Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 207, 18 June 1904, Page 19

Rugby Football.

THE principal topic of convei satiom in Rugby football circles at the present time is the attitude of the "New Zealand Times" anent rough play. The writer of the articles on the "Bugby Rough," a& applied to local football, is generally conceded 1 to Lave but little solid ground on which to base liis arguments. Those who should 1 be in a position to know contend that the playing of the game in Wellington this season has less objectionable features in it than m past seasons. What is the leason of the "bee in the bonnet" of the "Times" reporter? At the beginning of last season Touch had a grievance against the Kugpy Union because a deputation from the Management Committee waited on the editorial chief of the "Times" to the end that Rugby football matches might be bettei reported in that paper. But, that surely is not the reason for the trenching the Rugby footballer is now receiving in Wellington's morning daaly newspaper? It may be, though foi _ it is stated that the reason why the "rough" is trotting more in evidence is because the Rugby Union deak too lightly with offenders brought betoie them by referees. Bv the way, a few days after the appearance of the first article cm the Rough," alleged interviews with certain referees were published as genuine discourses. None of the actn c senior referees in Wellington to whom I have spoken have any knowledge of having expressed to a newspaper reporter the opinions credited to refeiees in the article in question. At any rate, I make no apologies, and challenge successful contradiction, when I assert that the players are not rougher in thear methods of play this season than in past seasons and my contact with Wellington football extends without interruption over ■ a period of ten years. lam willing to admit that there are many players playing tne game who resort to tricks and devices that do them no credit, either as footballers or gentlemen. But, the general body of players do not deserve the epithet of "Rugby Roughs" being thrown in their teeth, and I would suggest to the "Times," if it intends to persevere with this subiect, to name a few of the players whom its article is driving at, and perhaps more will be heard of it. But, to brand the whole of the players, as has been done, is manifestly unfair, and has cast a blight on Wellington football that will take a lot of removing. _ * * * Speaking to a referee on the lgnoiance of players on the rules, he remai lied that very few players knew that in pass forwards it was quite' possible foi the player taking the 1 pass to be offside, and if the non-off ending side olaim,ed for the latter they would get a freekick awarded them almost every time. To my mind, the referee, m not awarding the free-kick in oases wheie the player was off-side in taking a pass forward, was not carrying out the laws of the game either in the letter or the spirit "A referee has power to refuse aupeals," we are told in one place, and the referee should in every ease give the non-offending side the biggest advantage from a breach of rule bv its opponents, and he should not wait for an appeal before so deciding. * * * The trip to Wellington of the Wairarapa team last week cost the Wairarapa Union £5 18s. "Mr. Charters refereed m his usual capable manner " — A complimentary notice to our old friend "A.B C."— the alphabet of Wellington public schools football. The first round of championship matches concluded last Saturday, The Peione team, having won all of its six matches, is leading, the Poneke team, with one loss, being second. The fight for the wooden spoon, between the Wellington and Athletic teams, was a good one. The Athletics were left in possession of the aforesaid spoon at the conclusion of the game. Arciiie McMinn, the New Zealand representative forward, is showing good form in Palmerston North this season. Jack Stalker is putting in fine work also. Both these players are in the Institute team in the town witih the big Square. (Covtinved on page 20 )

Mr. George Mason, the chairman of the Canteibury Rugby Union — a man for w horn I have the greatest i espect— told an interviewer that the players in Wellington were much, roughei thaai they were in Canterbury. Again, that the' W.R F.XJ. were much more lenient than their Oanterbmy confreres m dealing with offendeis. Mr. Mason also said that when a player in Wellington was suspended for two Saturdays if matches were postponed from any cause say for two weeks the suspended players were not really suspended at all.' Surely, friend George must have been trying to belittle the Wellington Union to hi- in fcei viewer — unwittingly, I will admit. He has seen one game in Wellington this season, therefore he is capable of judging of the relative roughness of the Wellington and Canterbury playeis. Secondly, I know of an instance where a player was disqualified for five years for striking an opponent by the Wellington Union. Cam Mr. Mason point to a heavier sentence than that bv his Union for a similar offence p And. thirdly, all suspensions in Wellington are for playing Saturdays • there^ fore in this connection, Mr. Mason got out of his bearings • • • Wanganui and Taranaki 1 play at Hawera on the 20th July. Dick, a Wanganui wing-forward has removed to Auckland, and is playing for the City Club there. Dan Toohill scored, a try for the City Club, Napier, in its maitch with the Suburbs team, last Saturday. "Paddy MeMinn and W. Smith weie brilliant is a comment on two Palmeirston North players well-known in Wellington. The Zingani Club is l e adme for the Otago Rugby Union's senior championship. Albion is in the same position in Chi ist church, and City in Auckland Peter Gerraid and Joyce, two ex-Ath-letic Club players, get a good word for their play every week from the Auckland writers. Both play for the North Shore, Club. Eric Harper, the Canterbury centre three-quarter, was in fine form on Saturday week. He scored two tries, converted four into goals, and ail so kicked a goal from a mark. It is rumoured in town this week that "Dolly" Gray has joined the Melrose dub. a strong supporter of that club having secured him a billet. We shall see what we shall see. The "barracking" element at the Athletic Park last Saturday was a disgrace to everybody concerned in it. I have no doubt measures will be taken by the Rugby Union to prevent a recurrence. A ieply to Mr. George Mason, in the "Canterbury Times "■ — " Unnecessary playing of the player instead of the ball called for remonstrance from the referee." — One of the worst features of rough play. ''Renwick ran and kicked well, and was clearly head and shoulders above the other backs." — This quotation, from am Auckland paper, points to an aspii ant for representative honours in that district. The Te Aute boys, m their first match, created a very favourable impression in Sydney. One writer ventured the opinion that, as they get into their true form, they will give delightful displays of footbaJl Harold Judd, who will be remembeied as an aggressive foiward in the New South Wales team that toured New Zealand in 1901, was ordered off the field bv the referee in the NewtownGlebe match, in Sydney, on the 4th instant. "The Rugby game is not sport for a weak man to indulge in. It is an amusement for the .strong and healthy, claiming admiration essentially from, lovers of science, skill, and strength combined." — A reply in an exchange to the "Rugby Rough." The Petone Club continued its senes of successes last Saturday, the Old Boys being the victims on this occasion. For a bier portion of the game, the ex-Col-legians put up a good fight, but in the later stages they went to pieces befoie the dashes of the suburban vanguard G. Williams, full-back of the Albion Club Nelson, is apparently a place-kick of more than oi dinary merit. Recently, he kicked five goals (four penalties and one f l ora a try) in one match, and n week Inter kicked' four goals ''two penalties one from a ma/rk, and one from a try). Nine goals from eleven attempts was his aggregate for the two games Mr W. Johnson, the newly-elected member of the Management Committee of the Rugby Union, is not so wellknown to the piesent-day footballer as to the players of the late eighties Mr. Johnson, in the days of his play, was a member of the Poneke Club, and is still one of its strong supporters. He was captain of the Wellington representative iundor team in 1887, and, as he is a. level-headed gemtleman, the Management CWnnittee oi the Rugby Union should be all the better for his connection with it.

Buibei, Wellington's, centre tlueequavt&r back, is laid up with a seven c attack of influenza. Jimmy's roim is so good just now that, foi the sake of ha® club and Union, I wish him an early return to the. playing field. Reynolds, the Inveircargill player, who put m part of last season with the Oriental team, is showing good form in Canteibury this yeai. He is playing for the Menvale Club, and is described by ' Quidnunc" as one of the most "heady" half-backs he has seen for some time. The referee in the casualty maitch at Wanganiui on Saturday week reported "that, while the play was 'vigorous,' he saw no individual acts which would have wan anted him in ordering a man off the field." Try anothei refeiee, please' This one, at any rate, should not be allowed to blow a whistle again. Stanley Wiokbam is still in the foiefront of Sydney players. A scribe says of him in a recent inafteh — "Wickham was about the best of the thirty playplayers, his defending beino 1 excellent, amd he had plenty of it." Mast of us will lememiber the great run he made right across the field in the New South Wales- Wellington match, m 1901. Otago plays the British team on the 10th August, Wellington plays Taranaki on the same date. It is, therefore, more than probable that the New Zealand team will assemble m Wellington, the day previous to its match \\ ith the Britisheis. In 1896, the New South Wales representative team were beaten by all the provinces, yet they defeated the New Zealand team. Is history likely to be repeated, in the oase of the Britishers ? The only people not too well satisfied with the matches arranged foir the British team, in the colony are the Wellington enthusiasts. "But, the New Zealand match is being played 1 here, and that should satisfy you." I know lam expressing the feelings of many moae when I say that any other town could have had the New Zealand match if the Wellington representative team thereby could have had a match with the visitors And, having said that, I will say no more The biggest surprise m last Saturday's matches was the great fight put up by the Melrose team against Poneke As indicated last week, I heard that the wearers of the red 1 and blue jeiseys were making a bifc effort to get their senior team in working order again, but I did not expect they would have made such a showing as they did against the Poneke team. More honour to them A olub with the traditions of the Melrose Olub deserved better at the hands of its players than to have to fill ur> its team with any Tom, Dick or HnaTv that might happen ailong, and I hope that the latent showing: of its pla,veis may be but the forerunner of a lasting improvement in the showing of the tenm