Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 55, 20 July 1901, Page 20

Rugby Football.

THti Wellington Club liave won the Semoi Championship for the second time since these matches were instituted, the only previous occasion on which the club gained this honour being as far back as 1890 — the third season artei championship matches were instituted. Although, m its two matches with the Ponelcc Club, the champion teaui had to be content to leave the held with "honours easy," the tact will not be disputed that during the whole series of matches the Wellington players have shown the best, tootDail ot any of the other teams in the competition. Their displays have been consistently brilliant, and it is only right and fitting that the consistent team should win. A great deal of attention has been paid by the executive of the club to the training of its team, a seeming difficulty at the beginning of the season in the direction ot a suitable gymnasium having been got over by the courtesy of the St. Patrick's College authorities. The training operations have been carefully superintended by Mr. Chas. Reese, who is now in the enviable position ot being able to say, "I told you so." The success of the team is due, m a great measure, to the whole-souled work done by this gentleman in his capacity as coach, and he has my heartiest congratulations. Writing on April 20th, discussing the chances of the teams in the Senior Championship, a paragraph in my notes contained the following —"Wellington is, undoubtedly, the strong team on paper at the present time — even minus the valuable services of Brodie. Wood, Meredith, and Bird are a nice trio, and, if only their forwards can get the ball, won't things hum?" The prediction here indicated has been fully borne out. Starting well, the executive of the team soon discovered that they must obtain possession in the scrummage, and, with that object in view, Longton was brought back from his retirement.

This movo proved a good one, and with Meredith playing better than he has ever done before, the attacking powers of Wood and Row right through the season, and of Burr and Mclntyre at the later stage, were fully used, with material advantage to their team. The full-back (Lovatt) is deserving of a good word, for he has shown that he lias the correct idea of how to play the full-back game, and, with another year or two on his shoulders, and a bit more power behind his kicks, he should make a bold bid for representative honours. The forwards were on the heavy side, but the regular training put in by them made their weight of good effect, the slowness generally noticeable in a heavy pack being apparent only on occasions tow and far between. Gallagher played right up to his best form, McLachlan better than he has previously m Wellington, and Wilson showed improvement on. his Old Boys form of the previous season. Leversedge has grafted consistently right through, his work being of the solid order rather than the brilliant. Walsh is a good pivot, and holds a pack well together. Burnett has played in the front light through the season, but did not meet with any success in "hooking" till Longton joined him. On the wing forward, Hanson has been playing himself right into form as the season progressed, and his last two exhibitions have been of a high order. Komber's play savoured more of the protective than of the aggressive, and from that standpoint alone has been of great service to hi® team. Finally, a notice of this nature would not be complete without a reference to the excellent manner in which Meredith handled his men. A good captain of a football team goes a long way towards its success, and the Wellington senior fifteen have been peculiarly fortunate in their choice of a leader. The following is the teams record for the season. — Matches played 12, won 10, drawn 2, points for 168, points against 65, championship points 22. * ♦ * Football is a sport, but, like other sports, can be abused. The action of the Melrose Club, in defaulting its senior match to Wellington last Saturday, cannot but reflect discredit on the management of the club, and, indirectly, on the sport they should endeavour to uphold. Excuses, of course, can be made for anything, and those of the Melrose

secretary in the "Evening Post" of Monday last only show the shallowness of the action of his club. No one with a grain of sportsmanlike feeling can do anything but blame the Melrose Club, and, although I would like to say more, as it is more than probable that the Rugby Union will take some action in the matter, I will refrain, with the intention, if opportunity offers, of returning to the subject. • ♦ • The Selection Committee put forth itb second team on Saturday night but very few changes from the selection to play against Nelson were made. Slattery was given the left wing three-quar-ter position. Burr (another left-winger) being placed on the right. Manson replaced Gallagher on the wing-forward, the latter being put into the pack. Coady was given Skilton's place in the pivot. These aie the only alterations, but my impression is, they could have been more extensive among the forwards. Longton has shown such consistent good form "hooking" that he undoubtedly deserved a place, although it would have been hard lines, perhaps., to leave out either of the other two. Adams should have been dropped. Honest and hard-working as he is, Brunsden (whose line work in Poneke's last two matches has been brilliant), Sweeney, Wilson, Leversedge, and Watkins are all better men. Another point I do not like about the team is the wing three-quarters. For the left wing, either Burr or Slattery should have been put in. The latter would fill the bill better than Burr, as he has equal dash, is as hard to stop when underweigh, and shows better defence than the former. Mclntyre is the best of the right wing three-quarters. Perhaps, Midlane, though a trifle young, on his present form is worth the place. Fred, however, has still a lot of football in him, and should prove a hard man to keep out of the team next year. However, there is not much to complain about in the selection, and the selectors deserve credit for the effort they have made to get together a team that will do justice to the Union. ♦ » • An esteemed friend in the Wairarapa sends me (by request) the following criticisms on the Wairarapa representative team • — The Wairarapa representatives -that play against Wellington on Saturday

weigh 189 st 31b. The average of the backs is list 131b, the forwards 13st lib, and the whole team 12st 81b. The backs are weak, very weak in attack ; they are fair tacklers, field well, and pay strict attention to the touchline. Two of them (McKenzie, the full-back, and Faulkner, the aboriginal centre three-quarter) are each over 14st 41b, and Burr and Slattery will undoubtedly find them stiff slabs of architecture to bump up against. As a kicker, MoKenzie is not showing the form of last year the reason, apparently, being want of practice. Smait, wing three-quarter, is a novitiate, and an enthusiast. He lives tlurty miles the other side of Martinborough, thus, when there is a match in Carterton, he rides fifty miles. He is plucky, .a good tackier and touch-line kick, but knows nothing of the fine arts of back play. Diamond, another wing three-quarter, hits the happy medium in all parts of back play, and should give a good account of himself. Faulkner's strong point is his touchline kicking; also, he will quickly seize an advantage if his vis-a-vis is careless. McMaster, the five-eighth, is a diminutive stripling, fast, and with more pluck than cunning. Mat McGuire is a brother to "Paddy," whilom Melrose and Wellington representative half. The youngster is a trier. A passing attack by the Wairarapa backs will probably cause the Wellington football epicure laughter, and there is no doubt their aggressive ideas are very crude. However, the forwards will more than make up for the deficiencies of the rearguard. Six of them are each over six feet high, and built in proportion. Seven of them played against Wellington at Masterton last year, when the sensational attack of the black rearguard turned bitter defeat into the sweets of victory. Jury, another scrummer, played on the wing in 1897. at Masterton, against the redoubtable Hardcastle, and, according to "Willies" own report, the half-castei was "some class." L. Armstrong and Jack McKenzie have their old place on the wing, but neither have shown any extraordinary brilliance this season.

Armstrong's strong point is his fine play in attack : his confrere is facile princeps in following up and smashing down the enemy's back play. Dan Udy. front-ranker, 14st 41b, oft lOin, and hooks, with his right foot, is the best all-round forward in Wairarapa this season. As V assail states, in his hints to players, "such a man is a rara-avis." Udy is better fitted for the front rank of a New Zealand team than any man the writer has known bar Swindley, Tom Ellison, and Frank Young. The two vwngs and Udy have been nominated for the New Zealand team. Moore, the other front ranker, is a good, solid, hard-grafting forward, not seen often in the open, but gets there just the same. Workman, Whiteman, Raisen, and J. Armstrong are good types of forwards, with a penchant for loose play. All these men are gymnasium-trained, and very fit. They will career, m apparently irresistible sweeping rushes, from one end of the field to the other — nine never-tiring, electrical young earthquakes. Wellington should win the match, but the Wairarapa forwards will make them go every yard. • • • Mr. Norns has been agreed upon as the referee in the representative match on Saturday. The team to make the Southern tour will be chosen on Saturday night, after the Wairarapa match. At Petone, the Old Boys registered its first win for the season, triumphing over the local team by 7 points to 5. In its match last Saturday. against Queensland, the New South Wales team played with four three-quarters and two halves. Melrose won the Senior Championship last season, with a score of 17 points out of a possible total of 20. Wellington's total is 22 out of a possible 24. For the Canterbury- Wellington match Mr. A. Downes (Otago) has been suggested as the referee, and, failing him, Mr. F. T. Evans, of Christchurch . S. Brown, who is mentioned as likely to secure a place in the Auckland team this season, played for Auckland against Wellington as a wing-forward in 1895. A stroll through the Wellington Club's club-room the other night was much appreciated. Some old photographs are very interesting, and carry the mind back to some great struggles, particularly the Wellington team of 1886. Mr. Norris had some ticklish points to unravel in the Athletic-Poneke match, and gave a masterly exposition of refereemg. To my mind, this gentleman is at present the ablest referee we have in Wellington, his interpretation of the laws being of the best. Mr. W. E. Knott, of Christchurch, is issuing the official programme of representative matches for the Rugby Union. Judging by this gentleman's productions in connection with the Canterbury Rugby Union, patrons of football in Wellington should be able to secure a better guide to the players this season than they have been used to in the past. I have to offer an apology. In the notes relating to the Referees Conference, Mr. Lewis was mentioned as a stranger to myself. The initials — W. J. — seemed familiar, but, for the life of me, I could not recognise the picture as the same gentleman who a few seasons back was a member of the Wellington Union's Junior Selection Committee, and a member of the Referees Association. However, it is the same gentleman, who by profession is a schoolmaster.

Burr is likely to leave Wellington shortly, having been appointed by the Defence Department to an official capacity in the Taranaki district. He expects to receive marching orders any day, and will not be able to make the Southern tour. Conder showed a distinct tendency to go on his own in the Athletic-Poneke match, and neglected Kelly, who was in a particularly willing humour. The boy has been praised a little too much lately, I take it, and his hats must be getting small for him. D. Wilson is a younger brother of Alex. Wilson, the New Zealand representative forward. This is his second season in Wellington, and, during that time, he has shown consistently good form in the forward ranks of the Poneke Club, so much so that he will more than likely be a member of the representative team that tours the South. Dave is a native of Auckland. Rev. W. Simpson, preaching at Sydenham recently, had a few words to say on football, and I make some excerpts — "Football is a superior and excellent game. . . . All the powers of the body were brought into play, and were developed on the football field. . . . One of the lessons for footballers to learn was loyalty to their club and its colours. Football was a noble game, and had produced some of the greatest and best men." The match between the Poneke and Athletic teams, on the Athletic Park, last Saturday, was decidely interesting, and well repaid those who went to the trouble of wending thitherward to witness it. The result — 16 to s—left5 — left the Poneke team in the position of runnersup for the championship — the nearest any senior team from that club has. been for a long while. Their record for the season is a good one — Matches played 10, won 7, lost 1, drawn 2, points for 134, against 38. Peter Gerrard went back to Auckland by the Waikare last Friday, being transferred from the Wellington to the Auckland section of the Torpedo Corps. He has had peculiar luck. Last season he left Auckland just when he had a fine chance of winning a representative cap, and now when the probabilities pointed to his securing a place in the Wellington team, he is shifted from here. Peter's services should prove valuable to the North Shore Club even yet this season, as he is in fine form just now. The New South Wales party to visit New Zealand will consist of twenty-two players and a manager. The appointment of Mr. J. R. Henderson to the latter position means that no effort will be left undone to achieve success against, the redoubtable New Zealanders. Mr. Henderson is thoroughly in touch with all the moves of the football board, knows the value of discipline, organisation, and condition, is well grounded in football law, and, besides, if respected .by the players. If he cannot make the team successful in its mission, it will be due to their meeting stronger opponents. — Sydney ''Referee."

T. Quinn is a familiar face on the Athletic Park. H© has been playing wing-forward for the Athletic Club for some years now, with the exception of a short transfer to Auckland, where he played for the North Shore Club. Tom is a West Coaster.

Club. q S Mate B O ones I cfl Q c c • s sg, 5-i Wellington .. 12 Poneke . . 10 Melrose . . 10 athletic .. 11 Oriental . . 11 Petone .. 10 31dBoys .. 10 10 7 5 5 3 3 1 0 1 4 (i 7 7 9 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 168 65 22 134 38 16 95 54 11 85 104 10 56 156 7 68 106 6 49 143 2

The following table shows the position, of the clubs in the Senior Championship up to and including last Saturday's matches . —