Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 260, 24 June 1905, Page 19

Rugby Football.

LOCAL champjon&h. p matches la.st Saturday did not excite much mteiest, although there was the aveiage attendance oi spectator -, at the Athletic Paik. Oriental and Athletic, who were iunning second for the championship, had an interesting "go" on a heavy ground at the Park, the wearers of the black and white jerseys winning by eight points to nil. Poneke, with a team a lot different from what represented the club m the earhei matches, won from the Southerns by rune points to mil. At Miramar, the Old Boys, one time probable winners of the championship, won fiom Wellington by nine poants to three At Petone, the Melro&e team caused the supporters of the suburban fifteen much anxiety during the game between these two teams, the final result being eight points to three in favoui of Petone. -* *■ V The Melrose-Petone game consisted mainly of loose forward rushes, and was punctuated with a lot of hard, willing play that occasionally got rough. There were several times when thie referee had occasion to caution several of the competing players, but, otherwise, the gaime was played mi a good spirit. The New Zealand Union have decided to send then representative team on tour through the colony before finally sending it away to the Old Country. Whether thit* move is for the purpose of giving the team matches together to obtain combination, or with the object of increasing the credit balance of the New Zealand Union, I know not, but in any ase it should give satisfaction to followers of the game, and well-wishers of the team in the colony. The ariangement is to play Auckland at Auckland, on Saturday next, July Ist. Then the New South Wale^ tour will be undertaken, the team returning to Wellington, and going South. Matches will be played at Duned'm, Canterbury, and Wellington, and the team will finally leave here for England on the 30th July. • * * "Earner, " an Auckland wntei , "waxes indugnant at my calling for three cheers for James Duncan, on his appointment as> coach of the New ZeaJand team and even goes so far ais to f-how pity for me. If Duncan ls so ineligible for the position ays Auckland friends would like to impress you, why — and echo answers why — is the Auckland. Unuon the oinly one in, the colony that has risen up in protest ? "Harrier" may call Duncan antedeluvian if he pleases, but no one can gainsay the fact that the counsel given the members of the New Zealand team by the veteran went a loner way towards the victory attained against the Britishers last year. And why, again, did not "Harnei-" object to Duncans appointment on that occasion ? Simply because there was no necessity to, and because Auckland had as many men in the New Zealand team asi they were satisfied they required. On this occasion a place is wanted for "Scobie" Mackenzie — therefore a coach is not wanted when am Auckland' player ha® been passed by * * „ The "Petone Chronicle" has been saying nasty things about the Wellington Rugby Union and members of the committee lately. In the spirit that runs through all its articles, it refers: to the writer of these notes us a near relation of an official of the Union. This is a breach of journalistic etaquebte which would not be permitted) bv the subeditor of a properly-conducted ne<ws^ paper. However, the "Chronicle" has said that "hecause the Free Lance writer sent Warner to Palmerston North, and he did' not go therefore Warner must be a professional." This is begging the question, and the writer of the suiburban paper knows it. I stated thatb Warner was very nearly breaking the rules of professionalism with the following facts before me * Warner had stated that it was very unlikely that he would stay in Petone for the winter. One Monday morning he left for Palmerston North, where he

had been promised employment Wlueai he got to Otaki, a telegi'aan was handed him, asking him to come 1 back to Petone as a job was waiting for hun. He came back, and was temporarily installed as caretaker of the Pet one Bowling Gieen — in the wintei time. If m\ conclusion oik these facte was not a 7uist one, I apologise for stating that this was almost a breach of the Laws ot Piofessionalism. George) Smith is taking no risks. On Saturday week the City Club, Auckland, took the field without him "A trainer will aocompany the New South Wales team to Brisbane next week." — How they do things in Sydney On Saturday's form, Newton hardly justifies the selectors in their ohoice of him a« a New Zealand representative. A "Quidnunc" comment. Gonnell, the Dunedin player leferred to last week, was not playing for the Poneke Club in its latest match. A bird of passage probably. Sharpe, the Petone wing three-quar-ter is shaping well just now, and a place in the Wellington representative team should be within his ken this year Stan Brice and Braid, last year's seniors, aie playing for the Petome juniors this season. They did not lelish the aquatic carnival last Saturday, though. Barber's form is a long way below that shown by hum in pievious seasons. The way he hangs to the ball is positively disheartening to his fellow-play-ers in the Petone team. I was surprised to hear that McGiegor, of the Petone team, was warned for roughly handling a player without the ball last Saturday. In view of the Home tour, he should not take risks like that. The following excerpt from, the "Athletic News" may prove mteie^ting foa some people to_ read just now — "No miari has ever played football yet who hadn't much to learn aftci many years of play." A foiward that shows much promise i- Plnlps, the latest addition to the Petone senior team. He is a good worker, but a tendency he has of playing the man instead of the ball may keep him back. The Rugby Union have announced their intention of presenting a trophy to the team showing the most brilliant football during the season. Judging by the last few Saturdays play the trophies should be withdrawn. According to the "Athletic News," A. Humphries was an aspirant for the position of manager of the New Zealand team. The "Athletic News" us an English paper, which accounts foir tine lateness of the publication of this item. "George Gillett, th© New Zealand representative, was the hero of the match, and practacally won the same for Karangahake." — Extract from the repoit of a match between Paeroa and Kaiangahake in the Upper Thames district. The New South Wales team to play Queensland included the following — S. Wick ham, H. Judd, P. Burge, T. K. Lamb and A. Burden. These are the only member of the 1901 New South Wales team to secure places in this year's team. "Diop-kick" notes with pleasure an impiovement in Harpers play. This Canterbury player, m a recent match, is said to have went about looking for opportunities, with the result that he scored a tiy which otherwise would not have been obtained. The seats surrounding the Athletic Park, especially on the north side, want some attending to In fine weather the dust that arises from them is almost unbearable, and in wet weather they are miniature lakes. A few loads of cinders would get over the difficulty. A Sydney "Referee" item should read interesting at this stage . — "Vesry great improvement on the form shown in this (Combined Country — Metropolitan) match will need to be made xn order that New South Wales shall stand a chance against the brawny New Zealand forwards." A Geoige Smith item — "I doubt whether Smith ever played a more heady game. He never made ai mistake throughout the afternoon, and if our crack sprinter can only give the same display against footballers in the Old Country, they will understand that we can produce footballers in New Zealand." A Petone resident, and a vice-presi-dent of the suburban club, wrote to the Management Committee of the Rugby Unaon, on liisi own initiative, complaining of the refereemg m the PetoneOrental match. Inter alia, he accused the referee of being inoompetent. The committee decided to return the letter to the writer. lam told that the committee of the Petonei Club have held a meeting, and have decided! to ask the writer of the letter for an explanation. It is considered that, as the olub's name was used in the communication, it should not have been sent without the authority of the club.

The Dunedm University team, whicdi plays a series of matches hi New South Wales next month, will play a match against, the Victoria College team, at the Athletic Park, on the Bth. July. The previous Thursday they play Canterbury College at Christchurch, and leave for Sydney the might of them- match here. The Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union intern dl to aisk the delegates for power to deajl with oases of rough play and mnsoondiuot not reported by referees. If the temper of the delegates at the annual meta.nig of the Union is any guide, the chances of the proposal being carried ane very small undeed. "Manning was an absentee 1 from the Lmwood back ranks." Considering tbis player took part in the PetonetOriental match the previous Saturdlay, thi& comment on a match in Chrrsitohurdh last week leads funny, to say the least of it. Can. anyone tell me how long Manning was in Wellington before^ he played against PetoneP A coincidence ' Against Petone, Edgar Wyhe, one of the local Selection Committee, assisted his old team- — the Oriental. In Chriistchuirch, the same afternoon, Wilson, -who is a member of the Canterbury Union's Selection Committee, was prevailed upon to don the jeisey because bis old team was shorthanded. Wilson, however, only played a few minutes, as he madie the sixteenth Albion player on the field. A delicate position, and one whach wants a legal mmdi to decided The Management Committee of the Rugby Union must be elected from delegates. A delegate from a club at the annual meeting of the Union is elected on the Management Committee. At a special meeting of the club in question, called for that purpose, this delegate is retired from that position. Can he .stall hold office as a member of the Management Committee under the altered conditions ?