FOOTBALL.

Shannon News, 5 August 1921, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

Horowhenua v. Manawalu at Palmerston North on Saturday.

Combined Horowhenua-Manawatu will play Wellington at Palmerston on me loiiowing Saturday, 13th inst. Waka, of the Hui Mai team, met with a rather severe injury in the match against Shannon, and had to he removed to the Palmerston North Hospital. s The Springboks meet Southland on Saturday. The Southland forwards include Baird, a member of the All Blacks which visited Australia last/ year, and Whyte, who has been chosen' to play in the first test against the Africans. Southland, by the way, is the present holder of the Ranfurly Shield.

The Horowhenua team against Manawatu on Saturday is practically the same as defeated Oroua, .the only changes being that Porter replaces T. Winiata in the and W. Winiata takes Tana’s place in the forwards. - Porter has. well deserved his place in the reps, and his inclusion should strengthen the team. He is sound in all classes of play, besides being a good place or drop kick. The Manawatu team is reported to have been strengthened since meeting ' Horowhenua in Shannon some wqeks ago. The local reps, however,’ are playing well, and their chances against the northerners look very bright.

Supporters of the game throughout the Union will applaud the action of the Rugby Union on Tuesday night in dealing with unruly spectators. The referees have quite enough to do in controlling a game without being threatened and abused from the touchlines by all manner of irresponsible people. A salutary lesson like that dealt out should go a long way in putting an erld ...to the evil. While touching on the a word might b(f said of the good work being done by the Referees’ Association. It has put matters on a much more satisfactory basis than formerly, and is- exercising a healthy influence

on the game. It is a matter of controversy among the ordinary run of spectators as to whether or not the new rules have had any effect on the'game so far as it is played locally—whether the play has been speeded up and become more interesting from the touchlines. To the average individual there is little difference, except that there is more whistle than formerly. Shannon put up a good game against Hui Mai on Saturday, and had /bad luck in not scoring. Rewi Moynihan played one of his bestgames, and gave the backs good opportunities to open the play. Hui Mai only came to light in the second half, when they more than held their own and did all their .scaring. /