FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 60

FOOTBALL.

FIXTURES. September 18. — Otago v. Canterbury, at Dunedin. KOTES BY FULL BACK. One of the most keenly contested and hard-fought games for Rugby supremacy was that played on Saturday between the old-time rivals, Wellington, and Otago. From an experience of big football in all its phases I do not remember witnessing a match in which the going was more solid, the tackling more deadly, and the end sc unexpected, yet so decisive. From the kick-off to the call of time it was a battle between two fine packs of forwards, with occasional glimpses of spectacular play by tho Wellington backs. Despite its weak back division- but powerful forward line, Otago took the field favourites. The game had not been long in progress before it was made apparent to the most humble admirer that the Blues were up against a team which was all out to win. The generalship of the Wellington team was splendid, and there was a master hand behind the scrum guiding the destiny of his team. Recognising the strength of the Otago vanguard, the Wellington forwards brought up every ounce, and put all their weight and experience against the formidable Blue pack. Then at the right moment was brought up the reserves — the flying rearguard of th< back division, who were Roberts, Mitchinson, Evenson, and Co. It was these same backs, of whom I had previously shown some appreciation, assisted by a steady pack of forwards playing the game to the finish, who won the match for Wellington. That the victory was well earned no one will deny. On the run of the play Wellington was the better team, and I am not unmindful of the fine display of the Otago forwards in the first half, and the lost opportunities. There was a olear-cut individuality and an atmosphere of resource about the Wellington backs which distinguished thorn from the unfortunate division which did duty for Otago. The Wellington backs did not play on a bunched line, nor didi they huddle together for safety. Too sure of themselves for that, an«d toe secure in the movement of every individual to make such a mistake. Also, there was t»o passing for the sake of getting rid of the ball, no running to a man on the collar-me-and-get-it-over principle — every movement was executed with a method, and to get as near the Otago line as possible by the most effective means. The Wellington full back (Cunningham), rarely mA<ie a mistake, his fielding being sure and his kicking powerful in length and accurate in direction. In the first spell th/ Wellington backs got few opportunities, but shortly after the opening of the second half the Blacks' three-quarters and five-eighths were always more or Jetss dangerous. Mitchinson and Evenson played well up to their respective reputations, both running strongly and attacking with vigour The splendid run of the former in the .vecond spell leading up to Wellington's third try was the be3t run of the day. and recalled the same player's showing in the First Test i Match against the British Team on Caris-

brook last year. Evenson's pace carried far, and it was always time to run up the danger signal when he was under | way. Walsh played well on the wing ■ and again at five-eighth until the unfortunate injury that pub him out of the game. Roberts was a host in himself. The All-Black was the pivot on which the • Wellington black play swung, and he ' changed the game according to circumstance. M'Leod was not so noticeable, but he made oe.rfca.in of Wellington's first try, unfortunately injuring himself in tho effort. At half back, Green played with rare pLuck, stopping, rushes like a hero, and when the opportunity offered getting the ball away smartly to the five-eighth AD through the first spell the Wellington forwards stuck to their herculean tssk, and played like demons, while the Wellington backs waited expectantly for opportunities. Rare opportunities they were in the first half, for the Blues were beating the Blacks for the ball in the scrums, and Casey was making the enemy look silly by dribbling > away from the line-out on his own. j The Wellington forwards played with fine dash, and were little behind the formidable Otago pack; while the Wellington backs were as superior to the incompetent Otago 1 rearguard as a team of Welsh Internationals over a team of schoolboys. | Conspicuous throughout the game amongst the "Wellington forwards was " Rangi" Wilson, whose familiar form ' could be seen everywhere — on line-out and lin the loose. He was no doubt the beet forward on th© Wellington side, though Tannahill, Bruce, M'Kellar, and AveTy were not far behind. Th>3 features of the first spell were the fine solid play of the Otago forwards, the I wretohed display of the Otago backs, and j the sterling defence of Wellington, I bock" and forward. 'A aban-ge came over ! the scene in the second half." The Otago/ j forwards lost their dash, and appeared disI gusted with their backs, who were letting i down on every possible occasion. I The harmony between the five-eighths and the three-quarters was beautiful to j hehdld. They stuck to each other like i brothers, and huddled and bunched to- , gether like sheep for safety. This uni (ooked-for affection proved their undoing. The Wellington backs and forvvaids must . ! have smiled when they raw tho simplicity ' of the line of attack — the huddled threequarters and the over-crowded five-eighths ; and with what glee they swarmed down on j that unhappy band of incompetents'. j The loose footwork of t.be Ot&ijo for- j wands, particularly in the first half, when j th3y swept down to tho Wellington line time and again with forward rushes, was j .good to look upon, and it took all the de- | fence and the reserve sti-ength. of Wellington to keep their line intact. The Otaeo bacte were deplorable. A more pitiable exhibition than the Blu« , rearguard gave could not be imagined. J Little wondeir the forwards looked aghast and stood sometimes breathless from their | exertions to see ail the ground gained by j desperate fighting lost by a band of in- | competent, who passed like a team of net- j i ball girls, aad played worse. When t-he Otago backs were letting down bo badly the Weßing+on forwards and: backs swarmed in like tigers, and, bowling ', oier t.h© Incompetent? like ninepins, crippled -the attack before it got moving, and crumpled it like a cracknel under a cannon wheel. I The ideal full back has yet to be found. ' Scott is not yet that ideal. Though the Tai&ri representative plajcd reasonably weli on Saturday, he has moments of hesitation which cause a catch in the breath as he goes for the ball. Scott opened somewhat indifferently against Wellinisrton, and there was one occasion on which he made the unpardonable mistake of waiting for the ball to bounce while the Wellington forwards were coming down on him like a troop of young bucks, on the war-trail. He only got out of that corner by sheer' good fortune, but it was a lesson to him, and the Taieri man remembered the mistake. In the second half Scott was seen at his best. He was then playing behind a team of irroossible backs and disgusted forwards. That meant work, nr\<] Scott got through it better than one might have hoped for. I write this unreservedly, for had the Otago full back been mixed with stage fright as were the backs in front of him, who would have the right to oast the stone? Certainly not the alleged Otago three-quarter and" five-e%hths line, whose play throughout bosrgared dc-scrintion, and whose initiative and resource — call it what you will — was crude iv the extreme and laughable withal. ' Davidson, in whom I had shown •ome little faith on previous exhibitions, has played worse games, but not much. His ideas of what were required of him when/ he got the ball, which he frequently did not get — were of the first primer, and his general attack and execution were such as to leave no rea-sonable grounds for the eeleotors to keep the Zingari man longer in the team. ' When the personnel of the Otago team to line out against Wellington was made known to an Pxpectant public, exception was taken to the inclusion of Bennet, on grounds which appealed not altogether reasonable at the time, but which have since been justified. Personally I was of tho opinion that with such a fine team of forwards in front of him* and playing- a winning game, the Alhamhra centre would put his detractors to shame. It wa« not to be. Bennet was sadly off his game, and never gave tho semblance of an indication that he was a centre three-quarter back of any repube at all. Indeed, il were roa- j sonable to suppose that ho suffered with | the rest from etasre fright, or its foot- j ball equivalent, which is wor^e. On very rare occasions only did he do the right thing, and meet often he did the wrong, or nothing at all. The public quickly forgets its football heroes, and the memory of the enthusiast for things that are past are 6hort-lived. The man of the hour. Such ie human nature. Bennet suffers with the rest. Yet I cannot forget many fine games he Has plajcd for Otaeo. and one of vivid memory against Bedell-Sivright's team in the winter of 1904. The selectors are long I suffering and slow to move, but they have i at last realised the fact that to place their j tiust in reputation is to lean on a broken ! reed. Bennet ha-3 been dropped, and it • were charitable to do it at this stage. O'Su-luivan, for whose inclusion against Wellington I had "raised a sturdy clam- j out," wa« disappo iii ting in the extreme, j though he was possibly the least offending of tho three-quarter line. In the first spe'l the Dunedin man migjht have made more use of his opportunities, jynd why in the

name of his reputation as a three-quarter does ha "close up" when coming to a man, instead of going all the way, either outracing the would-be tackier or fending him off? True, O'Sullivan rarely got a pass, but he was a marked man. Yet. my quarrel is that his running was faiM-hearted, and hia movements suggested some mesmeric influence. I have never noticed! O'Sullivan x> much "under the spall" before. Like the others, he appeared transfixed. Mjnott, the popular skipper of the Tara^ naki team, and one of the All Blacks, was recently presented with a gold wa.tch by admirers for the valuable service he has rendered his club during the many years he has pdayed football. Replying at the presentation, Mynott stated that h© intended to take an active part ;n; n Rugby so long as lie was able. OTAGO RUGBY UNION. The O.R.F.U. Committee." met as usual on Monday evening. Mr F. H. Campbell presided, and there were present Messrs P. J. Priest, J. King. D. Stuart, W. J. Wilson, H. H. S. White, H. Harris, D. Alunro* J. Dunne, A. Howie, A. Low, .V. G. Cavsuiajrh, J. W. C. Macdonald, and H. Simcock. The N.Z.R.F.U. returned the appeal from the Owaka Club re the player Douglas, and stated that the matter was outside the jurisdiction of the union and entirely one for local government. — Copy to be foi warded to the Owaka Club. The N.Z.R.F.U. advised confirmation of two disqualifications and three expulsions. — Received. The N.Z.R.F.U. advised that F. Jackson, a member of the Anglo-Welsh team, had been declared a professional. — Received. In re the union's application for a loan for improved grandstand accommodation, the New Zealand Union wrote advising that it had no funds available for loan purposes. — It be informed that the union desired a loan .when it was available. The Kaikorai Club wrote asking for permission to take the third grade team to Palmerston on the 25th inst.— Granted ; the manager's name to be submitted. The Chairman stated that it had been proposed that as several members of the Canterbury te3m \vore members of the MerivaJe Club a match should be arranged between Merivale and Alhambra, instead of the Alhambra v. Otago benefit match. — This was agreed to. The Referees' Association submitted the following names for referees in the Otago v. Canterbury match : — Messrs A. Hobson, H. M'Farlane, and H. H. S. White.— Names to be forwarded to the Canterbury Union. It was decided to play the match Canlerbury v. Otago on the Cari3brock Ground. The Chairman referred to the late start which had beon made in the WellingtonOtago match, and to the time which was wasted at tho interval. The delay was not justified. — Referred to the committee for the Canterbury match. li, was deckled to ask the Referees' Association to appoint a line umpire for Saturday. The same Reception Committee was appointed. The Schools' Association wrote suggesting that the boys playing in the match Southland v. Otago be entertained after the match. — Suggestion to be fallen in with. It was decided that tho schools match Southland v. Otago, on Saturday next, be ! played on the Caledonian Ground at 1.30 in two sj-ells of 40 minutes each. Referees' Association to be asked to appoint a referee.