Field Sport

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 5, 4 August 1900, Page 13

Field Sport

BEAUTIFUL weather prevailed for the meeting of representative teams from Wellington and Wairarapa last Saturday. The ground was in fair order, though sticky in a few places. The game was splendidly contested, forward play of a high order predominating. Now and again dashes of brilliancy among the backs were shown, but they were too few and far between. In the opening spell the visitors had the best of the play, and succeeded in registering six points as the result of tries scored by Moore and Armstrong. At the opening of the second half Wellington attacked vigorously, but the game was within ten minutes of "no side " before they got ahead, after which they managed to add another three points. The scorers for Wellington were Wood two tries, and Meredith one, Hales converting one. The visitors had a splendid pack of forwards, and had hard luck in losing the match, for they had had considerably the best of the play. Evident instructions had been given to block Wellington's back play, and the blocking was splendidly carried out. What is known as the " out " game amongst some of the football coaches in Wellington had cvi- ' dently been heard of in the Wairarapa, for the two back men of the scrummage were soon away from the scrum when Wellington had possession, and Meredith found apparently a host of wing forwards between him' and Wood when he attempted to pass. This game, together with the pushing of their forwards, completely nonplussed the local team in the first spell. Now and again the ball did get about amongst the ' Wellington backs, and it only proved what was likely to happen if the game was only made open. However, the visitors played well, were unlucky to lose, and now is not the time to find excuses for the display of the local team. I can only congratulate the visitors on the good game they played, and hope when the two teams meet again in Masterton on the 11th such another interesting straggle may be witnessed. * * An important matter that was demonstrated by Saturday's game is the team that the Wellington province could put into the field if only the Wairarapa Union would join with tbe city union, and allow a team to be chosen from both to battle for the province. [The Manawatu Union is practically defunct, so, for the present, it drops out of the argument.] With two such wing forwards as Armstrong and J. McKenzie, together with Udy and Ahipene in the forwards, placed with the best the city can produce in the scrummaging division, what a team it would be. In the backs a place would have to be found for H. Wrigley — centre three-quarter for preference. The reason the Wairarapa Union have for declining to entertain the proposal that emanated from Wellington last year, is that it would lose its status as an in lividual union, and would not be enabled, as at present, to play matches •with other unions. It could only look forward to its two matches with Wellington every year. This is a fallacious idea on the part of our country friends, for the Thames Union, which is in a similar position in Auckland as the Wellington Union wants the Wairarapa Union to be in here, are endeavouring even now to arrange matches with the various unions visiting the northern city this year. It is not too late even now for the proposal to be carried into effect this year, and I would suggest the arranging of a conference between delegates from the two unions at Masterton, on the 11th instant, to discuss the matter.

Wood did not get too many chances, but his second try was a pretty one. D. Udy and Ahipene were the pick of the visitors' forwards, and what a powerful pair they are. Eoss astonished his town friends by the game he played, and McKenzie kicked well from full-back. Hales was a long way below Cup foim on Saturday, and Meredith was nampered by too aggressive wingers. What a nice ending to the first passing rush of Wellington backs it would have been if De Vere had only passed in to Eoberts. " Harry " Wrigley is still a host in himself, and with Roberts shared the distinction of playing the best back game on the ground.

Braid did not justify his inclusion, but he got a nasty knock on the head which may have militated against him. " Cocky " Roberts justified my remarks last week, and with De Vere, played the' best game for his team among the backs. There were over three thousand people at the Athletic Park on Saturday. £142 odd was taken at the gates, and £35 on the grand stand. Athletic Park Secretary Williams and Rugby Union Treasurer Pagni were practically beaming when they saw the crowd coming up the hill on Saturday. Among the forwards McAnally and Calnan were the shining lights. It is wonderful how alike these two players are on the field, and what a pair of forwards they are. " Jack " McKenzie and Armstrong are two capital wing forwards, and it did not take one long on Saturday to see some of the points of the elder brother " Bill " in the former's play. The practice of the Athletic Park Company in charging a shilling admission to the grand stand without having advertised their intention to do so was severely commented on last week. One habit of " Jack " Spencer's could be copied by every forward, and that is the way he has of backing up his backs. The forwards in Saturday's match were all too slow in coming to the assistance of their backs. A goodly number of spectators enjoyed the game " on the nod," the bank before the entrance gates being fully occupied, and otheis who had wandered lound to the back managed to get past the scouts, and thus secure a front seat on the hill. Prichard was plucky to see the game through with the injury he sustained to his foot, so any comments on his play would be out of place. It was not till he got home after the match that he found the bone was broken, so that the pain he must have suffered in the meantime is rather much to think of. He has my sympathy, and my hope is that he may soon be all right again. A match is being arranged between a team of veterans got together by Mr Ellison and a team composed of members of the Eefeiees' Association. Wairarapa play Canterbury at Christchurch on Saturday. They return to Wellington on Sunday, and leave for their homes on Monday. The position of manager for the Auckland tour is causing a feeling of unrest among the members of the Management Committee of the Rugby Union. P. Gerrard, who was considered to have a good chance of a place in the back division of the Auckland representative team this yeai, is coming to Wellington. A private letter received in Wellington states that Corner, who played for the Poneke 11. the best part of the season, is playing in tiial matches in Invercu'gill. The Referees' Association hold their annual smoke concert on the 15th -September, and Messrs Hempleman, Beck, and Halliday have been appointed the committee to work it up. Is it not possible for the Navals and D. Battery to take part in the military football tournament, or will the management restrict the matches only to corps forming the Battalion ? J. Arneil, the selector of the Auckland representative team, had a trip to the Goldfields the other Saturday, to find what material is available in the Thames district for the provincial team. A few weeks back the writer in the Weekly Press was complaining that they had no place-kicks in Canterbury. One seems to have been unearthed, judging by Harper's kicking in the South Canterbury match. " Long Me " — or, in other words, W. McKenzie- is improving in health, and expects when the warm weather comes round again to be his old self. I wish him all the good things possible, and would be pleased to hear that the rheumatism had got as far from him as the two Poles are apart. A member of the Referees' Association has announced his intention of moving at its meeting next Monday that it disband. He has many and varied grievances, and a motion of this sort will give him a chance of airing them. The motion is not • taken seriously by the members of the Association. Last week the Athletic Club's gymnasium was secured for training purposes for the lepiesentatives, but not this week. I suppose the match with Wairarapa was sufficient training till the trial match was played. Seriously, though, if tlie training is to be of any good to the players it should be continuous. The military football tournament has been arranged to be played on the Athletic Park on August 25th and September Ist. The matches last year were well contested, but they promise to be better this year, as seveial ot the corps have reciuited trom the football ranks. Mr A. J. Kellow is secretary to the Committee of Management, which is a guarantee that the tournament will be well managed.

When in Wellington with the Christchurch team at Easter- time " Harry " Frost stated hfs* intention df, piaying^-for Christchurch till his'club woriihe Championship. He had not long to wait, for Christchurch defeated Sydenham in,, the pTay-6ff last Saturday. lam told "Harry," though much against his will, was a< spectator at the match. What his feelings , were when the Sydenham team were six points ahead in the first spell can be better imagined than described. I have to extend my congratulations to the veteran. The question submitted by the local Referees' Association to the Appeal Committee — as to whether the " five yards limit" in the circular letter was not a misprint for " ten yards" — did not draw a reply. There seems to be a diversity of opinion on this matter among the different Referees' Associations, and, with representative matches close at hand, it is a pity that the Appeal Committee did not voice an opinion. In Wellington it is ruled that the " five yards" is meant as such, but the same practice is not followed by other associations — Canterbury, for instance. Hence there is bound to be trouble.