FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 202, 15 August 1908, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

VASSALL STILL IN WELLINGTON

By -telegraph.-Press Association. Wellington, ast Njgjfl. Vassall, one of the Anglo-WoUh footballers, is still in Wellington. Ua passage back to England will be an ranged by the New /.ealaud Rugby Union. It is expected lie will l e f V e» next week. " HIGH SCHOOLS MATCH. Press Association,—Copyright. Christchurcli, U*t -Night. Hie annual football match bci«»>n the Boys' High School and Waiiaki High School, played this afternoon, resulted in a win for the former bv 11 points to 0. J "Young Stager" writes: •'The breocy optiinism with which 'Obi Singer' criticises the Taranaki team and recommends 'retirements,' but practically no players to fill the vacancies he would create, i s amusing. Some of his criticism is also belated, for it has already been announced that Frewin would be played half-back, and Coleman on the wing. The selector at the southern end of the district has seen fit to stick to Sheahan in preference to Pini, w'io, moreover, 'Old Stager' should know, is a centre-three-quarter, not a wing man. At the same time, he might have been tried earlier, but it would certainly bo too risky to try him in the important matches yet to be played. Sheahan, if

not brilliant, is certainly reliable. But it is in the forwards that 'Old Stager' shows his weakness as a would-be selector. Fancy suggesting Whittington and O'Sullivan could be replaced. By whomf —will 'Old Stager' tell us? Whittington is absolutely the only reliable hooker we have in the province, and his inclusion has never been questioned. It is an acknowledged fact, also, that I he has been the first forward selected in every case. And O'Sullivan. Where would Taranaki have been without him against the Englishmen? Every keen follower of the game knows CSulllvan'a worth in the team (which his fellowforwards willingly acknowledge). 'Old Stager' evidently cannot distinguish betw«en O'Sullivan playing the game in the British match and O'Sullivan playing to fill in time in the South Canterbury match. McKay, while a fine player, has certainly seen his day, and cannot last a hard game. 'Old Stager, while recommending the retirement of the. foregoing players, presumably on their showing last week, says Smith cannot .be improved upon, although he did not play last week. Of the others,' Crowley has been doing a lot of loafing, although he is a fine dashing player when he chooses. He will have to show more "ginger," however, or he may find himself retired as a kind of objectlesson. But fancy suggesting to retire the 'brains' of the pack—and against Wellington, too!" The following will represent the wharf lumpers against the railway goods-shed employees this afternoon at Western Park: —Full-back, Johnson; three-quarters, F. and E. Loveridge and W. Knott; five-eighths, B. Stannenng and B. Frewin (captain); half, McCoy j forwards, fl. Reilly, S. dray, P. Duffln, C. Christensen, T. Bennard, W. Upton, - J. Brough, and S. Loveridge; eniergenc;, - M Pye. Play commences at 3 p.m. i Two teams of New Plymouth High - School footballers will visit Stratford • to-day to play return matches (senior and junior) against the Stratford District High School. The seniors have a very evenly-matched record. Fifteen matches have been played, each side scoring seven wins, the remaining one . having been a draw.