Page:Football, the Rugby game.djvu/30

20 good tackler and a good kick, we should certainly recommend him to take the good tackler—a bad tackler will never become a good one, playing at full-back; whereas the worst kick in the world can learn to punt respectably, and punting is an art which is not studied nearly as much as it should be by backs—it is easy to learn, and is much safer in wet weather than drop-kicking. If a team possesses a back who is both a good tackler and a good kick, they start every game with a feeling of confidence which of itself goes a long way towards victory; it is for this reason that we have tried to show that the importance of the post can hardly be over-estimated.

 

next to the three-quarter-backs, the captain has to settle how many of them he means to play. Since the introduction of the open passing game the orthodox number has been three; but Cardiff and a few other clubs have played four with such success as to make it an open question whether the odd man is of more use as a ninth forward or as a fourth three-quarter. Before coming to a decision on this knotty question, the captain must duly consider the pros and cons of the case; in all ordinary cases three three-quarters ought to be able to defend their line; it is therefore to strengthen the attack rather than the defence that a fourth is played, consequently he must be given plenty to do if his place is to be justified. Now, in a great many teams in many even of the first rank even