Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 273, 23 September 1905, Page 19

Rugby Football.

YE gods and Lttle fishes!" This was the first expression that ran through my mind on Sunday morning when I heard the news of the tremendous victory by the New Zealand team in thear first match in England. Fifty-five points to four! Not olne of the "I told you so's" imagined 1 such a remarkable demonstration, of the prowess of the New Zealand fototballeirs on tour. It is always possible to be wise after the event, so I am not going to say I thought the result of the match would be such a great victory as it was. But on the success or otherwise- of the team in their first match decided the interest that would be taken in the tour in the Old Coantry, and therefore miost of us hoped for a win m the initial game. By this time the fame of the New Zealand team has gone forth, I trow, from one end of the British Isles to the other, and the matches 1 in, the. different centres will be keenly looked for by enthusiasts and the public alike imi the Old Country, and the sending of the team forth 'will result in a good financial statement. And from the p laying standpoint the success should be as marked. The Devon County team is the strongest in the South of England, but it must not be forgotten that this is practically that team's first match this season. As the tour progresses the New Zealanders will meet teams at the top of their form, and better equipped, perhaps, to show to greater advantage than the Devon lads did. Here's success to the wearers" of the 9 lver fern, however, all along the line ! * * * A big eff ore has been made during the week to belittle the great performance of the New Zealand team by suggesting that the Devon County fifteen was "no class." In searching through English papers dealing with last season's football, I find! that Devon beat Cornwal 1 for the final of the South-Westeim Section of the Counties' Rugby championship, by 17 points tot 3. The final match for the counties' championship was played between Devon and Middlesex, the latter winning by 18 points to 6. A team that could get into the final of the counties' championship must have done something toi merit it. Mr. Blair I. Swanmell, who was a member of last year's Biitish team, and was through New Zealand with the New South Wales team that has just returned to the Coinmgtnw.ealth, pricked a card, indicating which matches he considered the New Zealandens would win at Home. Mtr. Swannell has had a wide experience, and can fairly be considered to know the strength of English county teams. This being granted, the probable successes of the New Zealand team on its present tour may be gauged from the fact that Mr. Swannell was of the opinion that the Devon County team would beat our boy*, and from what he stated it was a long way removed from the weakest team the New Zealanders were set down to meet. There were but few pieces of play over which to wax enthusiastic in the WeUington-Taranaki match on the Athletic Park last Saturday. Generally speaking, there was too much scratching by the individual players, and not enough concerted work. Both teams were affected m this manner, and, although the play would be quickly transferred from one end of the field to the other, there were but few incu dents in the game that caused the spectators to get unduly excited. The Taranaki players had the advantage of a fairly strong northerly wind in the first half of the game. At the beginning of the play, the Wellington forwards got close to tlbe opposing goalline, but the Tarainakd men soon, shifted the venue of play, and for the whole of the spell, with but a couple of intermissions, the play hovered between the half-way line and Wellington's goal. The visiting forwards did not gauge the powers of the wind in any way, and G. Spencer was given plenty of time in which to force the ball down at the end of the forward rushes by the men from round Mount Egmont. Frewin made two good shots, at goal from free-kicks, and Column on© from a mark. The second half opened 1 sensationally. Taranaki assumed the attack, and a passing rush among their backs pro-

mased to be dangerous. But Ryan intercepted one of the passes, and broke away clear of the opposing backs.. Down the field 'he went in good style, with Anderson vi attendance. At the right time he passed to Anderson, Anderfaon sent it back to him, and when jammed near tihe touch-line Ryan thiew the ball in-field, where at was seized by Dodd, tine Old Boys forward grounding the ball over the line almost oin the corner flag. A brilliant bout of play, heartily applauded by the two thousand spectators present. After a bit more desultory play, another sensation happened 'along. From a scrummage about the middle of the field, Ramsden got the ball, and then McDonald and Anderson handled it in turn. On it went to Dawson, amd the fleet-footed Old Boys player galloped for all 'he was worth. He slhow^ed a clean pair of heels to hdis foillo'Wers, and juist managed to ground the ball across the lune as the Taranaki full-back came at him. A fine piece of work, and a brilliant individual effort.. There was only one other 1 incident in the game that struck me. McDonald miadie a fine opening, and! got right down to the full-back. Here he punted the ball instead of passing, and it stopped against the fence behind! the goal-posts. McDonalds idea was all right, but his execution was very bad. The game endied in a win for Wellington by six points to nil. • » • George Spencer was. 000 l and collected at full-back, kicking with good judgement. Ryan and Dawson did all they had to do well, whether it was tackling., kicking, or running. Anderson, despite an injured foot, was effective also. McDonald showed a tendency to take his passes with one hand, but generally out in to advantage. Ramsden, when not harassed byj:he opposing wing forwards, got hus passes away well. The forwards did not appear to me to be playing .all out. On the occasions when they over-ran -the ball but few of them showed any disposition to place themselves on-side, and something would mostly happen from this cause. Either a free-kick would be given against them for off-side, or their backs would have to get in the road of an opposing forward 1 rush. And, in the majority of oases, the backs shirked those rushes. Dodd, Alexander, and Spencer were the most prominent among the forwardls, Avery and Dnsooll showamg a marked tendency to get off-side. Gardiner did well on his wing, but Warner (Who was pressed into service because of the non-appearance of CoHerton) had a troublous tame at the hands of Guy. Hard'ham and Wylde did their share of the work. • * * The Visiting backs weire effective when they got the ball to pass among themselves — effective: in so far that they made their passes correctly, but they seemed to me too eager to part with the ball, and, as a consequence, their passing rushes were rarely dangerous. Tihe half-back (Frewon) passed out well, but he seemed to delight in trying to thread' lias way through the black forwards that were charging towards him. At times the move was a success, too. Hunter was clever at taking marks, but is not in the same street asi bis brother "Jjmrny" as a five-eighth. Oolman was a safe full-back, but the three-quarter line did not impress me greatly. Gtreville, in the centre, fielded the ball well, and occasionally made some fine kicks. E. Buirbe and C. Bourke did not show to advantage! in attack. Guy, the captain and winig-forward of the Taranaki team, was the most prominent player on the side, showing to advantage right through the game. It will he remembered that Guy's praises were sung to a deal of purpose after the Taranaki-British match last year, and, judging by last Saturday's game, there was much cause for the Taramaki people advocating Guy^s inclusion an the New Zealand team now at Home. Young, Co'wper, andi Whittmgton struck me as the most noticeable among an even lot of forwards, which, hoiwevei, were a long way removed from what is associated in one's mind with a Taranaki forward team. • • • Mr. R. W. Barry— the Christchurch representative cricketer, better known under his cognomen of "Cherry," and an old Merivale Olub footballer — cairied the whistle, and was very satisfactory indeed. He handled the game admirably, and with credit to himself. * * * I wonder who supplied the information on which the programme for the Wellington-Taranaki match was framed last week. For instance, J. Drisooll is stated to have been the look of the Wellim'gton scrummage. I have no doubt "Harry" felt honoured. And then, the weights of the Wellington team were distinctly humorous. Albert Wylie was said to be 16lb lighter than

Dodd— l2st and. 13st 21b. If lam any judge, Dodd is about 12st 71b and Wylie 13st 71b. A slight difference, truly. ' Again, J. Spencer is given as the same weight (12st 71b) as Drjscoll, and lighter than Alexander, Hardham, Gardiner, CoUerton,, and Dodd. Spencer is nearer 14st than 13st. But why keep on P If it is necessary to give the weights of players in a representative match, the least the compilers of a programme can do is to see that the figures given are approximately correct. There is no need, however, to publish these weights at all, so the sooner they are dropped the better. ♦ ♦ « The Athletic Club's fourth fifteen's record for the present season, is a pretty slick one . —Matches played, 13, won 11, loivt 1. dlrawn 1 , points for 198, aigainst 7. The match lost was won by the Athletics by 33 points to nil, but was forfeited by the Rugby Union because of a breach of the rules for club contests. In all matches this year, the Athletic Club's teams have played 79 matches, of which 41 were won, 33 lost, and 5 drawn. Tlie number of r>oints scored for were 641, against 595. • # * The New Zealand Native Team defeated Devon County by 13 points to nil. Watkins, Cross, and 1 Wright are still on the disabled list, and were not available for selection against Taranaki last week. The Athletic fourth fifteen, by defeating the Orientals on Saturday last ait Berhampore, havei won the championship in that class for the season. The various championships under the Wellington Rugby Union, have resulted : — Se.na.or, Petone ; junior, Petone ; third-class, WelEngton College; fourthclass, Athletic ; fifth-class, St. James ; Wednesday, Permanent Artillery. McDonald, who played five-eighth for Wellington against Taranaki last Saturday, has been transferred to Christchurch. He is young and very promising, and the olub that gets the benefit of his services next season will be all the stronger for his inclusion its team. The last match of the season will be played on the Athletic Park to-morrow (Saturday), when the representatives of the Manawatu and Wellington Unions will meet to play their annual match. As Manawatu defeated Taranaki on Wednesday of last week by 6 points to 3, and Wellington defeated Taramaki by 6 points to nil, the match to-morrow should be an inteiresting one. Len MoKenzie, the ex-Old 1 Boys player, wbo presides over the Opera House Pharmacy, is the latest to bring out a pocket programme of th© New Zealand football team on tour. All old friends can get a copy by calling on I/en, and' perhaps be can oblige them in other ways when they interview him. Len deserves this paragraph, for he got his programmes printed at the Fkee Lance office. The Athletic Club nave been promising themselves to make .things interesting in the senior championship next season, but luck seems to be aigainst them. Green, a coming forward, left Wellington early last week, amid on Saturday night, McDonald (the rep. five-eighth) took his departua-e for Obristchurch. The Athletics cam hardly spare these two at this stage of their career. Last Saturday was the first occasion on which an Auckland representative team has been defeated by a fifteen from Australia, Auckland's previous unbeaten record in this respect not being shared by any other New Zealand team. The result of previous matches (viewed from an Auckland standpoint) : — Against New South Wales: 1882, won by 7to nil, and 19 to 4 ; 1886, won by 6to nil, 14 to 4, and 11 to 4; 1894, won by 14 to 11 ; -1901, won by 24 to 9. Against Queensland : 1896. won by 15 to 6. Mr. Barry, who refereed in the OtagoWellington match, informed me that he did not caution a Wellington player m that match for striking an opponent. As a matter of fact, no blows were exchanged between the players, to his knowledge, and, although he might be a lenient referee, he was quite willing to be known as such if he did not take action on acts which escaped his notice. "A referee can only pass judgment on the acts which come under his: notice, is Ma-. Barry's opinion, and a correct position to take up. Messrs. Wallace and Gibson, whose shop m Willis-street— "The Kash"— -any person who takes an interest in sport can find without beinig told that it is next to the "Evening Post" office, have issued a pocket programme of the matches to be played by the New Zealand football team at Home. Either member of the firm will be pleased to hand one of these programmes to any of their customers or prospective customers. Space is given onposite each game to fill in the name of the winning team, together with tlhe points scored by each.

Mine looks real well with the following particulars filled' m — "New Zealand, 56-4." Football runs m the blood all right. Last week I referred l to Harry Roberts' boys, and on a previous occasion had a word to say about the promising fooi>balleirs Harry Mclntyre was brajnging. up. Yet another old player has a promising lad. I refer to Harry McOardell. His second lad 1 is the wing three-quarter of the Athletae fourth fifteen, and his try-getting propensitieshave greatly assisted! in enabling that team to win the championship in its cla&s this season. Young McOardell has plenty of pace, can take the ball like a master, and 1 is very good 1 in putting in the final dash for the line. He • is on the light side, but, as he grows older, the lightness will disappear, and it is only in the order of things that his. propensity for scoring tries will increase in like manner. Let's hope so T at any rate. Pooh- old Ben Elder has gone ! And sad was the mjannear of his going. In his day and generation there was no more consistent supporter of the Patone Football dub, both in its good and its bad seasons, than the faithful old barraokeir. Though he was conservatdv© in his allegiance to his own club, Elder always had a good word to say for those who played well for the clubs the Petone boys met in their various mutches. In his own quiet way, "Bern" did much good that even his next-door neighbour knew little about, and many have' cause to regret that his right hand can no longer be stretched! out towards them in the charitable way it had done so often in the past. Many Petone people — more especially among the footballers — have lost a friend in Ben Elder, and pea-sonally I regret the loss of one whom it was always a pleasure to call friend.