FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 313, 29 May 1911, Page 7

FOOTBALL

The question of how many spell* should be played in matches where the I captains failed to agree having risen at the N.Z.R.U. committee meeting, it was decided that referees should be notified that it was the opinion of the management committee that in the event, of captains failing to agree, two spells should be played There seems little hope of the "pros" being reinstated as amateurs. Sydney Paul recently from Blenheim asking the' New Zealand Rugby Union to remove the; disqualification placed upon him ftir playing under Northern Union rules four years ago (in the Baskeville benefit match). He folt that "now the bogey of professionalism had passed away," and as in any case, he had not played for money, he hoped for a favorable reply. "He was dragged in that day," remarked one member. "No, he wasn't dragged in," said another member. "We have no power to reinstate him," was the verdict of the committee.

"Rangi" Wilson seems to be playing as well as ever. On Saturday he was far and away the best in the Athletic forward division, in spite of the fact that he was very well marked down, and occasionally roughly handled. He was always in the forefront of any attacking movement, his tackling was always sure, he was as clever as a back in making a break for a passing run, and several times he joined with the backs in passing rushes without spoiling them.

Junior football is declining in several districts, Taranaki included. Of the position in Wellington a writer says:—The decline of Rugby, especially in the junior departments, is becoming very marked. The result of a comparison with last year's Rugby figures shows a tremendous shrinkage in the number of games and players. The senior grade this year shows a total of ten teams competing as against eleven last season. For the junior grade the figures are the same:. In the third-class competition there are eighteen teams playing this I season as against sixteen last year —an increase of two. A big decline is disclosed' in the fourth grade, last year there being a total of fourteen teams, and this year only eight. There is an increase of one in the fifth-class, eleven this year, as against ten the previous year. It looks as if the Wednesday competition will become a tiling of the past, for last season eight teams were engaged, and this year there are only three, with every probability of Tramway dropping out at any time. Three years ago there was talk of a sixth competition; now, however, the question of withdrawing the fourth grade is being i considered, and two out of four teams' in the competition defaulted last Saturday. This means that we have some 150 players less in Rugby this season and there is every likelihood of a further number of teams—as is usual when the season advances—dropping out. some of the players are to be found on the bank, others have gone over to "soccer" and hockey, where the chance of accident is very much minimised. Rugby is fast dying out in Australia. In Sydney, a fortnight ago, there were five Rugby matches (according to the Bulletin) which drew in all 2000 spectators, while four League games attracted 23,000 simply because the latter game is more spectacular. The outlook is, no doubt, gloomy, but if the game is fostered amongst the young all will be well.