FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 53, 11 June 1910, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS IN AUSTRALIA. Some idea, of the interest felt in New South Wales in the visits of the Maori -team and the New Zealand Rugby representatives may 'be gathered from the following enthusiastic remarks by "Arawa" in the Sydney Telegrapn: — The Maori has been a great figure in the history of 'New Zealand's national game, and his coming career in Australia, mapped out in -the hope of proving that' native skill on the football field did not wholly die with the Tairoas, Warbrieks, Wynyards, Ellison, Gage, Swindley and Hiroa, will 'be keenly allowed by the football student. The clash ibetween the dusky hoys from Nevada, and the descendants of the Ngatiiporau and Ngatirakawau, on June 25th, for sheer .physical spectacularity, should aarn an undying place in the records of things to ibe seen, and never forgotten. As this will only provide the prelude to the New Zealand v. Australia match, the day should be a great one. But the star attraction, by reason of the world-wide fame of the "All Blacks" as brilliant exponents of Rugby, will be the New Zealand representative fifteen. Australia judges its standard of efficiency 'by its games with the .player? from the Dominion. The spirit of genuine rivalry i 9 more readily awakened, and more vigorously maintained in New South Wales by a visit of Not Zeo,la»d- ---; era than by any other combination of Rugby artists. Facts and figures prove this. Three matches in eight days drew 123,000 spectators. The magic of the "All Blacks" may possibly some day disappear ibefore the glamor of the sprightly or the wonderful men in red jerseys with emblazoned dragon who come from Wales, but up till the present no band of athletes has proved such a draw to sporting New South Wales as a New Zealand Rugby team. There is a reason for this. New Zealandersat Rugby are always interesting; j j they are so full of adventurous individualism. .

But apart from the attractiveness of their own play, there is another factor which makes New Zealanders the magnet of magnets to a Sydney crowd—the hope of victory against these island stalwarts, lias tlie terrific excitement of two years ago—when the New Zealanders were thoroughly beaten by New South Wales by 14 ipoints to nil—ever been equalled in Australia? It was not excitement; it was frenzy. Why, the sane and sober actually hugged each other as the laurels the New Zealanders had worn for so many years were torn from them.. It is for a repetition of that'wonderful scene that the thousands who will crowd into the ground on June l'ltli will hope. But between the patriot ■in blue and'another such, victory, there is. an earnest, determined figure in black —su-ift and strong, physically fitter to test every inch of ground than he «as been for years, and eager to recover all he lost on that memorable day. The mission of the New Zealand team is to win iback its fame, the object of New South Wales is to defend the well-won honors of two years a;_o, so that the coming trials should provide the toughest of battles..

NEW ZEALAND'S TEACHING

WHAT ENGLAND LEARNED.

Captain the Hon. Southwell Fitzgerald, in Ids review of the Rugby season, in "The Throne, and Country/' makes certain references which will be real with interest in the Dominion. He says:

"We have politic.-: by revolution, and now we are having revolution in Rugby football. Mark you, \v first noticed revolution in Hugger as far back as 1005, when the New Zealander showed us how to make our games attractive, and how at the same moment to thrash our opponents. Rugby twenty or thirty years ago was a lugubrious business as compared with the game of to-day. Heaviness in every sense of the word wag its component 'ipart. TL> phiyer with strength and weight wa- the Rugby ideal. The New Zealanders revolutionised all this; they showed us (though wo are only now assimilating their lesson) that the player with pace who used his brains at the same time as he did his pace was the essential 'of Rugby.

'"But what is more important (and what lias lici'ii ■•jr:i<]!.•(! liv ali ehisses of Kujiby). ihcy demonstrated ui us that, a hip.'eh-winning facliir, and an enormous as-ot of attractiveness in Rugby, is the point of constantly keeping the kill upon the move, liy this means 1 mean keep the ball in the field of play, ana uvoid nil the touch-finding which is, in a yreat many sides, such a considerable portion of Rugby. .Personally, I regard the amount of touch-finding which is indulged in, in the same light as that 'sporting' trick at Association of kicking out. And, in a great many instances, touchfinding is done with the same intention of kicking out —viz., that of wastiii" time and endeavoring to sit on a lead. The New Zealanders eschewed it almost entirely, which is the chief reason, with the addition of always having the bad 1 on the move, that they nearly always beat their opponents iby large scores. I think there are few who have realised this, and I am certain there are stui fewer who have as yet thought that these are the prime reasons why the Harlequins have made such large scores against many of their opponents. Leicester, Northampton, Oxford, Gloucester, Devon and Albion have all learned the .lesson of keeping the ball always on the move; they have only to cultivate the art of keeping it in play to win by large scores also.

''England heat Scotland by these tactics. We all know the Scotch style of play is to use the touch-line as much as possible. The Englishmen, under the captaincy of J. G. G. Birkett, bewllderea their opponents by always having the ball on the move; they avoided the touch-line, and they played the 'Harlequinade,' which has been so successful at Twickenham. My point is that 1 don't care what club or international side play the game, I indicate they are bound to be successful because it is the coming Rugby, and the game which makes points for its side. Had we 20 or 30 years ago the forethought thus to enliven and brighten up Rugiby, Association would never hold the place it has now in England. But in those days, Rugger, to the ordinary spectator, was a dull, lethargic, struggle of weight and strength against weight and strength. Doubtless, interesting to the stoggy players of those times, hut boring to the lookerson. If one asks to-day the player of decades ago, who since then has been a constant attendant at Rugby, which is the better game, that of his time or that of now, his answer is invariably the same: Give me the game where the brains and pace can hold their own against weight and strength!"

FOOTBALL FROM THE PULPIT. Rev. E. 0. Blamires, of the Central Mission, speaking at the King's Theatre, Wellington, recently, gave an address on the St. James v. Poneke football match, which he had witnessed the .previous day. The service was held for footballers. The preacher commended iboth teams for the spirit they had shown. There was a display of some temper when two men were ordered off the ground; It was a wonder, he said, trrat more feeling was not displayed considering the strenuous game it was. The ■game of football resembled the game of life with God as the Great Referee. As on the football field, players often (blamed the referee for their misfortunes instead of blaming themselves; so grumblers of this sort were to be found playing the great game of life, 'blaming the* Great Referee if things went ill with them. Xo true sportsman did this (kind of thing. Mr. Blamires recited the poem, "Play the game," urging' men to .play the game nobly and well, knowing that there were ail ways onlookers, and that above all the Great Instructor was ever looking on and encouraging. NOTES. ' (}3y "Spectator.") The Star-Eltham match on Thursday had a remarkable opening The bulk of the Star team went down by the afternoon train, and the match had started when they arrived, Rltham declining to wait. Dive managed to delay matters, a sporting instinct c:r.' him to dillydally in the dressing-ro, ::.. When play started the ball was. booted <... "f touch by Brown. Then Bellringer conveniently "laid out," and took his full three minutes. Another player did likewise. Then the players from the train came on, like Brown's cows.

The remark was frequently passed by spectators at Thursday's match at YVaitara that if refereeing was always done fts conscientiously as had been the case on that day there would be little to complain of.' When all is said, the public are fairly good judges of the capabilities of the whistle-tooter, and if occasionally they momentarily hold a different ppiniori, and are wrong in that opinion, calm reflection will tell them so after they have cooled down, and then a fair expression may be obtained. In the junior grade on Thursday, lno-le-wood defeated Stratford by 18 to'lO. For the winners Harkness (2) and Nicholson scored tries, Kerr .potted a goal, and McDonald kicked a .penalty goal and converted a try. Bictor and Ma lone scored for Stratford, and Brown converted both tries.

The most regrettable happening in tho St. J&mes-Ponoke match at Wellington last week was the orderinsr-off the "fi?ld of Moffitt (St. .Tames) and Leahy (Poneke). The referee's verdict was that they were guilty of fighting with one mother, although many of the spectators were, not willing to agree with him. But I am not inclined to argue with the referee 'because some of the spectators did not see eye to eye wilh Iv'in, for the «imple reason that trie color of the Jersey determines the ordinary spectator's opinion.—Free Lance.

It was stated that the 85 points to nil scored recently by ,I'etone fifths against Poneke probalily constituted a record. A correspondent courteously draws the Lyttelton Times' attention to the fact that in the Nelson junior competition this year the Nelson Collejru team defeated "the Pirates (Hope) by 85 ipoints to nil, and the following Saturday defeated the Rivals (Xelson) by !M points to nil. There is not the least doubt the scoring of 17!) points to nil in two consecutive matches is a world's record for Rugby. The College team has since been re-classified by"the Nelson Rugby Union, and now plays in the senior grade. This is hardly to 'be wondered at.

Regarding the game in 'Auckland, the Ponsonby Club lias the unsatisfactory prospect of a very much, weakened team, owing to members 'being selected for the New Zealand and Maori teams, and also by reason of sickness and accident to others. Of the backs O'Leary will leave for Australia, with the New Zealand team, while Morse is still suffering from the accident sustained in Sydney last season. Francis joins the forward div'sion of the New-Zealand team, Cunnir ;- ham, Hall and Sellars the Maori team, and Nicholson is laid aside with a serious complaint, which may necessitate nn operation. City has lost the services ot two sterling forwards in Herring, who has retired from the game, and Clark. The latter represented Ota go, and has already made a name forjiimself in local football. He is leaving Auckland this week. The City .pack is fortunate In having the veteran, G. Tyler, to keep, them together. He is now in good condition.

| It will not come as a surprise if the manager of the New Zealand team ( .\:r. MeToilith) cables for a couple or' extra backs within a few days (s-.tys tlie Do-i mdnion). During the match New Zealand versus Wellington it was stated Hint S'tohr appeared to lie taking far too much care of himself. It now appears that the Taranaki three-minrter was in '•light bandages" owing to the fact that in a, recent game he suffered a. slight injury to one of his ribs. Burns, the Canterbury half, too, is at .present unable to do ihimseJf justice. It was noticed, prior to the departure of the team on Friday night, that his face was considerably swollen, as a result (it is reported) of a very strenuous knock. Apart from these two casualties the team could have done with some strengthening in the back division, so it will be seen that extra men are all the more needed now.

The following will represent Warehouses in their match versus Pirates on the Baeeconr.se to-day: Arthur, Jackson, Jeffries, Richards, Roberts, Simmers, Boucher, Hawkins, Dines. Jury, Stonnering, Jensen, McAihim, Crockett, Ward. Emergencies: Doughty and Howell. Pirates' team again Warehouses, on the Racecourse to-day will be—W. Lowe, Stockman, Kisby, Sturmey, Koru, Skipper (2), Ross, E. Steele,'Lowe, Smith.! Ballringer, Oaks, Coker, Steele, Smart, (toss. Emergencies: Greene, Gunson and Clarke.

The following will represent Rovers in their matoh again Civil Service on the Recreation Grounds to-day at 3 p.m.:— Pott, Webster, Loveridge, Ryder, Grant, Thompson, Osborne, Roebuck. Forrest, E. Gray, Mulloy. Hobv, Bollinger, Coker and Monk.

NORTHERN UNION GAME. The Taraaaki League will enter a team for the Northern Union Committee's cup presented to the New Zealand League. The cuip is a massive solid silver one; 'the central panel bears the following inscription:—"Presented "by the Northern Rugby Football Union to the New Zealand Rugby League for annual competition." On' the foot of th stem the arms of 'New Zealand and England are done in brilliant enamel in correct heraldic colors. Speaking of Thomas, one of the halfbacks of the Northern Union team now visiting Australia, "Kangaroo," in the Sydney Referee notes that "on the scales he would touch at about list. His attacking methods and his movements are strongly reminiscent of Morrey Woods, and .he ia fully equal to the famous New Zealander.in ingenuity and initiative." THE ASSOCIATION GAME. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. .Wellington, Last Night. The Council of the New Zealand Football Association met this evening. The Auckland Association wrote favoring the .proposed New South Wales tour in 1911-, and guaranteeing £175 towards the expenses. It was decided to communicate with other New Zealand associations before opening negotiations with the New South Wales Association. ' "

Mr. J. M. Oilier was appointed treasurer, M \ L. E. White being unable to again accept the position. Mr. A. M. Myers was elected vicepresident in place of the late Mr. F. E. Baume, K.C.

In reference to the dispute .between the' Nightcaps Club and the Southland Association over the making of fixtures, it was decided! that the Council has no jurisdiction, but to siiggest that the proposal for the formation of a sub-union be carefully considered. It was decided to retain 5 per cent, of the gross gate-money at the Brown Shield match with Wanganui on 2nd July, after the percentage due to the New Zealand Council is deducted.