FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1186, 22 July 1911, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

RUUBY. ,;■... ■ : ..[Br Aristqbbi.us.l . Walsh—A Correspondent in Protest. ; Mr. J. W. Heeaan writes as follows under date July 15:—Somo remarks of your football reporter in The Dominion this morning, anent tho .Poneke-Athletic match, call for more than silent protest. In a paragraph headed: "They seem to fly at 'Walsh,"' "Aristobulus" says: "Walsh was a lion in the early stages of the fight, but ho was so severely handled that his play consequently lost its sting. Such was the gruelling ho received that it is possible he will be unable to face the music to-day." This statement is nothing more nor less than a direct accusation against tno .members-of the Athletic team, of so rou-hly handling Walsh as to cause his absence from the field to-day, ami is so contrary to the actual linppemng, as to inako one wonder at the criticism (spare tho mark) of "Aristobulus." The. facts of the case will bear repetition Evonson was in the net ot kicking tho ball, and had actually kicked it, when Walsh, who had followed up last, crashed into him, and, as the result of this collision both players were seriously injured Evensen sustaining a bud hurt to his kidneys and Walsh injuring his heart. "Aristobulus" makes no montion whatever of this occurrence, which was the cause-of both men's absence from the .field, to-day. Yet notwithstanding this happening, "Aristobulus" accuses the Athletic team of deliberately 'laving WaUi out" This, Mr. Editor, is hardly iair plav, and such so-called criticism does not tend to help the game along. Aristobulus" also states that m consequence ot a number of Poneke's men (including Mitchinson) being injured against -Athletic their team would be without then services to-day. The answer to this is that Walsh was the only Poneko absentee against St.\James to-day, and if 3litchineon was injured to the extent described by "Aristobulus," then it' is pnssui| strange .tliht, to-day, he played one ot Ws-best'games, this season. In the in-terests-of fair play and common decency, ] think that your reporter should acknowledge his mistake and shouh endeavour to arrivo at the correct solution of affairs before putting such into print.

Interestinn Note From a V.C. Man,

The cable man has been at it again; Mr. J. Curtayr.e, vice-captain of the 'Varsity representatives, who have ]ust returned from Sydney, states that his attention has been drawn -to' the cable message which appeared in thp local press with regard to the match played against the metropolitan team—really the representatives of Sydney. In that message it was stated that tho attendance was about ■>00. Now; Mr. Cnrtayne does.not like to nay definitely that the Sydney cable man is in league with the League players, but the fact remains that the attendance was well over 3000—he would say about 3500. The Sydney "Sun" estimated it at , 5000. He would 'like "such an error to be corlected as it might lead one to behevo that Rugby was very dead in .Sydney, which (he states) is not the case. As a matter of fact Mr. Curtayne does not know whether the introduction of League (Northern Union) has not done moro good than harm. It has had the effect, he says, of straining off many players who were r.ot altogether patterns of clcanlinoss in their play, and has eliminated certain rough element which formerly existed in Rugby ranks in Syd-' ney. The Metropolitan men whom they met Tvei'o a really splendid lot of fellows, and their play throughout was as clean as new aluminium. It was really a treat to be beaten by such a team.

So far as ho could learn the Leaguo Tules were not bsing taken up by any of the schools or .training colleges, and, of course, Hugby was the only game played by the university men. This )i\eant that all the young players that were coming on were being carefully matured in Rugby, and, later, the Leaguo would have to continually struggle to get players. ■ The secretary of the New li'outh Wales Union was moro than hopeful. He said that the.v had passed the acuto stage, and tho Rugby was now "on the make." With respect to tho merits of tho 'Varsity teams, New. Zealand had a fine lot of forwards which outclassed the New South Wales lot, but on tho other hand tho Sydney backs were superior to those of New Zealand. The Sydney 'Varsity team will visit Now Zealand in July or August next year. A Shock for St. James. During the week previous to the meeting of St. James and Poneke supporters of the latter team'lamented loudly that ■they would be forced to take the field •with what would practically bo a scratch team. First and foremost it was a. certainty that Walsh would be absent owing ■to his injury, and it was on tho cards that Jlitchinson would also be on tho bank. As it turned out, JUtchinsoii was able to- take the field, and lio played a Tattling good game. In fact, Poneko excelled themselves. At the outset their forwards set a paco ■which took their opponents completely by surprise,. and before St. James hail leahsed wbat had happened, Poneke were leading by G points, and still going strongly. _ To the surprise of everyone, they maintained the paco throughout, a,nd, when St. James put their best foot foremost in the second spell, they found the Pcneke defense impenetrable. In no match this season have the Poneke backs done better collectively and'individually than they did ooi Saturday. .Special praise is duo to Prendeville, at 1 full-back, who played tho gamo of his life. ; Nothing which this player attempted : could go wrong—lie appeared to have a ■charmed life for the time being. Sotheran, the Calcinais, and Brewer put ;in some fi'ne work in tbo Poneke pack, flut there was not a, "passenger" in the 1 .whole outfit. The deadly tackling which accompanied ftho fast following of the Poneko meu iplayed havoc with tho St. Jamos backs, who could not get going at all. Thomas, •.at full-back, was the -weak man on tho day. In fact, E. Roberts and Crowes .were the only two backs who wcro right .up to specifications. Moffit was tho king-pin of the St. James vanguard, and King, despito an ■injury to one of his legs, also did somo capital work. The only other forward .who showed up particularly was Wright, who followed the ball .tirelessly. 'Sydney University—From Gold to Lead Commenting on the form displayed by the Sydney University team in the matches against Now Zealand, tho Sydney "Referee" says thoir form warrants one remarking that tho side is about tho weakest the club has had in twentyn'vo years. Indeed, says tho same writer, one is able to recall second fifteens of the University which were quite superior to the present first fifteen—superior in the class of playci'i and far superior in combination. There is, perhaps, a reason for this falling-o)V, in addition to the natural one, paucity of Rugby talent at the University. It was considered, with tho best of reasons, that while all tho district clubs would seriously suffer from the inroads on their best talent made by tho rival Rugby League clubs, tho University Club, being uninterfered with by tho new element in Rugby, would tower over all its contemporaries in 1911. But instead, we fiud the Blue and Gold have become dwarfed, Tho New Zealanders opened their matches in very poor form, that is, in tho first half of the first match. But after that their football was first-rate, tho backs improving considerably. They liiive gone back with two well-merited victories against tho Sydney University. It is the first time that the visiting team lias won twice in these matches, and that is a matter on which tho New Zoalandors are to bo most sincerely complimented. Southern and the "Sick Man" of Rugby. Southern missed a splendid opportunity on Saturday of. dsing something se.iv..

There are several team?— Wellington among tho number—Hint limp drearily through the competition, sustaining defeat after defeat with painful regularity. The astonishing thing is that these teams got otf so lightly in the matter of points against." ±\'o doubt it is due to a certain feeling of chivalry in tho teams that indict the dnibbings, and toia dislike of castigating un already beaten opponent. At best this is being cruel in an attempt to bo kind. Tho match between Southern and Wellington is an example showing iorth tho truth of this. There is no doubt that Southern could as easily have knocked up ninety points as nineteen had they so desired, and that is exactly what they should have done. On to sick teams every time. At present the Kugby Union allows a number of hopelessly awkward squads to wander untended along tho path ot defeat, but, if one of them came wandering homo with a tag attached (ninety points or so "against"), tho Kugby Union would have to wako up. _lhey might even come to recognise the wisdom of grading the senior teams, or at. all events of doing something to niond tho worldly state of thcmelanchcly little band that clusters at the.bottom of the ladder. There would bo a good deal more of life and spring in tho championship competition if palpable weaklings were eliminated, or sent out for treatment, or something. It is to be regretfully admitted that Soutliern missed a golden opportunity. But, Southern—Bβ Wary! Apart from this signal failure, Southern would do well to remember that restful tactics do not pay in Kugby football. They are a little band of- battlers who know something about the lately-revived art of giving "legs" to the game, but in a, lackadaisical "contest" like that with Wellington on Saturday, tho best of teams is apt to run badly to seed. In fact it was seldom that more than half the Southern players had. their energies engaged in what was supposed to be the business in hand. Usually a majority of the team was engaged in taking- a rest, or "having a look around," " while a, smaller contingent kept the kettle boiling. This was unwise. A team that takes it easy when it is not bound to.'wUk is apt to fall a good deal below concert pitch when a real call to action afrfve's. Failing anything better, Southern , Ifflgiit have instituted a series of sprint--evcnts over a course extending from half-way mark to-the .Wellington goal. Sport ,pf this kind would at, least havo served--to keep the team in fettle, against tho times when it will have to meet opponents worthy of its steel. Tho Rugby Union does sometimes provide opponents of this type, and Southern has to meet several of them before; the competitions close. The World Beyond Us. The South Sydney y. Newtown match', in conjunction with which the great fcotvaco was run, attracted 19,000 people to the Royal .Agricultural .Society's Ground after a "week of rain. The chargeJlfor admission was one shilling, and the takings amounted to JiOSO approximately. It is, therefore, a record tor a club match in New South Wales. ..■■■■■-•• ■

Tho English Rugby Union accounts for £ the ssason show a credit balance on the s match account of .£3426 12s. 4d., of which £23K ss. -Id. accrued from the game with f Scotland nt Twickenham. There is on j the cash account a credit balance of .£110" j 55.; 10d., as'against £Zi 13s. 7d. brought , forward from 1909-10. >;;: "-; ~- ■ ( ■• • ■ ' ■■■ c