FOOTBALL.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 50, 2 October 1924, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

BINNIE CUP MATCH. Selwyn’s Team Outclassed. The challenge match for the Binnie Cup between Selwyn, as the champion team of the Putaruru Rugby Union, and the Hamilton City Club’s senior fifteen, as the champion team of the Hamilton union, took place at Steele Park, Hamilton, on Saturday afternoon. The weather was ideal, and some 600 to SCO spectators were present. The Hamilton team had the advantage in weight and speed over Selwyn and proved a thoroughly finished team as regards combination; handling, tactics and staying power, with the result that the visitors were hopelessly outclassed, being beaten by 68 points to nil. City—Cotter, Going, Lemon, Moyes, Johnson, Coor/bes, Buckingham, Monaghetti, McKnight, W. Christie, C. Christie, A. Christie, Courtney, Bull, Clarkin (rover).

Selw’yn—Knowles, Reweti, Irvine, Tawhi, London, Macown, G. Barnett, Knap, McQuillan, Morgan, Jones, Johansen, Woods, R. Barentt, L. Taylor (rover). THE GAME DESCRIBED.

A hard kick-off by Selwyn (blue) saw City' (red) force. Play returned to mid-field, and Courtney, leading a City forward rush, knocked-on as tackled, spoiling a good movement. Each s'de tried a passing rush in turn and City reached Selwyn’s 25. Passing again nicely from the line out right across. City then raced through, Johnson passing to Lemon, who sidestepped and put the ball down out toward the wing. The goal kick failed. City 3, Selwyn nil. From the kickoff again a good run by Tawhi set Selwyn on the offensive, but City came back in a scrambling rush. Knowles stopped them by putting the ball out of touch at quarter way. From the line out Johnson (City) tried a pot, but was unsuccessful and Selwyn forced. City returned to Selwyn’s end, and maintaining the pressure, Moyes secured from the ruck to open up and pass to R. Going, the latter running across on the wing. The kick at goal was a good attempt, but failed. City 6, Selwyn nil. Play next centred in midfield. Seegar intercepted, but Knowles tackled him surely at quart-er-way, for Macown to pick up and make a good run back to half-way, while scrambling work saw Selwyn reach City territory. A nippy passing rush, however, saw City return to Selwyn’s 25, but a free kick and run by Taylor again sent play to neutral territory. City opened up in passing rushes and high kicking, but a knock on spoilt a try to Knight, and the bell sounded for the first change over. Next, a hard forward rush by City saw them reach Selwyn’s goal line, where an infringement gave Going an easy and successful shot at goal. City 9, Selwyn nil. TWO MEN HURT. A mark by Taylor gave him a long shot at goal for Selwyn, but without result. City attacked, but Monaghetti spoilt a sure try by a knock-on. At this stage Irvine was injured, and ' McArthur took his place. However, within the next few minutes McArthur had his collarbone broken, and Mills, second emergency, came on. A free-kick gave Selwyn relief, but —airly for Monaghetti to pass to C. Christie to Coombes to Johnson to Going, the last-named scoring on the wing as he was tackled. The goal kick was too difficult. City 12, Selwyn nil. The blues then took a hand at attacking. Reweti made a great opening in the loose and was well supported by Jones, but City managed to force. Bustling work by Macown and Reweti saw City compelled to force again. Play returned to midfield, and a nice passing rush set City on the offensive. An infringement gave Selwyn relief, but following fast City’s return kick, Monaghetti secured in front of the posts with a clear field. He dashed across to score, but Courtney failed with the kick. City 15, Selwyn nil. Half-time sounded soon afterwards. THE SECOND HALF.

On resuming, a fast loose rush by

City ended in the ball going out behind touch. From a line out at halfway all the City backs handled nicely. Blocked on the wing Going centred with a well-judged kick for W. Christie to secure and score between the posts, but the minor points were again not added. The blues pressed hard, for Johansen to break through and pass to Tawhi, w r ho, however, was overhauled when well up in City territory. City rushed play right back, only to put the leather out of touch behind the goal line. Selwyn returned play to half-way, but the reds set up another good passing rush from the loose, Courtney adding another try in a handy position, but again without the further points being added:—

City 21, Selwyn nil. Again City broke through in the loose for W. Christie to pick up to pass to Monaghetti, who added another runaway try, which this time w r as converted by McKnight. City 26, Selwyn nil. Again penetrating Selwyn’s attack, Clarkin got another score between the posts for City. Macown blocked the goal kick. City 29, Selwyn nil. Next, Knowles fumbled the ball on the bounce for Monaghetti to score a further try, for which the goal kick again proved humorously weak. City 32, Selwyn nil. Soon afteiwards Tawhi failed to pick up and Monaghetti added another try to City total, which Clarkin converted. City 37, Selwyn nil. The final quarter followed. City maintained the attack, and Clarkin brought the total to 40 points by a dash through as tackled by two blues, while another score by good passing work saw Monaghetti make it 43, and Moyes with the goal kick bring it to 45. Soon afterwards C. Christie picked up to the loose and outpacing the blues scored between the posts. He converted his try, bringing City’s total to 50. Selwyn were now obviously very tired, and though making efforts to resume the attack, offered little opposition in defence. Further tries were scored for City, in quick succession, by E. Christie (converted by himself), C. Christie (converted by Buckingham), W. Christie (converted by Johnson), and Bull (not converted), making their full total 68.

The Rev. White, of Te Awamtilu, was the referee.

The visitors were the guests of the Hamilton Rugby Union at luncheon and tea. In bidding them farewell'at the close of the evening meal, Mr. Cliff e, chairman of the Hamilton union, stated that his union recognised that in being matched against City—the senior team of a strong club and a team trained to the minute—Selwyn was given a very, tough proposition. However, the Hamilton union hoped to see*?them again next season (Hear, hear). On behalf of Selwyn and the Putaruru union, Mr. Francis suitably replied.

ALL BLACKS’ FIFTH MATCH. All Blacks 39 Swansea .. .. . . . . 3 The 1905 team beat Swansea by 4 points to 3, a left-foot potted goal by Billy Wallace to a try. The defeat of Swansea by the substantial margin of 36 points will be responsible for brighter hopes in the Dominion. But Swansea has deteriorated as a football power, and ! last year was well down on the list of Welsh clubs. In short, football in Wales would seem to have gone back whilst it has advanced in England. From the cabled reports of the game , it would seem that Swansea was no match for the visitors and the All Black backs had every opportunity to score. Steele’s inclusion in the threequarter line shows that his injured arm - is well again. His experience should be of service to the team and should strengthen the backs. It is ■ difficult to say whether the inside combination played was more successful in opening up the game than in previous matches, but from New Zealand form it would be thought that the half and five-eighths are those who will play in the internationals. Dropped passes are again referred to, but whether they are the result of poor passes or poor handling is not said. But in either case it is not pleasant reading, for w r ith the All Blacks it is expected that passing and handling should be good and sure.

From the cabled reports of the Gloucester match it seems that the All Blacks were unlucky that they did not at least double the score. Dropped passes are unfortunate, but with bad weather conditions it cannot be expected that the handling will be so sure as on a dry day. And fate usually decrees that the pass to be dropped is one which would probably make a difference to the score. But for Dailey to twice touch the corner flag in going over the line and foi Nepia’s kick at goal from a penalty to be scoreless through touching an opponent is to be accounted bad luck. It appears as if the backs are still being experimented with, for Lucas was played centre and Brown wing three-quarter. It would seem as if the team are trying to develop a centre three-quarter. The comments on the match come back to the views expressed by the writer on previous matches, that whilst the forwards are

fully strong chough to hold any team they lack the ability or the knowledge to put' the finishing touches to their

aggressive movements. Whilst their attack keeps their opponents on the defensive it is not clever enough to score. The weakness of the inside backs was known before ever the team left the Dominion, but there is a chance that they may improve to an extent, but hardly to the degree that will make any of them equal to the great “ insides ” of the 1905 team. That a coach should have gone with the team was always advocated

by the writer, and the lack of the valuable theoretical training which could have been given on the steamer must be felt. Still there should be some player who can rise to the occasion and become a tactician. Praise of the defence of the team is rather minimised in value by the statement that “ it was the best feature despite the frequency of high tackling.” In fact it sounds rather sarcastic. If the tackling was high the defence cannot have been very sound, and it has an ominous ring for the big games. If by this time the backs have not been taught to go low then the training must have been poor. That the kicking was indifferent may be expected, for the new rules in New Zealand have had a tendency to spoil kicking, and the penalty of adoption is being paid by the All Blacks to-day. It is impossible to say to what extent football has improved in England, and to compare the low scores of the present team with the high scores of their predecessors may lead to a very unjust and incorrect conclusion. The low scoring may be beneficial to the tourists as making them realise their defects and shortcomings and certainly checking any tendency to a “ swollen head.”