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Rh universities, and any other places where there is a large field to select from, this rule should be absolute, and we must trust to the pressure of public opinion as a guarantee against unfair selections. In many clubs he naturally has to take what men he can get and make the best of them; but wherever a choice is possible, the person who is responsible for the play should certainly have the selection of the players in his own hand, and this fact should be borne in mind by the men when they are selecting their captain for the season. It lies with them to elect the best man and give him full power, and not to elect an inferior man on side issues, and to think they can make matters straight by limiting his power. The natural result of such a course is that amateur captains spring up in the team who think they know more about it than the nominal captain—all sense of discipline is lost, and the inevitable fate of the house divided against itself overtakes them.

Granted, then, that the captain's power is practically absolute, after deciding on what is to be the dominant style of his team, he must see that they are able to adapt their style to any emergencies that arise owing to variations in the weather, or the strength and style of teams opposed to him. If, for instance, he has adopted the long-passing game he will probably find it useless in wet weather, and must make his men dribble instead. If he is playing four three-quarters and finds that his eight forwards are swamped by the opposing nine, he must make his extra three-quarter go forward. If, when playing against a strong wind, he finds his backs unable to check the attack of his opponents, he may sometimes be justified in playing an extra man behind for the time, provided that the forwards can spare the man; or, if his team are accustomed to play an offensive game, he may have to make them adopt defensive tactics, such as