FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 276, 18 May 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL

THE RUGBY GAMES. TO-DAY'S FIXTURES. Star v. Fitzroy, at New Plymouth (Fitz--1 roy match). 3 Rovers v. Okato, at Oakto. . NEXT WEEK'S FIXTURES. ; _ THURSDAY. MAY 23. » Seniors—Stratford v. Clifton, at Wai- - tara. Juniors. Tukapa v. Stratford, at New [ Plymouth, 1.30 p.m.; Star v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, at 3 p.m.; Eltliam v. Clifton, at Waitara. 2 p.m. ; Second Juniors.—High School v. Clifton, at New Plymouth; Eltham v. Inglewood, at Eltham, 3.30 p.m. SATURDAY, MAY 25. Star v. Okato, at New Plymouth; , Rovers v. Fitzroy. REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. June 3 v. Wanganui, at Wanganui. June 12— v. Wellington (special match), at Hawera. June 15— v. Wanganui, at Hawera. Aug. 17— v. Auckland, at Auckland. Aug. 22 — v. Southland. Aug. 29 — v. Wellington. Sept. 4 v. Otago. Sept. 12— v. Canterbury. Thursday last saw tlie conclusion of ■the first round of senior cup fixtures) in the Northern division. The matches have been remarkable for their low scoring. The position of the various teams is as follows: m . 4

lIS i«• 11; os * -3 *3 9 t> © h ° 0 P fc ts p PL, fc o Stratford ..2101033 Clifton 2 1 1 0 3 3 2 Tukapa 2 0 1 1 3 6 1 NOTES. The first round of the Saturday fixtures will conclude to-day. Stnrs appear to have considerable difficulty in raising a team, and last week opened the game with nine men, which was increased to twelve before the gameconcluded. Still these twelve men were able to account for Rovers' full team after an interesting game. One of the victors' dozen was a. Star Thursday player, and Rovers are protesting against the match being awarded to : Star on the above grounds. Star may Ihavo done wrong in infringing the rule, but the action of their opponents, who were fully manned, in protesting will 'not evoke much sympathy from those who love true sport. Twelve men beat them on their merits, and without this player they would have only had eleven. ; Surely Rovers do not mean to insinuate that lie was equal to four men. Play-! ing him could not have affected the game to that extent. Had Star had a full team, Rovers might have been ex- ■ reused for objecting to their opponents infringing, but under the circumstances their action is generally condemned. The Fitzroy-Okato match provided considerable excitement. Both teams possess good material, and' it would not surprise the writer to see either play a 1 big part in the decision of the contest. I The. match was played in a very friendly spirit. There was keen rivalry, but nothing more, and no attempt at anything that exception could be taken to. The Thursday competition has not as yet shown any particularly brilliant football, and all three teams have still a winning chance. Stratford ended the first round a point ahead of Hifton, with Tukapa a point further in the rear. Tukapa missed Stohr on Thursday, the latter suffering from mumps. The second round should show improved foot-

ball. The representative fixtures have nearly all been arranged, so Taranaki now know what to expect. All 'the teams mentioned above, except Auckland, will visit Taranaki. but the exact locale of the matches has yet to he fixed by the Taranaki Rugby Union. Taranaki will also receive a visit from the North Island country representatives again, the N.Z. Rugby Union wisely deciding to send both the North and South Island country teams on tour as was done last year. It is pleasing to note that the interIsland fixture has also been fixed for a - more seasonable time than was the case last year, and also that it is to be played in one of the small' r union's territory. The match will bo played on July 13. The matter of seceding from tlie English Rugby Union received short shrift, being defeated by 57 vo'ns to 15. The meeting, however, decided to recommend that all penalty goals should only count two points, and that after a score on either side the kick-off should be at "half-way. The matter of encouraging football among schoolboys also came up for decision. This undoubtedly is an important feature. The schoolboy of the present is the All Black of the future, and whatever is possible should .be done to interest these lads in Rugby by giving them opportunities of becoming proficient in the game. Systematic coaching l>y old footballers would do much to improve the lads, because during school life a boy is willing to h 'rn,'his mind is retentive, and lie doc- not, as do many juniors, possess the idea that he knows more than his coach or teacher. The N.Z.R.U. has - increased its grant from £IOO to £l5O to encourage school football, and it .behoves all the more powerful unions at least to do all they ean to supplement this and so forward the good old game among the boys. L. G. Hill, the popular Star back { and representative full back, who is now in ITawera, was a visitor to New Plymouth last week. He has not yet donned the amber and black jersey for Hawera, having become a, golf enthusiast, but before many weeks are over may turn out to assist the southern club. Waimate are still continuing their victorious career, having beaten Kaponga by 23 points. The champions of the plains are, it is said, kndly disposed to the idea of journeying to New Plymouth to piny the Northern Division representatives during Show week, and if the match comes off it should prove interesting. Duncan McGregor, the crack wing three-quarter of the All Blacks, who played for Christehurch and Pelone, but went to England some four years ago to play under the Northern Union codo returned to New Zealand by the Arawa last week. Ho has given the game best, and is returning to his home at Kaiapoi, Tukapa went under to Clifton, at Waitara, on Thursday, but theirs was an i honorable defeat," recalling the lines, ''High failure overleaps the bounds of success." Tukapa took the field without -T. Stohr. who was on the sick list. With his services it is not unreasonable )o suppose (hat the score-three to nil in (lifton's favor—would have been reversed. Added weight is lent to this hypothesis by the several Tukapa shots, at goal they failed to materialise, amid the brisk commentary of some of the barrackers to the effect that "Now, if only Stohr had been here." From the start Tukapa carried the ball into the

opposing twenty-five, but the passing of the backs proved to be at fault. Clifton, who hud the advantage of whatever wind there was, see-sawed to the other end of the field with a dribbling rush, and in trying to stop this White was partially disabled. Further give-and-take play saw the ball traverse from Eggleston to Kupe, and thence to Goodwin, who "all but" drew first blood in the corner. Then in turn the Tukapa forwards came down with a rush, but Fuller was handy in the nick of time. Just before halftime the ball was sent into touch, within a very few yards of Tukapa's thin white line, but Loveridge, securing from the line-out and kicking well down the field, saved the situation. Up to this point the odds were in favor of Clifton. On resuming, Clifton made the pace hot, and, nothing daunted by Fuller's unsuccessful shot at goal from a mark, their | backs got in motion and advanced in fine style, Tate scoring in the corner. Kupe failed to convert. Goaded by their opponents' success, Tukapa were continuity aggressive. But for the solid and lasting defence, they must have scored. At one time Clifton got out of a particularly tight corner by dint of a free kick on their own goal line. It was not long before Goodwin crossed the line, but wns unsuccessful in actually touching down. A five yards scrum saw Brown make valiant attempts to force his way over the line, and Loveridge failed to materialise a mark from a good .position. In the closing scenes of the gume Clifton had the upper hand. Goodwin once had hard luck in not "getting home." The following will represent Star in their match against Fitzroy on the Sports Ground to-day at 3 p.m.:—Bellringer, Goudie, Greatbach, Dewar, Packard, Gleeson, McAllum, Okey, Mulloy, ■Hawkins, Richards, Pilcher, Charter's, McComish and Penwarden. All players are expected to play in black jerseys. Rovers will be represented by the following at Okato:—Grant (2), Webster, Thompson (2), Xewell, Reid, Pott, Ellis, Martin, Jennings, Crombie, Braebyn, Mulloy, Quilliam. Drags will leave the Post Office at 12.30.

It was expected that Star would have a strong forward combination in their match against Rovers last Saturday, but, handicapped as they were, they exceeded expectations. The work leading | up to the scoring was mostly confined to the forwards. The backs, who were fewer in number, concentrated their efforts on defence, and they were all there in rushing rushes. There is little ( doubt, however, that Rovers had the superior back team, especially on the attack. It was a game of tactics, and those of Star, aided by weight in the forwards, were successful. For Star, McAllum played a slashing game, both in attack and defence, filling various positions as back. Greafcbatch made his first appearance on the football fidlds of New Plymouth, and, considering his lack of condition, gave a very fair account of himself. His forte should be line-kick-ing. Amongst the forwards, Hawkins and Dewar towered above the rest. Goudie was also another pillar of I strength on the side of the Blacks. For Lthe losing team, Thompson . was the ■ safest man on the defence, his linekicking being a feature of his play. He, however, would do well to remember that lie has same fast men playing with ihim. Webster was in fine form and was invariably on the ball. Lan Grant wanted a lot of watching, and he and his ' brother would have undoubtedly scored more frequently against a less formidable pack. The half-back was a weak link in Rovers' chain, and should be supplanted.

THE ASSOCIATION GAME. NOTES. (By "Queen Park.") To-day a match will take place between the two newly-formed teams in the cup competition, Swifts v. Albion. 1 As the Brotherhood has a team in Auckland, it is expected that the New Plymouth l society will see their way clear to raise an Association football club here. "Jimmy" Holmes has decided to give up the game. He will be a great lons to football in Taranaki as, after his display at Auckland last year, he was sure of a place in the rep. team for the Shield: match. Hascltine has signed on for Ilawera, 1 1 should fill the gap left by Holmes. TaTan.xki should be well served with Sheppard, Haseltine and Bullock. The forwards will be our representatives' trouble. W'hat has become of the father of football in Taranaki, that Stratford has failed to raise a team; his familiar figure was sadly missed at the Taranaki Association meeting the other week. Association football has opened the season all over the Dominion, every club being busily engaged in the various competitions. The Y.M.C.A., Wellington, turns out ten teams every Saturday and the first team, which last season held a lowly position on the league table, is now beating everything in front of it. The greatest trouble in Wellington is the scarcity of qualified referees, and one Saturday no Jess than ten teams had to cry off on this account. Southland is first on the list to challenge Canterbury for the Brown Shield. Wellington is also anxious to regain the coveted trophy and is already training for its encounter. The Burnham Industrial School, last year's boy champions at Christchurch, are going strong for the championship this season, beating Sunnyside by seven, and giving a delightful exhibition of the game. The boys can give a few bigger clubs a wrinkle or two of the game. Dannevirke has challenged Wellington, both seniors and boys, to play in Wellington, so they melan business. Through the efforts of Messrs Sheppard and Lawrence the boys have been set going, and these two gentlemen are to devote their time to them. At a meeting of the N.Z.F.A. a letter was read from the champion team of France wishing to tour New Zealand. At the request of the South African Football Association, the Glasgow Celt Club is sending a team to tour South Africa. "Jimmie" Quinn will be the principal attraction in the team. Brownlie. the famous International, is .also to take part in the tour, along with a few more stars. The coal strike does not seem to hinder the gates at matches at Home, 130.000 witnessing the International match. England v, Scotland, and the ■Scottish Football Association is coming to terms with the Queen Park Football Club to extend Hampdon to hold another 10,000 spectators. Barnsley, an "outsider," won the English Cup in great style. The team_ was composed of local Yorkshire miners, aided by two Scots. _ Five teams are now in i.lie Southern "Division, nam el v, Ilawera. Kaponga. Manaia, Okaiawa and Aroa. To-dav will see the opening of the season in New Plymouth. A movement is on foot to form a 'Relcrpes' Association. The Albion Association football team to play Swifts this afternoon on Western Park will hi', as follows:—Jtoxnll. Cliarleris, Neirt. Sullivan. fioddard, Ward, yon ton and four others. Mr. Tioper will I act as referee. Colors: Albions, all white.