FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 29 August 1914, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

REPEKSENTATIVE MATCHES. EBSUIiIB TO DATE. v. Wanganui, won by 9 to 8. v. Wellington, won by 14 to 10. v. VVairoa Sub-Union, won by 8 to nil (B team). v. Wanganui (Shield match) won by 17 to 3. , I v. Manawatu, won by 11 to 3. j v. Auckland B, won by !) to 5 (B | match). v. Ilorowhenua, won by 14 to :i (Shield match). v. Waira.ra.pa (Shield match!), won bv 22 to 3. J v. CUnterbury (Sliield match), won bv 0 to 5. v. Auckland, lost by 13 to 8. v. Southland (Sliield match), won bv C to nil. J

MATCHES ARRANGED. September 10—v. Wellington, at Stratford. September 17 —v. Auckland, at New Plymouth. HIGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENT.

To-day.—.New Plymouth. High School v. Napier High School. Monday.—l'almerstom High School v. Capita' Jtlig'i School. ■ ( KECQRD OP NEW ZEALAND TEAi'IJ. The New Zealanders are the third unbeaten team from the Dominion to 'tour Australia, though the 1905 An 'tiaoks played in Sydney onlv, winning two and drawing the other match, in 1907 New South Wales had risen almost to an equality with New ZealanU, 'but the split in .Rugby forces in Sydne lias sent the standard of play very fa'.r back. Of the 65 matches played in Australia, New Zealand won 51) aTku lost 'only fouir. 'lhe one yeair in wluch New ['South 'Wales held the Elaeks was 1907, 'Vhen tihe full strength of the Blues '(once under the name of Australia) met the Ilia/ 1 its, each side winning, losing ana drawing ono, New Zealand scoring 4 tries and 2 goals to 5 tries I and 3 goals, in- the three mashes.

Summary: 05 matches, won 59, lost 4 and drawn and scored 1337 points to 309.

THK AUSTRALIAN 'iXU'lt. Statistics of the tour show thai Lynch and Taylor 'were the a.ost successful try-gp'ttcrs, each scoring J5 tries, li. Koberts and J. Ryan scored 7 tries audi, Vv. Francis 3, A. Block,-«l. A. Jiruce, and E. K-otocrts 2 cacJi, and M. Fisher, j\. Wilson. A. Downing andi I/indsay one eacii. In ail 02 wen; scored, alio it 50 of lileae by the backs. "l'lie most success tut goai-kielyer on the tour was K. .Roberts, wlu converted ; 17 trie.-». In all 27 goals were kicked, 'including two Held goals, one each by ]•'. Cockroit and A. J. McKenr'c. l.ockj'rolt reminds one of his uncle, S. Oock'roft, of Maiunvatu, a very able forward 'with the loiKi team, who subsequently ■'became -dentificd with y... i.l ;:.iid fooi;'ball.

Eleven tries -were score, ! against, the New Zealandcrs, the only man to -get tw» being Jj. Wogan.

.NJEWS AND iN'Ol'iiS. There will be no representative mutch next 'I Imrsday, owing to Hay of Plenty Iwing unable to send a team Tin; next match Taranaki will be called upon to plav will be the challenge match' against Wellington, at Stratford, on the following Thursday. The spell should be of distinct advamtage to the local fifteen, who are showing of having had' too much football. This stalencss was very much in evidence in the match against Southland on Thursday, when it was only at) very rare intervals indeed that the local forwards appeared to rihow ;.ny dash. Practically right through the piece they allowed the'powerful visiting vanguard to over-run them, but when their line was iu danger, they .siuvwed that they iiatl come go in them, for they would come with a swoop that drove all before fchem, and cleared /.heir lines. Once, 'however, play was removed from the danger zone, the forwards seemed (|uite content t«» allow their hacks to do the work'.

J to was hard to realise tkat this was ilit game team of forwards Hiat tad Jield its own, and a little more, so gallantly against Auckland, fmtl at tli'J linish ran tilic- latter off their legs. \Viiile not wanting to ludittlu tin' work of the Southerners, who infused eonsiderafole da-sii into their play, and who never let up, and Whose itollairing was so deadly, one Xluvt 1 lie playing of three mak-iies against strong 1 teams' in eight days, viz., Canterbury, A nek land and iSoutohlaitd. with the intermediate bustle and travel, took too much out of the local team. The local forwards were jwt wp to the mark, with the. exception of Jtcg. Taylor, who played a fine game at -wing. The backs excelled thcnwelvqf. They gave a lino, open, spectacular »lay that delighted the spvetators, and with a little more cohesion and system must. have, piled up the points, lndi-

vidually, they were brilliant, and to a certain extent, collectively, lliev wove goodl. With miore attention te combination, tour iraek*, considering the mdi\ ldual ca<.ure ot tuo nu-ii, should easily develop into- a ihnlbant and al- | most invincible attacki machine-. Tlie game was really one ot lost, opportunities. Time After time, by great play, tlie local team got into good 'scoring positions, but the three pon.ts were not notched because some one \vas out of his place, or because tli ■ centre men had not run straight! enough and crowded the wings on the line before passing the kill. .Soutlila-il realised Unit us strength lay in Us forwards., and kepti the bail as close ijo.-ssi'oJc 1 iieir backs were used primarily as weapons of defence and not ot oll'ence On the Whole, they luJlilled their mission well, linaing the line with precision and tauklJiig with deadly certainty.

Don Cameron, who played his first rep. game after a retirement of two years, showed that lie has not lost 'his old diii-di. Some of his runs and swerves down the side line were really brilliant and a dielight. He well de-served ins try. As he is solidly training, Jie should be in great form for the filial twp matches. His "coming back" fills the vacancy in the three-quarter line caused by the retirement oi leung. fiiini Cameron, at full back 'in the lirst spell and at centre three-quarter in the second, was equally at home. He is a splendid, resourceful and dash- <

mg player. Loyertidge, who exchanged positions with him; was not up to form. iW'hittington, on the other wing, did not have many chances, fotit lie made no mistakes. His habit of attempting to hurdle an opponent is too dangerous and should be dropped. 1 1 [Roberts and. Stohr. at live-eighths, did a Jot of work. The former, who does some very daring and dazzling things, is a hard man to follow, and is inclined to go too far on his own. His cleverness makes ,tlie ' move succeed often,, but sometimes it does not. Stahr docs not run straight enough for the position. He 'is essentially n wing three-quarter, though making an ideal iuil-back. His goal 'kicking was not up to the mark, as he was afraid of a sprained leg coming back oil him. Brown, at 'half, played 'his lix st game so far this season. He yas very nippy but made no great openings. He was still a little slow m getting the Jxi" away from behind the scrums. Colman was a notable absentee from

the backs. This versatile player had not recovered from tlhe effects of the gruelling he got at Auckland. Of felie forwards Patterson, Paul and Robertson were the pick. Reg. Taylor, at wing-forward, played a good game, being always on the ball. He was unlucky on one occasion in not scoring a try. Of the visiting backs. Martin, at centre three-quarter, and, I'orde, .it wail, were the pick. The farmer defended well 1 , and his line kicking \yas a treat, J!'orde 'broke ' away time and again, and also went down sdidly to forward 1 rushes. LUcN'eeee was playing well untu forced to retire. ~- •. Of the forwards McDowell audi Mclionald were the pick, the former heading numerous rus'hes. The r«gt were an even lot.

•Sliced, at wing-forward, wis very prominent anil did a lot of asefui work. Taranaci lias two challenges yet to withstand, viz., those against Wellington aiul Auckland, and naturally these will prove the toughest nuts to crack. Judging : by Taranaki's perlormances 111 the live challenge matches .already played, their prospects. of 'iioV.ing the shield'-against either of Hie abovementioned teams does not look too bright, -but Taranaki always plays- its best when it is up against it, and in this writer's opinion the .shield' is a long way from leaving I'n.v.i'iki yet. Wellington is lvAvins r. > .««:«• unturned in its attempt to !;!.■ liie shield in the Empire City and is «iti<l to be evolving a system, but if the individual memtiers- of the Taranaki team indulge in steady 'training and the team is brought to Stautford for "concerted training two or three days before the -match, Taranaki should win-. In all Taranaki and Wellington hi.ve met twenty-nrnr times, and honors are easy, each te«m having won 11 matches, whilst one v.as drawn and another abandoned. . The inter-high sc'hool tournament now taking place in New .Plymouth is providing bright and attractive football, of the variety for whHi colleges are famous and -which so delight the spectators. Thursday's matca between New Plymouth -and i'almerst'.m resulted in a run-away ww> for the locals. Now Plymouth proved much too good tor their opponents, both back ani forward, though the visiting team uei-1 11: e upper jiand in the 'lxio'k division twiiv in the game. The local team possesses some fine scoring >backs. Bru.;e, at wvceiglvths, has a tendency to hang on. 'J.ae two remaining matches should attract good attendances. 'J.o-day Napier and New -lymioutli meet, and the former will 'have to play good football if they are to beat 'the local boys.

N1SVV Zi,ALAN D TEA Mb IN' AUSTRALIA. Points jVI, W. b. D. l'"or Aest lt>S4 .. S 8 0 0.. Hi" 17 1893 .. 10 0 19.. 163 41 1897 .. 10 9 1 0 226 72 1903 .. 10 10 0 0 .. 270 13 1905 ... 3 2 0 1 .. 4!l 11 1907 .. 7 5 11.. i)G 47 1910 .. 7 0 10.. J12 (il 1914 .. 1(1 10 0 0 ... 240 47