FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 245, 16 April 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL

RUGBY NOTES. We are now on the threshold of another footlball season. The clubs have had their annual meetings, and so has the Rugby Union. The various clubs are now looking around for players to make up for the defections of those of last season who are not available, through retirement 'from the game or departure from the district. The players themselves have 1> -n busy sorting out their old jerseys an.t -ants and football boots, and the sensible ones have been getting into form, for it is the team that gets into form early that has the best chance of succeeding. A team composed of lesser lights in good form able to play a hard game right through from start to finish will succeed in its early matches against unconditioned teams containing the brilliant constellations in the football firmament; and then look at tiie moral effect that a victory or two has on a weak team.

Footballers have something in front of them this season, so it behoves them j to get going early. There will be vacancies in the representative team to fill. Simon Mynott has this time definitely retired. Tt is said that wild horse's would not drag him further than the touch line this .season. So that his place will require, filling and, a difficult task it will probably prove. Opportunity, they say, makes the man. Well, here is a brilliant opportunity for some young player to 'distinguish himself, for the man who fills Simon's place will indeed cover himself with glory. Then there are fourteen other places to fill. Last year's reps, must not be regarded as certainties. They will be replaced by any player who proves himself a better man. Tt should be the. ambition of every footballer from the time he enters third grade football to qualify to be a Dominion representative. He should aim as high as possible, and not be content with continuing in the same grade year after year until he has whiskers that his opponents can swing on. To do this, however, he must be naturally athletic, and, above all, he must be willing to learn and take advice from his captain or coach. How often do we sec youths who show every prospect of having a brilliant football career suddenly get no forrardor; in fact, commence to go back, simply because their caps have gtown too small. Swelled heads have proved their ruin. They knew, or imagined they did, more than captain, coach, rejferee, or anyone else. Footballers have something to lookforward to this year. There will be several matches at home, visits being expected from Wanganui, llanawatu, Wellington, "Canterbury, Otago and others. There is also a trip to Auckland and Wanganui. Then there is the .probability of aB. rep. team. luig suggestion by Mr. Malone is a good one/; and will be considered by the Taranaki Rugby Union. If the financial aspect can he overcome there is no reason wliv a B. rep. team should not be formed and given a match or two with some of the smaller unions, and also with B. teams from the larger unions. Disguise it as one may, there is no doubt the Northern League game is likely to become a formidable antagonist in New Zealand unless the Rugby unions rise to the occasion and take steps to make the game interesting to the public and also to give smart, active young players something to look forward to. Every season we have a number of players all of whom are of equal merit. Only eighteen or twenty can get into the reps. The others have to stand down, and he content with their few cup matches. The result is that if through misfortune in the earlier matches several members of the representatives become incapacitated, the selectors have only got men to call on who are out of form. With a B. team in form there would be no dearth of players to <:.:•.■ < a u ., l( j moreover, first grade plavers disappointed jn a phce in the A. representatives would not be so likely to take the bait so temptingly dangled by the Northern League.