FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. SECBET OF ORIENTAL'S SUCCESS.

. (By Aeistobdlus.)

Orientals, arc greatly indebted to their forwards for their win over St. James last Saturday. The slippery state of the ground favoured a forward game, and ill ithis respect Orientals' luck was in, for their team had specially trained for such a contest, It appears that the Oriental 'forwards have for a little time been gradually coining to the opinion that if their ,ride was ever going to do anything startling the backs must not .bo allowed to jhavo all the play. So they put their 'heads together, appointed Cameron leader of the pack and practised scrumming and itrainea and trained and Unlike many other packs the Oriental. forwards vera no loriger content with a little indoor practice, bnt stole away as occasion offered to the Basin Reservo where, in their natural . element they ran and ■kicked and passed and dribbled to their heart's content and then were rewarded •with a good rub-down by willing admirers. The, secret why their play so much resembled that of Melrose of former years in its methods is out. Cameron has ;taught his colleagues how to screw tho jscrum and'how to get the, ball in the fsemm, how to work ,on the line, ami Inow lib is paying attention to other features of forward play.- And he has got some very promising players, in his .merry band. ' " Positions of Teams. As a result of tho latest series of championship matches the position of the va■rious teams is as follows: «.£> ■ . -i! ' '5 2 , - ;• ' • . 5 Si ■2 g"8 5 S .S I C 5 p"3 ft- (S (2 se. (Oriental ... 7 C — 1 81 22 13 'St. James ... 6 5 1 — 83 28 10 |Poneka 6 5 1- — ,57 !) 10 ' Petone 7 i 3 —103 do 8 Athletics ... G i 2 — 5-12!) 8 (Victoria CM. 7 3 1 — 50 61 0 jSonthern ... 7 2 -1; 1 28- 119 5 Old Boys ... G 2, ? — 39 44 i .Hutt ... ... 6 1 I 1 23 74 3 .Melrose .... G 14 1 21 G1 ' 3 Wellington ... G — 6 — 17 93 —

.Why St. Jarms Lost. . ; _As a result of last Saturday's match," ' »t. James have since done a lot of liard (thinking. That their only chance-was to ihavo opened up the gamo they know, jbut they found it a very much harder /thing to do. Orientals had the ■ ball fchiefly at their command, in and from . ''the scrums throughout the-game, especially in the-initial spell. So St. James (after a time tried'other means of getting Itheir backs going. For. instance, Bruce i went right to the end of the! line-outs, land on more than one occasion after maving taken the ball as clean as 'a v hvhistie he sent it emartly ont to his rearguard.' It wiia from one of his passes [from this position that the St. James jbacke on one- oocasion looked so danger!«ns, until, unfortunately, M'Gralh dropped a pass. In regard to the contest; a rfeature was the capital line-kicking of JKinvig for Orientals, and >■ Bradley for ;St James, both of whom, especially the former, shone brilliantly in this direction. • x '-, "The Play's the Thing."" ! Referring' to the fact.-that tho North- . 'ern Union matches in Sydney are attract- ; ling larger crowds than the Rugby Union igames, "Wanderer" writes in the "Syd- ,■ .' mey Mail":—Now, let us , look the thing - --straight in'the face. What is the'explanation? It has been frequently point- ' i-ed out £bat the game is not attractive enough. The young' members of the Union admit it. The old members, who have grown up with it, are against any , .(alterations in the game. The public • Shave seen the_ League which, it cannot be denied, is.the! most attractive ■i sport. It is at once the more spectacular, .and, after all,_ what more is required (from the public point of view? The fUnion is clineipg to the', parent body in 'England. ;Thero is a vast difference ■'between that country and this in the (conditions. In the Old Land-there is >a leisured class—a class that can play .-. (,tue game any day in the week,'and pay rtheir own.expenses. Here-it is. differjent. We have not got the/population in , |the first place. An allowance that would . .louly be a reasonable one here, would in '[England, and especially in Scotland and ' (Ireland, be' regarded as professionalism. '•' (.The local Union long ago. recognised that ?it was necessary to introduce new fea--'tures into its game, and set about doing |Bb.' Even when the International Board idoes agree to the proposals which hnyo ibeen sent to it for consideration, it will '.-■ ibe found that, after all, the game will not liave been made fast enough to suit the.pnblic. If the Union game is to hold lits.own in the estimation of the. people, measures will have to bo adopted to improvo it.'The majority of the-football public do iiot care a great deal whether men are paid for playing or not. "The " play's the thing," and< that, .is what con- "... cerns them. . " ■ .. Bravo, Southern! • ' . Southern, one of tho youngest _' clubs in the senior , 'competition, have evidently been fired with enthusiasm:by the success of tie St. James team, and they are vplaying up well just now.' Last week's . victory over Old Boys should give them heart, and set them seeking fresh laurels. -At present they appear to lack good scoring men, but if the members of tho fifteen cling together and aro willing to train consistently, they aro sure to show gradual improvement. Tho experience of the Oriental Club proves that it is ino .easy matter- for a club, to rise to tho • top of th© ladder in club football, but jpersoverance is sure.to brings its reward. . ' Old Boys Club have been drawing (very freely on the ranks of the retired (list'this season, and it'says a good deiil ,; jfor the loyalty of tho old members that Ethey have come forward when called on tand enabled tho club to send a full 'fifteen' into the fiehl each Saturday. 'Three weeks ago J. P. Blacklock filled a breach, and abTy supported his side. Tho week following E. Dodd took tho field, and last Saturday Thomson was playing. The list is by no means txhausted, as thtio is still C. P. Blacklock, •B. Jacobs, and a few more to draw upon. , W. T. Parata, the manager of the Maori team, is tho youngest son of Mr. T. Parata. M.P. for South Island Natives. He was educated at Te Auto College; represented Otago 'University in 1903, and Pirates (Dnnedin) in MOi-5; and was also captain of Otago and Southland Maori teams. A New Plymouth Idea. An independent scheme of insuring the players has been adopted by tho Clifton Club, New Plymouth. Beforo taking part in a match each senior pays to tho insurance fund a shilling, which covers h'm for the match. Should ho he injured during, tho play thoclub will pay him £V per week whilst incapacitated for ten weeks; but if ho fail to pay the shilling the club aro free from liability. The "premium" is sixpence per match in the case of junior players, and tho 'benefit is 10s. per week for ten weeks. !An Embarrassing Question. "Amateurism is a matter of taking the coin slyly from under tho table. Professionalism is a matter of taking it from on top without auy false shame, and within view of all. Which is -the ynore honest?" was.the very embarrassing question (to amateurs, anyhow) asked ty a speaker, at the reception of tho British League football team in Sydney recently. Question of Degree in Sentences. They like their football lively in Mel■bouroe, hence this story told in the local

press:—"l should think he'll be wiped out of life," remarked a football enthusiast, referring to n player charged with having been guilty of grossly foul play. "I hope- not," sententious!}- observed a hard-headed veteran,, who knows every point of the game and its government. "Why! lYou surely don't sympathise with such conduct," retorted tho first speaker. "No," rejoined the old stager, "I certainly don't, but I'd rather see him get three years, because they'd make him serve it; but \i they gave him 'life,' somebody would bo sure to .work the sympathetic sentimental dodge after he'd done twelve months, and get the reminder of his sentence remitted!" The two Northern Union matches in Sydney (says tho "Refcreo") have demonstrated that, apart from any improvement on the TKugby Union game, tho altered laws may or' may not gencrate, the reduction of the teams to 13 aside tends to enhance the spectacular sido of play. The manner in which tho ball is brought into play after being made "dead" 1 by a tacklo is far superior to the practice in the Rugby Uniou game, and which, by, the- way, is, as a rule, at variance with a good law—like many, other good ones honoured in the breach. This football, when ployed by clever teams, may not bo more exciting than Rugby Union; but it is more glittering to the average follower, who looks for passing bouts and brilliant individualism all through the game. At tho two matches about 65,000 people have attended, and paid,'roughly, je2900 gross. At Variance. A little bitterness was noticeable during the proceedings of tho Wellington Rugby Union meeting this week. When the Hutt incident was before the committee, a reflection was cast upon a delegate who had officially reported on tho facts, on the score of alleged exaggeration. Inasmuch as his statement of the case did not coincide with evidence tendered to the committee, and not contradicted by players who saw what , happened, there may have been room for divergence of opinions, but the personal element should have been kept out of the' discussion. , . .'lll. Acrimony entered into a prior debate, and one of the committeomen then urged that all club feelings' should, be suppressed by tho representatives sitting as a management committee of the union. Jlr. Sweeney was right when he. said that, of late, there has been too much "barrackihg" for certain clubs; ho pointed out. the need for the sinking of all club grievances in dealing with matters connected with tho control of the game. "Proceedings Becoming Farcical." . There was considerable difference nf opinion as to the punishment that should be meted out to J. Marshall (Molroso)

who admitted having struck C. Ryder (St. James) after a senior match at Lower Jlutt' recently. Marshall, appearing liefore the Magistrate's Court, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault 1 and was lined 20s. Coming before. lhe> coinmitteo this week, brought two players to testify iliat he had had provocation' before striking Ryder. The St. James player was also in attendance, and after hearing his statement of the case, tho committeo decided to make further inquiries. In regard to Marshall, numerous proposals were placed before tlic meeting. Sir,. O'Sullivan moved that he be severely cautioned seeing that he had been punished already by tho Court., but this was thrown, out, other members .asserting that. the committee had to deal with each case 011 its merits without reference to Court proceedings. The mere fact that tiie police had taken tho matter up, said one delegate, was sufficientto show that tho ease was somewhat-se-rious. Mr. Peters moved for the suspension of Marshall for three years, but .his proposal was' not! supported by any of the other delegates,-who-expressed tho opinion that this-was * altogether too severe. The-.committee rejected proposals of suspension for one week, two, three, four, five, and six weeks, and, when tho proceedings' were becoming farcical, and the chairman , urged that some-decision should be agreed to, Mr. Hardham suggested suspension until the close of the first round—which meant three Saturdays from to-day. This was agreed to. During the. discussion, reference was made to tho punishment inflicted upon Moffitt and Leahy, who were ordered off in the recent St'. Jaines-Poneko match, and who were suspended by the 'union for three playing Saturdays. . . .- The decision of the union regarding Marshall did not meet with the approval of Mr. P. Peters, and when the matter was disposed of, lie reached for his hat, and announced his intention 'if' withdrawing. Bcforo bidding tho. other delegates "good-night" lie said that, if Rugby was to bo controlled on the. lines now laid down by the committee, ho would feel much better out of it. ■ He then left the meeting. , Poneko and Peione. The forwards in both Ponoke and Petone teams played sterling games in tiie match last week, but the backs ■ sadly lacked anything approaching combination. On two occasions pnsaing bouts were attempted by Poneke, but im both instances the' backs receiving the pass were stationary, and the movement was smartly checked. Walshe itas not in tho best of farm,'and did not do himself or his side justice. He was inclined to hold 011 too long. Tilyard and Slater were both valuable assets for Poneke,. the former especially doing eonie clever work. : Hunter was tlio city team's best forward, and was responsible for. many of tho dribbling rushes, which are so seldom seen 011 the football field nowadays. Denmchy Brothers and Caleaimi wore a good trio, and were conspicuous in following up......... Dent, Pet one, was tlio best forward on the ground, and must catch tho eye of the seleotoTS if he continues as a't\ present. .To Hard-ham and Price (the wingers) is duo the credit of harassing Poneke's half-back „in a determined manner, and repeatedly, saving their side. Petone's marked weakness was tho halfback, who, contrary to expectations, was not nippy, enough. Although his forwards v'ero beaten in the scriinmago for the ball in nineic'ases out of ten, still no headway was made 011 tlio fow occasions tho oral caino his side; v M'Kenzie's defence tactics wero excellent, and he saved' the forwards many a fruitless run. Strickland, a promoted junior, was weak in defence, but assisted in attack, showing a fine turn of speed. Corsan, unlike his 'vis-a-vis, was not up to standard.. Nevertheless, he extricated 1 his side on one or two occasions. A Painful Display. The ' Hutt-Wellington ' fixture was a painful display of senior Rugby, and the only comment necessary is that a badly trained team defeated a ' still worse trained team. Tannahill seemed to be the only man playing seriously.