FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 59, 27 July 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES: June 3—t. Wanganui, won by 16 points to 3. June 12—t. Wellington, lost by 12 points to 10. ....--. June 15—v. Wanganui, won by 6 points to nil. July 25—v. South Island country team, won by 31 points to 3. MATCHES ARRANGED. August B—v. Manawatu and Horowhenua, at New Plymouth. August 17—v. Auckland, at Auckland. August 29—v. Wellington, at New Plymouth. September 4—v. Otago, at H»wera. September 12—v. Canterbury, at Stratford.

The final match of the Saturday competition was played on Saturday, when Okato defeated Star by 5 points to nil, and thus won the Saturday competition. It was Stars' first defeat on the football arena this season, although they have never mustered a full fifteen, and they must be congratulated on the stern fight they put up against circumstances and the grit they displayed in fulfilling engagements—they only forfeited on one occasion—sometimes with two-thirds of a team. The country team are to be congratulated on winning. They play a sporting game, as was evidenced by their arranging to have the first match with Star replayed when the latter could only muster five men, and the majority o"f players, while regretting that they could not win themselves, are generally pleased to see Okato in the winning place. The match last Saturday was a very even one. Okey, Woods. Charters, Dewar and Hawkins were the pick of the Star forwards, and McAllum and Pike of the backs. For the winners McKay, Carey, Andrews and Hawkins (forwards), arid Turner and Malone (backs) were most Conspicuous.

The final position of the various teams is as follows: ►J n O *-> *■• ■ .5 Okato ... i) fi 2 1 88 48 13 Star .... 9* (j 3 092 30 12 Rover* .. <j 4 4 1 72 85 9 Fitzror ..9 0 7 2 29 118 2 •Star forfeited one match to Okato, and lost another to Rovers by protest. Taranaki had a very easv win over the South Island country team, scoring 31 points to 3, or two points more than Auckland defeated the visitors by. last Saturday. It must not be assumed from this that Taranaki will defeat the Aucklanders when they meet, as it has been prove conclusively that the merits of three teams cannot bo arithmetically calculated 011 the performances of any two against the other. It is to be hoped that Manawatu will prove a more serious proposition than last week's team, so that our men may have a solid match before they meet Auckland in the contest for the lianfurlv Shield in three weeks' time Such big wins tend to make a team careless, with Uie result that v hen. up against a still' proposition thev arc found wanting.

The South Inlanders, rihmiitr with the wmd in the lirst spell, opened in a very convincing style, end no one expected that they would be «> decisively beaten: in fact, there were some who expressed the opinion that Taranaki would have t>» work hard to slave 01, defeat. The '"'■' "I"'" ••■•'■• ■.::•■' ci.n. aed w.i, mo.-i- - 'onlimd to (i,,. forward-, tine..,l, there were occadonal Hashes of -r„„ | onccrlnl ]».- i( -ic play, especially a:uoiw •<"-' l'>'"il luck-. A feature of'tile play "■•'•■ the fill" line tiekillL' of Hie yj-itors In the second >pe|| Taranaki .-imp!*' romped all over the Southerners. w ho were only on the nidick on two or (hive ocea-dons, and then but. For a hri-f - p '1 Alt hon./a Taranaki added 1?, point ;.' I hev could ha\e easily increased this, but near the end Miev appeared to feel t It;- \- he! done (uo-igh. The Taranaki bad-.; pel 111 -etce line attacking movement--, throwing the ball about briddv, and (here \\a< a '-rood deal of the -per'laerih: r :n the play thai rou-cd the audience to enthuda-m. In fact, on one occasion wh< a Slohr -cored, it was (lie erownitv.: "'" •'' ''■ "' "f pa---ill'.' in which a bom ten la'i'dvd th- ball in a style th .;, til- cxeitnl -peclators to frenzy. Don Cameron signalised his ',-,,., -,,|,.,. info the football arena after his ~ , '. dent by playing a brilliant game. ' n ; s inelu-ioM a- wiiig-fhreeijuarter malcri-

;i;!v enhnncPS-Tarannki's pro.=p'V'f? ■..' :vv ) nexing the coveted Ranfurly Shield. His idas'hes down the touch line were per- [ formed in his own inimitable style, and I his two tries were well deserved. His , pot at goal from near the touch line was another bright incident. J. Stohr at centre threequarter was also in good form. Of the thirty-one points he scored thirteen, viz., two tries, a goal from a mark, and two converted tries. Hunt, on the other wing, did not have much to do, but did not make any mistakes. With Roberts in the three-quarter line, Taranaki will have a trio that will be unsurpassed in the Dominion.

McLeod and S. Cameron at five-eighths did god work. The former is a fine defensive player. He also makes good openings, but is inclined to go too much on his own, though this fault was not quite as conspicuous on Thursday. S. Cameron is a speedy customer, and both takes and gives a pass well. Brown at half played his usual good game, getting the ball out to his backs smartly. He also did a lot of stopping. Colman at full back went down gamely to the rushes. His kicking was at times not as good as usual.

Taylor at wing forward played a good game. He should get over his tendency to trip, which may lead him into trouble. Cain and Berndsten were the hookers, , and after their performance it is safe j to predict that the Clifton pair will be I the permanent representative hookers this season. Cain also played his usual j hard game. Young (Stratford) was lock. He was to the fore in many p. forward movement, and his score was a very popular one. in the loose Hawkins was out on his own, playing a magnificent dashing game. A fine' heady type of forward, who can take a hand in a passing rush, he is a very useful man. He also scored. Kissick .and Whittington were also prominent in the open. Dewar did not show up much in the loose, but put in a lot of solid work. Of the visiting forwards Forbes stood out on his own. Best, Hammond, and Sheen were also conspicuous. Nolan, at wing forward, did good work, too. O'Rourke, at half, had a heavy task. but got through an immense amount of work. Twomey was the best of the visiting five-eighths, who were badly beaten by their vis-a-vis. Of the threequarter line, all of whom could kick, McEvoy was most prominent. The Taranaki team in its motley garb < looked a very nondescript crowd on entering the field. From a kaliedoscopie point of view, it may be an improvement to have the p'layers performing their movements in variegated attire, but if both teams adopted this plan a i referee's job, a thankless billet now, would be unsupportable. Frankly speaking, it was a disgrace to the union. Any club whose team took the field in such an array would be hauled over the coals by the union, and rightly so, Fancy a representative team with five yellow and black jerseys, six or seven red and black, and the balance in black. Black, at all events, was the predominating color. The matter was brought up at the meeting of the Taranaki Rugby Union on Thursday, and from the discussion it appears that after matches the players are allowed to take their jerseys away with them, and are expected to bring them back on the day of the next match. They, or some of them, don't do so, with the above result. Already the union has issued three dozen .jerseys this season. Members expressed the opinion that in future the manager in travelling matches and the captain in home matches would have to attend to the collection of the jerseys after each match, and this rule will probably be strictly enforced. < The Cup finals have been fixed, and Clifton certainly has no cause to thank] the union for any special consideration this year. This Club has won the three { division championships in the northern division this year, and has some travel- i ling to do to contest them against the 1 other division winners. On Wednesday ! next the Clifton thirds meet Manutahi at Eltham, and on Thursday the juniors meet Waimate at Stratford. These fixtures are reasonable. The seniors, however, appear to have the thick end of the stick. -They have to journey to New Plymouth to meet Okato to-day—a reasonable arrangement, as it means a ten mile drive for them and an eighteen mile drive for Okato. Should they win today, they have to journey to Hawera, 48 miles by train, on Saturday to meet Waimate, a country team who'onlv have to travel 10 miles by brake on their' usual match day, whereas Clifton, who do the bulk of the travelling, have to lose a whole day which is not observed by them as a -holiday. Clifton, no doubt, will feel annoyed. Should Okato win today, the play-off will take place at Opunake. This will suit Waimate, who have only 20 miles to travel and will be playing on a familiar ground, but it is questionable if it will suit Okato, who probably would prefer to come into town and play the matcli along the line, instead of driving the 22 miles to Opunake. An attempt is being made to prevail on Jas. Hunter to play for the reps. Should he be in form, what a tower of. strength his inclusion would prove. But can he come back? Then could Simon Mynott he also induced to once more don the amber and black? What a reception the two famous All Blacks would get on re-entering the arena. The news that the Southland Rugby Union finds itself unable to send a team up north this season will be regretted by football enthusiasts throughout the province, as the southernmost players gave the Taranaki team a good fight when the local men were on tour last year. Jt is particularly disappointing to local enthusiasts, as it was one of'the very few rep. matches Bet down for decision in New Plymouth. Either the Wairarapa or South Auckland union;* may take the vacant date.

This afternoon on the Recreation Ground, if line, on Western Park, if wet, Okato, winners of the Saturday division, and Clifton, the Thursday premiers, will meet to decide who is to have the honor of contesting the championship of Taranaki with Waimate. The niatcli should attract a large attendance of football enthusiasts, as it promises to be very interesting. Clifton expect to have a somewhat easy win, but the country team can be expected to put up •1 good fight to uphold the reputation of the Saturday division. The teams will be as follows: | Clifton.—Fuller, Eggleston. ftertrand, Goodwin. Kupp, Crowley, Cain, licrtidsten, Loveridge. Oe Blois, Jones, Lash, Hicks and two others. Okafo. -Corbctt. Una, McKay. K. Andrews, Maloue. Turner, Andrews (:!). Ngnia. Hawkins. (('Sullivan. Eustace' Julian. Carey.