Athletics and football . eirown side, even then by clever manipulation they may let thestream rush past them without taking the ball with it. Wehave often seen a scrummage scatter past one of the Gurdonsor Thomson of Halifax, and lo, when it had gone by there wasthe old stager speeding away from them with the ball still infront of him. These, how^ever, are rare examples, and there is still plentyof unscientific scrummaging to be seen ; men who are not onthe ball keep their place in the hope of a sudden turn of the THE RUGBY UNION GAME 3Z7 scrummage giving them a brilliant opportunity, and many
Athletics and football . eirown side, even then by clever manipulation they may let thestream rush past them without taking the ball with it. Wehave often seen a scrummage scatter past one of the Gurdonsor Thomson of Halifax, and lo, when it had gone by there wasthe old stager speeding away from them with the ball still infront of him. These, how^ever, are rare examples, and there is still plentyof unscientific scrummaging to be seen ; men who are not onthe ball keep their place in the hope of a sudden turn of the THE RUGBY UNION GAME 3Z7 scrummage giving them a brilliant opportunity, and many arethe lazy players who, having come through the scrummagewithout the ball, betake their way to the back of the scrummageagain with considerable leisure. But there is many a goodscrummager who packs quickly, shoves the instant the ball isdown, and can steadily keep with the ball and never lose touchof it as the scrummage sways, and to those who play the rightgame there is plenty of skill as well as force in A loose scrummage. The heroes of these ??ielees often make Httle reputation with thepublic, and those alone who have played with them or againstthem know their merits. But some of these gentry there mustbe in any conquering team. For play in the open two kinds of skill are required,skill with the feet and with the hands. At present it is thenovelty of scientific hand-play which excites the most ap-plause, but with forwards it is doubtful whether clevernessin passing should not be considered only a supplementary 338 FOOTBALL excellence, and the true merit of a brilliant forward to lie infast following up, clever dribbling and rapid tackling. Indeed,we are old-fashioned enough (and fashions have quickly changedin Rugby football) to think that the forwards business is to letthe ball get upon the ground, and keep as close as he canbehind it. Before, therefore, we discuss the subject of scientificpassing—the favourite subject for. the football essay of the pre-se
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1894
