Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 221, 24 September 1904, Page 19

Rugby Football.

THE football season ot 1904 is lapidly di awing to a close, the sene^ of animal house" matches and the Battalion Tournament doing the necessary wmding-up in Wellington. The season has been a veiy busy one, tnoi c teams competing in the Rugby Union'b championships than m any pievious year. The interest taken in the games in the vauou^ contests has been very niaiked, and in the whole of the five grades the competition ha^ been solid. The futuie ot Wellington football is very piomismg, because of the great numbei of junioi footballers who week in and week out have been playing the game * -r » The success of the Petone Club in the Rugby Union's championships is the outstanding feature of the local games, and, with the matenal available and coming on in the junior ranks of the club, it is just possible that gi eater =uece^es ma^ be attained bv them in futuie -seasons The Poneke Club's first, fifteen were rnnners-up foi the Senioi Championship, but that ls all that can be said for the club. For some leason or ancther there were but few members offen - ing for the junior grades of the club, and, unless the Poneke executive take in hand the educating of junior players to fill the vacancies in the senioi team, it? future will be a very sad one. The Old Boys' Club have had a bettei season than in previous years Their first fifteen finished third for the championship, and might have been still closer to the winners if they had consistently used the advantages offered by training at an earlier period of thp season's nlnv than when they t"ok the ma+ter spi'^slv m hand. Thr> junior, third, and fourth class teams all showed' such form that it is fair to predict that the Old Boys' Club can view with satisfaction the future of the club. The Mel rose Club were even, in worse straits than Poneke. Equally with them they had to withdraw the nominations they made for the fourth and fifth class competitions, because of the younger playeis not offenng. The came remark applies to them as to Poneke — if the Melrose Club aie to reach the high plane they have enjoyed in past seasons, the younger players will have to be encouraged. The Onental Club aie well managed, and axe popular among playei s just coming on. In all the Rugby Union championships they weie treated with a deal of lespect by all the opposing teams. The senior fifteen made good fights with the three leading teams in that competition, Poneke and Petone ju6t defeating them by the barest possible maigins Similar results weie noticeable in the othei competitions. It is only a question of time, therefore, when the encouragement given the junioi players by the Oriental Club will bring its due reward. The Wellington, and Athletic Clubs have had a very bad passage in the senior competition. Both clubs, however, have had strong second-class teams, and next season they may be expected to do better. The Athletic Club have always been popular with junior players, and their membership th's season has* been a full one. The Kia Ora Club made their best showing tns season m the junior championship since they entered the Rugby Union. The Hutt players showed much improved form this season, mainly, I believe, fiom indulging in, systematic tiainmg, and their position as lunnersup for the championship was fully earned. The Southern Club did not attain to such a high position in the championships in which they competed as I anticipated they would at the beginning of the season. The executive of the club, however, have great faith in then future, for I heai that it is more than piobable that they will enter for the Senior Championship next season. The Victoria College Club had more success this year than in previous seasons, but, at the same time, were nofc as fully successful as their management hoped. They have, however, with the promise of added strength, decided to enter for the Senior Championship next season.

The St. James Club originally staited among the young men attending the St. James't. Church, in New town, a,nd, after playing thiee yeais in a haphazaid mannei, deoided to entei a team for the fourth-class competition of the Rugby Union. Since then the club have gone ahead with leaps and bounds, and tins year they had a team in the junior, thud, and fourth class competitions, be&ide two teams in the fifth class. The club aie well officeied, and have a distinctly pio&perous career before them, on piesent appearances. The Karon Club entered two teams for the fouith-class championship, and from the way they started off that competition appealed to be a gift for their first fifteen. Some of the other teams weie, however, a bit stionger, and the Karon boys had to be content with a place not so high up on the ( list as they anticipated. Perseverance, however, with that object m view may biing its lewai d The Selwyn Club have much pi omL.se of a good future m front of them. Their teams in the fourth and fifth class competitions made good fights of their various matches. The Railway Clvb — composed mainly of cadets in the Railway Offices — made a veiv good showing for a first season in the fouith-class competition. Theie w.is plenty of good material in the team, which only requires knocking into shape to make a solid team. The Wellington and St. Patrick's Colleges entered teams for the third-class competition this season, the St. Pat's boys being the best in the class. The fifth-class competition was mainly a duel between the two college teams, the weai ers of the blue and white jerseys bonify again successful in this class. All said and done, then, from a club standpoint the season has been a successful one, and the futuie of Rugby football in Wellington is such as to encouiage those lesponsible for its government to persevere in their efforts to uphold the ti aditions connected with the playing of the national game of New Zealand * * * I have to thank the Committee airanging the banquet for an invitation to attend the celebration of the Petone Club's victories this season, at Petone, on Monday night. I will be there unless something unfoieseen happens. The public of Petone aie lejoicing over the win of their boys in the Public Schools Championship this season, and have arranged an entertainment on Wednesday night next, to give vent to their feelings. A pleasant night is prom'sed those who avail themselves of the invitation issued Anybody who has a few spate shillings, and desnes to help a good cause, cannot do bettei than give their pationitrp to the Association Football and Garrison Band Bazaar, which is to be opened at the Drillshed by His Excellency the Governor at 3 p.m. to-monow (Saturday). And he'll get good value for his money. (Continued on page 20 )

meeting is interesting, and is bound to provoke a keen discussion. Not satisfied with the reveuse& leceived fi om the Management Committee of the Association, the advocates of admitting the pi ess to meetings of that body have a motion on the order paper. I have argued many times in favour of the pioposal, and am peifectly satisfied that much good will lesult to cucket if the meetings of the Management Committee are open to the press. The proposition to limit the members o £ the Committee to seven, though a good one, will not meet with much favour, for the simple leason that it will disfranchise many of the clubs who now have a voice in the affans of the Association. I shall be wiiting to some length on ciicket matters next week, so need say nothing further just now except to remark that it will be fully three weeks before practice can be indulged in on the Basin Reserve.