FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9156, 1 August 1908, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

ARRIVAL OK BRITISH TEAM IN SYDNEY.

CAPTAIN HANDING ON NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL.

BY TKLSGEAPH —PRESS AS EOCIATJ }N. Received July 31, 10.£5 p.m. SYDNEY, July 31. Thn British foothalleis arrived today. The Rugby, Union welcomed thi team. Mr Harding, the captain, irterviewed, said that the team h?d been royally treated throughout New Zealand, and given a really good time, but they were dodged with bad luck. He attributed the loss of several matches to ill-luck. Then, too, the iij>=ii sustained a remarkable num> ;• of injuries, limiting the selection particularly, as regards the test matches. In the.nrst and third test England were badly beaten, and undoubtedly outplayed and out-gener-alled. The New Zealanders were magnificent footballers.. He would like to dispel any impression that the Englishmen's casualties were due to roughness. The New Zealanders play a very willing game, but not rough. The idea that their roughness was responsible for the Britishers' injuries was certainly wrong.

A match will be played at Carterton this afternoon, between the Saturday Junior representatives and the Thursday Senior representatives. Another match that will be played at Carterton will be that between a combined Red Star and Masterton third class team and Dalefield. The local players will leave in a drag at 1 o'clock. ;'. , A very useful and instructive practice game was played by members of j the Masterton Association Club, at Lansdowne, on Thursday last, between teams captaineijl by Messrs Laurence and Robertson, respectively, resulting in a win for the latter's side by 7 goals to 5. A number of newcomers participated in the . game. The Club i have adopted the Wairarapa colours, green and black ihoops, and members are requested to at onco secure same from Mr W. L. Carrick, tailor, of * Queen street.