The San Francisco call., 1908-11-01
Games With Vancouver
Regarded as Practice
University Rugby Players, How
ever, Can NOT Learn Much
~. Mere From Canadians
By William Unnrack


the opinion that their team now visit
ing this city is the strongest that has
been sent here: Comparing this team
with other Vancouver teams, I do not
think there Is a very great difference.
IN some respects the team is stronger
in loose play, but otherwise the all
round combination and ability Of the
team IS no better than its predecessors
vancouver - played good Rugby
against California, and California
played better. Rugby in these games
than ever before during the reign of
king Rugby.
Both teams were very evenly
matched. and in Wednesdays game,
with q little more luck, either side
sheuid have won.
The university teams here look on
these games with the Vancouver union
more In the Tight Of practice contests
FOR. the. annual intercollegiate struggle.
The Vancouver team comes here
every year to educate the universities
in Rugby. On the other hand, Van
.5couyer' looks on the game from the
serious side, and comes here TO play to
win The Varsitjes, of course, also
want 10 win these games, but victory
to them does not mean so much as it
does. 10: the Vancouver team.
i think the time has arrived when
the Yancouvers have impaired all the
knowledge they possess to our var
sites The men here have been apt
scholars ana have absorbed nearly all
the points the maple leaf boys pos
sess
u now remains for the universities
TO get q more experienced team here
and that VIII be done early next year
The ustTalian team is. due here early
in j ebrnary,. and what the Vancouver
team can not teach our Rugby men
W. be taught. by the Australians.
Ihet- playing viii be a revelation to
the public here, and only those who
-RaTe seen first class Rugby teams in
action can appreciate what is in store
The large number Of accidents this
year. is really alarming. There have
been. more serious accidents (broken
bones3 :than in any other Rugby year.
There must be cause for this, as in
nrst class Rugby countries, where the
season IS much longer than here, and
more than a hundred teams. take part
Ia The competition, there are not one
quarter the number or broken bones
aRd bandaged heads that have occurred
IL this Vicinity in the last two months.
From close observation / put the
accidents down TO indiscriminate and
~ brutal kicking when player is on
. The ground kicking at a man on the
. ground is not football. but brutality,
= and ought TO be stopped. When a man
opponents should act like men and pull
the opponent of. not kick him of
: This kicking is the cause Of most OF
=: this years accidents, and / am sorry
70 say, II Is encouraged and even urged
by the rooters OF all teams playing
; IN this vicinity. ] make no exception
one set Of rooters is as bad as the
other-and- such ungentlemanly. un-
sportsmanlil1e epithets as Kick his
head on Put him out" and others
. In language not fit for print, are not
H Nnnn f.T
. who know how TO behave like gentle
men
realize that the rooters get excited
:1uring a game. but that is no reason
why they should lose their heads and
urge their man to do bodily harm to
.lis- opponent
The. wonderful improvement in form
shown by the California men in their
last three games is gratifying to their
admirers. For some time the men did
not seem able to get their stride" at
all but; now they are playing together
In splendid form, and the struggle for
= o4 ern.Jer II seems as II II would be
? the. greatest IN the history Of the two
3. uni -ersIties. Several of the freshmen
- are: sh0wing-lip WELL and they will be
bie bidders for the coveted honors OF
representing their varsity on the event
tift: day. The Old veterans were dis
: appointing Up TO a week ago, but now
Ihey are PLAYING; as if they had played
Rugby for years.
'.kt sstanfoTd: the team is in good form
and has swept everything before it this
year. The cardinals are playing splen-
did Rugby. and until last week the
: students were confident of walkover
~bz: their team;
From present appearances it looks
as II a. number Of the city schools will
take 10 Rugby next year. Around San
Jose and PalO Alto the schools are
= ~ by mad. the latest additions TO the
Rugby fold being Mountain View high
; and Palo Alto grammar.
Ihe high school Rugby championship
IS 10 be decided next Friday between
santa Clara and Palo Alto. Santa
yesterday, but the San Jose team re-
fused to play and the Rugby union
sgrdered the Palo Alto and Santa Clara
10 play on. Both teams met twice
each SO the fnal game is bound to be
a hard fought game. The amount OF
5. .Rugby knowledge the high school
teens show In their games is remark
able and most Of the contests have
been good exhiibitions Of Rugby.
The appointment Of George Jenkin-
son OF Vancouver TO referee the inter
collegiate game November IA has met
VITA approval in the Rugby world
a1ot his tnterpre tations last year were
:. excellent and unbiased
~ Several. persons have asked why an
outside referee was secured when there
were. competent men here The uni-
Nerstties did a wise thing to get an out
siaer rather than local man, and the
selection: did not cast reflections on To-
cal wielders Of the whistle.
The selection was made for the sake
of having an outsider, and not for
1ncompetencY Of the local men. as there
are several local men qualified Ia falre
charge Of the game.