FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 295, 10 June 1912, Page 8

FOOTBALL

NEWS AND NOTES. Though the weather was unfavorable the attendance was fair at Thursday's match between North Taranaki and Waimate. The play was bright and fairly open and was points ahead of club football. Although North Taranaki won by a good majority the game was strenuously contested throughout. It must not be forgotten that Waimata were minus Colman and Taylor, who were on the sick list. The North Taranaki team combined well, and the match showed that we have several representative men in sight. As a result two new men obtain representative honors, viz., McAllura and G. Loveridgc, whilst another, Kupe, is first emergency. McAllura fairly played himself in. During the past and present seasons he has been recognised by his confreres as a first-class | player, but playing in the Saturday com- | petition lie does not come into the lime- . light, and that is a great merit with matches of this description: it gives players a chance to display their prowess, with some reasonable chance of catching the selector's eye. McAllum's play was a revelation to most. Keen and fast, hj« was always on the ball, not just a flash' in the pan, but during the whole game, and he used his head.

G. Loveridge also did good work, but made a few mistakes. Still, ho should do fairly well, though one would have liked to see him make his debut against less formidable opponents than Wellington.

Kupe, at five-eij-hths, after opening very weak, played' absolutely the best back game on tlu> ground, and nine of the fourteen points scored were due to him. He picked up the greasy ball well, and ran straight and strong. He is inclined to hesitate, however, .before getting his pass away, allowing his opponents to g. t in two or three extra strides. ]f he passed =martly his play would be faultless. His two tries were fine efforts, the second (specially so, after an exhibition of delightful concerted play. One would like to >.e him tried against Wanganui.

Carey, the Okato forward, played his usual solid game, being always on the ball. He did a lot of stopping, getting on to the opposing backs. All ke requires is a little more knowledge, and that he will get with a few more games among players of Thursday's calibre. la fact, already there is an improvement noticeable. He did some very heady work, and on numerous occasions opened up the game. Rupe's second try was the result of an opening seized by Carey. He is undoubtedly a coming rep., and might he given a chance in some of the matches this season.

Goodwin, at wing three-quarter, was a disappointment. A good club man, the Clifton player always fails to rise to the occasion when a chance of representative honors comes his way. Certainly, a dry ground would he more suitable to his dodgy style.

Kivell also did not come up to expectations as a Tep. full-back. Certainly, ns went down well to the heavy forward rushes, but his kicking lacked judgment. Still, he is young, and with more experience will surely "arrive."

S. George, the Waimate full-back, played a much sounder game, and one would have expected to see him replace Kivell. The selectors, however, have gone to the three-quarter line, and have chosen Prince, who has all the requirements ol a resourceful full-back.

None of the other Waimate backs played up to rep. form. Brown and Stohr played their usual good games. Dud. Cameron also played above ths average, though he failed to take several passes. Football seems to run in the Cameron clan.

The forwards were very evenly matched, except in the open, Where the North Taranaki men had much the advantage, carrying the ball down the field in fin* style. Bourke and Young were th» pick of the visitors, though Tamu and Pini played solidly. Among the locals Carey, Young, Hawkins and Ward wer» the most conspicuous. Cain and Berndstein hooked the ball oftener than their vis-a-vis, though the former was not eo conspicuous in the open. Taranaki has opened its representor tive score by defeating Wang<«cui by 16 to 3. We are in for a good season, as another representative fixture has been arranged by the New Zealand Rugby Union, viz., against the South Island country team. This takes the place of the Noith Island match ployed last year. The idea of sending the teams over new ground is a gi od one. Footballers will regiet. to hear <ha£ F. Brown, who has captained Inglewood during their last few seasons, and, owing to that club's inability to raise a senior team, threw his lot' in with th« Clifton Club this season, is at present laid up with rheumatic fever, and will not be playing again this season. All will join in wishing him a speedy recovery.

I W. Glenn, of All Black fame,' who last' donned the jersey in Paris seven years ago, was pressed into service against Wanganui at the last moment. The veteran played a good game, too. We have to thank Mr. C. Potts, secretary of the Taranaki Referees' Association, for the latest hand-book of the Aew Zealand Referees' Association, which includes the following recent alteration to the laws of the game:—Law:' 2 —A tackle: A tackle is when the holder of the ball is held by one or more players of the opposite ski.., so that he eannot pass or play the ball. Law 11 Section (a): Intentionally either handles the ball or falls down in a scrummage, or picks the ball out of a scrummage either by hands or lege. -* —The International Board has issued instmctions that at half-time the interval is not to exceed five minutes