise to followers of the game in this city. Probably the reason for the dropping of Smith and Nicholson was that their work did not come under the eye of the selectors in the Inter-Island match. No exception can' be taken to any of the threequarters included. A matter for congratulation is that three of the four —Fryer, Mitchinson and Dive —are young players. Colman, who is picked as a reserve half-back, played on the wing against Auckland last year, b"t is regarded as equally as good at half-back, and can play in the three-quarter line. If necessary he will be available as wing should Gillett become incapacitated. The forwards are considered as good a lot as ever left the colony They are heavy, fast and clever all through, a fine set of scrummagers, quick to break up, and always on the ball. Local opinion is that it will be a good pack that outplays them. , PROFESSIONALISM CRITICISED. Reeeived]June 7, 11.26 p.m. SYDNrJiT. June 7. Professionalism in football was severely criticised at the reception given to the Queensland team at the Town Hali, to-night. Mr Calvert, President of the New South Wales Rugby Union, saw some danger of the taint of all taints as regards' football, the professional game, looming up. He hoped New South Wales and Queensland would resolutely set their faces against it. The moment professionalism entered anything, behind it came that abominable thing, the gambling spirit, and that was a spirit they wanted to keep out for the good of a manly game like football. The Attorney-General, Mr Wade, referring to the damage professionalism had caused in England, declared that higher aspects of the game were entirely lost. It came to be a matter of having in one pocket a large amount of money, and in the other a larger amount of blue metal. Mr Oaks, a member of the Assembly, said he was glad to see the first attempt to introduce professionalism in New Zeaalnd shut down on. Mr R. Teece said that it was gratifying that the first attempt of professionalism in New Zealand had met with such a formidable rebuff. Mr Lea, manager of the Queensland team, did not think that there was the slightest chance of professionalism getting a hold in Queensland, but there was always a danger of it creeping in. They were determined to watch and keep the game clean.

The senior matches, to-day, will be :—Masterton v. Red Star; Carterton v. Greytown. On Saturday next, June 15th, Carterton will play Gladstone, and Masterton will play Greytown.