Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-17
RUGBY ENTERS
THE LIMELIGHT
SPORT SHOULD BE GIVEN FAIR
TRIAL
California and Pomona VIII Meet Sat
urday for Initial Contest at
English Game on Local
Field

|, Rugby football team to Los Angeles
this week a new gridiron era Is to be
opened. In past seasons Berkeley and
Stanford have journeyed south to meet
the strongest elevens of Southern Cali
fornia.
I A world of speculation preceded their
appearance upon the field. For years II
has been the wish of local football men
to win from the hardy sons of Stanford
and Berkeley, but thus far men of the
4 north have carried away scalps with
lmonotonous regularity.
| Not which has the strongest line, the
i fastest ends or best defense concerns
1 Angel city enthusiasts at the present
time. What is this Rugby game we
have heard so much about?
Long before any lines can be drawn
or opinions based as to team merits,
an understanding of the new football
tactics must be understood To nine
out of ten persons we'll versed in details
of the American game, Rugby will
necessarily appear as does the old sport
| to our fathers.
Berkeley comes to meet Pomona col
| lege. Speculation cannot be indulged in
as during former seasons, as neither
team has met with opponents capable
of making comparisons possible.
/ OI ReIleTdl DtbhGity Is sup
posed to have considerable of an edge
upon the Claremonters, and such should
be the situation. When Stanford and
Berkeley flew In the face of practically
| the entire college world of the United
States by adopting the new pastimet the
Cardinal and Gold prepared to place
Rugby upon the highest plane possible.
| The university authorities easily fore
saw that Rugby launched along lines
calculated to inspire enthusiasm meant
much for it's future welfare. To that
end capable coaches were secured to
aid the regular trainers and captains.
President Benjamin Ide Wheeler Of
Berkeley has been very persistent in
sending out Rugby literature, and
though but few academic institutions
have adopted the game, there is reason
to believe that the sport will become
more general as time goes on.
Should Be Given Fair Chance
Naturally, old-time football men who
fought and struggled under the former
system dislike to witness their game go
by the board. Whatever the outcome,
however, Rugby should be given fair
trial. Sport is sport, and If our English
friends can show us where they have
something better, they are on.
1t will be difficult at first for spectat-
ors to realize just what is entailed In
the various formations and executions
next Saturday, when Berkeley and Po-
mona line up at Fiesta park, but, pa
tience exercised may be repaid. One
thing will certainly be evident.
1t requires more of an athlete in the
true sense of the word to become a sue
cessful Rugby player than an American
gridiron adept. Scarcely moment ex-
lists but when gray matter can be used
to great advantage. Then again the
great Rugby players have always been
noted for complete control over their
bodies.
That dextrous twisting and gliding
which when occurring in the American
game usually results in sensational play
Is constantly required at Rugby.
Yale, Harvard and Princeton have
inscribed on their rolls of honor names
of great, powerful men, memory of
whose gridiron performances will live
forever. Yet these same men might
have been miserable failures at Rugby.
Strength and weight are assets which
are ever in demand, but lacking an ex-
treme agility and grace of movement
does not bring telling results at Rugby.
Straight line plunging from one end Of
the field to the other, as often occurs
during an American football game, does
not always require clean cut brain
work.
The best players have always been
capable of choosing holes and taking
other endless advantages, but this ac-
complishment is not imperative to ef-
fective work so far as advancing the
ball is concerned.
In Rugby it is different. A sluggish
aspirant does not stand much of an op-
portunity of making an English team.
So will it be in America should the
game become an institution.
To gain a thorough knowledge of the
game, actual experience and observa-
ton are of course a necessity, but the
following rules and terms may enlight-
en- to some extent.
Although we swear by the American
game, let us give this Rugby ample op-
portunity to exploit its virtues.
The captains of the respective sides
| shall toss for the choice of in-goa or
the kickoff Each side shall play an
| equal time from each in-goal, and
match shall be won by a majority Of
points; If no points be scored, or the
number Is equal, the match shall be
| drawn.
The following shall be the mode of
scoring:
Earning a try equals points.
| Kicking a goal following a try equals
points.
A goal from a mark or penalty kick
equals points.
A drop goal, except from a mark or
penalty kick equals points.
The game should be divided into
halves of 40 minutes each, exclusive of
time taken out.
In goal. Those portions of the grounds
Immediately at the sides of the field of
play between the touch lines produced
to the dead ball lines are called in goal
The goal lines are In goal.
Touch. Those portions of the grounds
Immediately at the sides of the field Of
play and between the goal lines If pro-
duced, are called touch. The touch lines
and all posts and flags marking these
lines, or the center or 25-yard lines, are
in touch.
Touch-in-goal. Those portions of the
| grounds Immediately at the four cor
ners of the field Of play. between the
| goal and touch lines IL respectively
produced, are called touch-in-goal. The
corner posts and flags are in touch-in-
goal
A drop kick is made by letting the
ball fall from the hands and kicking It
as II rises.
! ,,Io,. txt.t~ ts roodo -. 1.tot.i..- -