RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 May 1910, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

FiVit'RES FOR SATURDAY. SENIOR. Shannon v. Kia Toa, fit Otaki.— Mr MeMaiu. Levin v. Mni Mai, at Levin, Mr J. Smith. JUXIOR. Tainui v. Flui Mai, a.t Manakau, Mr Ruihi Wehcpeihana. Levin v. Kereru, at Keruru, Mr F. Rouit. Shannon v. Levin U., at Shannon, Mr Thomas. XOTES. (My « Dropkick. ,, ) The Hui Ma.i-Kia Toa display was, perhaps, ojie of tho best exhibitions of football for an opeaiing game seen in this Union for years, the match being characterised by some pretty passing on tho Otaki side. Condition was sadly lacking by tho Otaki men, who also wero unfortunate in losing the services of Taylor early in the .second spell. Hevan, tho Otaki full-back, who was promoted from the junior ranks, showed that he i.s the 'makings of a sound player, and with two or tJiree more, senior games will undoubtedly prove of valuabiio service to hi.s side. Rnwire. was not at his best, but I'riiii was right "on the job." Ho ha.s pleiitv of pact> and takes tho ball well." Taylor was playing a sound game up to the time he was put ou't of action ,and with training will bo a. serviceable back. .Whii did: all that was asked of him. Of the forwards Cootes, Wilson and Parata did tho lion's share of the work, though the Otaki hookers !i : ot more than their share of the ball in the scrums. Martin, llui Mai's full-back, played one of his best gatnos the writer ha.s seen, his taking and kicking being above the average. .Veil Hevan also played well and used "his head' 'to advantage. Of the forwards Hob George played a sound game, grafting" like a Trojan throughout. Wi was useful in the line out play and he scored an easy try from a long throw-in. Horo, Ropata and Mat Hovan were the pick of the rest.

The gaine between Shannon and Levin-Wanderers was remarkable for the lack of combination displayed by both teams. Only once during the game (lid the Shannon backs get into motion. The local backs did little better, rarely making a combined effort. The forwards on both sides worked hard in both tight and loose, but there is still room for improvement. One outstanding feature of the Lrame was the clever ilribbling of Ciote. the local five-einhth. On one decision he dribbled the ball through practicallv the whole of the Shannon t;>am and was only stopppd bv a beautiful trip brought oft by one of the Siva mi on backs, which, bad it caught the referee's eye. would have stood him on the line. Without doubt Cnote is the trickiest- man in the Fnion at dribbling. The offender (who is an old one , .) who was fortunate enough to escape the referee's eye. was not so fortunate in regards to "Full-back/ , On this occasion he will be saved the ci.ntutiH'ly of .seeing his name in print, but in the future, transgressors in respect to dirty play will not have the .same leniency extended to them. Hut for the fact that Satiirady's Lcame was the. first of the season the offender's name in this case would have been published. The remarks in the above paragraph also apply to the LevillWauderer player who tackled a Shannon back after he bad taken a mark.

The enterprise of the Lev illWanderer Club in placing two junior teams in the field is to be commended. There are a large number of promising players about the town and the second team will <iive these players a. chance to improve, whereas as with the one tram they would have to spend their Saturday afternoon's on the bank watching the other games. The new law governing out-ot-tmich caused a lot of the players no little trouble on Saturday. !•>. ■ d-iitly many of the local footoalk-s have not taken, enough inter-,: in iln.' game in the off sea-,,u to l-ne-p up itb the new ruliujs uhiHi I ,en embodied in this year's bylaws, and which have been published in the "Chronicle." It will bo some enlightenment to these _to know that if a player runs out with the ball the' throw in. i* awarded to the opposing side. This, ■howI'VT, dors not apply in the case of a. player being thrown out or carried out. Levin backs were badly bandiby the want of a good half-hack, f>; we;- was tried in the first spell and Xevillo Winiata in the second, "iiillv" llannan. last year's ball, is not available just now, which is bad luck for the Levin team, as lie is n solid, little, player. It is rumoured that "Hob" Smith is going to don the jersey again and play behind the pack. It is a certainty if he plays flic backs will get the ball, as it was "Hob's"' masterpiece. Ifannan will, no doubt, be able to get away to play in a week or two, and bis inclusion will s-iremrtli-n the team.