LOOKING ON.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1866, 27 September 1913, Page 21

LOOKING ON.

IMPRESSIONS OF THE LEACUE. [By Jlbee Mere.] It was early in the game: in fact the crowd had only broken through the rope :in occasional places. Nothing ex-ceptionally.soul-stirring had taken place, Imt New Zealand's League lights were making spasmodic sorties in the nines' section of the green. "New Zealand wins—a moralyelled an undersized harracker; "they' can't touch 'em!" And then in the fullness of the glory of their attack, u body of the Blacks were left gaping on the New South Welshmen's line: the ball had been whisked from them and even then was bouncing on their own goal-line. And this incident had its repetition many times throughout the State-Do-minion League Test. There is ail eve"-

present loophole for tho unlooked-for about the Uiiitoen-aside game that gives even a weaker Learn the opportunity to become the invaders, if only for a few moments. Like billiards "each contestant is given his turn at the table. Olio essential in which New Zealand failed—and failed badl.v—was in tackling. Oftentimes, instead of going straight for tbc Blue man with the ball, there lyas a disposition Lo watch till he should unloose it on the olf-ebancc of intercepting; invariably instead tlio Blue slipped 011 ahead. And so the score piled up. Belief ill the superiority of our football prowess dies hard, and a New South Wales lead of over twenty points failed to quieten the "banker" whose loudlyshrieked'opinion ever was: "Now Zealand wills!" it needed tho approach of tho half century of points ere the palpablo negative caused this, sturdiest of loyalists to ccase his song.' And then, such is' human nature, it pleased him to chirrup ironical remarks about the representatives of his native land. Quandary and amazement wore apparent among many of the crowd as ,to rules of tho play and methods of scoring—tho task of education is only begun. Consequently many arguments wei'O heard —with the invariable climax: "I'll bgt you!" The two points for all goals was a fruitful causo of dispute, and likowise tlio midway kick-out after each try, whether a goal was iilaced from it or not. Only when tho kick at goal is successful is the ball placed for tho kick-out was tho discovery made bv many. ' •' Ono w'holo-souled supporter of New Zealand's chances caused tho crowd in liis vicinity at a corner Hag some amusement which lightened up a Quaker-like qiuetiiess prevailing at "the time. "'lt' was subsequent to an occasion when the fleet Horder in a tiy-gerting effort had caiised the.fastest of the Blacks to look like plodding ploughmen.' The kick-out camo across to Border's way, but tho high wind carried the ball over his head and it bouncc'd over the goal-line before lie could retrieve it. Momentarily he 'seemed" like running out into play, but instead he just touched the ball down as ono-taps an egg-end, when an opponent dashed up. The nonchalance of the act infuriated tho barracker at the corner. "Play the game, you coward!" ho yelled, as Horder, patting down a lock' of liair which had become displaced, was walking awav with the ball. Horder di'd not hoar him, so the-now purple-face man strode over closer to the touch-line. ■ "You coward!" be yelled. ."Plav the ——" but then a lump of policeman strode in front of ltiiu. "Behind- tho rope, please," said lie. The barracker howe'e-r was too much concerned with what ho regarded as a personal affront to return placidly. "Why doesn't lie play the game?" ho questioned of the Law. But' the Law was only inexorable in its quietude as' it pushed the barracker over the rope once more just as Horder was starting out on another fleet mission in \yhich ho showed the Jlaorilandors that lie knew only too well how to play tho game. There was a want at Newtown Park last. Saturday and that was a scoring board. . All people are not proficient at mental arithmetic.. Auckland it is said possesses such.'a board for its League games, and doubtless'tho omission.here will not ho of tho "long-felt", variety. It is to bo hoped though that on tho next occasion when . Black meets Blue, tlio Black will be more competent to Keep an official scorer busy. > Two memories of old time New Zea-' land football, were visionod. by Saturday's play. Hordfr',s slickiiess was reminiscent of that speedy. three-quarter, of. tlio early, nineties — Frank Summit, who later playfed in big football iii' New South Wale's,, while "Tiddley" "White of a Canterbury of tlio past .would have found worthy rivals among" the New. South Wales backs and..Hallett—especially in tlio art of punting.