The Complete Rugby Footballer. By D. Gallaher and W G.
Stead. (Methuen and Co. 10s. 6d. net.)—" It is our object," say the authors of this book in the opening lines of their first chapter, "to show to what point of development we have brought the playing of the game of Rugby football in New Zealand, and to indicate what are our principles and practice and the details of our system." Our readers will remember what a triumphant progress the New Zealand team made last season. They played thirty-two matches and were beaten once only, and this at the end of the tour, when they were somewhat stale. To see the full significance of this record we have to go back to the past. A British team went out to New Zealand in 1888, and out of nineteen matches won thirteen, lost two, and drew four. Another team went out in 1904 and won two, losing two, and drawing one. The average weight of the " backs " of the team was almost exactly twelve stone ; that of the forwards thirteen stone five, a very high figure indeed. The matches are described, and there is, of course, much technical detail concerning the tactics of the game, training, Fsc. There are photographic illustrations.
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