COMBINATION. 33 



goal, what can be more absurd than (as we may 

 frequently see done) for No. 2 to slow up and shout 

 for No. I to come on past him and ride the Back? 

 That Is what a selfish, ignorant player often does ; but 

 it would be directly opposed to the interest of the 

 side ; for the only man who has a chance of catching 

 the opposing Back is No. 2, who throws it away. It 

 is evident that if No. 2 finds himself temporarily 

 in the place of No. i, he should act the part of No. i 

 until the circumstances of the game allow^ these tw^o 

 players to resume their ow^n proper places. This 

 remark applies to every other place in the game. Not 

 only should Nos. i and 2 be ready to interchange 

 when necessary, but Nos. 2 and 3 should also be 

 similarly prepared to act, and No. 3 must be ready 

 to instantly take the place of Back. 



A man need not be a brilliant player to play a 

 cool game, to be always ready to obey directions, 

 and to seize opportunities with intelligence. Be- 

 sides, an individually moderate side, which is well 

 captained and perfectly drilled, will, by superior 

 tactics, often beat four players who, man for man, 

 are far better than their opponents, but who do not 

 help each other. The remarks I have made about 

 interchanging places, apply only to teams of w^hich 

 the members are all up to a fairly good standard 

 of play. It may, however, happen that the Captain, 

 who is probably the Back, is the only fine player 

 of the side. Let us suppose that No. 3 is too 

 moderate to be trusted to hit a back-hander with 

 any degree of certainty ; that No. 2 is fair ; and 

 that No. I is a good man at riding ofT, but is of no 

 use on the ball. If they meet a stronger team with 



3 



