FOOTBALL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12635, 24 October 1905, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

OUR BOYS AT HOME

PRESS OPINIONS OF THE

PLAYERS

United Press Association—Copyright

Received October 23, 11.8 p.m. SYDNEY, October 23. To-day's English mail brings the Press comments on tho first two football marches.

Of the Devon match—

Tho "Daily Mail" says: "The New Zealanders' dash and fire reminded one of tho best Irish teams, while their in-and-ou't passing and backing up was in the best Welsh style." The "Daily Express" says: "Apart from the wing forward, there is little or nothing in the play of New Zealand to which the purist could take exception. The forwards packed like the Welshmen, and in the loose and lineout were quite up to the Irish standard. Their dash was immense, and in only one respect were they at all disappointing—they broke up rather slowly, and their tackling was none too sure."

The "Daily Chronicle" says: "Devon —to put the matter mildly—completely lost their heads and hearts. They displayed neither pluck nor resource. In popular language, they simply lay down and let the New Zealanders walk over them." Commenting on the wingforward, the writer says: "He is such an irritating person, and plays such a decidedly unlawful game from our point of view, that his prudence in wearing shin guards may be commended. The winger showed a fine scorn of certain sections of rule 11, and if he had met hia deserts he would be penalised into ineffectiveness. For the rest, the New Zealandcra are a splendid side. The forwards have robust, dashing methods, in the loose, and pack splendidly. The backs are all fast and clever. A pleasing feature is the strong individuality of tho backs in running." Referring to the Cornwall match, tho "Mail" says: "Their success is due to tactics as intelligent as they are original, and are superior in every way to anything witnessed in English football. Backed up as they are by running, passing, and kicking of the highest class, it is indeed difficult to say what British team will check their victorious career. As a factor in the attacking abilities of the team, the wing forward ;s of undoubted value, if only for the fact that he is an extra man outside the scrum. To this and the admirable 'wedge formation,' in a large measure their success was due."