Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 53, 6 July 1901, Page 20

Rugby Football.

THOSE who journeyed to the Athletic Park on Saturday to witness the match between the Athletic and Wellington teams were amply repaid for their trouble— an excellent exhibition of the Rugby game being given by the contestants. Both teams being possessed of good scoring backs it was expected that the play would be chiefly confined to them — and that the better team would win — but such expectation was not realised. The three-quarter line in either team had not as much to do as it should, and one cannot help venturing the opinion that if the Wellington team, with its acknowledged faster men, had made the game more open, it would have won by a larger margin than it did — a converted try to a try. The Athletics played with hard luck from start to finish, and, after having all the best of the deal, had to be content with being placed second. Time after time, in the first half of the game, they should have scored, but over-eager-noss spoilt their chances. The passing rushes of the backs in both teams — when they got the ball — were treats to witness, but more than once what would have been a faultless display was 1 marred by the pass being made at the wrong time. Players — especially backs — would do v ell to remember that they are expected to beat their opponents, either by passing, feinting, or dodging : and when the ball is transferred before the opposing player is beaten the whole science of back play is. frustrated. Then, again, the centre three-quarter should not crowd his wing on to the touch-line, but if he should be forced into such a position, a pass in-field would be decidedly better than sending it to the wing, who has no other alternative but to run into touch. When a centre three-quarter or fiveeighth starts running across the field his opponents are bound to follow him, and a pass to one of his own side in the reverse direction to that in which he is himself running is bound to temporarily nonplus the players against him, and such a pass would be much more effective than the one which sends the wing out of play. To revert to the players now. Hales gave the best display he has eriven so far this season, the tradesmanlike way in which he collared Burr when that pla3 r er was within an. ace of scoring in the second spell being applauded to the echo. His touch-line punting was much in evidence. Gerrard made one or two small mistakes, but his defence was as sound as a bell. His collaring of Wood, Row, and Mclntyre in succession, was splendidly done. He passed erratically at times, and was rather inclined to crowd Midlane on occasions. Kelly was greatly in evidence, both in defence and attack. He was primarily the beginner of the rush in which Midlane scored. Condor outshone his vis-a-vis at half, and gave an excellent display. Though but a boy, he gets down to the rushes in good style, and the time he collared Gallagher the crowd simply roared. He plays a bit close to the scrum yet. and should watch this failing. Weybourne deserves special mention for his touchline punting, and Midlane for the consistent way in which he followed up his own kicks. Coady, OBrien, Quinn, and W. Hales stood out prominently amongst a solid forward team. Row, with the exception of one mistake early in the match, played the centre three-quarter game as it should be. His try was the result of a dodgy ruEL — one might say almost in a straight line — right through the whole of the opposing backs. There should be a few more points to his credit on the books of the Selection Committee as the result of his latest showing. Wood put in some very serviceable runs, but he had not sufficient opportunities. Meredith has played many bettor gameb. His defence was sound, but he could have given those behind him more to do. Burr is very weak in defence, a dribbling rush not being in his line at all. He proved a hard man to stop, though, on more than one occasion. Mclntyre was palpably neglected, and in consequence, did not catch the eye. Lovatt did his work in good style.

Gallagher, Wilson, Manson, and McLachlan were most conspicuous in the forward division. A word to the Wellington forwards, though. With the amount of weight they aggregate more solid graft should be done by them in the pack. The fast play in the open is nice, and wins the plaudits of the spectators, but does not give the satisfaction to the team as a whole that the pushing in the scrummage would. Several of the Wellington forwards could not have been using their weight, and they were at times merely hangers on. When urgent necessity demanded they did use their weight to advantage, but generally the reverse was the case. • • • The Old Boys-Oriental match was a dreary sort of affair, all the enthusiasm being centred on the adjoining match on the Park. It looked at one stage of the game — especially in the earlier portion— as if the ex-collegians were going to vary the monotony of their defeats, but, as the game wore on, this hope was dispelled — the Orientals eventually winning by 13 noints to 6. ♦ # * My confrere "Wing," of the Dunedin "Star" has given me my opportunity. One of my comments in re the probable Wellington representative team was sarcastically referred to by that writer, his paragraph stating that the Wellington Selection Committee should engage me as its advisor. But, my friend goes further than I would like to in his last notes — he practically selects the New Zealand representative team to play against New South Wales. This is a fairly bold thing for a newspaper man to take on on his own, but a small-booklet I have by mo as the result of the Northern tour of the Wellington team in 1898 explains the intrepidity of "Wing." On the frontispiece it bears a fine likeness of him we knew here as "ExForward,'' and the description following the picture contains the following : — "There is no name that has so wide a reputation in the New Zealand football world as Mr. W. Coffey. . . . not only is he an old footballer, but he is recognised as the highest authority on the game and the players of football in New Zealand. Mr. Coffey is so thoroughly posted as to the abilities of the players all over the colony that he is probably the one man who could pick a New Zealand team with the best result." This was prjnted in 1898, but, as I have not heard it even mooted that the New Zealand Union will appoint a sole selector on this occasion, the claims of Mr. Coffey will probably be passed by in favour of a triumvirate of selectors. * * * The special meeting of the Referees Association, on Monday night, was but sparsely attended by players — mores the pity — although there was a lair gathering. Mr. JN orris, the Rugby Union's delegate to the Ivonlerence, lucidly explained the decisions arrived at, as well as detailing the reasorus and arguments that led up to such decisions. Those present were very favourably impressed with the manner in which Mr. N orris brought the conclusions home to them, and, at the close of the meeting, a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded him. As these decisions are now part and parcel ot the laws, and will be acted on in Saturday's matches, players can only have themselves to blame if they are ignorant of them. The opportunity given by the Referees Association should have been taken advantage of more than it was. The referee is generally the butt of the spectators during the match, and of the players between themselves in their walk homewards, and when they are playing the match over down the street in the evening. So that it is not surprising that when the Referees Association desires to bring its members more in touch with the players that the latter are slow to give efiect to the wishes of the Association. When an opportunity is given for players to obtain a better knowledge of the rules, they do not trouble to go out of their way to avail themselves of it, with the result that when a decision is given the player who "cackles" the most is the one that knows the least about the rules. From this castigation I wish to except the captains of the Melrose and Oriental Clubs, who were the only captains of senior clubs present at the meeting. # # * When Melrose met Poneke in the first round the play indulged in was considered as rough as it was possible to be. But, the match at Petone on Saturday may fairly be described as a degrading exhibition, and nearly every player who took part in the match must bear his share of the blame. In the first match, the player then playing half-back for Poneke was severely kicked by a certain player, and, as a result of last Saturday's game, Slater, the Poneke full-back, bears, in the shape of

a discoloured eye, unmistakable evidences of tile same player's boot. It is a pity the incident misled the eye of the referee. During the first twenty minutes of the game, the Poneke team's play approached the maivellous, three tries being scored in that time, and a total of thirteen points being placed to> their credit. Then the trouble commenced. The Melrose team, seeing nothing but an inewtable del oat staring them in the face, began to play as rough as they knew how, and, naturally enough, the Poneke team had to give as good a.% they got. Walter Snenccr caught the attention of the lefeice first, apparently "scragging" Gage when the latter did not ha\e the ball and he was ordered off. The Melrose team did not like this, and a move was made by several of the players to leave the field, but better counsels prevailed. Right at the end of the game McAnally and J. Spencer were ordered bv the referee to leave the field for fighting. The official put up a local record m ordering three players off the field in a son 10 r match but there is no doubt several others could have been made to keep them company — the nature of their play warranted it.

What's wrong with Scrummy MasonP "Wing" &ays, for obvious reasons., he is almost certain to be passed over when the New Zealand team to play against New South Wales is chosen. Tommy Roberta, well-known in Auckland as w ing three-quarter for the New - ton Club, arrived in town on Tuesday by the Takapuna. An accident to Ins shoulder in a match last Saturday may prevent him from playing here. A special meeting of the Rugby Union is to be held next Thursday night to finally deal with the amalgamation scheme, and to consider two notices of motion — one to allow the Management Committee to report cases of unfair play coming under their notice, and another to change the colour of the knickers in the representative uniform from black to white. P. Jacob, who represented Wellington against Nelson, and has since left for Invercargill, is an old Wanganui College boy, where he learnt to play the Rugby game. In 1894, he played fullback "in the Manawatu-Wanganui team against New South Wales, and in 1898 represented Taranaki. Since then, he tiavclled across to Sydney, but did not play football there. His play this season, with the Petone Club, has been consistently brilliant. W. King has boon the leading light among the forwards in the Petone Club for many seasons now, having been a resident in the suburban township for the past nine years. Mr. King came to this district from Oamaru. As a front-ranker he has represented Wellington on twelve occasions, and is at the present time little., if anything, weaker than any of the others playing in the iront of the scrummage m Wellington. Mr. King is captain of thePetone Club. • • • Just a reminder to wing-forwards "Referees should inflict penalty if a wing player in any manner handles an opponent not holding the ball." This will be acted on in Saturday's matches Players generally can note those — Putting one foot over the mark is to be decided as having charged.

Slater is playing consistently at fullback for Poneke, and it is not too much to say that his form is superior at the present time to any of the other fullbacks in the competition. Wallace did the work of at least haif-a-dozen men on Saturday, and Roberts played better than he has previously done this season. Davy Gage made his re-appearance in Wellington football in this game, and played soundly, if not brilliantly. Slattery's try was the outcome of a brilliant run on his part, and his chances of taking the place 1 vacated by Jacob in the representative team were greatly improved by his all-round display. Wilson and Sweeney were the most prominent among the Poneke forwards, McAnally and Mann doing good work. The Melrose backs were completely beaten by their opponents, although the defensive work of Wrigley and G. Spencer was of a high order. Among the forwards, J. Spencer playod well all the time, and Adams worked hard and consistently. * • * Universal sympathy is expressed for McAnally. A Southern gentleman— and totally unbiassed — says that it was a marvel to him how McAnally put up

A wing player can never become part of the scrummage. If a front-ranker lifts his foot he "may" be penalised. The ball can be put back into the bcrummage by the foot, and not with the hands. A referee can deal with a player who continually appeals. The play must not be stopped if a player is hurt until the ball has gone out of play, unless continuance of play is likely to be dangerous to the injured one. The ball can be brought m from touch without waiting for the touch-judge to come to the spot where it went out. In cases of knocks-on a scrummage must be formed.

with what he did without retaliating. He states he noticed him struck deliberately four times, at least, during the progress of the match. Even a worm will turn — and if McAnally is guilty of the offence charged aeainst him he is not deserving of the censure of the footballing public. Jack Spencer I cannot understand. A good-hearted lad, hail fellow well met, yet, on occasions, on the football field, he loses absolute control of himself. I feel extremely sorry for him. It was a big surprise to me to find that Walter Spencer had been ordered off for foul -play. I have watched him closely during the past two seasons, and never have I seen him do an unsportsmanlike action on the field, and I would not be surprised to hear that a mistake has been made in his case. The referee in this match, I consider, made a mistake in allowing the game to be played full time — the darkness that intervened at the end being partly responsible for the rough nature of the play at that stage. It was only two minutes from time when J. Spencer and McAnally were ordered off. The players lost si^ht of the ball altogether at times, and then they went looking for something else. It was unfortunate tor two of them that they found the referee.