FOOTBALL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 60, 20 June 1910, Page 8

FOOTBALL NOTES.

Every Thursday we are treated to such exhibitions as give rise to the following article in a recent issue of tlm New Zealand Times, and it is worth reproduction here: —"Why is it that the Northern Union .game is making such headway? There must 'he some welldefined reason. Time was when lovers of Rugby were wonderfully enthusiastic about tlie game, but 1 doubt whether its

most ardent supporters could claim that such is the case nowadays. Well, it is not difficult to put one's finger on the weak spot in Rugby as it is played today. Quite five-thousand people witnessed the match between St. James and Poneke. A number have been asked as to their opinion of the match, and one and; all 'have made the same kind of reply. It was to the effect that the play was even and willing enough, but excedingly dull to watch. Too much linekicking spoilt it. That is the whole I trouble—too much line kicking. No one I doubts, of course, that under the pre- | sent rules good line-kicking is very effective. It; gains ground and gives players a temporary respite from hard work. No one cah therefore blame players from resorting to it. It is the rules, and not the .players, which are at fault. The playing field is supposed to too so many yard long and many yards across, and the game is supposed to be played upon it. Why, then, should a side be 'benefited by kicking out of the playing field? The principle is entirely wrong, and the adherence to it is quite spoiling the game from the spectator's point of view, and, after all is said and done, they pay the piper and *tre entitled to some consideration. It would indefinitely benefit the game if when the ball is kicked over the line it he brought back to the spot where it was kicked from. The ball would thus be always in play and tlie game would become correspondingly more open and much faster. . . . . We see a tedious succession of scrums and line-out, line-out and scrum, until even the greatest lover of the game roegins to find it wearisome to watch. Especially is this the case with those who have followed Rugby for years ana know how attentive and pulse-stirring it can really he. The younger school, knowing no .better form of play, may be content with what they get, but with the older hands it is quits' otherwise. Surely this flaw in the good' old game ecaid he put right without any very great difficulty. New Zealand comes near to leading the world at Rugby, so why not show the way in the path of reform. Do away with the line-out, and Seep the foalll where it rightly belongs—Hi the field of play. If in tennis a man Hits the ball over the line he loses the stroke. At billiards it means a score to- his opponent. On the bowling green if it goes over the line the (ball is dead and cannot score. Why should advantage accrue to the footballer who hoots the leather off the playing field to which ttie game is supposed to be confined ? No good rea- | son can be formed for it and the popularity of the game would be greatly increased if it were wiped off the slate. W% not do it?" It is reported that a hack player named' Adams, from Masterton, will in all probability throw in this lot with Clifton, and will be available for the greater portion of the second round. I : have not much respect for the way the Opunake seniors "spiked the g-an' on Saturday (siays the local football scribe in the Times). The forfeit to Okftiawa was poor sport. So far the seniors have only travelled, once, and have played two home matches, so no hardship had been imposed on them to fulfil the Okaiawa fixture. The juniors have not yet played a home match, and up to last Saturday got a licking each time, but still they persevered until they met with success. A number of seniors did roll up—'about half the team —the others sat tight and said nothing. It was not a sportsmanlike attitude to adopt. Quite the reverse is the example set by the Hawera senior team. They .have been defeated by overwhelming majorities in each match, but come up smiling the following week and fulfil their obligation. I hope, however, an energetic endeavor will be made by the Opunake seniors to fulfil all the remai*tmg| fixtures; I