Such a result came like a “ bolt from the blue ” to most people, and now they are asking the cause of such a surprising result. It is true that there were people, old experienced players amongst them, who felt doubtful of the result when the team was chosen. Ap parently the system upon which the Selection Committee of the New Zealand Union act is that as many unions as pos sible must be represented in the team, and in this way the combination and strength of the team are affected by the inclusion of men from smaller unions who are no doubt sent off to the inspiriting strains of the town brass band, and a promise of a banquet when they come back. Some of the unions are thus sweetened, and tried and true players are excluded from the team. Why these sops—for really we cannot find any other reason except fatuous incompetoncy on the part of the selectors —are thrown out by the New Zealand Union we cannot understand. The Union is a power in the football land. It has done a great deal of good, and it can do a great deal more, despite the pigheaded opposition of a few fossils in the South. But the Union should take warning. It is really endangering its existence by the continuance of this system of selection. New Zealanders have as much right to feel proud of their prowess cn the football field as Englishmen have of their skill in the cricket field, and other people of thoir national games, and twice now has the credit of the football of the Colony suffered because the best men have not been chosen to represent it. When the team which sustained defeat on Saturday was chosen, judges of the game were astounded to find such a player as Gage left out. Gage is one of the greatest players New Zealand has ever produced, and yet he is not included in the team, even after his fine performance for the North Island team when his play was compared with that of the English cracks. Is there any sense in that? There are many other men who should have been included, but none was so much missed as Gage. 