RUGBY

Southland Times, Issue 21091, 24 May 1930, Page 18

RUGBY

NEWS AND NOTES.

(By

“Onlooker.”)

Erst local “test” this afternoon. Star, unbeaten this season, meet Pirates

A. Enal games in first round of Galbraith Shield to-day.

British Tourists meet Taranaki to-day, Manawhenua on Wednesday, and AVairarapa—Bush (combined) next Saturday. “Tubby” Holden's left boot is a matchwinner. His four-pointer last week was very simple, but how smart and clever!

T. Riddell, Star five-eighth, was more badly hurt than anticipated in the StarBlues game. His knee is giving him trouble and he will probably be out of the game for some time yet. A. MoKav, Blues’ captain and wing threequarter, had a field day against Southern. He scored five tries, thus accounting for 15 points of Blues’ total of 31. Saturday’s draw was not a good one. .It ;could not be helped, but the football could have been better. Junior or school games would have been preferable to the exhibitions at the Park.

Several juniors were given tl try-out last week. In the Blues’ side there were Bruce (centre) and Clode and Bailey (forwards); Star had Sievwright (wing) and Lee (wingforward), while there was new and junior blood in most of the other senior teams. Those mentioned shaped very well and are ready to fill permanent places as soon as the vacancies offer. Whether it is the attraction of the novelty or not is not known, but since the radio people have commenced broadcasting from the centre of the Press strip, an unusually large “following” has attached itself to the Press and broadcasting table. The Union delegates a man to keep the Press strip free as a rule. His services are again required. Cleave Agnew, who was a member of the Star second grade team last season, is playing in the five-eighths line of Union firsts in Dunedin.

Earle, Fitzgerald and Murtagh, forwards from Southland, who arc playing in Dunedin have been “mentioned in despatches” from the “water-less” city recently. Very favourable comment has accompanied the work of young Fitzgerald, an Eastern district inside back. This lad has been showing splendid form this season and well-informed critics predict a bright future for him. While S.R.F.U. members were well aware that the score-board was showing an incorrect state of the Southern-Blues game, they made no effort to have matters righted. The boys in charge are liable to make mistakes at any time, and it would be just as well if the Rugby Union appointed an overseer.

Those players, referees and enthusiasts who a week or so ago became panicky about the rules under which all games are to be played this year may set their minds at ease. Under the rules of the International Board, a player taking a freekick cannot be charged;/he ball must be thrown in at least five yards in line-outs, and the ball is kicked off from the centre after an unconverted try has been registered. These rules will be played in matches with the British team.

Can the initial kick-off in a game be marked? Yes. This question and answer is published for the benefit of an ex-referee who was under the impression that the opening kick-off could not be marked. ..It has been stated by an English critic that Sobey, the' British scrum-half, is fit for any side in the world. He played brilliantly for England against Scotland this season. Should he strike form in New Zealand he will keep some of our wing-forwards busy.

“Twenty-three of the 29 British tourists are internationals. England supplies sixteen players, Wales seven, Ireland five, and Scotland one.

The last British team to come to New Zealand, that is, team from the Homeland representing England, Scotland, Ireland, and AV ales, was not in 1908 as is generally supposed. That was an Anglo-AVelsh combin-, ation. It was in 1904 that the last British team, led by Bedell Sivwright, visited the Dominion, and curiously enough there was only one Scottish representative as there is on this occasion. The team comprised twenty-four players, the representation being as follows: —England 13, AVales 8, Ireland 2, and Scotland’s sole representative was Bedell Sivwright. Only five matches were played, but there was also an informal game with the Maoris. The 1908 Anglo-AVelsh team played 17 matches. “A meeting of stewards” is suggested in the stage whispers that went around after Pirates B had made Star do their best on Saturday. It was hinted that the B’s had “lain down” in their meeting with the A’s the previous week. The reversal of form as shown by Pirates B in their last two matches was certainly concomitant with inconsistency but it was quite clear that they had no show with their A’s a week before.

G. Broughton, Pirates B centre, is above the average as a good all-round back. Without him the B’s would be in trouble. He is worthy of a place in the A’s, but his reason for remaining in the B’s (it is under- ■ stood) is to try' to keep them together. Against Star last week, Broughton was called upon to do a lot of defensive work. He not only got through this work well, but performed 'it in a manner suggestive of the highest ability and experience. On attack also, this lightly-built but wiry youth showed initiative. In good company he would be a likely type of inside back. A great record was won by Gibbons (the 19-year-old captain of the Wanganui team) while he attended New Plymouth Boys’ High School, for whom he played in 1927, 1928 and 1929. He represented that school in fifteen inter-school engagements, and his side: won 13 of those matches. Upon several occasions the wonderful place kicks of this young player turned the tide from defeat to. victory. He is regarded as the greatest all-found’ five-eighth who has played for New Plymouth High School. Last .season he • represented the Wanganui union in representative games against Wairarapa, Wellington, Manawhenua and Otago. Dr Adams, 'selector of the Wanganui fifteen, was so impressed with the play of Gibbons that he selected him to 'captain the side against the British team. The New Zealand team final trial, Probables v. Possibles, will be played at Wellington on June 11. It is understood that Mahoney received a fracture of a small bone in the ankle when injured while collaring an opponent in last Saturday’s game. Country Day is only 10 days away, and nothing has been done by the Selection Committee to get a Town team together to meet Northern. The local side should be announced at once and thus give the team a chance to get some sort of combination.

- -The time-honoured Eastern-Town match on Country Day will be replaced by the Northern-Town game this year. As the result of representations made last year it was decided to give the Sports Trust'Cup holders preference in this game each Country Day, but there is no gainsaying -that an Eastern-Town game, as recommended by The'selectors, showed prospects much ahead of the game to be played. Eastern have

built up again and from reports to hand threaten to regain the Country Unions’ trophy. Rumor, ever a lying jade, is wrong again. Ray Nicol, ex-Ohai and Western forward, will play for Blues, and not for Star as reported. He will be seen out with Hunter McKenzie’s pack to-day. Campbell. Star’s full-back, showed some of his old form in the Star-Pirates B game. His taking and kicking were very sound—he never misfielded a ball during the game —and he tackled resolutely. “Scotty" is not the type of full-back that instils a great deal of confidence in one, but his display last week' was practically flawless, suggested that he is improving in both health and ability. Peterson, Pirates B, is only a handful, but he has big ideas as a forward and is not afraid of giant opponents. Full of dash and energy this young player knows the value of sighting the ball in rucks and loose before setting about his work. Too many players are prone to “dig in” aimlessly without first getting a “sighter.” -See your object first and then go to it.. Sharp, the new-comer from Wellington, will play for Pirates. He is a five-eighth, and before coming south, played jn this position for Oriental (Wellington) seniors. Sharp has represented Wairarapa, and two I seasons ago played for the greens against Southland at Invercargill in the memorable game in which Diack kicked a? great goal from the touchline in the last minute to give Southland victory by 24 points to 23. When Star visited Orepuki some weeks ago, Stubbs was called upon to play in the five-eighths line. He acquitted . himself creditably, and besides scoring several tries, paved the way for others. The opposition was fairly weak, however, and. not a great deal of consideration was given to his play in the position. Riddell’s enforced absence brought Stubbs into the -'five-eighths line again on Saturday, and up against fair opposition he again made a good showing. He made mistakes, one in particular losing his side a possible try, but his all-round work uncovered possibilities. Stubbs should develop into a sound five-eighth. His defence is right. . All he now requires to practice is straight running and linking up with his supports when he has beaten a marker. On Saturday, he was inclined to get lost once he had cut in. I liked the way he crashed his way through the B's inside line. The re-appointment of Mr Len Lopdell to the selection committee will no doubt meet with general approval. , It is difficult to understand why he and Mr Baird were not returned at the first election. They deserved the honour. Mr Lopdell will make a worthy substitute for Mr Stead as coach of the backs, duties he successfully carried out last year, while Messrs Rice and Geddes will keep the forwards up to the mark. This trio should be capable of selecting a good Ranfurly Shield team from the material available.

Why wait till June 3 before announcing the prospective rep. players to go into special training? Southland, along with the rest of New Zealand appears to have contracted “British” fever and all else but the visitors’ tour has been forgotten. What of the Ranfurly Shield team? When the Maroons so sensationally lifted the Shield at Carterton last August, all sorts of fheoretrical preparations were discussed, and if some had been put into practice the 1930 Maroon team would have been well moulded by now. As it is nothing has been done, and the selectors are now marking time until June 3. Surely the “townies” could be sorted out for special training at once, and the country contingent added after June 3! There need be'no tight limit to the “prospectives.” They all may be required. Just when many were prepared to agree that “Wampy” Bell was entering the “Rugby sere and yellow,” he bobs up and springs on a characteristic Bell try. If Wampy was in a quandary what to do with the ball, it was on that occasion, in last week’s game, just prior to his sensational try. He received the ball while in a bad position—a wall of players was formed from a ruck just breaking up in front of him—and looked about shiftily for someone to transfer to. There was no room to kick, and further, it would have been useless giving the.ball away to the opposition in such a good attacking position (eight yards from Pirates’ line). Thwarted in his first thoughts, Bell blindly slipped into the maze of players and much to his own surprise emerged clear of the ruck. So far so good, Bell carried on, and side-stepping like a two-year-old, left the opposition standing to score a spectacular try. It was a splendid bit of solo work and merited the applause which greeted it. Bell, by the way, is not done yet, and can still make our five-eighths hurry. Mr Durham, and likewise some of the Pirates B players, were evidently under the impression that a certain kick over Star’s line had not reached the dead-ball line. It had, and Campbell, (full-back) recovering it, leisurely punted it back to his team mates for the drop-out. There was a scurry on the part of both Star and Pirates players when it was found the referee had not ruled the ball out of play, and only a knock-on by a Pirates man prevented an almost certain five points for the Blacks. This would have been bad luck for Star, as there was no doubt about the ball having crossed the dfead-ball line. Wilkinson, one of the British forwards, is a prolific try-getter. With several matches to go he had scored 33 tries (99 points in this season’s games. Murray, the Irish three-quarter, has a penchant for dropping goals. His potted goal against England won the game for Ireland, the scores being four points to three (a try scored by Novis). On February 22, when England defeated France, at Twickenham, of the 60,000 spectators present,-20,000 were women. Aarvold (three-quarter), Spong and Sobey (half-backs),- and Farrell (forward) included in the team to tour New Zealand, were members of the British side which visited Argentine in '1928. The team played nine matches winning all of them and scoring 295 points against 9. Mr James Baxter, manager of the present team was also manager of the team, that toured Argentine. Holden is the outstanding player in the Star team at the present time. He is probably the most outstanding player in the province. All of his work is polished. He is thoroughly reliable and must stand a big chance of representing New Zealand against the Britishers. A fine type of young man, Holden is popular with friend and foe, and not one in the South would be displeased if he were called upon to act as pivot in the first New Zealand team of 1930.

- So disappointing were the displays on the No. 1 ground at Rugby Park last week that it is hardly worth while commenting upon them. The first game saw Blues have almost complete mastery over Southern, but .perform shockingly in the establishing of superiority. Admitted their combination was slightly upset by the introduction of juniors, but they should have gone better against much weak opposition. The George brothers took up the role of hookers for Blues and appeared to shape well. They cerjainly got plenty, of ball for their side, but here again the advantage is slightly, discounted on account of the opposition.

Strangely enough Southern were able to push the Blues’ scrum, but lack of experience saw thein overshadowed in the matter of ball possession. Blues’ inside combination, which shaped so promisingly at the start of the season,

has fallen to pieces. The men are there and the knowledge is also present, but these combined cannot progress while continual mistakes in handling and passing are made. Have the Blues’ inside backs been practising? They may train regularly, but it is quite apparent practice in handling and passing is badly needed. Hunter McKenzie was not so prominent as usual on Saturday. Still, that does not mean that he was not a worker. Burtenshaw and old Joe Roche turned out again for Southern. Burtenshaw is a dashing forward. He would make a good wing-forward. On Saturday he was played in the five-eighths line and while shaping very well and showimr all his old dash and vigour, would do even better on the fringe of the scrum.

A good' type of forward seen in the Southern ranks against Blues is a big and well-built chap named Lee. He" did nothing out of the ordinary but was keen to be in the play. With his height and reach he should be able'to get the ball from almost everv line-out. Here is a likely-looking forward if he can be told and coached. Dave Martin deserves the V.C. He appears to be coach, manager, boot-supplier, jersey-getter and wet nurse to the Southern team. And some of them would be lost if he wasn’t about prior to the commencement of games on Saturday. An enthusiast in the game for the game’s sake, Dave is optimistic and hopes to prove to the “I-told-you-so’s” that Southern will yet. justify their existence in the Galbraith Shield competition. Norris had his first run with the Blues against Southern. It was “easy” for “Biff,” and the old rules didn’t worry him at all. He played as though no alteration had ever been made. ' Against stronger opposition, no doubt he would use the touch lines. Norris’s kicking was good, and he shaped sufficiently .pleasing to make local supporters feel confident that the full-back position for the Southland team will be ably filled. The best forward on the ground in the Star—Pirates B game was Bert O’Toole, and close on his heels was J. Mattingly, both Star forwards. Their breaking, rucking and following'up were splendid. Both were energetic and hard-working, and when Pirates B unleashed a burst near the finish, this pair put in some great rucking to relieve the position. Star were easily 10 points better than Pirates B. The Blacks spoiled themselves by spoiling. They caught Star on an off day, but failed to size up the position until too late. A spoiling game is all right if the spoilers are able to follow up their destructive work. Pirates bustled the Star I insides into mistakes, but they were unable I to take advantage of these mistakes. Further in their eagerness to get amongst the Star backs the Black forwards gave away too . much in infringements. It was just as well that Lilley was off colour with his goaling, otherwise the score in Star’s favour would have been doubled.

It was a poor game to watch. The youthful Pirates pack battled hard, but without method and instead of wearing down the Star heavyweights they wore themselves out, with the result that in the last oiiarter of an hour, the Star forwards took charge and simply crushed the opposition into submission. An open game would have suited the Blacks much better. Here their pace and dash would undoubtedly have told. Star are hard to beat at any time, but it was futile attemnting to take them on in their strongest style of play.

The B’s will probably get a lesson from their A’s to-day. The A team will not attempt to keep the game tight. , The “baby” of the British Rugby team is D. A. Keridrew, who is only 19 years of age. H. Wilkinson is the son of an old English international.

Bert Cooke, who has joined up with the Hutt Club in Wellington, will not be eligible for selection in the Wellington team to meet the British side on June 3, owing to it being necessary for him to be in residence in AVellington for three weeks before he could be included in a representative team.

I hasten to correct an error in the criticism of Mr E. Budd’s refereeing of the Blues-Star game a fortnight ago. Mr Budd was taken to task for allegedly penalizing Mahoney (Star) for “playing" Johnson (Blues). It will be remembered that Johnson was about to recover the ball from the back of a ruck when Mahoney charged him and bowled him over. The referee immediately whistled and awarded Blues a free-kick, and a section of the crowd hooted the offending player and yelled frantically, “Put him off!” From the Press table it was understood that- Mahoney was penalized (wrongfully) for playing the man, and it is now learned that the-Star man was penalized for off-side play. Perhaps those narrow-minded hooters who participated in the demonstration against Mahoney will think twice in future before giving vent to their feelings—feelings obviously incensed by “one-eyed” enthusiasm. One of the biggest of the British Rugby team’s forwards is G. R. Beamish. His activities in sport are not confined to football, one other branch in which he is proficient being boxin". In the recent Royal Air Force tournament Beamish met a New Zealander in the final of the heavyweight championship, the latter being E. Williams, of Wellington, another fine all-round sportsman, who played for the Oriental Rugby Club in AVellington. AVilliams succeeded in gaining the decision over Beamish. There are some big men in the team, and those of the forwards who are lacking in height are very stockily built. They should be able to pack a very solid scrum. One of the tallest men is Black, of Oxford University, and apart from his excellent qualities as a forward he has a hefty boot which can be turned to advantage in placekicking. The backs appear to be quite a speedy lot, and they, too, should form a solid combination.

The British three-quarters impressed with their 'speed while practising in Wellington. Reeve, Novis, and Murray were noticeable in the way they got off the mark like professional track runners, and when it came to taking and sending passes each afid every one handled surely. The announcement that Holden, Hazlett, and Purdue succeeded in playing their way into the final trial for the New Zealand team will be hailed with general satisfaction throughout Southland. These players are up to All Black standard and none would disgrace a new Zealand jersey. Of course there are numbers of players throughout the Dominion also worthy of the honour and in the end some have to stand down: New Zealand is-fortunate in having so many to call upon at the present time. Holden and Hazlett are not new to All Black honours, but should Purdue survive the final test on June 11, he will win the honour for the first time. Congratulations to all three. Holden was once again up to his field goaling habits in Wednesday’s trial. This is his third potted goal this season out of four attempts. He had two shots in last week’s Star-Pirates game, but succeeded with one only. Bird was injured in Wednesdays trial and may be out of club football for a few weeks now. He will be missed by Pirates to-day. According to the special correspondent of the Christchurch Press in Wanganui the British forwards were rather disappointing in the first game, and on that display he considers their pack would find it hard to make headway against an All Black forward division. Though slightly superior in the first spell, the British forwards were frequently bested by the open bustling tactics of the

Wanganui pack in the second half, though towards the end of the game they appeared to be gaining the ascendancy once more. Black and Rew were often to be seen at the head of dribbling and short passing rushes, and Beamish use.(h> s weight to great advantage. However, the forwards sent the ball to the backs at every opportunity, and did not rely a great deal on the dribbling rush as a means of attack. Commenting on the players chosen for the final trial at Wellington, the Christchurch Press has the following concerning the absence of Porter and Dailey: There are two notable players missing from the teams as selected. They are, of course, Dailey and Porter, and there is no doubt that their omission will be the subject of comment in Christchurch and Wellington, their respective towns. Dailey's career, like that of Porter, has been a great one and in addition to playing in Australia for All Black teams he was a member of the triumphant 1924” side which'toured Britain and took the field against the Springboks in 1928. He injured a shoulder last year in Australia and has not played in all the competition matches this year. It is probable therefore, that his play has not equalled the form he displayed in the past owing to his not being quite fit. It is not unlikely, however, that he will yet be selected for the honour of wearing the Silver Fern against the British team in one of the four Tests to be played, as it is probable that many changes will be made in personnel. Porter has been seen in so many All Black teams that it will be strange to see one without him. It must be admitted that if the selectors think that they have the choice of younger and better men they are to be commended upon their action in giving them a trial. Some of the 1924 team are still considered worthy of selection, these being F. Lucas, of Auckland, M. Nicholls, of Wellington, A. E. Cooke, of Wairarapa, G. Nepia, of East Coast, W. Irvine, of Wairarapa, R. T. Stewart, of Canterbury, and I. Harvey, of Wairarapa. It is a healthy sign that there are so many new players available. If George Purdue, who has been selected to take part in the trial match from which the New Zealand team will be chosen, gains All Black honours he will be repeating the success of his father and his uncle, both of whom represented New Zealand in 1905. C. Purdue also representer! New Zealand in 1901. George is quite a youngster, 21 at the most. Even if he does not gain his cap this year the honour should come to him soon, for he has evidently caught the selectors’ eyes. There is no need to fear that Waikiwi will prove unworthy of A grade. Their showing against Pirates A clearly proved that this promising young team will have to be seriously reckoned with in 1931. Murray, Pirates A’s regular full-back, showed himself a useful wing threequarter on Saturday. Three tries went to his credit. The Gibsons are good hard-working forwards who in a few years may easily fill places in the reps. Is there a half in Invercargill who can stand more punishment than Montague? Bill Hazlett and the other big Black forwards did not perturb him at all. Falconer has a wonderful pair of hands and his feet are scarcely inferior.

Greig has by no means mastered the art of judging the flight of the ball. Too frequently it lands over his head or nearly on it. Metcalfe seems a little stale, or perhaps he was reserving his fireworks for the Star game.

Hazlett’s taking on the line-out was exceptionally clean. He is far from certain in getting the line when he is entrusted with a kick. One or two of the Blacks are inclined to talk too much.

The AVaikiwi pack is a splendid combination and both in tight and loose held their own against the somewhat lackadaisical Black forwards.

It is a pity the Red backs could not develop more combination and become an effective attacking unit. Interest in the Dominion’s national game has been stirred to great heights by the arrival of the British team, the first Rugby Union combination to come from the Did Country since 1908. During their brief stay in AVellington ■ the visitors created a very favourable impression both on and off the field. They had two practices at Athletic Park, and in each work-out it was made perfectly plain that they are footballers of sorqe calibre and that they are keen on giving the best possible account of themselves as such. Most of the forwards are stockily built, but there are some who will compare favourably with New Zealand’s stalwarts. These visiting forwards are expected to give the teams in this country some exceedingly hard tussles, and they appear to be of the tvqe to do it. It is recognized that New Zealand will be up against hard scrummagers, but just how difficult a proposition they are likely to be is difficult to say until the visiting team has been seen in action in the early matches of the tour. On first' appearances, however, the visiting forwards should be able to pack a solid scrum. The backs, according to their showing in the practices at Athletic Park, can handle well and can clip on the pace, while some of them appear to be well up in the finer points of the game. In both backs and forwards there are splendid kicks, and it was noticed in the practices that place-kicking and dron-kicking was carried out with accuracy from long range and from difficult angles. Taken all in all the players are a very likelv lot. It remains to be seen how they will shape in match play. High good humour marked the speeches given at the civic reception to the British Rugby team in Wellington Several speakers brightened the proceedings with humorous asides from the main trend of their remarks and evoked roars of laughter from members of the team and citizens alike. “AVe are told the team is a well-balanced one,” Mr M. F. Luckie (the Deputy Mayor) said in the course of his address to the visitors. “It doesn’t seem so when one considers the representation from the various countries—why, there’s only one Scotsman, and he’s AVelsh!” There was a joke that he had been told was only 24 hours old, though, probably, like most of these stories, it had been told years ago. A visitor to AVellington had asked what the posts were on Mount Victoria, and had been told that they were the goal posts used by the Mount Victoria Football Club. “Well, no wonder they can play football in this country,” had been the visitor’s comment. “But that is not an account of our excellence at football,” Mr Luckie added, “only an enthusiastic estimate of our abilities. It rests on yourselves to give us a true idea of our ability, and if you win none will be more ready than Wellington to applaud you.” Councillor W. H. Bennett also had some cotnment to make on there being only one Scot in the team. “All I can say is this— God help him when he gets to Dunedin,” he said.

“I hope your team will .be a success,” Dr P. F. McEved” said. “No fever, no favour, and the best of luck. Your first civic reception is in the hands of a man called Luckie —well, I hope you will be lucky.”

Jiu-jitsu, or Japanese wrestling, is one of the very few sports in which women can compete on a footing of equality with men. It is a question of skill and not strength. The number of smallholdings iij Britain is slowly decreasing. Last year there were 258.326 smallholdings in England and Wales; in 1919 the number. was 272,568, and in 1908, 287,170.

CRITICAL COMMENTS (By “Whawhai.”) Mr Baxter, the manager of the British team, is being warmly commended for his sporting action in offering to play his teairi in white in the tests. He deserves to be. But there is no need for New Zealanders to feel ashamed —as apparently are the Wanganui and Otago Rugby Union members —-at the protests that were made against the changing of the All Blacks’ colours. The host owes a duty to his guest. He should welcome him warmly, feed him royally, entertain him lavishly and And him a courteous farewell. But he need not change into pyjamas because his guest comes in the wrong attire. In other words there is a limit to a host’s courtesy and consideration to his guest and there is some obligation on the part of the guest. The British authorities should have at the outset selected some colours that did not clash with the all Black uniform. I heard it stated the other day that whereas in all other centres newspaper writers extolled the virtues of their players to the skies, the paper in which these notes appear told the truth and sometimes spoilt the chances of Southland players gaining high honours. In other words it was held to be a serious fault that local players were not boosted to the utmost so that they would be picked for Possibles v. Probables and other big matches. A newspaper writer cannot set a high value on his integrity if he will, stoop to bolster up a case purely to get another representative from his district. I know it is done in many places. But let’s hope Southland can carry on without such unfair tactics just as we hope—and know —Southland can hold the shield without commercializing the game by importing players. THOSE JERSEYS OPPOSITE VIEWS. The Christchurch Suri, in an editorial, says: Throughout the Dominion there has been a series of ridiculous protests against the New Zealand Rugby Union’s courteous decision that the New Zealand team is to wear white Jerseys in place of the traditional all black in the Test matches against the touring British side. A North Inland paper, in commenting on this, could not have been more bitter if it were condemning the abolition of trial by jury. Nobody should object to what is the merest courtesy. Dark blue has been the colour worn by other British teams on recent tours, and, therefore it is unreasonable to expect the visitors to change simply because New Zealanders have always played in black. The clash is unfortunate, most un-' fortunate when people recall that no earlier British team to visit New Zealand has played in a conflicting colour; but there it is, and the sporting courtesies have to be observed. It is necessary in big football that the referee should be able to recognize players instantly, otherwise there would be untold confusion, and even unpleasant debate might follow a match because of errors that the referee could not avoid making. The only reasonable solution is that New Zealand should yield, and although the All Blacks will become white for the day there is no occasion for the foolish outbursts that have been provoked. Love of tradition carried to this extreme is not only discourteous, but ridiculous as well. JUNIOR JOTTINGS AROUND THE GRADES. (By the Scribe.) CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS SECOND GRADE.

Blues’ juniors so far unbeaten. The second grade competition promises to be most interesting as Blues, Old Boys, Rimu and Star are all fielding strong teams. Blues are at present in a strong position, having beaten Old Boys and Star, and their match with Rimu should be a good game. This afternoon they met Waikiwi on the latter’s grounds. Victory is assuredly theirs although the AVaikiwi men will put up a strong resistance. From the present season’s showing so far Waikiwi are out to retrieve the losses of the past year or two. . Blues’ strength lies mainly m a splendid pack of forwards and on this season’s form appear to be about equal to their senior fifteen in this department. Their backs are a likely lot, but before they will be really effective a good half-back must be found. The members of the team are to be complimented upon their fitness and it. will not he through lack of training that they are defeated. Norton, the half-back, would' be well advised to cure a habit of picking out of the scrum, while he is also a trifle slow at getting the ball out to his backs. At full-back McKay is playing a very sound game. His line-kicking, however, is not as accurate as it might be. McKinnon, on the wing, must learn to take the ball cleanly. He has a godd turn of speed and with a little more confidence and “devil” in his play should be a dangerous scoring man. Lee’s goal kicking is a great asset to Blues. He is also playing a very sound game in the three-quarter line. So far Blues’ forwards have played really good- football. Clode, Tapley and Keast all possess height and weight which they use to advantage, while ■ Bailey, is the racehorse of the pack. He scored a great try against Old Boys. Star seconds have another good team this year and have been called upon lately to reinforce the seniors. It is to be hoped that this practice will be discontinued, enabling Star to place the strongest team possible in the field. The promising material in the seconds is in the capable hands of Mr "Checker” Oughton, and while on this subject congratulations must be extended to him and to Mr Don Murray, coach of the fourths, upon the active interest both are displaying in the interests of the juniors. In this way the Star Club is being faithfully served, both on and off the field. The keenness both men are displaying is sure to be reciprocated a hundredfold by the. juniors, and their progress in the competitions will be watched with much interest. The seconds this afternoon travel down to Bluff to meet the seconds there, and the fourths have a day off, there being no fourth and fifth grade matches until next Saturday.

A good even game should eventuate today between Rimu and Old Boys, who secured such a runaway victory over Waikiwi last Saturday. The country, men are stayers from the word go and as Old Boys are represented by fifteen good men and true, the issue should be in doubt right to the final whistle. Kerse and Hamilton were very much in the picture for Old Boys in the match with Waikiwi last Saturday, and gave the home team much to think about. Each crossed the line three times to score. After they and Cameron, Mitchell and Harrington had got going, for a time it was thought that the. services of a lightning calculator would prove most useful. Waikiwi’s points were compiled by Jones as the result of smart work. He fol-

lowed up the ball quickly and eluding hie opponents crossed the line to score a good try—Waikiwi’s only score.

Pts. Pts. Ch. P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. Invercargill 3 3 — — 65 14 6 Rhnu . . 4 3 1 — 1 53 25 6 Old Boys .. 3 2 1 — 60 19 4 Waikiwi 4 2 2 12 63 4 Star .. . . 3 1 2 — 17 40 2 Bluff .. .. 3 — 3—8 18 ■— THIRD GRADE. Pts. Pts. Ch. P. W. L. D. F. A. Pts. Invercargill 4 4 — — 90 28 8 High School 4 4 _ — 86 18 8 Borstal A .. 4 3 1 — 60 19 6 Southern .. 4 2 2 — 26 48 4 Old Bovs .. 4 Q 2 — 16 46 4 Bluff .. . - 4 1 3 — 23 46 2 Borstal B .. 4 — 4 — 26 71 —• Pirates .. .. 4 — 4 — 15 66 —