Football.

Southland Times, Issue 18847, 12 June 1920, Page 9

Football.

(By ’’) ):ik,iiker. Star well beaten. Blues handled well. Fast interesting game. Blue for.varus b.m 1 i.c-ciy. Athletic v. Vdan-m.vi, a poor msph.y. Blue rentru and wings play too d.-ep. Star backs defended wed m tir.-i .-pell. Davidson sends the ball a’.', ay nn ,'-!y from ajrums. 1-ark clearing ng’y. Star pack could tint, i.old the d< teruiiactl Jiluc vanguard and were beaten badly, Murray behind the Mar pad-: look a lag Itnielling and wass -i:!l going now n to rushes lit the finish. The Invercargill v. Star game was the l-est Wednesday game 1 his season, ;nd was last and interest mg. Hie Invert.ti’.giil win U’as pop dar and well earned. TV ai kiwi have evidently fallen upon hard ilavs and were unable to put a full iifi.cn, jp t.h- field W-- .ii<vd.iy. The club Iv ve differed a, viy easuallies --ha-e ihe opening ol the season. The opening made by Jenkins ib.ar ended ihi the Invercargill line caught the Blue Micks napping, aim no all nepi wa-' made no bring him down, il was a good mi-in and went witban an nee of oeir.g rewarded by » try. The tackling of ,-oni" of lie- Invercargill barks was riled ive not the approved ntyle. There was too much high co.Luang, »nd the Blue back.- would do much better if they went im ip-dr man low every time. High, cod ir mg c. ■ -•- a man a big opportunity to ’.vritr-'-e ml. The a rt. Taranaki and Wanganui pro , .-xmiing finish, Taranaki wanting .-e, -n p- - to win when the second sped v.a.- w.. 1 advanced. In the closing stages by a b.g ciiort Taranaki pat on three tries and ran out winners by three point.- after a game full of exciting incidents. Saturday in Dunedin was devoted to a fceven-a side tournament, the proceeds of whim wen; to the Olympic Games Fund. In the tiiuu Alhambra and Yan-ity met and the ! a tor rru: out win hoi’s by J I points to d. The Varsity team won ail its games by »ni,.i margins, and never looked like being defeated. The games set down for to-day in Dunedin are as follow; Southern v. Pirates, Alhambra v. Kaikorai, Dunedin v. Port Chalmer-. I nion v. Zmgari. The Invercargill forwards in their match against Star played a great game and were •cTJoni seen in the open nn.-upported. The direct result of this was that the Star backs were given no rest mid kept continually employed .-topping the Blue vanguard. They controlled the ball well, and whenever opportunity offered -cut it back to their

waiting rcargunril. The scrum was better nacked althuugii at times over anxiousness on the part of the senimuiers prevented the ball getting away cleanly. The wholepark played great g: mos and it would be unfair to single out any member for spaea.i - T.'''i.b When re pure i they br.nehed will and gut their he-e : s d-iwn, jiutrim; their weigh: into every sfrttni, In the hue outs how-ver. they were at tunes too fond of trying to gather the nail in with otic hand, a practice which co-t thrnt some ground wb.cn in good posit t-uis. Tiieir last dribbling n.i.-hes were one of tile features of the game and showed v.hat, consistent training can do. v.hdc th-'-y were s' till going on strongly when th.- final whistle went. Than!;.- to lla-ir foraac's (fir.' Invercargill rearguard had plenty of opportunities to throw the ball about, ;-n. i they accepted every cir-m--- although many of the rushes did tan gain much ground. Behind the --■ rum 1 bo. id-on played a great game, and ha- ; a. In hi- .--it; pn.-tm-g backs ware always wail placed mu! never too high. When any d-.-fen.-ivc work v. a.- called for he was always r.-a-iy, and hi-- short, line kicks go.; hi- .-aie out of many tight corners. Lopdell ..t hr-i tiv e-cialil il- v. die | uck of the where troidiie wlliiek-.'-l. (in defei.ee lie look no risks and his long line kicks gave hi.- forwards an opportunity to rally round and char any dangerous ground. lie has y--t to master the art of gathering his scrum pa.-s iu his .-Ira.'--, and frequently he. w:ls tim-ed to do a full turn before lie was abb- to send the ball out. Vial at outside live ei .-h 1 h- pb-v-al a -olni game, and some of iii-- i-ui ms v.-'-re well tin -’tl. Lyttle at •■ml n played t-». de; p, and at times coul-1 not get up Pi connect in proper order in pas.-iug rushes. Ib- would do better to play elo.-er to his five eighth..-, ami then he would la- iu a position to follow him if the latter t,veid--d to t-t.u in. 11 i.-t other work was good and his pas.-es to his wingers were .•■■n! out well. Sutton and Fraser --ii tit.- wings did what came their way in good style, and .had misfortune on several oia-a.-ii-ns m being gnis.-cd v lien within inches of the line. Sutton for his size put in --■me dashing runs, and when he develops a lit'!.* will take a lot of .-topping. He is f a-i aw .-' v ami uses his pa--;- well. .Maekay ■: Iu!) back was always .-af< ami found file 1 re- u;a i-.cver prcs.-ed. He went clown to Pa-ward iu-hcs in good style, while his collar.ng v, h-cu - ailed upon to do so, was low anal sure. The whole rearguard com-:>-n---'i w--ll but with a little paddock praet'ce u wmdd mal-p- a much more dangerous art a.-king ma.-liim-. The le-.-vy defeat inflicted upon Star by inv - ri-argiil has been t!ie subject of inii-di c-uniiient. am! many are wondering the "auv. Star this .-ea-i-n has won its matches pot by good fnotiial!, but simply because the cl: i.--.s of game it play--d was a little oct-p-r than tia- rag;;;---! gam.- put up by iu--1 -I'! - -uc lib-. i-'or (iu- 1; tune in the eom-p'-ii'.i-iii ."-t-ir met a i.-am playing good football with the inevitable result. The fa.-1, following of the Invercargill forward- com pi -;cly demoralised the Star rearguard, ami i'-h (lie e;aa-;*!ir-ti of Li 1 i-gv jhe Sp-r ba.-k.-dtd not know how to meet the situation. -a-wit'-n th*- t-.d! when flu* Blue forwar-is w-r- a 1-ug way o‘t so completely were thev rat'l: !. When it r-me to .-topping pa: ..-jug 1 1 -■ hj. . lli- y -b-iwi-d to i-etl-r ;e 1 vant age, and their ta-kl-ng was -olid, ev> ry nu.n making --ire of hi« opponent. It was only rh-i r --lid taelding that ,-aved a i i.-g. r co--.- n:: p-.i up tigam -' I ht- side. No 0- th -- ttie ab.-, a ■■■ to (lii'-duon from peiuml the ■iTiiiii ma-ic a Jill.- riilfereiiec. but ev.-n -..iib lbs s; rvie -, it is doubtful if tip- Star park- would bate to <-n able to hold I lie op-po-ing vaneuard. lia- >; ar mrw.ird- were never in lire hunt ami wi-n- eompi-Mely . ea: pi a ve-!, They ap-Par-niiv hid a .-from; objection to getting ’hair !c-:al.- ia-.vu -edit, and skirted ih" i-iga of tin- .-•eruni on every po-Mph- o- -- a-ii. I-; i.-os- ih.ey were cortin.ua.iv found waiting -ft si-It- 1-mking for na.-i.ia-p, ami were fo-guirite iu ;..-u i-ai-u: ocnik.-d m-T - for that infriugemetil. <*n several -*••(*a.-t--n- they sto;p;»--i pas-tnr iiiovrnu-:'! - piay v ht»-f» I" say Ih -■ h-ast is not playing amounl of luck in ijp'ir g-um-s (his scaa-m, iiur it tii.-y want t i n-vcr.-c the rabies i-a i-hs'i r eonqm-ro!,- of Wednc-day Irn-y will im-V" t" improve 11 1 --ir games p, ;l pp-eat extent. rhe \\ aikt’vi -At hi- t game on Wedn-'s ih-y la,-t was a hard .-logging alfair. vari.-l by a n-w -uaiglil runs by I ill- subu; inmiics .1. l-’or-ic au-1 Koi-ht. .Jimmy i-Hn*e, laic of the m-t-d Aridi.-ry team in FugLuid, w really li-a- only iue-k playing --a the I’ak on the occasion referred to who knows howto come m on tb-* move ami run sfr.bgi-l.

and thus leave -uppnri mg back- ni nn to work Upon. Player- "f St :ir. At h|. : ir, While in Dunedin 1.-.-t week during llm pen 'd ni the W'li'-r .'mow Carnival the wriler ran amo-- : a i \ apt a i n >■ f i ir- Mm-p-'fing ni Tm :.rn The nnggciv litiir llnghyite ni mira- day.- go.-, t,. ■, m-’t'Ti neca.aim,ally, Inn (am ; no; otherv ; lake part in the game it; South ('ant ■ ■ a.iiv. lie 'ays that he prclcr'- ;hn rhmatc o: thinarn, but. as a town, give him Invercargill. If ,-omeiiouy in an official i-„i ii,.-ity iin-s not wakmi up it will presently be discovered thn liic Itugby g- me i- being placed to the umr- .-wend very tired n b.-n-c-- in Fivereargill. In the north. ('hri-ii’lmrch, for liifianL", til.' refer •<> goes :■ 1 < .i;( hi-- wink at racing gad and roll- the hall in as Mum as Ine hr*M lew to'’ward.-- lo anivc prepare for a scrum. lie Northern linoo game in Canterbury and elsewhere has caused Uueby whist le-iil- r.’.vr ■ m aeeali rale ih-ir effort.-, as it is really the faster style of piny. Speedy i-ffene, make for fa.-t, team.- and bright plav and local grounds slow down player- quite enough, without referees contributing to this • hi V. edne.-’fiay last patrons of tin. Park rrand-’t and had rer-son ior eomplam! when the match of i he day, Star v. I.F.C. was playeii away off in the northern ar-’-n. Two ■tnniv forward.- of twenty year- hat k, who were tilling the rob- of spectator.-., were a Do I.rheard making pertinent, inquiries as to l.he truth ol the statement that ladies are charged for admis.-ina to the shelter of the - l and. Ihey \ elicnie.a! ly protested that the auihorit ies were more generous in their day, when the fair sex were welcome to eorne and go free where they pleased. On No. 1 area Athletic beat VCnkiwi bv ■T) pomts to T alter a poor exhibition of football. Although each side vm- without one or two of its best men, this was no ■■xi’iise for tie- march on Rugby Peak on Wednesday. Tile public, do not’ask teams to play brilliant football, but they have a right to expect them to play ;l >i-,pec table game. Thr- feature of this match was the kicking and taking in both sid<*s. <—’peciallv the backs. To see first grade players misktaxing in er their own In ail.s, or acros-’ to the wrong touch-line, or ndssmig -he take of an ca.’-y kick, or giving and failing to take offside and on.-ldn passes or lastly, to see a player with half a jersey shouting at the top of Ids voice would hate been sufficient to make one think In- had come acro.-s an exhibition of fancy dress football if it had not been for r. hr dc’ullv serious expression on each player's face. The only time the game was interesting to the spieiators was in the last twenty minutes when the o man TTaikiwi pack, after putting ■in a good fight could not hold their opponents and , the Athletic backs crossed their line fairly frequently. The Athletic forwards played a solid game being strong in loose work. The Green backs have to thank their pack for getting

| them out of tight corners hy loose dribbling rushes, for, being opposed to a lighter | pack, the Green forwards were able to give , them some much needed help. Roche and 1 Sparke.s were a tower of strength to the I Athletic vanguard tind very often broke up ; their opponents’ scrum on their own. Maple- ! toft was nippy at wing forward and he ad- : apted himself well to some of the backs’ j passing rushes. Leith put in some powerful ! kicks but they were usually too high in ; proportion to their length, j The Green backs brought off many passing rushes but they were too slow —standi ing passes mostly. Shepherd played a good i game and would make a first rate half if i he were not so srlfish with the ball in his j opponents’ twenty-live. On two occasions ; with the scrum on Waikiwi’s line he got the ; ball and trail to dive across through the j opposing forwards. Horan played well on ..".Hack and his try was a pretty effort. Cos- : grove at centre looked as if ha had speed to burn, hut he got few chances. The Green backs, however. wdl need to practise punting and pet their passing rushes going faster. Gilroy at full bark brought off some speeI'emler saves but lie had a. lot of luck. He scored a good try by following fast after a h'gh punt. Following up was noticeably absent in the game. ■ The Wnikiwi pack were without Acton ] and Bourchier and when Whyte was taken 1 atT with an injured ankle their task was hopeless; yet IL-y stuck to it with determination until gear the end. They did their best and their effort was worthy of a better '■ fat' 1 . \ The backs were weak. Knight held them .together a.- be. th» could and did a lot of I extra work. He i- one of the few live-eighths ' who run sirai-hl down the field. Near the : end lie looked to have a good ehnneo of scoring v, hen he was stopped by being • •e!.:|,d by an Alhalie forward after lie .had got rid of the bad and was following up a .unit kick. Although the referee penalised the oilender. the chance was lost. Wills ; was out of place at full, being too small to get in a big kick when it was required, ‘ Both teams looked as if they had had little prni-rice, The backs, in particular, of I both sides must practice punting and taking i They arc \ery w-aik at it. The backs must I "ome up at the trot to lake their pass. The j lorwards do not follow up fast enough. Fol- ; lowing up is one of the he.-! means of attack. There was a player last year who i has Sinn- left, the town who scored try after try by con.-i.-tent and fast following "P-.... ! ihe decision of the Tow n Council to supj port a resolution lor a universal half holiday will have th.e support of all sportsmen and it I seems to be a good ,-ign for the future. To | -'el the bast football there must 1m one j half holiday. The present system in Inverj cargill produces many players but weak | teams. It is very hard to pick a team re- | present at ive of Southland for the reason | that the selectors have no standard by j which to judge the Saturday and Weiliiesj day players with the exception of the Saturi lay v. Wediie-day mal'di late in the season. ] It :s prob-'ble that opinion will be divided • on the sub. met of (he most .-nil able day but • the Council might put the -p: ■■ lion to the j vote and accept the will of the majority. It iis rat her surprising, and yet perha; it is not. I councillors who are intimately connected with sport have not moved in this matter j before, but llm remit -pearhe- of Councillors Freddy and Doig and the uicodmoiis rieciI ■on of the Come-d to support a universal j Saturday half holiday is a good sign. While | the question of Sat-urdav as the universal j half holi-lay i; a matti-r of opinion it i-eems I that as far ns football, in fact as any sport, jis concerned, ilns day will be found the I mo.-t -nil-lb!--- for two reasons. >1 i If the j mati-h.'s, were ulay.-d on Saturday it would I give ilie pl.iye;s a chance to rest oil lilt' I Sunday, making a day and a halt clear in | the week, id* If this day vr-re made univerj sal it Would facilitate visits to and from ! -ountry centres in Southland. The coun- ! try t'-a’i's have oil-a cxpres-efl a wish to | nlay travclltug im-lciies on Saturday because | t allow- t liem to nick--- ire of the wi'ek ; end in-t- —d of bre-iking into it as is the i "use on any olla-r i'ay. To (hose who ; traosel 1-uig di-lanec- this is particularly

I General Birdwoo-l is an enthusiastic supi porter of the game of Rugby football. When ; lie vi-Hed ttie coitferenec of th-' Wellington ; R'-'urne i Tdd'e,--' As-oci-dion ; n Thursday i afternoon he reminded tie- d- legate- that he i wauled to lie i-r-.-'-iit at the Canterbury-Wel-I hii-ton ii,:;-.-h, and therefore, he could not ; -pend too long a lime with t hem ."I was , a very io -ii Itn-by footballer my.--!f in the ia.v.- pit;- bv." he r"Ui,ii k-’d. "i have played ; half be d: aw.-.11,-1 Admiral J-dheoe, who was • a I me-.- quarr r 1 and;. lie ployed (dor the : boy:;! , v .1 I\ d l-'g-., and 1 fur the Royal *il it ary taJ'-ge -g Mmijhur.-i.” "How did you get on ' 'im-ried a delegat-- amid.-t ; lighter. "V. .--1!, I haw- always th-- greatest 1: -met '-m it, !• ,-..iug nill'.ri-'l and stuck to 1 him I*he - I'vch." n-piiv-l Sir William. "I am : -lire you ar- -d m rod he r- -conong here as : - io-.a• r lll .r ; -:-:■ r, 1. lam sure you rould not nave a man with sounder \ icws of what j (" Lmm.-v r-qior-i than Admiral Jellicoe.” ! A Racially lo -tbad match between learns | repr. - tit in : i V o.anion-! and Calcium was | 'ey abe:".o-.n A good game ics-.died in a ( w,a lor I I I to 6, Alter Ihe mat nil an adjournment was made to (he ! hell, w! i - i- ■ ('a!--.urn -aleilemed the vi.-itors 110 ligli: io. N, :;| Saturday the local team will m-ig o:-e from 1 Halmti and another j . nl'-r-'.-t in ; : e;; .*■ i - am icipated. V,d ire: Lb: >AV COMBKTmON.

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