FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 123, 2 September 1910, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. ELTHAM BEATS OKAIAWA. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Eltham, Last Night. The junior championship played at Kapouga to-day, ended in a win for Eitham by G points to 3. The winners had tho best of the play, a high wind all'ecting matters. Fake scored both tries for Eltham. Luxton touched down for Okaiawa. The game was fast. J. McLeod (Eltham) and Kiely (Okaiawa) Were badly cut about the heads through collision and retired for medical attendance. Paddy (Okaiawa) and Hurley (Eltham) were ordered off for rough play. OTAGO (27) v. NORTH OTAGO (0). Oamaru, Last Night, The Rugby match Otago v. North Otago was played to-day in fine weather, Otago winning by 27 points to nil. Tries were scored by Graham, Chambers (2), ; Patan, Eckhold, and Patterson (2), and Hardingham and Paton kicked a goal each. North Otago played very indifferently, but Otago forwards were all good, Eckhold, Williams and Hardftigham being the most conspicuous of the rear-! guard.

SOUTHLAND v. WAIRARAPA. Masterton, Last Night. The representative football match, Southland v. Wairarapa, played here today, ended in a draw, three points each. The attendance was large, but the game was very disappointing. Ball scored for Wairarapa and Fialay for Southland.

SEVEN BROTHERS WIN A SEVEN-A-SIDE TOURNAMENT. Ashburton, Last Night. An interesting fact in connection with the Asburton County Rugby Union's annual seven-a-side football tournament, held to-day, and in which Christchurch and South Canterbury clubs participated, was that the senior competition was won by a team from the local Southern Cross Club comprised of the seven brothers Fitzgerald.

COUNTRY PLAYERS. BETTER REPRESENTATION DESIRED. Wellington, Last Night: The report of the sub-committee appointed, by the New Zealand Rugby Union to consider a scheme to give players outside the main centres more opportunities for consideration in the selection of New Zealand and North and South Island teams, was submitted to the .Management Committee to-night. In their report the committee remarked that the selection of these teams was generally confined to about six men, and as the selectors were generally located in the main centres it was not practicable for them to obtain a general knowledge of the whole of the players, but in order to minimise this difficulty, the committee suggested a scheme on the following lines:—•(!) That the unions of South Auckland, Poverty Bay, Hawke's Bay, Bush, Manawatu, Horowhenua and Wairarapa, should contribute, say, three men each, making 26 in all, to form a North Island country team, and play matches at Auckland, Taranaki, Wanganui and Wellington; (2) that the unions of Marlborough, Nelson, Bullcr, West Coast and South Canterbury, contribute, say, four men each, making 20 in all, to form a South Island country team, and play matches at Invereargili. Dunedin and Christchurch. The matches named would be against the local unions. After the teams complete their respective matches at Wellington and Christchurch, the committee suggested that they should at once play against each other at Wellington at a date prior to the selection of players for the North v. South match. This would give the selectors of a New Zealand team an opportunity of making the selections fully representative of the Dominion, and also be doing justice to players as a whole. If this scheme was acceptable to delegates, there were matters of detail which could easily be arranged by the Manage-

■ent Committee, but the suh-committee recommended that, after making satisfactory arrangements with the unions concerned for the use of the grounds, the whole of the proceeds should be pooled towards the payment of the travelling expenses of both teams. The financial risk would be taken by the New Zealand Union. The committee resolved to forward the report to the various unions with a view to its being discussed at the "'inual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union.