Football.
I.mv rack! tit a I- mi. lane or:- i hot '-a Star's v.-in; luck am; L’j.n-.k plav no. )v nn Wednesday, pu.-.ij on km- oao- ■. ■■ veil’ping, op;: 1: an i i:; li:i:r prevalent. S’ ir v. ;:,'r- m •••; c-m ’lmu m til! owing aot. Whv wri i;nti! a full line is formed? Sp- r ' 1 Wc.ikiwi mutch played in great ohm. .\t ■:> t■ 11 rt-'ptirc some coe.cnSta.r ■.■■ itch in,’ pa.-nnt: movement Th eh 1 iut! ns Jk' game progress'd a: ; v. .. -p;i m ;:c; nt'-’i; tvue.i I,'rj j.t.m. V: ■ .c;v"n iigmiisr Pubic pfrvic“ ;;; th ■ ’ o . aeain.-t Pin::. X;i ii’Hng ictt • y. ■ i: ferae y Bluff ' v ' h‘- m ;.«! T : t had a man ordered off on Saturday. .uul v.. Nt to work in earnest and ft'ml the .-cure. liic 1 : odd! retains a good surface, loir de.-cii;,- • grounds the back play Inis not improved. !- n the fault of the ir.cuntis or rl>o play l r ' - 'i
Star has to thank the .Athletic rearguard for its win on Wednesday. The Green backs could not handle the bull when it was given them by their forwards and invariably lost ground. It is tune the practice of pu-hing a player from behind on the lias outs was more (.rustically dealt with. Tins method of putting a good line out forward out of action temporarily has grown to an alarming extent. The Rugby motto “Go low” has evidently been forgotten by the senior players, and the high tackle has become popular in every team. There is only one way of making sure of a man and that is to gel him low. Bad tackling has allowed many tries to be scored this season. There arc also other illegal practices which are on the increase. Those are illegal tackling and hoLi,ng a plaver by the jersey in the ruck. If football is to be made attractive those should be put down with a iirui hand as they make for a slowing up of the game. it only requires a few infringements by an energetic referee to stop tills style of [day. The fact that the leading team in the Wednesday competition. Star, only executed one finished passing movement on Wednesday slioas that the back play of the local teams had deteriorated to an alarming extent. A team that can lead in a competition, and which is only capable of completing one passing movement a game cannot bo said to he fir-t side. Thus serves to show how conmictely passing has become a lost art with Wednesday players. The Southland team will be called upon fo fulfill a big programme this season, and it was time something hail been attempted to get [layers togeth- r with the object of giving them some coaching to enable them to take the field better equipped to meet the demands which wii he made upon them. It would he a good scheme if the selectors picked out iwenty men and handed them over to coaches with the definite object of having them trained to take the field for the province. A .great improvement was made in last season’s team by a little coaching, and the Southland selectors include one wiio has had a considerable experience of football in all parts of the world and his wisdom should be called upon to assist in building up th» team. The Athletic forwards against Star on Wednesday put. up a great battle and it was not their fault that the Greens did not leave the ground a winning side. Headed by Roche, Leith and Sparks they never relaxed, and when the final whistle sounded were in an attacking position. Roche did the lion’s share and gave a line exhibition of forward play. He tackled solidly throughout and made no error of taking his man. On the line out- lie was a good, end tune and again burst ill rough with the ball at his tee. Leith improves with every match and will soon be on? of the In—, lorward.- [Haying in the competitions. He is yet a bit green, but is an apt pupil and Ls learning fast. Sparks marshalled his pack well and lead them with determination right up to ihe final whistle, despite the fact that he received a bad kick in the second spell. He held the scrum together we!! and gave every encouragement to the younger members of the (lack. The hooker--. Meftin and McKenzie, got their share of the bad, but the back row of the scrum was badly packed and often the ball hung until the initial advantage was lust. Oa the line ou:s the Greens packed well, and. in the open Mapletoffc gave the opposing backs little rest. The whole pack toiled v,„l! -inf! the training that it has had recently is making an impr'-ss'on, and an improvement is noticeable in the last two matches. The Green b-wks with f - exception of Gilroy and foakley player! | r football, and on many occasions lost lac j r>-riions won by their forwards after stienuons work. Iric passing was wild, the only man who showed a knowledge of taking the ball •1:1 the run being Coakley and hLs passes to ivs winger were well executed. Giiroy at full hack pi: ycd a great game, ami with a few more game- will, if hm continues to improve as he has done l,r- one of the b.-r full backs playings in the Galbraith -Hi'°ld competition. He kicks well with both fem and has a firm natural style of k’rk'ng. At times he is inclined to [day ,'ou c!o-e to his forward-, but with a few more games at full hack will know better .'hrre ha can make the ivA n-e o'" his rsi-a- ---; oi. Shepherd behind the s'-nm nUyed net ter game, 'wiring the ball out ber-T. but he i- still too fond of going on his own. lie is a .good rush -looper and playwell when c.dled Upon io defend. The tir.-t fi ve-cighth- Horan know- Lit!? about rile po-itirn. and -voids 100 far away f-on>. his hall to be aide to in, to hi- -cium s in time. He show: little bmgmenr when passing out. and hi- tran-teis wen badly i;; r-i-O-i i. H-* i-, however, a keen ilayt c and should in.prove when ii- bc-cou;--more wuiver-ant with his position. Cosgrove [ ut tn roll1 '■ good ran-, but has nt car master'd tin; a-t of : ••baaing fh-> I, ■ ■; 1 chin makes an openin Ha is f,,-t ami nippy and follows well. Coakley at centre did ids Ixrsf In keep the Green’- backs togather, and was in evidence where trouble threatened. His pas-ing was good and he .va.s always ;n po-iraui when any tran-fer •air-.s were being attr-iimP'd, Cooke -ininlv wkr-,1 for t••ouiJ.e every time Iv fielded the bail, and il was .<■!. lorn that lie got ids kick in. Unle-vs In* alters ids style of [day he will get a ,-erious bump. The game put up by the Star forwardwas a ten nous o;v again-; a iv aver pack, and they coiire-tcd eve-y yard wbd; their ''Openi n'.'.. In the serum- Miry !vi 1 their -evi an I thanks to the (lookers, Smith ami Hall. I'btaiivl a fair -hure of liv 1 v'i. .ten'-:;:!- made a big impm via va r lo the '■am in tin’ 100-e. and with Sirring, gave rlir Athieiie backs little rest. Thn-e two fellow;- ! -I)ns" len; Iv and one at Uest of s- , r ’ ■ e.ui be di-e-tly attribute’,! lo their fa-* following. Liliey put in -nan -oil I toil, ami was prominent on the line outs, ia ggate is a club forward who plays a con■■'.stent game, and on several occasions broxe in useful solo dribbles. Agnew at wing forward gave the opposing half no rest, but ■at times was inclined to get off side. In th- open be was a k'-en follower and his tackling was sure although high. The weakest point of the Star forward pum* was them peaking on th'- line outs and in nuddicld There were far ton many heads above the scrums, and many of the Blue ami White .orwa.ds were lo lw seen dodgier the issik . and hanging around the fringe f ; the scrum look n-: for an opening, Solid work brings nio"* openings than poriiting. and the members of the Star vanguard should get down when required. The match Publi ■ S. rcice v Bluff l?s* Saturday was one of the hardest these L.iur time rivals have yet played. Service as usual stilted off the scoring and they had si:: points to their cr°dit long before half time. At half time it looked as if Bluff were in for defeat hut in the second hdf th" men from the port threw off their apparent 1-rinirgy, and. ;d;y;ng en extra, fo'ward when lie was needed, they managed to make the result a draw—a fair indication of the game. The honours oi a great game go to the Service forwards. Cinumstrmces were all against them, for they went on the field 'without the service- of two of their best men, Langbcin ami St liars. In th** -econd spell Bluff played the weighty Don Hamilton in the [mck. going one short in the three-quarter line, and the Service backs, with a man to the good, would not take the ball from their forwards but left their pack ,<, battle on the best way they could. It was an ordeal to test any forward team,
[ and the light Service vanguard laced the | situation courageously and played as they I never played before. I It would be hard to single out any man I of the Service pack for special mention, for j all worked hard. Stobo and Sproat were i always in the forefront of loose rushes and both had a share in Service’s two tries. Stobo is playing better than he has done for a long time and his work in the second try was good. Bluff hooked the ball in a scrum but it was slow in getting through the back ranks and Stobo was on it the minute it was out of the scrum. He beat the half and dribbled the ball on his own for 20 or 30 yards, until his opponents’ line was near, when he picked up and transferred to Sproat who was close behind him, and Saunders finished the rush by scoring wide. Kingsland, a junior player, played a solid game, tackling well at times. The backs combined better than usual, and although Macdonald sent out two or three untakeable passes early in the game he improved as the game went on. The Dalgleish brothers played their usual strong defensive game, but they were not so good on attack, especially in the second spell. The rest of the backs, with the exception of Fortune, did not get much to do. Fortune played a fine game at full back. He took safely, and his powerful line kicking drove back formidable attacks again and again. The tackling of the Service backs was none too strong at times, especially that of the wing three-quarters. They showed a disposition to go for a man round the neck. This looks good to the average spectator, hut it is backbiocks’ football. High tackling is permissible on only one occasion—when a man is within a few yards of the line. If tackled low he may manage to reach out and place the ball on the line. liven so there is a big risk of missing one's opponent with the high tackle. On Saturday when Johnson had beaten (he Service wing, a Service back took the risk, but Johnson eluded him and scored. Oct your man just above the knees. In the second half of Saturday’s game the Service backs played the wrong game. Bluff trier! new tactics in this spell. They brought Don Hamilton in from centre and played him in the puck, leaving the backs short. The result was overwhelming weight in the pack. Yet in the lines out the Service wing forward and the backs closer in would not take the ball, but made their wingers keep the ball in close. The result was that the Service line out, already weakened by the aitsence of Langbein and Sellars, was opposing not only a heavier side but r side with an extra man. The Buff forwards played one of their best games this year. A few Saturdays ago they looked to be right out of the running for the competition, but they made a good recovery, and after the team gave Banks and Law a severe beating they followed it up by drawing with Service. The pack is an exceptionally heavy’ one, and with Budd, Wrobleii'-ki and Giilroy for pushing power and Fisher for hooking, the forwards are probably one of the strongest combinations playing this season and they should enable the team to bo in at the finish later, Finnerty at half got plenty of ball for when Fisher did not hook it the Bluff pack push'd over the top of it. Finnerty however, often nut too far from the scrum and he hung on too long when he was tackled. He gave his opponents a hard time, however, for he had a habit of wriggling out of a tackle when he seemed securely stooped. The rest of the bocks combined fairly well, although they were slow. Swale at full is a fast man. and he got in some good runs before lie found the line. The V.’aikiwi v Invercargill match needs little description. Both aides were very • hint and the game suffered in consequence. Bines managed to get in a fairly comforttide win. 't he forwards were fairly evenly matched. Whyte worked hard in the Waikiwi pack. He is rtsr a brilliant player and U seldom conspicuous, but he is a hard worker and rues firm start to finish playing solidly and without flourish. O'Byrne was the best of the Blue forwards. At the end of the line out he got away again and again ami had good control over the ball with his feet. Garrett was injured early in the game, and Blues played t man short till half tune. The Blue backs included a number of new i layers. Davidson and Lopdell being ■pact a tors. Ch hind at half marked his re:urn to the backs by scoring three tries and ha-> ittg a big share in the other two. But it will lu- a p ty if he is kept at half bemuse his pi. y is not the play of a half back. 11; ■ ■ j, r it i.-, the play of an outside fiveeight it. lie has a quick cut-in in whirl; 'f> -ito’:' ! !'■■ seen to better advantage at the Liter position. His tackling was low ,;ni ,u ', and tills should be a lag help to a team that is. with one or two exceptions, weak on (iwene.'. It is to be hoped that Blues ct it ;-l: ce him at second five-eighths or ceiti, ■, preietiibly the former position. Vial is in e similar position ; he is not too strong at inside five-eighth anti when he and I.yttie changed places for the second spell an improvement was noticeable. It is interesting to note Lyttk’s movements in the hue';-. He played four or five weeks .go at wing, then a! centre, until he worked ti.oush to fir;-1 rive. At r;t> portion has it" .tiaye i badly. The r-. i of the bc'-hs played fairly well against the opposing d-vi inn vhicii v, a very weak. McKay played a .uund game as last man. Dawson played well behind the Waikiwi -•crura and he Uckted and took ill - ball safe’y while he goi away at the head ,d some m'u! rushes. I'.rov i; ~-n :ht win - go: few iianr' 1 - but he ran .-troa'dy m solo , 1 ' , ,-;ies. usually Tom interested or dropped passes. Is it a sign of the time.''.' Ve. ! 'relay at one of the town'- large pubhc -ciu.ois •i hn:y teacher was to be seen, armed with i v.hi'tle. initiating a <de-s of small Mew Zealand:--? in ‘die my.-tenc.-- of llimby foolb:dl. Id actUal vor!; we.-- a .valuta of the demonstration, the kickin'? and p.'i.-smg of the fair instructor being the admimrion and -nvy of the little players. 0.8.E.’s have been awarded for less! Referee.-' Association has s-eni along ■ he followin'? ruling for pubheation. hoping :h, t it will clear a little of th" tuisim lerrenduig at present ruling with regard to rite mark; A fair (■■•tell can only be claimed by the catcher mak'ng his mark after lie has caught the ball, but in practice referees might allow a claim when the mark was i sinoiltain ou-ly made with the catching, i The Ward Memorial Cup which was prej S mil'll to the Rugby Union at Thursday's i meeting piovidr. a fine trophy for the I Saturday juniors. The crop should make iihe Saturday juniors more keen, and the I donor, in asking that the conditions he (hat 1 the cup could !>e won outright by two wins, I made I lie suggest ion with the idea that the j holders v.-ould put forth their he.-t efforts ■ to make the cup their club’s property. The • plovers would al.-o have a personal interest | m the winning of the cup. Liliey was the best of the Star backs and made use of the line to some purpose when clearing an alt.ack. His openings | which lead to Star’s second try was a pood i one, and he never hesitated when the hole | showed in t!;e deft nee, but ran strough j making a pood opening for the winger I Barraclough to score. Without his serj vices Star would have boon in a bad way i as he shoul lererl the greater part of the | defence. Oughton behind the Star pack ] kept his forwards up to the ball and when cadcd u[>on to defend was not afraid to go down to the dangerous Green rushes. His ■icrum passes were badly given and were too often of the lob variety to be effective j The rest of the backs with the exception ‘ of Murray lacked dash and were unable to I handle the ball when it did conic their way. | ‘ And one for the referee,” used invariably I to be the last word in a football mutch j after the teams had paid each other the I compliment of three cheers. This season 1 the time-honoured custom seems to be | falhng into abeyance or disuse, and the fact 1 was the subject of remark by Mr T. H. I Jones at a recent meeting of the Referees’ i Association. lie suggested that the Management Committee of the Rugby Union i might well point out this growing breach of ! football etiquette to members of teams. The fact that football matches are played on Sundays at Reefton was brought under the attention of the New Zealand Rugby Union last week by the Reefton Lord’s Day League. The League asked if this was allowed under the Union rules, and further stated that many of the Reefton people were debarred from taking an interest in sport.
It was decided to send the letter on to the Reefton Rugby Union for consideration. Mr fi. S. Dean, referring to the matter, said that personally he did not see any reason why matches should not be played on nundays ; tennis and golf were allowed. At Athletic Park on Saturday a good deal of complaint was heard against the‘ New Zealand Rugby Union for its having decided to raise prices of admission for the coining coming North Island-South match. In conversation with one of the officials of the New Zealand Union, a Times re- | presentative mentioned the matter, were- , upon the official pointed out that last j vear, when there was a gate of £425, the j profit was only £3O. After advertising is j paid, the Wellington Union takes 25 per cent., which does not leave the union more than they consider a safe margin. Ihe cost of assembling nearly forty players is heavy. For instance, the Auckland men’s fares and board average about £3 or £O, the men from the far south cost nearly the same, the expenses of the laranaki men are considerable, and so on. Also, it is considered wise to make a fair profit on the mutches were po.-.-ible, as the loss would he heavier if a wet day were encountered. WEDNESDAY COMPETITION.
Bunks & Law 6 2 4 0 47 72 4 Two of the fastest men in New Zealand over any distance from Ihe 100 yards run to the furlong are playing on the West Coast in the Rugby Union’s competition whose names will be familiar to footballers. They are J. Steele and T. O'Callaghan. Both \ were recommended by the West Coast selectors for places in the Soutli Island team as wing three-quarters and one of them, Steele, was picked. Steele came inti? prominence last year when in the North v. South Island match he scored two tries, but his first success in big football was not unexpected on the Coast. In the off season he has been running well over sprint distances. O’Callaghan will be better known by his performances on the track as justbefore the war he was professional sprint champion of New Zealand. A brother of L.Ls, J. O’Callaghan, is a member of the local Public Service fifteen. A great ‘‘gate.” The first match of the British League team in Sydney yielded £5,500. The visitors’ share of this fine sum was about £3.000. The following is the position of each team in the Wellington senior Rugby championship competition on June 19; —
Wellington ..0 7 0 IS 213 0 The first round of matches in the Cantcibnry Rugby Union’s first grad;* competition finished last Saturday in tine weather. It Lit Marists at the head of the table, with Merit ale second, a point away. Unwind is still third, but it has practically lost its chance of winning the championship. Its possibilities now are simply those of a d.'stmUmc (lenient to the aspirations of the teams above il on the list. The positions of the teams are as fol-
Plyd. Won. Lost. Drn.For.Agst.Pts. Star .. .. S 5 1 2 54 56 12 Athletic 7 3 3 1 59 67 7 In’gill 7 3 4 0 62 52 6 Waikiwi .. a 2 5 1 77 60 o SATURDAY COMPETITION. Plvii. Won Lost. Drn.For.Agst.Pts. Union .. 6 4 2 0 46 33 8 P. Ser\ - ice 6 3 2 i 53 39 7 Bluff . . . . 6 2 3 i 51 53 5
\v L. D. Ft*. for Pt a'/f dim. t. in*. Poneke . . () 1 0 81 24 ,’eione 6 1 0 132 04 — 12 Athletic .. 5 2 0 135 35 — 10 Varsity .. .. 3 3 0 02 67 — 6 Oriental 2 3 1 53 42 — 4 Berhair.pore . o 5 0 36 90 o Sohvyn . . 1 5 1 65 45 — 2
low;—Hatches. W. D. L. Points for. a-rst Chp. pt.~. .’'Jurists .. 7 17!) :’,r> 7 iii'i ivalo . . 0 I 10(1 tit; ti Linv.oia! . . ..-11 2 72 -ii 41 C.i.l lluys .. .. 4 — o 112 so 4 Alhion . . .. 3 I 3 SO no ;ii Univci>ily . . 2 — 4 7S s.2 2 Chrisicluirch .. 1 — t! 20 110 1 Sydenham . . 44 103 —
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Southland Times, Issue 18859, 26 June 1920, Page 9
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3,878Football. Southland Times, Issue 18859, 26 June 1920, Page 9
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