RUGBY FOOTBALL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 317, 2 September 1932, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL

(Notes by "Free Kick.")

NOTES AND COMMENTS ROTORUA JUNIORS DESERYE TO HAVE WON AT MATAMATA. TE ARAWA TRIBAL TEAMS.

The Rotorua Juniors put up quite a good display at Matamata and were unlucky to lose by five points to nil. With the "normal luek of the game they might have been winners by a comfortable margin. Lillas was erratic at full-back, and did not inspire confidence. Duff was decidedly weak at five-eighths and spoilt the display of the local back line. He still has a bad habit of watching for an intercept and leaving his man unmarked. Dawson was not up to his usual standard. Matthews was a decided improvement on Martin at centre. The forwards played well against a heavier Matamata pack, which made the game largely forward. The Rotorua back efforts were largely nullified by off-side play by the Matamata forwards. The Berghan brothers, Bell and Haycock were the pick of the local pack. Much interest centres on Te Arawa Possibles v. Probables match next Saturday, as the team to play for the Maniapoto Cup will be picked from them. Kahukura Juniors should have little difficulty against Waikite in the semifinal for the Kozie Shield. West Coast's Challenge. Football on the West Coast must have improved considerably, as Canterbury just managed to retain the Ranfurly Shield by three points to nil. I notice that the union is still eompelled to take disciplinary action against supporters of the game in Rotorua. This is deplorable, as the speetators should be the first to give the union every help in improying the standard of play and the status of the game. Tackling. Once again I would like to urge on clubs the more extensive use of the tackling bag. The elfect of this on juniors was most noticeable at Matamata, where the tackling was of quite a high standard. I would also like to draw attention of players to a dangerous practice. Often when a player is taekled he lies on the ground without any appreciable effort to get up. This might, and sometimes does, result in serious injury to the player, who often has only himself to blame.