Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Monday 12 June 1899, page 6


RUGBY FOOTBALLERS.

THE ENGLISH TEAM.

By the R.M.S. Oceana, which arrived at noon on Sunday, the English team of Rugby footballers organised by the Rev. M. Mullineux-were passengers. They were

met on board of the steamer directly after she had anchored by the chairman of the South Australian Football Association (Mr. J. R. Anderson), the secretary (Mr. D. T. Lawes),.and executive officers of that body, and by Mr. W. A. Rand, the hon. secretary of the New South Wales Football Union, who is financing the team. They landed, with Mr. Rand and the South Australian football officials, in a special launch, which was placed at their disposal by Mr. M. J. Conlon, the genial Tide Surveyor of Customs, and took the 1.31 p.m. train from Largs to tbe city. Their intention is to go overland by to-day's express train. The majority of the team are fine strapping fellows and their average weight is nearly 12 stone. During the voyage they enjoyed fairly good health. Physical training was not ne-glected, the team deriving exercise by means of dumb-bells, Indian clubs, skip-ping-ropes, and home trainers, &c. A stranger would not take the Rev. Mr. Mul-lineux to be a clerk in holy orders, he having such slight resemblance to the average clergyman. He is a young man, short of stature, and has a first-class know-ledge of Rugby football. In conversation with an "Advertiser'' representative on board of the vessel he stated that he is the captain of tbe team he has brought to Australia and that his position in the field is half-back. "The team, which con-sists of 21 players, is a very good one and is fairly representative, he remarked, "although, perhaps, it is not the best team which might have been got together. Hussey and, failing him, Cowper, two re-doubtable players, had been asked to come, but could not leave their business to do so. Bucher, who played with the Scotch International, was accepted to fill the vacancy which Cowper's absence created." Tbe names and positions of the rest of the team are given thus:—Backs—E. Mar-telli (Dublin Wanderers), an excellent drop, punt, and place-kick, who can play three-quarters as well as back; and C. E. K. Thompson (Lancashire), who is a good kick, can play three-quarter, and can also take his place in the forwards. Three-quarters—G. P. Doran (Dublin Wan-derers), most deadly tackier, played for the Irish team this season; A. B. Timms (Edinburgh University), played in Scotch trials and is an excellent centre or wing; E. G. Nicolls (Cardiff), plays for Wales, the greatest centre three-quarter since the days of A. J. Gould, and supposed by many to be better than Gould; E. T Nich-olson (Liverpool), very fast wing, has played for Lancashire. Halves— C. Adam-son, can play centre, three-quarter, or half; got his North of England cap last season; G. Cookson (Lancashire), got his North of England cap last season. Forwards— F. M. Stout (Gloucester), one of England's best forwards, always to the front: T. M. McGoun (late Cambridge University), good Irish forward, brilliant at times: J. W. Jarman (captain of the Bristol F.C.), splendid hardworking forward, played for England; G. R. Gibson, played for England, is a good worker; F. C. Belson, played for Somerset: A. Ayre-Smitb. played for Sur-rey; B. J. Swannell, got his East Midland cap, one of the best forwards in the Mid-lands; G. V. Evers, played for Moseley, capital forward; W. Judkins, played for Coventry, a good "scrimmager;" J. S. Franscomb, played for Lancashire, wants a lot of stopping when he gets "going;" H. G. Gray (Scotch Trials), a good forward of the Scotch type, learnt his foot-ball at Leys School, Cambridge. The colors of the English team are red-white-andblue hooped jerseys, blue stockings with red-and-white tops, blue serge knickerbockers, maroon caps, with kangaroo marked in fronts: blazers dark blue, with a design emblematic of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Public interest in football was exceed-ingly keen in tbe United Kingdom, and Mr. Mullineux stated that crowds of 40,000 to see an hour and a quarter's play were of frequent occurrence. From a spec-tator's point of view, there was greater interest in football than in cricket. There had recently been a split in connection with Rugby football in England. Several of the big working men's clubs had se-ceded from the English Rugby Union and had formed what now was known as the Northern Union. There was a slight dif-ference in the play of the two unions. Many of the Northern Union players were paid, so that within a short time it was anticipated that amateur football would be confined to the Universities and a few other clubs. The team do not anticipate playing in South Australia, there being a marked difference in the character of Rugby and football as played under the rules of the South Australian Football Association. Mr. Mullineux could say little as to the programme of matches which his team will play. He was enlightened by Mr. Rand, who said the team would play Goulburn at Goulburn on June 14; New South Wales, at Sydney, on June 17; Sydney, at Sydney, on June 20; Australia (players chosen from New South Wales and Queensland), at Sydney, on June 24. The team then go north and play Toowoomba, Queensland, on June 28. On July 1 they play Queens-land, at Brisbane: July 8, Rockhampton; July 12, Mount Morgan; July 15, Rock-hampton a second time; July 20. Mary-borough: July 25, Armidale: July 27, New-castle; July 29, New South Wales, at Syd-ney; and August 1, Sydney, at Sydney. Efforts will be made to arrange a match against Australasia for August 5. On August 9 the team play Bathurst, and on August 13 the final test match against Aus-tralia.

(From our Special Correspondent.) London, Slay 12, 1699. The Rev. M. Mullineaux's "Anglo-Aus-tralian Rugby Football Team" left London on Wednesday morning to catch the P.& O. steamer Oceana at Marseilles. As your readers know, Mr. Mullineux has had no end of difficulty in arranging the tour, and at one time, indeed, he decided to give it up as a bad job. On second thoughts, however, he continued his efforts, and at length had the satisfaction of being able to book berths for one-and-twenty players, who, with ordinary luck in the matter of health, ought to do the old country credit. The team is as follows, those marked with an asterisk being the happy possessors of the international cap:— Back—E. Martelli (Dublin Wanderers). Three-quarter backs—*A. M. Bucher (Scotland), A. B. Timms (Scottish Trials), *E. Gwyn Nicholls (Cardiff), *G. P. Doram (Ireland), E. T. Nicholson (Cheshire). Half-backs—M. Mullineaux (Kent), C. Adamson (North of England), G. Cookson (North of England). Forwards—*G. R. Gibson (Northumber-land), J. W. Jarman (Gloucestershire). J. S Francomb (Lancashire), G. E. Evers (Moseley), F. C. Belson (Somerset), B. I. Swannell (East Midlands), A. Ayre-Smith (Surrey). W. Judkins (Coventry), *T .W. M McGown (Ireland), *F. M. Stout (Gloucestershire), H. G. Gray (Scottish Trials), C. E. K. Thompson (Lancashire). In order to give the voyagers a good send-off it had been arranged to have a small farewell gathering at the Golden Cross Hotel, where on Wednesday morn-ing, at the invitation of Mr. G. W. Mc-Arthur, a number of prominent Rugby Union officials and others were present to wish them good luck. Mr. McArthur opened proceedings by propos-ing the toast of the "Rugby Football Union."' Mr. Rowland Hill, in reply, wished the team every success, stating that, though not under their direct control, the visit had their cordial approval. In order to admit of it being carried through, they had declined for the present the trip to the South African colonies. They felt that much good would be done to the game in the Australian colonies, as had been done by tbe trips to the Cape, where- in our players had worthily upheld the best traditions of British sport, and shown the style in which the game ought to be played. He trusted that the present team would follow on the same lines. He was sure if they did so they would every-where be accorded a most hearty reception. The Rev. M. Mullineaux echoed the senti-ments expressed by Mr. Hill, and then a move was made to tbe railway terminus. A saloon had boen secured, and round it were quite a host of football celebrities. Almost before one was aware, time was up, the train was on the move, and, amid the hearty cheers of their friends, the foot-ballers commenced their lone journey. The colors of the team are red-white-and-blue hooped jerseys, blue stockings, with redand-white tops. Blue serge knickers, and maroon caps, with a kangaroo in front. No detailed programme has been issued, but the fixture-list will include two matches with New South Wales at Sydney, a match with Queensland at Brisbane, fix-tures with Queensland and New South Wales combined at both Sydney and Bris-bane, two contests with combined Austral-asia at Sydney, and at least one engage-ment with New Zealand.