FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

[Br Abistodolus.]

RUUBY. SOME .MAORIS AND TAEAXAKI.

Barefoot Maori Players. Last week a telegram from Taranaki stated that tho Rugby championship cf that province had been won by Okaiawa, who defeated Clifton by 8 points to 3. Okaiawa and Cb'fton are both country teams. Okaiawa are the southern division (south sido of Mount Egmont) champions, this year, and Clifton, who come from tho Waitara district, are the northern champions. , . . During th? Maori-Wel-lington match the spectators were much amused when, in tho late stages of tho contest, several Maoris and nno pakeha discarded their boots and flung them across tho side-line. Those two things caused tho writer's mind to take a leap a good many years lo tho rear. In a country town a team wo had never sc:-u before was paying us its first visit. Of Hio fifteen visiters who took the field,, about seven or eight were Maoris, and pretty well the lyhole cf the coloured men" played barefooted. That team was Okaiawa. Seme of those bare-footed Maoris could punt skyscrapers, and run like demons, and they were not in the least inconvenienced through having no foot-coverings. Tho groat feature of their play was foot-pass-ing. At that they were remarkably clever. Tho schema was very handy for passing long distances, and was often used if tho ball was on tho ground, or had been dropped in the courso cf a passing rush. Thero were several Maoris in tho team Okaiawa were playing, but they wore boots. What footballers these Inst-refcr-red-to Maoris were! What physique! And what pace! And their enthusiasm was altogether their own. Two dark Samsons stand out prominently among the memories of the past. One's enthusiasm led him to training, tho other's to drink. Tho difference told its lale in due cour;?. The former spent a great deal of his time in ploughing and other field work, and early in tho morning you could see the big fellow—ho was about lift. Gin. long—on his way to work, trotting along booting a ball before him. Homo from work ho would do the same, and then fill in his "leisure" practising in anv w.iv K-hir.h offorprl

lioth theso exceptionally fine club men were failures at representative football, but there is an occasion, famous among a small community, when their club wen tho senior championship, and the winning try was secured partly through the extraordinary powers of tho two darkies. Thero had beeu.no'score, and the country players were getting rather annoyed through being stopped repeatedly by a medico who was playing a rare defensive game in tho three-quarter lino. At lost by persistent following up ono of the Natives secured tho doctor and the ball together. The other .Maori was at his side in an instant, there was an excited jabber in the aboriginal tongue, hud the doctor and the ball wero hoisted up and conveyed down the field at a terrific pace. 'Tho trio were, of course, overtaken, but from this advantage the only scoro of the match camo, and the cup was won. But let us get back to Okaiawa! Tho days of big barefooted Natives aro jjono, but the club still has several good footballers of the brown raco on its list. Okaiawa's most noted player of later years 'was James O'Sullivan, one of the fine forwards of tho All Black team which toured England. "Dick" Roberts, who is with the '1 oranaki tc.vn which plays here this afternoon, is an Okaiawa boy, and a very promising, though somewhat unfinished, back. Taranaki, Rasi and Present, This afternoon the city's best is to meet Taranaki on Athletic Park. The amber and black of the smallest province is a famous anil 'popular' 1 colour among New Zealand Rugby-goers. Taranaki's past is a bright one, and when they do send along a weak team tho people look on it with a kindly cyo and remember the disadvantages under which theso country footballers learn and play tho game, but their hea; is are in the old sport, and Rugby has in Taranaki a home from which it is never likely to bo ejected. The Taranaki team of this year is probably not as strong as that of a few years back. Tho forwards are, perhaps a shade better, but the backs havo not the finish of tho backs of the near past.

A few years ago tho backs who came out in tho amber and black were almost n New Zealand representative combination. As half, there was J. Colman. The five-eighths wero Hunter and Mynott, and tho three-quarters li. Dive, L\ Cameron, and C. Shoahan. A. Hargrove was fullback. All except Sheahan arid Hargravo, wero Now Zealand representatives. Sheahan was a better three-quarter than either Divo or Cameron, and Hargrave was about tho best full-back in the country. Mynott,.' Colman, and Cameron are with the present team, but the star of tho backs is J. Stohr, centre three-quarter. Mynott, the general and old identity of tho team, has been playing Rugby for a scoro of seasons, and has done thirteen years' representativo service. He first got into tho Taranaki representative fifteen in 1899, and has been thero ever since. Not long ago ho "retired," and tho occasion was taken by the New Plymouth public as an opportunity of saying what thev thought of "Simon." It is worth noting that Mynott and Hunter entered the representative ranks in tho last stago of tho period during which Taranaki had hod the services of L. Allen and A. Humphries. Tims, as ono famous combination (Humphries, half, and Allen, fiveeighth), left tho field another walked on. Taranaki has no combination like either of theso to-day. Mynott remains, but the brilliant Hunter has not been replaced.

Although Mynott has thirteen representative seasons to his credit, that is not a Taranaki record. Tho late Alfred Bayly, ono of New Zealand's greatest and bestremembered footballers, represented the province for fifteen years—from 1885 to 1901. Taranaki was well off for good backs in these days. All. Bayly, Alan and Hugh Good, L. Allen ,and A. Humphries were among the number. Several other Baylys were playing about that time, aud the forwnrds included Thomas Hempton, Dan Hughes, and James Lambie. Lambie and Hempton, like Alf. Bayly, have since crossed the last, great goal-line, common to player and spectator alike—common to niau. Wellington Representatives. With P. Roberts and M'Lood missing from tho AYellington representative team to-day, it would be no great surprise if Taraiiaki should happen to come out victorious, though probably the majority of local enthusiasts will fancy that the Wellington (cam (even if not by any means the best) is still too gcod to bo beaten. The selectors, however, appear to bo handicapped in some manner in their efforts to get the strongest team in tho field, and it looks as if some of tho best men are saving themselves for club football. Of course they have a perfect right to do so, but if they refuse to play uow without a- valid reason they should certainly be passed over when later teams are being selected. As to the representative team as selected, most people will, bo glad to see Kiuvig fill a vacancv. but why is Tilyard so often preferred to E. Roberts at half? With the exception of 1\ Roberts, E. Roberts ,is certainly the most brilliant half-back seen hero since C. Green left, and as a defensive player ho is no doubt superior lo the last-named. In fact, he is too gcod lo bo left out of any team. Bearing this last statement in mind, the writer clings to tho opinion that the best back combination AVellington could have would be E. Roberts behind the serum, followed by the redoubtable Oriental combination oi' F. Roberts, "M'Leod, and Kinvig, the remaining three positions to be selected from Mitchinson, .las. Ryan, Evenson, and Cook. As to tho forward*. Wellington never has a very big crowd to select from, but the pack, to ploy to-day are a good fast Int. and that counts for a gcc.d deal when they happen lo bo beaten in the scrum. An Improved Team. I On both ixrasions on which Athletic and Southern have met this seaf-on their ground has been Karon. In the game in the first round Southern were slightly more than a match for tho Blues, but could not bring olf a vietorv. Athletic w0,,, but tlicvy wow. luckv to do «>. However, one would hardly like to stake much on the chance of Southern beating (lie Blues. On Salnrday Allilelic ng.iin defeated Southern, this time by two fairly lucky scoras. The first was a converted

mark, and tho second a freak try, which was converted. Nevertheless, Southern havo shown that they are a better team than they arc given credit, for being. They havo given nil the leading teams sonuIhing to think about, and have extended them to tho full. Thev are a better team now than they were when the season op?n,;d. That is something f<> their credit, and promises well for next season. 'A Matter for the Union. There was an unusual occurrence during tho Athletic-Southern match at Karori on Saturday. 'Time was up, apparently, for one of the lino-umpires was calling across (he field to tl'at effect, endeavouring to make tho referee hear. The referee permitted tho ball to bo thrown iu again. Play went on, and before tho ball got out of play again a score was made. Supposing that time had been up before the ball was thrown in, a big question is opened up. It is quite unnecessary to point o'ut the necessity of exercising groat care in such matters. A match played at Karori may be as important as one played at Athletic Park, and it is the union's duty to seo that an r.nreproachable system of time-keeping is used. If it is necessary to havo a proper system at the city match, it is necessary at" the suburban games. It may bo a little difficult to find a practical way of righting this state of affairs, but nuimprovemerit should be m-ide, at least in respect of all senior matches, the results of which may havo some bearing on the decision of the championship. Surely it is not absolutely necessary that all the union officers should see the big match every week. Cypress, not Laurel, for St. James. Many will sympathise with St. James, but there is no doubt that the best team won, and that team was Oriental. Still, as St. James have held pride c* place for many weeks, it was hard to bo deposed in the run home, and just when the crown of Dremiership was almost on their heads. Hut in this world of woe the sombre cypress wreath is commoner than tho laurel crowd. It was ever thus. However, when it came to the business end last Saturday they wcro not in it with tho heavier and better all-round Oriental. Up to a certain point Oriental were handicapped by tho slovenliness of their centre three-quarter, Murdoch, and although it sounds harsh to say so, it was a good thing for Oriental when Murdoch had to retire after a heavy tackle, for thereafter the Black and White backs wero a much more effective combination. Several promising movements by the Oriental backs in the first spell were quite spoiled by the centre three-quarter's faulty handling. M'Lood, M'Keowen, Kinvjg, and F. Roberts were the most effective Oriental backs, and Sandel, full-back, got through an immense amount of work with credit. As a body, the Oriental forwards played a magnificent game, and when they got fairly under way their sweeping charges wero irresistablc. Gillespie was in great form, and distinguished himself particularly in tho line work. Perry was another man who repeatedly caught the eye. The St. James men went under with their colours flying, and stuck to the fight until the end. King was a hero, and battled as though his very existence depended on the result. Aloflitt, too, played well, but tho opposition kept him very busy. Hope, Chirnside, and Donaldson also did royal service. Concerted movements amongst the St. James's backs were few and far between. In fact, the ball was really sent out to the wings, and certainly never in a way to give thcf/i a scoring chance. the speedy Cooke onlv got away on one occasion, and this opening ho had to make for himself E. Roberts played a fine defensive game, and battled manfully against heavy odds. Crewes, full-back, was heavily laden with work, ond did well. It w'as verv hard luck that his one serious mistake"should have cost his sido a try. This was a faulty return, which was charged down by M'L"od. . ■

The Fin-de-sicclc Tackle. Heketa's Patent. The man who essays to stop "Fred" Roberts when lie is fairly under way usually knows that he has bumped up against something solid before the All Black half is through with luin. (Jn Saturday last, however, if was Roberts s turn to receive- a shock, and this came the first time that Hckcta got a chance of bringing his peculiarly effective and pretty shoulder tackle to bear on Roberts, lno Oriental half went up in the air, and camo down with a dull thud on his, back when Hekota's shoulder took his leys from under him. and Roberts jnusl havo wondered whether or not a cyclone had struck him. The shock steadied him for the balance of the game. M'Leoo, bandel, and Murdoch also felt tho steadying effects of the St. James's centre s tackle. • In Murdoch's case, however, the result was rather serious. Instead cf landing on his back, as is usual when a man is tac'lded as ho was, he turned half a somersault and camo down heavily on the back of his neck. 110 was so badly shaken that he had to leave the field. Tho writer can only remember seeing two players who had perfected this peculiar tackle of Hcketa's. One was Kccgan, who ployed for the Athletic juniors some 12 years ago, and the other was Gcrrard, formerly of Auckland. Complaint by a Correspondent, "Crouuchan" sends along the following noto of complaint, which sufficiently explains itself:—l would bo obliged if you would allow me a small space in your valuable naper to stato what is something of a burning matter just now. The Riigbv Union (it has been stated) has practically given tho third-claiS chaaipionship 'to tho Forirua Club. Now, if this is the case, it is only ono of the many wavs in which the Rugby Union is killing tho game among tho junior "rados, and especially tho third class. Members of this grade havo to journey at their own expense to Upper Ilutt, Waiwctu, Petone, and Porirua. These country teams seldom or never play off their own ground. In regard to Porirua, whose pack average considerably over 12=t., they have onlv been asked to come to town once in this season to play Upper Ilutt, t/hieh team defaulted to them. They have been drawn to play 13 games. Out of this more than half have been won by default. They wero beaten by Waiv.-otn and Southdfn, but havo sir.eo won from Southern from a very questionable protest This put them in tho lead of Oriental by one point. Oriental have plaved 13 matches, won 11, lost 1, and drawn 1. In justice to this club, I would suggest that tlieso two teams play off for the championship. It is very apparent that the union caters only for tho c»nior teams, but tho juniors of to-day arc Hio seniors of to-morrow and should bo given as much encouragement as possible. The Disqualification of "All Black" M'Donald. "Full-back," in the "Otago Witness," cars that "the suspension ot A. Al Donald, captain of the Otago representative team and the well-known All Mack, to the end of the season 1012 has raised a storm of indignation at the injustice of the Otago Rugby Unions sentence. Just how the local union reasoned tho matter out and after reasoning arrived at such an abounding decision, parses comprehension. As a court of inquiry tho union ha* but furnished another proof of its inability to realise a just proportion of things and of its failure to renins a true sense of values. In its oftorts to purifv the game the union has frequently' allowed its jndpiient lo ,nm riot but surely no wilder not than this, leavin" all the curious circumstances of the "M'Donald case out of tho question, and its irregularity of procedure, the punishment is out of all proportion to fl roffence." At the Otago Union's Committee meeting on Monday next a motion will be moved to rescind the motion disqualifying M'Donald. The Game Not on the Down Grade. Some' of the Sydney Rugby enthusiasts profess to believe that the old game is not permanently on the down grade. In the latest issno of the Sydney "Referee" ■i writer says:—"Last Saturday's games and attendances in Sydney proved most satisfactory from the Rugby Union official's' viewpoint. On tho 'Varsity Oval University and Newtown gave their third fine rlisp'lav this year. The spectators numbered fwOO, while at Manly 1.1111) people looked on while the local team romped over their visitors from YVngga. That Rucby Union interest is increasing is undoubted. Resides, patrons of tho Union matches just now are being treated to some line play."