Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 24 June 1899, page 5


THE ENGLISH FOOTBALLERS.

ENGLAND v. AUSTRALIA.

For the first time on record the Rugby football

strength of Australia will be pitted to-day against a the representative! of the United Kingdom. We

have had an English football team in Australia be-fore, but that combination, although carrying out an extraordinary programme of engagements, did not meet the united colonies. Therefore the match to commence this afternoon at 3 o'clock on the Sydney Cricket Ground marks a now era in the world's Rugby football, and it is a coincidence that, while this match will be taking place this side of the

globe, the leaders of English cricket may possibly be occupied in thinking out the best eleven to hope to meet with success in the third match against our cricketing boys The present English team, or as they should be called the United Kingdom fifteen

for England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales are re-presented therein- are not the best combination that ,

the four countries could muster, but it is not far re-moved from it. With one or two alterations, it is probably the best that could be got together for

touring purposes Unfortunately the scope of selec- ,

tion of the team to represent Australia in this match does not extend beyond Queensland and New South

Wales, for the reason that in the adjoining colonies a < different game, the Australian, or as it was formerly called the Victorian, is played; and also because New Zealand has not been invited to send representatives for this engagement, though she may do so for the

England v Australia matches later in the sea-son; that, however, is a matter that will depend upon arrangements being madu that will admit of

the Englishmen including New Zealand in their tour, < which has not yet been definitely decided. However, the 15 to do battle on behalf of Australia is a strong one. Pauling (N.S.W ), one of our foremost for-

wards, is unfortunately unable to play, because of an injury sustained in the match New South Wales v Queensland, and for a simi-lar reason Lewis, of Queensland, is not available

Both teams havo gone m for ejatsmntic training, ' and given n line liny and a dry ground, a brilliant exhibition of "Rugby " should hu witnessod The matches so far played hy tbo Britishers with the

results aro -

June 14 -Against Goulburn , won by 11 points i | to J

.Timo 17.-Against N.S.W". ; won by 4 points to a. Juno 20.-AgniiiBt Sydney ; won by 8 points to ii.

In thu engagement against N.S.W. they exhibited lack of condition ; in the second, that with the Sydney Union, thoir form showed au improvoniont ; and, though they cannot yet bo considered to bo in the pink of condition, they should be much nearer tlieroto thun on the two former occasions. The faster tho gunie the moro exciting; it is as ,i rule, and that is the character of play which the public delights to witness. With the continutuico of tho One woathor that has prevailed during tho past few (lays, it Is likely that tlie taste of tho spectators will bo prntinod. Tho Australian team consists of six Queenslander» nilli nina New South Wales playera. The combination of tho local threa-quartora lias boon preserved, mid nu improvement in M*Coivan aa full-back has certainly been secured, that is if ho is in anything like his form of last year, and his com-rades say that he waa br-foro meeting with a strain two or three weeks a¡ro. Waid will havo 13vau3 (CJ.) working with liiui us iivo-uiglit, und G nilton (Ci.j will be soi'um half. The forwards aru a splen-did lot. Instead of playing five eights tho Britishers have four tbrea-qunrtui s and two scrum halves, and their work in connection therewith will be closuly watched with a view of discovering if their ayxlcni bo moro productive thun our own. If New Zealand bo not represented in to-iltvy'a 15, that colony, at any rate, assista very largely at tho ceremony, though in tho capacity of hollier of tho soulos of justice rather than as a pnrtiaan, for Mr. W. G. Garrard, of the Canterbury iNow Zealand) Bofurce»' Association, will sIHciato a9 roforoe.

The following are the names of the teams and the plan of the field : -

AUSTRALIA.. v R. M'Cowan,

Back.

<Y. White, F. Row, S. A. Spragg, Three-quarters W. T. Evans, P. Ward, Five-eights. A. Gralton Half.

A. J. Kelly, C. Ellis, A. Colton, P. Carew, H. Marks, W. Davis,

W. H. Tanner, J. Carson, Forwards.

0

Forwards :

F. M. Stout, T. W. M'Gown, J. W. Jarman,

H. G. S. Gray, J. Francomb,

A. Ayre-Smith, H. C. Belson, G. R. Gibson, Halves : C. Adamson, M, Mullineux, Three-quarters A. B. Timms, E. T. Nicholson, E Nicholls, G. Doran, Back : C. E. K. Thompson.

ENGLAND.

We have been requested to state that the official souvenir card of the English team, as sold by the sellers wearing the Bookstall Company's Badge at the cricket ground, is the only one authorised by the

N.S.W.R.F.U.

The cully match will bo between Haudwiclc and Wallaroo, und will commence at 1.45 p.m. The League of Wheelmen will decide tho heats of a milo handicap at 2.45, and tho lina! at 3.&Ü.

Special trams will run direct to the grouud from Bent-street null tho Builway Station. We aro re-quested to state that members must produce their

tickets.