FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 126, 1 June 1904, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

SOUTH TARANAKIMATCHES. In senior tootbali KUlhiih beat Opunako at Eliham by 7 points (a try scored hy Forsyth and u goal from a mark by Moir) to nil. Huwera I. sustained their first defeat for tho season, Okinawa beating them at Okuiawa by 11 to (j, Okniawa won on their back play. Waimato 3J. beat Patea by tho substantial majority of 30 to nil. Amongst the first juniors Opunako and Eltham drew at Opunake with three points each, tho game being principally noted for roughness, in which the home team were rather Ihe more prominent. Hawora beat Okaiawa at Hawera and scored 14 I'oints against tho country team's nil. Waimato beat Patea by 0 points to nil. Hawi-m and Waimato second Juniors played i\ hard game, but neither side scored. IN OTHER I'LACKS. In Wellington on Saturday Petone ''cat Poneku by H points to 9, after a splendid wet-weather game. Oriontul won from Wellington by <) points to nil, and Melroso and Athletic played a drawn game, each side scoring threo points. The second round of tho Christchurch senior championship finished in line weather, the grounds being rather slippery from recent rains. Sydenham, 12, beat Linwood, nil ; Christehurch, 6, beat Merivale, i'il ; Old Boys, 11, boat Canterbury College, 3. At liunedin, in senior football, zingari Richmond and Kaikorai drew, no score ; Southern beat Alliambra, 3 to nil ; Pirates beat Dunedin, 12 to 3 ; University beat Duncdin, 12 to 3 ; University beat Union, ft to 3. The Auckland senior matches resulted Newton, 3, beat North Shore, nil ; I'onsonby, 32, beat Suburbs, nil ; City, 23, beat Parnell, nil. At Palmerston the match Polmcrston v. Awahuri ended in a draw, each side scoring a try. The game between Old Boys and Institute resulted in a win for tho former by 9 points to (nil. The championship cup match between Masterton and Greytown seniors resulted in a win for Greytown by 3 to nil. In the Wanganui Union matches, Wanganui beat T.Y.M.I. by 5 points to 3, and Old Boys beat Wavorley by 9 to 4. WANGANUI-TARANAKI3STATCH, At a meeting of tho Wanganui Union on Friday a latter was received from the Taranaki Union suggesting July 21st as a suitable dato for the representative match between Wanganui and Taranaki. It was resolved that the dato named was suitable, ami that the game should be played in Hawera. WAIRARAI'A v. WELLINGTON. The Selection Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union (Messrs J. Laughton, J. Lynskey, and D. McKenzie) has selected the following team to represent Wellington against Wairarapa at Wellington on Friday : l* ull-back, («. Spencer ; three-quar-ttfrs, J. S. Wilson, J. Barber, W. J Wallace ; five-eighth, D. McGregor ; half, F. Roberts ; forwards, W. Hardham and J. J, Taylor (wings), H Driscoll and 1). Gilchrist (front rank), T. Cross, H. R. Wright and E. 11. Best (second row), J. Caiman and E. L. Watkjps (buck row). The following! earn has been chosen to represent Wairarapa E. McKenzie, Smart, Fairbrother, A. Cadwallader, Johnston, H. McKenzie (Carterton), Rogers, M. McGuire,' llftirri, Workman, 1). lldy (Greytown) Logan, Joe O'Leury, Warner, Spnckman (Masterton) ; emergencies, Crawloy (Carterton), and Wriglcy (Mas- j terton), backs ; Wliiteman (Grevtown) and Hurley (Carterton), forwards. THE ENGLISH FOOTBALLERS. The Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union has de- i elded to ask the several affiliated unions to make nominations for the Now Zealand team to play against the visiting Englishmen. The committee will meet next Wednesday to mako further arrangements in connection with the tour of the Englishmen.

OTAGO RUGBY UNION. The Otago Rugby Union has approved of tho following dates for the representative matches : , August 10~v. England. August 12—v. Southland. August 20—v. Canterbury. August 23—v. Hawkc's Hay, August 27—v. Auckland. i August 31—v. Wnirarap a. September 3-v. Wellington. September 10-v. Southland, at Dunedin. Consideration of a request from Southland to make tho match against tho Englishmen a combined Otago and Southland one was deferred. Two players were disqualified for a fortnight—one for rough plav, and one for striking a player and using bad language. Tt was decided to call on the captain of the Kaikorai and Zingavi senior teams and the referee to show cause why the match on Saturday should not be declared o(T owing to a player being taken on to replace an Injured player. At a meeting of the committee the question of the travelling team came up for consideration, when the following resolution was unanimously adopted : "That it be a general notification to clubs that the committee objects strongly to teams taking lfiqiuor with them when travelling, and that the committee looks to committees of clubs to support it in the matter by appointing managers who will see that the recommcwlution is carried out. THR RUGIiV ROUGH. There is a class of player in the Rugby football field at' Wellington, and, indeed, all over the colony, who is doing his best to lower the'standard of the game and bedraggle in the mud the reputation of tho national sport.. This doss of alleged playor is the "rough"—the man who plays without any of the true instinct of sport. lie meets his opponent, not as athlete should meet athlete, in friendly rivalry, but with the low cunning that strives for victory by underhand methods. He will put a strong opponent "out" with boot, knee, or hands : and will "lay for" a man, match after match, until the opportunity comes to "deal with" him in hidden, cowardly manner. lie is the sharper of the Rugby field, and unless he is expeditiously and effectively suppressed, the eoiony k winter game is going to suffer severely. Tho astonishing part of it is that the evil has not. been firmly attacked by authorities, and tho very serious charge is ini-ri by many players that referees are afraid to order men off, even when a brutal piece of rough play is delected. Many referees, in fact., prefer to avoid any fuss —they speak to a player, warn him, and the player goes on cheerfully' with his brutalities, with his tongue in his cheek. It ennnot be argued that the referees do not see the rough play. The spectators see it so evi'dont. is it. How often, in almost every big match, does hooting breakout from the onlookers at instances of violent and deliberate handling" of a man ? Yet, the. reform's almost invariably adopt the policy ol "bo to his faults n little blind." Almost it seems as if a referee when lie comes before the Referees Association for examination, should be put through a sight test, rhe eye is not the real weakness—it is the backbone ; the sooner the various Referees' Associations cultivate tti« formation of that very necessary article in the men they appoint, the better will it be for tho future of tho game.—New Zealand Times.