FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 283, 2 May 1914, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

NEWS AND NOTES. The dates for the New Zealand tour in Australia are as follow: — July 11, v New South Wales, Sydney. July 16 (to be arranged). July 18, v Australia, Sydney. July 22 (to be arranged). July 25, v Queensland, Brisbane. July 20, v Queensland, Brisbane. August 1, v Australia, Brisbane. August 5, (to be arranged). » August S, v New South Wales, Sydney. August 16, v Australia, Sydney. One of the Wednesday games will be played in aid of the Olympic fund. This means that practically the whole •of July and August will be taken upj by the Australian tour. It will mean) that the Banfurly Shield matches will probably have to be played in Taranaki, should the shield remain here, during September, as it would be impossible for Taranaki to successfully withstand attacks of the shield if deprived of th£ services of the quota which will be away ■with the New Zealand representatives in Australia. It may be argued that other Unions will be in the same predicament. Possibly they may, but the effect on thein will not, be so serious, particularly on those Unions which only contribute one man to the New Zealand representatives. Stating that Taranaki will have a quota in the New Zealand reps, savors somewhat of counting chickens, etc.', but in the past Taranaki has always proved its worth in this respect, and judging by the calibre of its players in last year's Dominion teams, should do so again. The team having to be chosen early before the provincial contests have taken place will largely be chosen on last year's performances. The tendency of those controlling football to neglect the juniors and second juniors is not confined to Taranaki only, Says an Auckland scribe:—"ln arranging its fixtures for the season,, it is to be hoped that the Rugby Union will coneider the advisability of playing a junior game at Eden Park each Saturday. The 1 juniors deseTve to be encouraged, and I am quite sure the Union won't go far wrong if one of the grounds is set aside for lower grade matches. Some of the lower-grade teams play first-class football, and if given an opportunity of playing before a crowd, would make big efforts to prove that it is not only senior players who sire capable of holding attention and interest of followers or" the game."