FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 58

FOOTBALL.

FIXTURES. -September 11. — Otago v. Wellington, at Dunedin. 18. — Ot«go v. Canterbury, at k Dunedin. ,<= Alex. Downes has been selected to refeiree : in the match next Saturday between Otago »nd Wellington. The appointment of Downes has given universal satisfaction in circles. s. J. It. Burt, the ex-Otago representatir* footballer 'and cricketer, left Dunedin last for Wellington, where he has been appointed manager of the business of .Messrs A. and T. Burt (Ltd.). '^; H. D. Thomson, the All-Black wing *ihre6-quarter, who was married recently, lias the distinction cf having represented more unions in the Domimon than any other playei, past or present. He h&k won " his cap for Wellington, Canterbury, Wanganui, Taranaki, and Auckland, and in addition has represented both islands, as well as the whole of tne Dominion. Referring to rumours of alleged profes- . sionalism on the part of c. northern team, the New Zealand Herald says that no suggestion of professionalism has been made against the team in Auckland. Some comment was (it continues) made that the announcement that a tour was to be made at the end of the season attracted many first class players to the district, and thus gave Ponsonby a mortgage over not only ff.he senior grade, but also lower grade championships. The question of profes--sionaiisni has never been raised, and had * players bas-n promised payment it would certainly have leaked out. Someone has 1 -diiecovered a mare's nest. To those who follow forward play closely ifche display given by the Wellington vangguard against Auckland was anything but /pleasing. Where the local forwards tailed most to use their strength and ability was tin tha tight work. Time and again one could see only three or four of our stalwarts doing nearly all th« graft that was , (necessary to prevent the/- visiting pack from (breaking clean away. Tho hard workers on thesa occasions were invariably " Ranji " jWilson, M'Kellar,' and Ready. It was be- " cause tljese players were aJwaye " buried " , in the tough work that the} were not "seen by some of rhe onlookere. There were •plenty of occasions when- Tannahul, A. C. iWibon, and Dennehy in particular could " foave bean of more service to tiheir side by " bogging in " from the rear of the local pack than by hanging on the sides waiting tor an occasional chance to shine, which, as could 'only be expected under the circumstances, rarely happened. What was : wented against Auckland were regular grafters — and they are not too easy "to get ■ among those players who have been at or np.T the top of the tree for several seasons. _\n ex-Otago representative player and v.e.l-known referee, who is now resident in Auckland, writing to a iriend in Dunedin in le the' district scheme, says: "I am very inu-.'h surprised and disappointed to see that the district scheme has been carried in Dunedin. I do not think that it will improve football in any way. I am only sorry I was not in Dunedin to vote against any alteration in the present system. In my opinion there has not been one argu- j ment advanced to show that the district j scheme betters football. I think there is a j great deal more interest taken in football ' in Dunedin and better games played there j under the present system than there are j .with the district scheme up here. In fact, tnere is no question that mere interest is taken in club football in Dunedin than is jthe case in Auckland; so I trust that the tables will be turned on those who were instrumental in having the district scheme • carried down couth." Commenting on the Sydney University team which played here last week, "Cynic,"' of Sydney Referee, says : —The team is quite weak on form shown here, ths defence being very far from the quality of the bast University football. A more powerful "Varsity team is left b2hind. 'However, the members of this team are »f£e*ded an opportunity of showing grit, •nxr of agreeably surprising Sydney footiballers by scoring a few successes. Some members of the Management Committee of the Now Zealand Rugby Union evidently find tho weeklj meeting something irksome — at any rate (says "Shinpad") it would appear 30, judging by the experience of the last few meetings. Members of the committee are asked to assemble at 7.30. About two do, the remainder sirolHrjs? -casually in when it pleases them. Meetings are never started punctually ; they are nearly always from a quarter to half an hour late, while this week's meeting lapsed for want of a quorum. Surely thas is the limit ! If all •business concerns were conducted on lines similar to the affairs of the Managing Committee of tho New Zealand Union then there would be a very bad time for some.Hi Otago representative team which should give- more satisfaction than some j-enresentativ-e teams of the past has been selected to line out against Wellington on The selectors, in their wisdom, evidently thought it essential that the Strongest and most formidable pack of'forWards which could be got together should be chosen to oppose the Wellington vanguard. This is imperative, and most right thinking people who take an intelligent interest in Rugby will agree that a better tforward line could not hove been selected from the players available. Ivimey and M'Kenzie find places in the division to the Ihurt of Morrison and Clark, who, good foriwards though they are, have not the dash fend devil of the two men replacing them. Saturday's match against those old rivals from Wellington piomises to be a particularly strenuous struggle for supremacy, and Aver; Blue man will require to play above

himself to save the honour of the province. I A Rugby axiom in which I am a firm j believer is that a team plays just as well I as the opposition allows it. Otago and I Wellipgton will theiefore play just as well — no better and no worse — than the teams 1 representing Wellington and Otago allow. ' From an Otago viewpoint, it is essential that the province's representatives play | above themselves. In that lies the only I - safety. ' j 1 On form, the Otago forwards should hold I their own with the Wellington pack. But ' there is no knowing these Wellington forwards, who play with such rare dash and devil that to the unseasoned player is unnerving 1 . Fortunately there are no "gr%en" ' players in the Otago forward line, and if the back division ia not as strong as it has been in the past, the forwards — the most powerful pack which has represented the province for yeais — should more than counter-balance the weakness of the rearguard. Remembering the - division behind the scrum, the forwards should play their own game of close dribbling right up into the enemy's twenty-five, and when opportunity offers pass out to the backs. I have sufficient faith in the Otago forwards to hold Wellington, but I am not so certain of the Otago backs if the forward line breaks down. It is safe to assume that a good team of forwards will cripple tho finest back division in the world. Scotland waa the first to realise this when they were being beaten by Wales in successive contests. The Scotchmen then lined out a pack of forwards of the stolid, fast, and powerful type, who were given instructions to keep ! close on the ball and get on to the Welsh | backs. One year in particular the famous ' Welsh rearguard was thrown into eonfu- ! sion and crippled in its game by the ' doggedness of the Scotch forwards, who never let the Welshmen get a yard. Such is the gams the Otagro forwards should j play on Saturday. Dashing, dribbling rushes in closs formation until well within j the twenty-five, then a swift pass out to the backs, who, having the practical and moral support of the forwards, will be confident and ready to make the most of every opportunity. Reverting to the selection of the team, Scott, at full back, is likely to be tested I more severely -than ho was in the South- • laud match, but with his recent experience round the goldfields, and his own natural i abilities, should not be found wanting. 1 Tho three-quarter line has been improved , by the inclusion of O'Sullivan. I never j could understand why the -Dunedin player I was dropped. He has always struck me as ! being one of the most likely scoring backs j we haye — a player of infinite resource and ' rare dash. Bennet did not show up in a ! favourable light in the Southland match, j but I rather think that it was one of his i "off" days. In the match against Sydney I University Bennet placed well, as he may be expected to do against Wellington. Should the Alhambra centre fail the selec- | tors will have an opportunity of giving ' Ong-ley a chance against Canterbury. j Davidson is n much better player than I some people give him credit for, and he is [ a likely man near the line. Faster than j the average. Davidson is a player who re- j quires to be fed, not when blocked on ' touch, but with a reasonably clear field in front of him. i I ha\e not wavered in allegiancp to I M'Donald. whom I have repeatedly said is j the best back on the side. He is always ' alert to the possibilities of the moment, ; and if his cutting in does some times , cut him out of support it is not so much 1 the fault of the five-eighths as the , slowness of his paitner to get into harmony with him. There should be a perfect understanding between the five-eighth and three-quarter line, but only a player who is fast enough to follow" McDonald will make for that undei standing. Where , M'Donald cuts in and cuts out defence , Eckhold merely runs along the straight line of least resistance, giving the pass to the centre, who has all the breaking down to do and little time and room to do it in. To give a pass to a man who is in a worse position than oneself is suicidal, yet this is what frequently happens. The onlycare of some players appears to be to get rid of the ball. This eretting-rid-of-the-ball J habit is fatal to the best team that ever ' lined out on a football field. ) Sutheiland, behinj the sciuni. should , answer requirements, provided ho gets the ' ball away smartly to his five-eierhths when ; in an attacking position. Unlp.ss Sutherland laboU the ball '-urgent" h<* will find tho Welhnffton winger on too of him likr > a fiery freelance, whose dart is sudden and ' »hnso tarklintr j s cr-rtain From a nrivarp letter rccened by a membc-r of thf> Ota<ro Ru^bv Union from a rppoarinspd country .'(Uthority I am permitted to take the following :— ' Tho tour of tho Otago team round the goldiiolds is far ahead in its benefits than Country ' Week. If oven a spcond Otaßo team was sent round even year the benefits arising therefrom -would bo of immense so>rvir*f> to country football With Country Week ' there are only "5 players who receive any benefits, and it is questionable if the bonefits derive J justify country teams being , despatched to Dunedin With an Otago j touring team the benefits are spread over a wide circle, and it is tb<s young players ; on the line — our future players — who will | derive instruction from a tourinp team | like tha* of Otago. I am strongly of j opinion that this is the only way in which j : the standard of country football ca|> be ' raised. I hope the Rupby Union will consider the advisability of abandoning Country Week and substituting an Otago touring team."— (As the writer suggested the idea of sending an Otago team on a tour of the goldfields and wrote of a Country Week in the press beforeit was taken up by the Rugby Union, I am

pleased to hear the views of a country authority on the question. When the idea of sending an Otago tean? through the goldfields was suggested and the abandonment of Country Week mooted, I was the recipient of much adverse criticism to the proposal, but the innovation appears to have been justified. In respect to the sug- i gestion to abandon Country Week alto- ', gefcher in favour of an Otago touring team ' 1 am not in favour Rather would I like | to see a rountry week in town and an j Otago team go on tour every second year. I believe by this means the best results from country football . would be obtained and the standard of play raised throughout the country districts — Full Back.] An innovation in Auckland football is the winding-up of the coming season by a | ' picnic an<l sports meeting- under the ' | auspices of the Auckland Rugby Union. ! j The affair is set down for Octobotr 2. } I An appreciation by "Touchline": Mr ' j James Duncan, old friend from Dunedin, ! was the referee in the Wellington-Auckland | | match', and he showed that he was as I capable of controlling a match as in his ' playing days ho was of making the play j interesting and entertaining. A great j compliment was paid him by the spectators, for the veteran was greeted with a round of applause as he strolled od to I I the field. In all kicks at goal Mr Duni can held his right hand; in the air, drop- ( 1 ping it when the 'hall was placed on the ground. Why he did this was best known to himself, for long before his hand dropped tihe opposing players were eharg- j ing the kick. However, Duncan knows how j to referee, and men of his standing as a I player always command a lot of respect I from players and spectators when they adjudicate. The New Zealand Referees' Association . has advised the Wellington Association on j the following question: — "In the event of j a defending player standing with one foot in the field of play and the other foot in goal reaching out and picking the ball off the ground ip the field of play and pOacing it over the goal line, is the | referee justified in allowing a 'touch-down' ? i or should be, in the event of an appeal j from the attacking side for the ball being ' carried back, order a scrummage at the spot from where the defending player picked the ball up? Answer: "A touchdown should be awarded." The decision ' of the New Zealand Referees' Aesociation, ' in my opinion, says "Cynic," is legally untenable, and aJ-o not in accord with the spirit of the law, which provides that "if a player shall . carry the ball • back across his goal-line, and it there be made dead, the opposite side may claim. | etc." As the ball was not kicked or j carried by the opposite side, and did not ! propel itself * over the line, it obviously was deliberately carried over by the de- , fending side. { At Nelson, New Zealand, on July 30, in the Magistrate's Court, eight young men ! were charged with a breach of the" city ; by-laws by playing football in TrafaJ.srar j Park, a public reserve, on Sundays. For j the defence it was urged that no game j was played, as the youths assembled for | practice only, no sides being chosen. The j magistrate dismissed the informations, as i the by-law was vague, and it was not | proved iha' any game was being played, j The defendant* were only practising. The i magistrate declined to say whether in his j opinion, the by-law was valid or the re- ' verse. v ! "Here in New Zealand,"' says a Wei- j lington scribe, "we are pushing our devo- , tion to football a trifle too far. On the occasion of the Poneke-Petone final an immense crowd was drawn to the Athletic Park. On the occasion of the North v. I South match, held on a Wednesday, there was even a bigger assemblage — Government offices all closed — and on Saturday the excitement wa3 continued by the Auck- , land-Wellington struggle. Result — nothins: but football, football, football is talked all ov»r the town." A very enjoyable game of Rugby football was played on Saturday at Opoho between ( teams representing the Knox Church Bible Class and the St. Andrew's Debating ! Society, the latter "proving victorious by ] 2CT poinls to 3 For the winners fri^s were > scored by J. Hogar. F. M. Reid (2), and , A. J. Heighway (2). G. Burn kicked a goal from a free kick, and F. M Reid converted one of the tries. For the loser 3 Watson scored from a scramble on the line. An efficient referee was found in Mr E. K. j Lomas. j