FOOTBALL.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 340, 6 February 1889, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

From an English exchange : — There is a strong feeling in the South that the frco kick or " chopped " goal should nob count us highly as ono kicked from a try. Now that Wales has sot the example the JRugby Union Committee may mako somo movo iv this dhection. I havo roceived a heap of replies to my application for opinions on iho subject, and thcso I shall publish at a future date. 1 may, however, reproduce the contents of a noto from an old Oxonian, Mr H. Vassall, of Ropton school, who says :—": — " With reference to the note in your last issue about scoring in the Rugby game, can you find room for me to state > that the alteration m Inch I should like to see carried oulat tho next general meeting is in Law 7. For the words ' Whon a goal is scored from a try, the pcoal only is scoied,' to substitute the words ' When a goal is scored from a try, the goal and try arc both scored.' This seems to me the simplest way of attaining tho object of making a goal from a try count ono point more than any sort of goal from the fieldofplay, because tho goal and the try are two totally distinct pieces of play, each of which already has a fixed valuo in points, and it has tho merit of avoiding the (to my mind) unnecessary complication of having- a different point value for evory sort of goal. A change iv this direction seems to me rendered necessary by the new lawfc> undor which the possibilities for scoring goals from the field of play have been so largely increased." I think, with Mr Vassall, that tho idea of scoring both the try and tho goal is by far } and away the best, and one that is most unlikely to lead to complications. Here is a letter Mr Vassall's uttei-ance drew forth :—": — " Sir — I don't agree with Mr Vassall in his idea of reckoning the goal thiee points and the try one point (as it is at present); because in that case it would take live tries to beat a goal from a try. Now, I think this is ridiculous. My suggestion is this : That a try should be counted two points instead of one j a goal from try three points, a goal from a free kick or a dropped goal, two points (similar to a try.l This would make the scoring fair, as two tries would then top a goal from a try. Does anyone who understands the game think it is a fair thing that a successful place-kick is equal to two trios (and if Mr Vassall's suggestion was adopted it would make the place-kick equal to thiee tries) ? I think the Rugby Union made a great mistake when they made the goal three points and the try ono point. They should have made the try two points, and then the thing would have been on a much fairer basis. Now that the new rules allow goals to be scored from free kicks j allowed for infringements, I think, by all means, they should not count more than two points ; and the same with regard to | dropped goals. — I lcmain, yours respectfully, Gco Rjlky. Lister Lane, Halifax. Nov. 2 1st, 1888." Here is what an English writer has got to say about our old fiiend "Barlow": — " I was especially struck with the fine play of Madigan in the Maoris' threequarter division. On his Wednesday's form ho is the beau ideal of a three-quarter back, his running being very much after the style of Bolton, when the latter was in international form. One run was really a beauty, and, but for Hainshaw's plucky tackling, wojlc! have ended in a try. The passing was very prettily done, too; but the backs lequire bo learn the art of kickinginto touch, most of their kicks being sent straight into the field, and thus returned with intcicst into touch by the opposite side. The New Zealanders 1 forwards also want a little instruction in back-bending. Some of them weie decidedly lazy, and might have a ramrod for theveitebne by the disinclination they showed to bend it. I have seen in print a great deal about the roughness of the Maoris, but I must say I was agreeably surpiised in this respect. They play a very haul game it is true, and when they tackle — well, they tackle. But for unnecessary and brutal roughness, I do not think a charge (co far as 1 havo scon, of course) can be made against them." He continues: — "A great deal depends, too, upon tho care they take of themselves. So far they do not appear to have been very particular in this respect, and they will, I am afraid, not belong in rinding out that continued indulgence in the good things of this* world is not exactly the best foundation for successfully carrying out a haid winter's campaign."