FOOTBALL?

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1920, Page 3

FOOTBALL?

THE RUGBY GAME.. tO-DAY'S FIXTURES. SENIOR.Eahotu t. Tukapa, at Kahotu, Mr. W. Rocli: United v. Star (Star match), Mr. P. Julian; Okato v. Old Boys, at Okato, Mr. J. Johnson. THIRD GRADE. Tukapa r. High School A, (Tukapa match), Mr. D. Johnson; Clifton v. High School B, at New Plymouth, Air. Ryder; Okato v. Old Boys, at New Plymouth, Mr. \V. Kupe; Lepperton t. Star, at Lepperton, Mr. T, Clare. FOURTH GRADE. High School C T. Ctar, at Racecourse, at 1.30 p.m.; High School D v. Technical College, at Western Park, at 1.30, Mr. A. R. Ryder. FIXTURES FOR NEXT WEEK. THURSDAY COMPETITION. SENIOR. Stratford v. Tukapa, at Stratford; Inglevrood v. Elthani, at Inglewood. SECOND GRADE. Inglewood t. Stratford, at Stratford; Toko v. Star, at Toko; Clifton r. Midhlrst, at Waltara. THIRD GRADE. . Stratford v. Tukapa. at New Plymouth; Stratford D H.S. t. Eltham, at Stratford; Technical College T. Star. SATURDAY COMPETITION. SENIOR. Okato t. Rahotu, at Rahotu; Star v. Clifton, at Waitara; United r., Old Boys; Tukapa, a bye THIRD GRADE. High School A v. Old Boys; High School B v. Tukapa; Clifton t. Lepperton, at Lepperton; Star v. Rahotu, at' New Plymouth; Okato a bye. REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. BESULTS TO DATE. Taranakl (11) v. Wanganul (S). FIXTURES ABRANGED. July 7. T. Wellington, at Hawera. July 10.—v. Bay of Plenty or Wanganul, at Havre™. July 24—v. Auckland, at Auckland.July 29.—v. Bay of Plenty, at Botorua (tentative). Aug. r. Manawatu. at Stratford. Aug. 11.—v. Hawke's Bay, at Napier (probable). Aug. 14—v. Wairarapn, at Carterton. Aug. 18 —v. Wellington, 'at Wellington. Aug. 21—v Manawatu, at Palmerston North. Sept. 2.—v. Auckland, at Auckland. Sept. 9.—v. Hawke's Bay, In Taranakl (tentative) . A homo match with Wanganul has also to be played.

POSITION OF THE SENIOR TEAMS. | SATURDAY COMPETITION. .11l 1111 1 I I Clifton 0 n —, Tukapa S 4 ] Rahotu H ff 2 Okato .* !i 22 1 26 39 S Star r. , 1 3 1 6 IS 3 United n " 4 Old Boys !i - THURSDAY COMPETITION. Tukapa 4 4 Stratford 3 2 1 Eltham 3 1 213 l 3 IS 2 [nglewood , 4 In the Saturday competition. Clifton and Rahotu won from Star by default, and United won f-ora Old Boys on n protest. The tables abovo show the exact position of the competition. TEAMS FOR TO-DAY. SENIOR. United v. Star, at the Recreation Grounds, at 3 p.m.—A Morrison. L Lealand, K. Tito, S. Skipper. Te Te Punl. Klnsells, A. Harvey, H. Todd, W. Biggins, W. Gush,. E Ware, L Francis, J. Johnston, G. Koea. T. Rangl; emergencies, Johns, J. Adams, J. Pollock.

NEWS AND NOTES. On Thursday next the senior competition, which has been Interrupted for two weeks by representative and trial matches, will he resumed. The meeting of Stratford ami Tukapa, at Stratford, •will be looked forward to with Interest, as Its Tesult will decide who Is to meet the winner of the Saturday competition In the northern play off. The fir-t round of the Saturday competition will be concluded to-day. So far this competition has been free from interruption, hut it Is difficult to see how It will be possible to complete the second round 111 time to enable the play off to take place Without Interruptions the round would not be completed until July 31st, and there are certain to he Interruptions, as on July 10, the representatives will be playing at Hawera. and on July 24, at Auckland. This will throw the second round well Into August, several Saturdays of which arc engaged for representative fixtures. However, should Clifton, who have gone through the first round without a defeat, heat, Tukapa next Saturday week, their position "will be unassailable, and It will be possible to arrange tlio play offs at any convenient time. Rahotu forwards kept Clifton busy throughout the first spell last Saturday, but In the second spell the Clifton forwards cot all over the coastal team, and had the Clifton backs handled the greasy ball more accurately they should have put tin a much bigger score. In all, Clifton scored six tries, hut good goai kicking by Taylor, who converted three tries, klclted a penalty goal, and George, who converted two tries, added an additional 13 points Forward rushes were responsible for five of the tries. Goodwin notched a beautiful try when he took the ball on the fly from a line out. Colman. at half, had a lot of work to do in. the first spell on defence, and did It well . Coutts, playing on the wing, was making his first appearance after his Injury in the opening game. He showed a fine turn of speed, but did not put the dash Into his play that Penniall did. G. Taylor shone up well.

Of the Rahotu forwards none played better than Norgate. Kasper and Walwlrl. The visiting hacks were disorganised bv tho absence of three of their best men. Raker, a fine forward, was played full hack, ami acquitted himself well, tackling tn good style. He got Coutts once when a try looked very certain. Hohla was tl(e host of the hacks He put In a bit of iiert'dy work that led up to Rahotu's second try.

Though the South Island tour hns been out out this year, owing to the number of unions visiting the South Island, the Taranakl reps have a bis programme mapped out in the North Island. Matches will be played at Auckland, and possibly Hamilton, also at Wellington., Palmerston North, Carterton, and possibly Napier, and In addition there are visits from Wellington, Wangnnui Bay of Plenty, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland, making, with the Wnnganul match already played, 110 less than fourteen rep. matches. A large number of players should therefore earn rep. caps, especially in v:ew of the fact that Tarannkl may have same members on tour with the New Zealand team when some of Its matches are played. The North-South match played on Thursday shows that there will lie no lack of forwards available, whilst there are aiso a number of promising young backs. The match itself was a very good display considering the day, and a feature was the keenness with which the players entered into It. The Southern forwards are a fine lot and put great dash into their work. None shone better than West and Malono, the flrstnamed making some great openings from the line out. The latter handles the ball well, but must curb a' tendency to oir-stoe play' O'Rnrke shaped well on the wing, but after Taylor's retirement through an Injured hand ■he was practically unopposed. F. Atkins at half, compared, well with his vis a vis] nnd showed an improvament on last year' Cameron is rapidly striking form, and was the best brick on the ground. His colleague McKenna, also did good work. Of the threejmtltst figbertsoß was easily the best. tnkLna

and kicking well. Hlckey does not appear to improve. Anderson, at full, was very safe, but McSweeney, (Who was tried during the second half, was a disappointment. Of the North forwards, Norgate and Soffe ■were perhaps tlio pick. The absence of Masters and Cain from the pack undoubtedly made a difference Spence and Klvell were prominent. J. Taylor was playing Ills usual fine ganio when an injured thumb caused lils retirement Smith, who then came on, plays with great' dash' and 1b always on the ball, but shows a tendency to hang on instead of passing. - . . Brown, at half, liad little protection from the opposing rover during the latter part of the game, and this interfered with his play somewhat. R. Oliver Impressed very favorably. He Tuns straight and passes nicely. Sykes also played well and gives great promise. Colnmn, at centre three-quarter, played solidly, both in attack and defence. Of the wings Penniall Impressed more favorably. Coutts did not Infuse any dash Into his play, possibly owing to his recent inpury. He collared too high. He was responsible for Hickey's score. Oliver gave a fair exhibition at full-back, going down well to the rushes, but he is apt to get out of position. At a meeting of the Walroa Sub-Union on Thursday-v night it was decided to refer the question of the recent Waverley v. Patea match to the New Zealand Rugby Union for a decision. The committee "was divided in the opinion as to whether a referee who had allowed a score In a match could subsequently disallow the score If lie considered it had been sained after the time when the match should have 'finished, seeing that the timekeeper who had been appointed by the referee decided that no overtime had been played.