FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 41, 28 May 1910, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

EUGBY. CUP POINTS. t) a * *2 0.. > 2 CS 6 JP eS ~ t; ■= IsP hlfl < Tukapa 3 2 0 1 40 25 5 Stratford a 2 0 1 20 12 5 Star 3 1 2 0 48 44 2 Clifton 3 2 1 0 41 (5 4 Elthani 3 2 1 0 30 42 4 Inglewood . ... 3 0 3 0 14 ?!) 0 TO-DAY'S MATCHES. Bovers v. Pirates, on' Racecourse. Warehouse v. Service, on lleereatioa Grounds. THE ItEFKREES. (By "Spectator.") Football without a referee would be impossibV. Players, line umpires. ->.ytators—cut out those words and •:i\-lc them in your hats. . First, the players. The referee is put there to protect the straight-goers from "pointers." He is to'see that you get. fair .play. To the utmost of his ability he 'keeps the game clean. The referee is ilvrc to watch you. too. and. to sve that von don't point on the other fellow.

'. tl'.ere were no referee, there would he no football. The game wouldn't !a-t two weeks. The public wouldn't ao vo see an uieon trolled rushing and kicking and punching match. So, you see. the referee is an exceedingly necessary individual, and an important one although you may not think so. The referee doesn't take on the whistle for what he can make out of it. »le J doesn't get any salary or wages. When he officiates in his own town he doesn't even get a 'bus fare. There's no fu» in it, either. Ihe referee gives up his Thursday afternoons for the sake of

football. The chances are that he would get a lot more fun out of fo■■;li:ill if lie Viewed it from the touch-line. <>:■ from the terraees. lie would then be m-e to see which match he pleased, and he wouldn't botner himself about .second and third grade football, lie is quite ready to drop out as soon as someone will relieve him of his job. lint tne re-1 lieving man must be qualified. The referee has to pass an examination. He must study the rules of the game, and pass the test in the examination-room as well as on the playing field, lie serves an apprenticeship in the junior matches.: and is rai-ed to the senior grade when lie is lit for it. lie attends regular meetings each week to talk over, the government of the game, to secure uniformity j of decision amongst the referees upon a given point, and to keep in touch with j alterations and suggested alterations. I Referees are none too plentiful. It isn't every iootballer who studies the rules of the game closely enough to qualify himself to take charge of a game when his playing days are over. As a rule he reckons he wants a rest, and if; he has been playing long he's en me w> the decision that a referee's billet isn't what he used to reckon it was. And he doesn't rush the Referees' Association for a job. Not quite! The referee endeavors to put from -him all partisanship, and to give his decisions impartially. The player who is put off the held for kicking an opponent, or penalised for rabbiting, or hauled up for off-side play, just when he reckoned he had a "cert" try, won't agree with this, perhaps. But then he may be prejudiced. The referee is entitled to the respect of the players. Moreover, he has authority, and it should be recognised. It isn't any fun for -a referee, who has put aside his personal convenience in order to take a match, to hear nasty remarks concerning his refereeing. It doesn't improve his" temper when he finds that his strictness in penalising rough play in a rough team is interpreted as favoring the other side, which is not offending*. He doesn't like .putting men off the Held, but it's a wonder lie doesn't walk off himself sometimes. It shows that he has better control over his feelings than have many of the men playing under him. So back up your referees, (..ive them credit for clean intentions, even if von know they have made a mistake.

If all the players were like some that were playing on Thursday, referees would retire. No referees, no football. Let us hope that for the remainder of the season there will be no exhibitions of dislike of a referee such as was seen on the Recreation Grounds on Thursday. A line umpire should support a referee. Once lie takes the Hag he -hould forget that he's a, member of one of the competing clubs, and his decisions should be fair. He shouldn't talk. He shouldn't bet. '

On Thursday afternoon, at the conclusion -of the Clifton-Star second-grade match the referee thanked one of the line ;i)->" , ' vn ■ »'or his services. The reply was such that the line umpire will be reported to the Union, Several by, standers heard the remark. So far there hasn't been any spectators' demonstration against a referee on the Taranaki grounds, ?.s far as can be learned. The public have recognised that the referees are the 'best men available for the job. ff there's any spectator who at anv time thinks he knows better than the referee on a point of law, let him offer his services to the Association. NOTES ON PLAY.

Go low. Don't talk. Follow up. Keep in your place. Look where you are going. Don't wait for the whistle. Play till vou hear it.

The man who hopes to clown a 1 >ig- chap by flying at his neck is apt to be disappointed. If you are captain, don't lecture your men on the playing field. Don't ask them, "What the blank are you doing?" Keep that for the .prac' 5 "" field. Taranaki plays Wanga;.;.'. it Wanganui on Friday, June 3. T.. ■ teams are not yet selected. Next Thursday is an off-day. so far as the T.R.U. cup matches are concerned.

Thursday's game on Western Park was a really hard one. There were no beg-pardons. and it was strenuous from start to finish.

Tukapa wasn't reckoned to bo good enough for Stratford, and a drawn game was unexpected. There was a lot of luck in the match, and both teams had their share. For instance, Tukapa was lucky' in drawing with a team th.it had such a great pack —not one of the forwards could have weighed less than twelve stone—and a New Zealand rep. directing operations. But Stratford was lucky, too. Whilst they should undoubtedly have won, it will be readily admitted that their tries were lucky ones. They weren't meritorious. Tukapa made serious mistakes, and any schoolboy must have profited by them.

The scores should have 'been bigger on both, sides, and the Stratford score should have been the bigger of the two. The Stratford men seemed to be on the big side. Of course, beef tells. Such a solid set of forwards bumping against the lighter pack had their opponents tired and bruised and sore halt-way through the second spell. Tt was simoly wonderful, though, to see the little Blue and White forwards plugcm? a war so gamely, and holding tlieir own in the loose. Ward surpassed himself/, and Ward is always a terror to go. How he managed to get through the apposing forwards with the ball again and a train was a puzzle to most. Our old friend Frewin could tell 'how it's done. He was the most vigorous and heady furward on the ground. Cameron made the game open when he got the wind behind his men, and had his wing three-quarter been reliable the Stratford men must have piled up a big score. Burgham. however, was not sure enough, and frequently mulled ?ood ■passes. Burgess, on the other wing, wasn't all that was required, either. M.ynott handled his men well, and played a great game throughout. He made two mistakes, but probably the weakness of his full-back last week shook his confidence in Clarke, and he was taking no risks. Both he and Clarke called when rushing for a. .nail, but the calls miscarried, and a bungle ensued. •Tack Stohr was responsible for Tuknpa's nine points. .Stratford's line was not crossed.

Cameron jihiycd a lino game, but was unsupported. Dixon is a fine all-round player, solid, takes a ball nicely, kicks "well, and 'has a fair turn of speed. He's an acquisition to any team. Kirkwood at full-back showed a decided distaste for operations at close quarters. 'Clarice, the Tukapa full, played much better than in the match against Stars. The three-quarter line was strong, and Loveridge played a, nromising era me at half. The whole ef the forwards gave a good exhibition against a pack which would probably give them a stone all round.

Jul] created some amusement and concern by taking to the touchlrne when his unmentionable showed Bijjns of wear. The management* should see to it that a

spare jersey and pair cf jpants are available at short notice. Mathioson. the Tutoapa wing, didn't, throw in straight on one single occasion.

It's hard work to single out the best forward in the visiting pack, but perhaps Abbott took the palm, Burgess running a close second. Murphy was a weak spot, though valuable on the lineout. Jnglcwood played a marvellous game against Eltham, and at one time it looked as if they were going to break the ice and secure a win, which they thoroughly deserve. Kltham had a strong team, and it was just as well, for they had to play all they knew to win. Time and again they tried to break through lnglewood's defence, only to be stopped by the Inglewood backs, who collared really weo throughout, although at the start some of them had a tendency to go too high. Eltham forwards were much heavier than Inglewood, and had all the better of the scrums. In the loose Inglewood held their u\vn. and were alwavs on the ball. Xicholls. llopkinson, Russell, Olson, and Ch;ijini:ui played with great dash, whilst Boldt and' Tokohau were verv solid. All the Inglewood backs shaped well: they are a nippy, fast lot, very sound on defence. The only trouble is, they are all too young. Had they some old player of the stamp of Mynott with them as a guide, they would take a lot of beating.

The try secured by Rayner was a nice one. and the result of smart following tip iby Russell and heady play on the part of Brown, Smith, and the scorer, who made a tine run for the corner, where he landed on some blackberry bushes.

Xicholls, the diminutive Ingle wood half, went down to the Eltham rushes like a Trojan.

Jury at full for Inglewood kicked well. He had remarkably bad luck with his pot. the ball falling under the bar. Dive put in a tremendous lot of work for Eltham. He took a part in nearly every .passing rush, and was much'more prominent than against Stratford. Levick again played a fine game. This forward is very strenuous, almost to the verge of roughness. StII i. his play seems to be clean. Osborne, Salter, and Gibson were prominent in most of the forward rushes. Oharteris played a good game, but has too great a tendency to play offside. This he should overcome, as it may get his team into trouble. Pini, who is chosen as one of the Maori team to visit Australia, is doubtful if hj" can get away. He is engaged in farming, and as he is having a milking machine installed he does not care ti> leave. He will be much missed from the team, as he is in good form. On Saturday he scored three fine tries against Opunake. Opunake put up a good tight against the redoul'table Waimate, and scored 8 points before the latter got going. However, condition told its tale, and in the last twenty minutes Waimate put on 17 points, which, with -ix they had amassed Mve them a comfortable win. McKay (who has again donned the jersey) and i oung played splendidly for Waimate. l Mel.eod, he Waimate captain and exWangnnui representative, was rather dis'H.piiointini;. He played a useful game, hut did not show up as prominently as was expected. Dining the progress of the game three Opunake players wore temporarily disabled, and Dive, of Waimate, was unable to take any .part in the game during the second spell for the same reason. Guy and Anderson played well for Opunake; the former at centre threequarter lasted well, whilst the latter kicked as well as ever.

King, the Opunake half-back, did not 20 c'.own to the burly forward rushes as well as could have been wished. Had he done so, the tally might not hive been so big. There is a strong feeling locally that Jack Stohr should fill the vacancy mi the New Zealand touring team caused by Cameron's inability to travel, or, rather, that he should have been selected in the original team. Stohr is a line footballer. ~ Splendidly built, he strips at about 12 stone, and can stand plenty of work in attack or defence. He can cover a hundred yards in 10 l-ssec., and last year ran the distance in ten »«*- onda dead with the wind behinu him. lie's one of the finest kicks in the Dominion, either at long or short ranee. He placed a 40yds goal with ease, and is reliable at a difficult angle. His team, the Tukapa seniors, has scared 49 points in championship football this season, in three matches. Of these .Stohr has scored no le*s than 31 points, some from tries im; tin- majority .is the result of his magnificent kickinu:. Men who know Xcw Zealand football, and who know New Zealand rep. form, are unhesitatingly of opinion that Stohr should be asked to make the Australian tour. Our Waitara corresi.undent states:—

"General satisfaction by both public and players was expressed at Mr. Way's control of the game yesterday; in fact, most people were of the opinion that i. was easily his best display. Decisions were given promptly and promptly accepted without (lemur'."—"The insurance scheme of the Clifton Football Club i.-j proving satisfactory, and members r.ve more satisfied to subscribe to it t!" in under previous existing circumstanci: .vhen the club insured with a compaiv '' 'The football displayed in last Saturday's matches was of a mediocre description. Without wishing t" rellect upon the gentlemen carrying the whistle, it would be distinctly advantageous to have the players brought under the control of the i'aranaki Referees' Association.

The following will represent Pirates against Rovers on t'ae Racecourse today:—Lowe, Kisby. Sturmev, Skipper (2), Oaks, Lowe, Sr.ith, Davidson, Goss, Coker. Ross, (Jreei?. Bellringer, Ounson. ' ASSOCIATION GAME. (]!y "Half-back.") On Thursday last Xew Plymouth journeyed to Kltliam to meet the local eleven. The i/ame as far as the spectator was co .cerned was very .])oor, but for the ■phiyrr it was a race."to try and keep the ball in tile ground. Owing to the Inglewood v. Eltham Rugby match being played on the Park ground, the Soccorites had to play on the hockey ground rt the b;uk of the stand, the size of this .being about !).") yards by 45.

The game was opened by Eltham with a strong cross wind. After pressing for lift PC- minutes the locals scored through 'Oar rnss from a melee in front of the Xew Plymouth goal, Thomas in goal hiivaig no chance to save. From the ki' ••.-otl' iSniart .passed nicely to Vale, v'.io returned, and Smart put the finishing touch by beating Canicross with a beauty. I—l. After much pressing by Eltham, Holmes in trying to clear gave Eltham a corner. Renai took the kick, and, aided by the wind, put the ball right into Thomas's hand, who failed to hold it, the ball going between the posts. Half-time arrived with Eltham holding the advantage nf -2—k

The second half saw Xew. Plymouth the most aggressive, Carneross in goal having several hard shots to save, which he did creditably. Thomas in goal for New Plymouth had a f«w- shots to save, which he cleared well—arraost too well,

his hard kicking s. mling the bull the fui] lon.rth of Iho ground on several occasions." A quarter of an hour from the finish, by good passing on behalf of the New Plymouth men, Church on the outside right, beating his man, took tlie ball right on to the line and centred beautifully right into the Eltham goal, and Gwifliin, running up, got it on to his head and put it in, making the total o_2 From then onward the New Plymouth men worked like Trojans to get the lead, but the sound defence of the locals proved too much. Shots were raining in from all directions and distanced but of no avail. Time was called with the score at evens: 2—2. For New ' ['lynioui.li, Holmes at back was as solid as" a rock, his tackling and clearing being excellent. Smart at centre played a good game, using his judgment well with hia passes. Thomas in goal showed coolness aim alertness, his saving being all that could be desired. Renai for Eltham played a very good game at half, his ,lashing work causing trouble at times. Carncr'oss in goal for Eltham proved a i tower of strength. Mr. Butcher gave both teams every satisfaction as referee.