FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 392, 18 May 1910, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

THE 'NORTHERN UNION GAME. THE ENGLISH TEAM. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. deceived May li 7, 8.30 p.m. Sydney, May 17. The Osterley has arrived with auem•bers of the Northern Union Rugby team as passengers. Six more will arrive by the Maliva. They are a line, upstanding, healthy looking lot, keen to begin the tour. The manager, interviewed, said the reason for bringing twenty-six players was that it was thought necessary owing to the stiff programme ahead and the fast nature of the Australian grounds, to have an entire duplicate team. In reviewing the New Zealand touring team, The Dominion football writer has singled out Mynott for a big drubbing. This is what he .says:—"To many,l the chief surprise will be that Mynott] has 'been given a place. One great fault about the Taranaki 'All Black' is that] he is not keen about going down to: rushes—an essential qualification m the case of a five-eighth. If he had been overlooked and a smart back like his colleague Stohr picked it would surely have been an improvement. Mynott, it will be remembered, was not selected for any of the three 'tests' against the Anglo-Welsh team in 1908, nor had lie | a place in the inter-Island contest last season. What has he since done ttiat his claims should be favored?" Our friend "Simon" monopolises a. big snare of the criticism. The scribe has evidently been away from the football field for some years. He ought to have been at Stratford last Thursday. Mynott's display in going down to rushes there would have satisfied even the most nostile critic. There was a time when Mynott looked after himself a little, out that's long enough ago to he called ancient history. This scribe has seen him play week after week for a few years now, and has never seen him show the white feather. The man who heads off a rush of the stalwart Waimate and Stratford forwards, as Mynott had to do last year and the year before, needn't be afraid of distant criticism. The Taranaki public knows ham tor a fearless tackier, whatever other faults he may have. It is stated on high authority, too, that Mynott played wingthreequarter for the All Blacks against Ireland principally on account of his value as a rush-stopper. Had the Dominion man urged Stohr's preference because the older player has already earned heaps of laurels, quite enough for one man, and on the plea of "give the young men a chance," there would have .been logic in it. Jack Stohr should undoubtedly be in the team. He might even prove as useful as "Simon," but that doesn't establish the Dominion's allegation of "funk." The following will represent Tukapa seniors against Star on Thursday next on the Western Park girounu:—Clarke,! Webster, Stohr, Jones, Mynott, Mawie-' son, Loveridge (2), Jones, McAlkim, Fairbrother, Ward. Steele, Francis, and Jull. Tukapa first juniors iwiill be represented against Star on the same ground as follows:—Drown, Webster, Julian, Addison, Honeyfield, Dines, McGiven, Kilgour, White, Steele, Bollinger, Blyde, Melsaac, Stun-mey, and Allen. The following will represent Star 111 against Tukapa on Thursday at 1.30 p.m.: Kurangi, Holmes, Hoby, White,l Herarichs, Skipper, Stockman, W. Weeson, Goss, White, Skipper, Mack, Leary, MeGahey, Jolt; emergencies, Pellew, Boyd. The Stars are requested to meet at the Red House Hotel at 7 o'clock tonight for practice. The following will represent Star Seniors v. Tukapa Seniors on Western Park on Thursday 19 at 3 p.m.:—Mesilom, Grant (2), Hill, Whitaker, Brown, Dixon, Copestake, Bullock, Turnhull, Cokcr, Hawkins, Hopkins, Richards, Ross, Robertson. The following will represent Star (first juniors) v. Tukapa (first juniors) [on Western Park on Thursday 19th, at 1.30 p.m.: Crockett, Pearce, Back, James Lealand, Whitaker, Butter, Bullott, Lowe, Page, Burrows, Quilliam, Evans, Oakes, Hawke.