FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 888, 6 August 1910, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

(Bl' AnISTOBCLDS.) PONEKE TRAINING A LITTLE V "Youth will be served," and so will, .training. " Lftfit week Poneke "saluted tho, judge" simply becauso their forwards were a little more fit than usual.' It was a refreshing change to see the glorious star of Poneke twinkle again with just a "scintilla of; its old-tune brilliance. But, as a whole, they aio far from being what could be called "a trained team" jet. '• Richard Leahy, ex-"Wanganui Tepresout&tive,/had. a good deal to do with the .win. It is jnot only that he eeoms 1o know the"game, and-what to do in the 3oee, .but ; this ; powerful young, all-round athlete; is a conscientious, trier in the tight, and doce not save' his rush till he j gets up in. front of the grandstand or, the press-box.. The beet he can give his sido ho-gives them all tho . time, and hip old .-friends ill Wanganui . and Taihape will be pleased to know {hat his platf is attracting . attention •here.' 7 ' • Frank .MitchinGOii'e potted goa-l wuis A beautiful feat. By sending tho ball over he touched the game with the. hand (or foot) of a Titan. One of the players said afterwards: .""That ,pot was disastrous."; So it was-in a way, for nothing upsete the 1 opposing side like a. potted goal. Poneke was well "assisted" from the 6ide-line, aad the, crowd showed displeasure several times when St. James cleared their goal-liiuj w-ltu u free-kick. Almost) half a dozen times when Poneke were hotly attacking the whistle saved <the "Jimmies," and the breach of tho Beds was not on every oocasion apparent. It is sometimes difficult for aii)~ one bit the referee ;to discorn the offences of players. To some extent the ,Reds were indebted'l; to the alertness of Walsh, who was the most ivide-awake man on the •field at a time which often presents opportunities—a. resumption after a knoofconi ' ; ;. . ' The senseless habit of crasning into an opponent whan he has marked or kicked the ball • was in evidence too much altofether.;' There, is nothing to be gained, y making. a practice of siioh tactics, 1 and it ; should do good if tho controlling whistler would breathe a warning now end then. - ' "'.

Horpvvhenua. ■ . For itheir mfttoh-.,against Foxton to-day Horowliep.ua three of ithe Maori . ■; team Which. recently . toured Australia and Now Zealand—M. and W. Winiata and Bawiri.:" ~ ' . Mr. 'J. S. Fowler has selected tho following- 1 teams to represent the Horowhenua Rugby -Union in. next Saturday's contest':— ' HoTovfhcnua v. Foxton.—Full-back, 'Everett; three-quarters, Bawiri, N. WiniAta, G. Cook; five-eighths, M. Boyal and M. Winiata (captain); half-back, Cor--dello; .wing-forward,- Eopata; forwards, I. Wilson, D. Bevan, W. .Winiata,, .Wi ; iWaba, : Parata, Close, E. George. B Team v. Junior. Representatives.— , (Full-back,. Seymour; three<iuarters, Lew«r, Martin, A. Cookfive-eighths, Neville Winiata 'and Pirimi; half, Hannaii; -for- ' -wards, -S Saxon, 'Ripe, _ Dixon, Wright,' .Koro, Horo, K. . HaKaria. <-. Both theso teams are liable to alteration. ; --' A wing-forward has not' been sent jelong with the B team. Prospective [; Representative Tearn. Just' at present the work of the Eugby • Union "selectors ia being- watched with - eitrema-interest, 1 for if a powerful "coni- ; bination is got together for the northern tour great <hopes are entertained of the Eahfnrly - Shield coming to Wellington ' once > again. 1 Early in the season the opinion was mooted that Auckland would 'find it; difficult to get together a team worthy of defending the Shield, but later on the northern province seeinedi to be gaining ->a little confidence. The latest : phase of the. situation is a , .weak display by Auckland against the . American: Universityteam,_ and if the form is anything like genuine Auckland \ can scarcely hope to prove a match' for the best team' from this city. Undoubtedly the material is here at present, and the whole /secret, will l>e in placing tho ■ men correctly. Fortunately, the work of selection .is' in very hands—Mr. Gallagher being an excellent judge of for-' wards and an old representative player ;,hinaself}-:while Mr.- Thomson,' an' All Black ' three-quarter, is well -versed in the ■ many, fiao -points of back play. The problem on this occasion is. to od- , iain;. strength immediately behind the • ecruin.f There 'is/no look of good far-; wards.' If, theli, Wellington, is to bring !ihome the; Eanfurly .Shield there is but \ ><xne half-back.-, that. can. bfi seleoted, and ithat is'Eoberts.' ' The portions ot («ighthe could bfe filled by Jas. Eyan, IMitchinson,- or M'Leod, but as Mitchinaon 1 ifl at llis best as contra tiree-quarter, , it would seem safest to, place him there. 31'Leod. who was nominated for the New, ".IZeaJand.'.:team, is considered by. many to ."'■be the best five-eighths in tho Dominion i.-to-day, 'and would play well next to "■:R«bcrts. but, on the other hand, Eyam, • 'jwho has improved immensely on the ; (Australian, tour; is more bulky and solid :,;?iand would probably'bo the'better inside (five-eighths. For'tho positions of wing /. and full-baoki the names of i Dawson, Bv'enson, Kinvig, and ■ Bradley -strike one. Evenson, who is a grand d&i feasivo player -and a great kiok, would ( make an ideal full-back. It might appear -I'J* pity to place such an all-round player £i» :far back, but he is undoubtedly the itsafest man. for the .position. Dawson, a ■' ■Tew strong runner and right at the top >iof nis form just now, should be the first Jwing thnifrquartei'-, selected, "and then ; there is Bradley and Kinvig for theother imposition.' Bradley; /' has been off colour i/'in 'his Inst. two-matches, but ho can j scarcely lie passed; over on that account, -?iind wfll probablyj'be given preference to JKinvig. M'Kelkr|;it is understood, can'/riot make the trip among forwards, '. but still ft sound . pack can'easily be got "i together. : 'Perhaps-' the team to-night will 'read s6m4thing like the following

;>'•: Full-back: . \ ; ET«nson:'(AtWetic),' ; Threwitiarfers: (Dawson (Old Boys), Mitchinson (Poneko), > . L ,.j Bradley;, (St.- James). t : Five-eighths: i;'H!Lood (Oriental),. Jas. Ryan (Petone).' Half: ),•■ Roberts. (Oriental). , v . Wing: Avery (Old Boys). 'Hookers: Dodd (Old Boys), Elliott t(Poiicko); lock, Rapson (Athletic); supports, Wilson (Athletic), Perry (Oriental); libaok row, Leahy (Poneke), Moffatt (St. v James). i. ;Emergencies: Kinvig (Oriental), Hunter '((Poneke), Bruce (St. James). /r For a. B team plenty of good material , would still remain, with forwards to choose from like Hardham, F.Alexander, Macfaxlaho, Dent, Curtayne, Tannahill, King, IVighton, Irvine,. Jlnrphy, Houlihan, and ; Cimpbeu. also plentiful, /.such as Ryan-(Viotoria College), Tilyard,. '..Walsh, M Kenzio l . (Petone), Pyle, Elliott, /Matheson, Grace,' -Sturrock, Thomas, and gathers. • '• Does Club Football Suffer? •' A question i that is arousing a good deal of interest among .club players is >' •whether the Rnghy Union is well advised - .to.'closo tho club, championships each year when the representative teams go on tour. Should some '1600 players havo to abandon tho season's recreation whon 30 ■of 40 champions afe drawn from their ;tanksf The question is not a new one, : but it is nevertheless worthy of «m----j.eideratlon. Some of the teams in tho ■; eenior championship this year have only . ' played ten matches. Members arguo'thot ; -tfhon they have paid their club eubscrip-

tions,, devoted a good deal of timo to training, and perhaps expended other efforts on raising funds for gymnasium, etc., that they do not get sufficient sport in return.' In conncction with this year's 6cnior competition, it is contended that:if ■ the second round was completed the' 'positions of teams would lie greatly altered from' their present appearance, because the Petone and Old Boys tennis are now at the top of their form, and might as easily as not defeat any team in tho tournament. It ought to be worth the union's whilo to consider if the cessation of the club competitions is in tho best interests of Wellington football; In future , years it could- easily be arranged to start matches earlier in tho season, or have irepresentative fixtures later. This would get over the difficulty of wet Saturdays; If advisable that the club fixtures should be completed, there is no , very strong reason . why the competitions should cease even when the representative team is on tour. Wellington and Southern. ■ There was not a bright feature in tho match between Wellington and Southern last Saturday, unless, indeed, it was the very friendly spirit in which-both teams played. Not the slightest suggestion of rough play from the kick-off until the whistle sounded no-side was noticeable. Each team appeared to bo very anxious to "win, but neither had a very clear idea of what was necessary- to accomplish the feat. Until within five minutes of the close'of play there' was no score and then Wellington scored a try from an opportunity that should never have been' given to Lambert. It was such an easy oponing'that: one felt convinced a try would result, even before Lambert had secured tho ball. At the time, Southern were pretty well tired out with their own futile efforts to score, and having kept their own'_ line clear so long they appeared to ignore Wellington's chance of notching winning points. While it could not be said that-Southern should havo won, they certainly should not have been beaten at such a late stage of the game. It was Rimple carelessness on their part that.'.'the game did not end in a draw. ,: v Generally speaking, there is much of a muohness about-Wellington and Southern*?; Both _ teams appear to havo really good material, but each lacks a resourceful, brainy player amonfe the backs— someono that would occasionally create a . scoring opportunity, or at least would know what to do when scoring opportunities arise. It was noticeable on Saturday that backs on both sides were .quite unable. to discriminate between tho •'mode of . play. necessary for defence and that which should be adopted in attacking. The forwards, 100, put too much ."boot", behind the ball on several occasions near - the scoring -area, whon they should have shown more sense. A-.Study in Contrast. The matches at the park on Saturday provided an interesting study in contrast. As compared with the lively struggle going on.at the other side of the dividing lines, where St, James and Poneke were engaged in battle royal, the match between Oriental- and Athletic was an affair in the last degree pale and colourless. There were occasional spasms of enterprise. At times the Athletic, forwards started a dribbling swoop and in infrequent instances the Oriental backs swung - together in a passing ■ rush with some show of purpose.. But the general atmosphere of the game was tired and dead. Its peaceful rambling progress seldom diverted the attention v of .the' assembled, spectators from the contest:in progress on the neighbouring' field. The one thing that made Athletic dangerous in this match was an infrequent display of quality by their forwards. Throughout a great-part ofcithe game the team was hopelessly disorganised'and yet at times the pack swept forward with a vigorous dash that gave Oriental hard work in repelling their assault., Given endurance, and staying power equal to their grasp, on the principles of attack the Athletic forwards would tako a lot of stopping. But, for some' reason, best known to themselves, the whole maohine does not work as it should.

The 1 meagre honours of the game, so far as Oriental was concerned, rested easily with the backs, and of these Koberts was , the pick. The speed and cleverness that marked-: his dashes at the scoring lino would have prevailed over more skilful Ills play in tho open was a bright feature in a ragged gamo. To see him following up, ever ready and in the right position from 'which to strike in with effect was_ in itself a delight and gave full meaning to that somewhat hackneyed phrase . "on the ball." - Tho Bolitnry try scored by Athletic was 'a sharp, clean bit of work that oaught ' Oriental napping. The Blue forwards had hammered Oriental hard against their ■ own line,, and : apparently they were still suffering from the experience when , the ball, from..a scrum, ciime out to M'Vay, Evensoh, albeit he crossed over with an opposition tackier \.by way of. ballast, . encountered no thine in ; the shape of solid: resistance. A Big Attendance. Tho enormous attendance at the Northern . Union football match between the British and New Zealand teams on Saturday found the conveniences of tho Auckland .Domain wanting. . It is estimated that a crowd of between 15,000 .and ;20,000 persons', were presept, and' most of theni desired to leave at the same moment by file gate near the' hospital. Tho small egress resulted in a great crush, and it is suggested that the council should provide , a line of egress gates, which could be thrown open easily, anil thus allow ,tho crowd to pass out quickly. Several ladies fainted in the crash. Petone and Old . The meeting of Petone and Old' Boys last Saturday furnished quite a departure from the usual monotonous linekicking exhibitions that have been so prevalent in the first round on the suburban playing field.- The ganie was fast and interesting (practically, all the time), and there was plenty of individual play to • sharpen up any -dull moments that might otherwise have occurred. The adoption on .both sides! of high-centring kicks deserves, commendation, and tho writer ventures to suggest-that, hail these tactics been resorted to earlier in the season; 'better results would have been experienced. , Bla'cklook, for Old Boys, extricated Ills side several times, and, generally speaking, his kicking was clever. Dawson displayed* his usual dash, but unfortunately did not get many chances. In the first half Grace was playing brilliantly. His try was extremely clever, but in the second half he was. not'nearly so good. Thompson, the veteran half-back, was somewhat weak in defence, but; his attack lacked nothing: _ . ". Possession of . the ball in the serum- , mage is, of course, ' great food for any team of backs, and this was the raso with. 01(1 Boys, who badly beat the Petone vanguard. Of a very solid- sot of forwards. Avery and Alexander were the leaders. , .Petone , were entirely on defence in . the. first half, but the' position was reversed in the second 6i>ell. In fact (with the exception of the first quarter of an hour of the-second spell), Petono simply ran over Old Boys, and had it not. been for indiscriminate passing would have rattled on a big score. The Ryan Bros, did excellent work for their side, and Daley and M'Kenzie displayed dash. Hutt and Melrose. Hntt distinguished themselves against Melrose last Saturday, and' the jnuchabused Harnett's potted goal should silence his critics for some time,' Although the Melrose line was not" crossed, Ilutt had much the better of the game,' but they possess no scoring man. This has -been a serious handicap to them all the season. Cudby,. Harnett, and Tannnhill all played well. Melrose have a team' of triers, who display dash, and aw willing enough, but they do not seem to bo 1 able to handle the ball. • On many occasions last Saturday they got possession" from ■ the scrummage, and initiated passing rushes, but they were always .checked by an -infringement,' Fraser's j a feature. '