The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-11-01

opposition from scoring. That has
ing of the great majority of games
varsity.
i The idea IS wrong and the wor
demonstrated shat the only wax to
play Rugby iss to let the other fell
low try end open up the game. and
then your own team win get the same
chance. ana under these conditions II
Is a situation where attack proves 70
be the best defense. !
The play Of the California team last
Saturday against New Zealand in the
frst half amply demonstrated that the
blue and gold does know how 10 pay
the open game. The California back
field men when they did get the Dai,
showed wonderful ability to carry and
advance the oval through the New
Zealand defense.
STRONG IN BACK FIELD
1t was a great piece of work that
California pur up for those few min
utes and if the blue and gold shows
the same passing ability and keeps
up the good work for more than the
few minutes spasm that held sway last
Saturday, the Stanford team is going
10 be hard pressed to stem the tide
of attack that will be hurled on their
line.
stanford, like California, has shown
splendid back field work and the early
season games were something that
proved worth while from the bleach
ers' point of view. Today the students
at Stanford are OF the opinion that
their back field is the fastest and bet
ter attacking side of the two
- q {
play and studied their methods, the
work of the Stanford men needs some
Improvement If Stanfords back field
can get into the stride it hit in the
eearly games when Danny Carroll was
Playing five-eighths with Austin, then
the adherents of the cardinal would
have a chance to uphold the reputa-
tion that the studies at present give il.
College prideTand patriotism al both
varsities is naturally SO great that
the average Student can not see. the
other fellows side of the argument
; until the game is over. This self
same pride. ETC. makes Stanford men
fail to see where the California back
field is better thar their own. and In
cidentally the same pride prevents
the California fellows from seeing
shat the Stanford back field stills has
L chance to cUme back.
PLAY "SM0THERING GAMEv
Stanford has a reputation of COM
Ing bacls strong in the last week of
practice and the whole student body
at the farm" is thoroughly con-
WINGED and satisfied that the men will
rise to the occasion and put up a game
that will bring victory to the cards.
Both teams play what the New Zea-
aanders call the "smothering game"
In other words the back field is not
given an opportunity TO get under way
and this naturally takes away from
the real Rugby side Of the game and
makes the game more of scramble.
with little science and less head work
If this method is adopted next Satur-
day the play win favor the heavier
California forwards.
The best exhibition of Rugby foot
bail that has. been played between
Stanford and California was the game
in 1909, when California won after =
long series of feverses That was an
open game and plainly showed Cali
fornia the advantage Of opening up
the play.
1t was old Billy Howe's master
mind that won that game. and his
methods were noticeable in the play
throughout. A few more games like
that 1908 affair, with both teams real
sizing that the open method is the
only one on which they can definitely
count to win. then Rugby will make
giant strides.
FAST WORK WILL COUNT
New Zealand players claim that
they have met the best hook ers on
the Stanford team. II the Stanford
front rankers can live up to the rep
utation given them by the New Zeal
Rnders in the game next Saturday,
the Stanford backs Will have an ideal
opportunity to get into action and
open up the game. With a good set
of hookers half the battle is won,
but there Is still the other half to
win Possession is nine points of
the law" and the saying holds good
with the securing of the ball in the
Ecrums
II Stanford is able to secure the
hail in the serum 1t will have the
first OF the necessary advantages for
opening up the play. Then it will be
UP to the halfback to feed his backs.
III the Stanford halfback can show
his ability to shoot the ball out to
the fves quickly and accurately, then
it will be up to the other back field
men to come through and play the
game that the Stanford students at
REtSGuL ElsE LAril u cut 1OI
REFEREES TOO LENIENT
The one thing that usually spoils
the game locally is the breaking of
the scrums too soon. California and
Stanford serum men are no excep-
ffon to this rule, and in every game
played the forwards are seldom on
side once the ball gets past the front
row men,
Local referees do not interpret the
rules strictly enough on this point,
and the consequence is that the game
naturally develops into q forward
scramble, with illegal interference of
the opposition back field and smoth-
ering of the passing is result
Referee Billy Hill is too wise q
bird to miss this sort OF stun. and
thereby hangs tale.
Evnnci+inn Tom lie