FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 April 1921, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

OPENING OF THE SEASON. MATCHES IN TARANAKI. TO-DAY’S FIXTURES. . The opening of the rugby season In Taranaki to-day will see a large number of teams in action and will also be noteworthy for the fact that it marks the coming into general vogue of Saturday play. There are six senior matches in the province and numerous contests m the other grades, the fixtures being: SENIOR FIXTURES. THIS WEEK. A Grade. . Stratford v. Ha Avera, at Stratford, W. Hoch. Patea v. Waimate, at Manaia, A. F. Neilson. Clifton v. Opunake, at Waitara, O. West. Tukapa v. Kaponga, at New Plymouth, J. S. McKay. B Grade. /' Old Boys v. Eltham, at Eltham, A. H. Guy. Star v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, F. Julian. Rahotu v. Okato, at Okato, R. C. Larsen. NEXT WEEK. A Grade. Okaiawa v. Opunake, at Opunake, J. Johnson. Stratford v. Kaponga, at Kaponga, F. Julian. Patea v. Clifton, at Patea, E. Burke. Tukapa v. Waimate, at New Plymouth, A. F. Neilson. B Grade. Eltham v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, W. Rock. Star v. Okato, at Okato, 0. West. Rahotu v. Old Boys, at New Plymouth, B. Petty. SCHOOLS COMPETITION. At Western Park yesterday West End and the New Plymouth High School preparatory department met, and an interesting game resulted-’in a draw, each dide scoring 8 paints. Mr. C. Hoskin jefereed. .i.

SELECTION OF TEAMS.

The following teams will represent Tukapa to-day:— Seniors' ' v. Kaponga, Recreation Grounds, at "3 p.m.: J. Priar, R. Hooker, S. Quickfall, H. Oliver, R. Oliver, G. Ennis. P. Atkinson, N. Davis, T. Crone, N. Mclntyre, F.- Wilson, P. Allen, D. McAHum, R. Quickfall, J. Johnston.

First Jtmions y. Clifton, Western Park, at 3 p.m.: L. Andrews, V. Andrews, McManus, Maleolmson, G. Boswell, L. Bishop, R. Pascoe, F. Lepine, B. Lind, E. Bedford, Hatley, C. Davis, R. Morrison R. McLean, H. Todd.

Teams selected by the Star Club are: B Grade Senior v. Inglewood, at Inglewood.—Bridger, Tuki, Broughton, Falwasser, ’ Deane, Tunbridge, Cleaver, Ardern, Pollock, Bowler, Mills, Koea, Fenton, Meti Kingi, Richards. Emergencies: Backs Jones, forwards Uncles, Way. Motor leaves Bank of New Zealand corner at 1.30 p.m. Second Grade v. Old Boys, 1 p.m.— J. Clarke, A. Smith, Sims, Carey, Patterson, Julian, Therkleson, Hurley, James, Thomas, Mills, C. Clarke, Hopkins. Buttimore, E. Hoffmann Emergencies: Blanchard, Betts, Scrimgeour. Third Grade v. High School. 3 p.m.— G. Gibson, McMurkan, Butler, Dentford. R. Hoskin, Jackson, C. Hoskin, Kendall, R. Spence, Thomas, L. Crozier, G. Hoskin, McKenzie, Hill, Bishop. Emergencies: Bartley, McClaren, Lethbridge. Fourth Grade v. Tukapa, 1.30 p.m.— G. Morris, Maxwell, C. Russell, O’Callaghan. Boswell, Loveridge, Smith, Kinlock, R. Berge, Loveridge Nodder, Gillespie, Ellis, Hoffmann, Freethy. Emergencies, Loveridge, Styles, Davies.

NEWS AND NOTES

PROSPECTS FOR TO-DAY’S GAMES. Of to-day’s matches most interest will be taken in the meeting of Hawera (last year’s champions) and Stratford. This struggle will take place at the show grounds, Stratford, and should be reminiscent of the last occasion when they met in the play-off for the provincial championship two years ago. On this occasion Hawera gained the verdict, but one would not like to forecast the result to-day, beyond saying that Stratford, whose backs are immeasurably superior this year, will fully extend the wearers of the amber and black, whose forwards, led by the redoubtable West and Fogarty, will require to be all out to stave off defeat. The match between Kaponga and Tukapa should draw a big crowd, as it is the first time the southerners have been seen in action in New Plymouth. They are said to be a formidable proposition forward and are in great form, having had numerous games already, which should have done much to perfect their combination. Everyone will be pleased to see J. Kissick in action again, and it is hoped that this fine forward will remain fit so as to be able to renew acquaintance with the South Africans. Tukapa, however, can be relied on to give a good account of themselves. Their backs impressed very favorably on Saturday against Clifton, and some of the forwards also pleased greatly. It is said that their pack to-day is a greatly improved one, averaging over 12 stone, and fast and keen, and if this is so Kaponga will not have a walk over. In fact before the season is over the writer expects the town team to have more wins than losses. Clifton on paper should have an easy win over Opunake, but the boys from the coast never know when they are beaten, and the strongest team is never too safe against them. Clifton lack concerted practice, only about seven of the senior fifteen taking part in last Saturday’s match. Ross, ex-Auckland-er, showed himself a great general one never knowing what he was going to do next, and there in will lay a good deal of Clifton’s success, providing the bacxs can be got to combine with him. M. I Cain will again he in the front row, and with Campbell (Auckland) as.hie colleague, Rose should receive his full share J of the ball. , . Waimate is said to be very weak this

year, and as Patea, which makes its reentry into Taranaki football, is said to have a strong combination, including Hickey, McKenna, Spratt, Hoots, Crompton, ex-Taranaki reps, the Plainsmen will be hard put to it to stave off defeat.

Old Boys have a strong back division, including SykeSj but their forwards are not too strong. Eggleton, who has gone to Dunedin for an operation to his ear, injured through football, will be sadly missed. He is hopeful of playing in the second round.

Prospects for the seasop in Eltham are brighter than has been the case for some years past. The senior fifteen is composed mainly of young players, who are very keen and are determined that the team will be in the A Grade next year. The forwards will be led by Rowlands Bros., whilst the backs will include Greig, last year’s Hawera half, and McSweeney, Opunake full back, as well as McCracken and other promising backs.

Rahotu is unable to place a senior fifteen in the field and the probability is that an amalgamation will be effected with Okato. A good deal of misconception appears to exist in certain, quarters regarding the division of the clubs as far as the seniors are concerned into A and B grades, many holding that a player in the B grade will be considered as a junior and will not be given an opportunity of earning representative honors. This is not so. The teams have been cldsisfied merely for the purpose of making the competitions as interesting as possible, by giving each team a winning chance. Moreover, the winning team in the B grade automatically goes into the A grade next year, changing places with the lowest team in the A grade. Players in each of the fifteen teams competing are equally graded seniors, and all will have equal opportunity of coming under the selector’s eye when the personnel of the rep team is being considered. In this connection players should remember that Mr. D. J. Malone has been appointed sole selector and will be on the look out for prospective representatives right from the opening of the season. It therefore behoves all to get into form, as there will be a big programme this year, commencing with the customary match at Wanganui on June 3, and including the match against the South Arricans, which is fixed for August 6 at New Plymouth. A pleasing feature this year is the keenness evinced by players. Club secretaries report that on several occasions players have come forward looking for games, a contrast to the experience of the past few years, when club officials had to hunt round for men to fill up their teams.

RULES OF RUGBY.

POSITION OF AUCKLAND. AN OUTLINE BY MR. McLEOD. Mr. J. McLeqd, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Union, has issued a letter, dealing with the alteration of rules, to the various provincial unions preparatory to the annual meeting of the central body. He points out that, following the Sydney conference in 1918, application was made to the English Rugby Union for a number of alterations to the playing rules. After conculting South Africa, the English union approved some, added several new ones and rejected others, including the penalising of indiscriminate kicking into touch, which was the vital one of all the alterations suggested. At a subsequent meeting of the chairmen of the New Zealand unions it was resolved that the chairmen should use their influence to have this rule adopted for play in New Zealand in the 1921 season, that, if it was adopted, the English Rugby Union be informed and at the same time assured of the loyalty of New Zealand regarding the laws of professionalism and also of the willingness of New Zealand and Australia to play international matches according to the English code. However, the unions did not con- ; aider adopting the rule for this season, owing to a belief that the South African visit might be jeopardised. HOPE TO CONVINCE E.R.U. The letter then continues:—“Notwithstanding that the decisions of the meeting of chairmen were unanimously carried, and that this rule is really the vital one, I feel it would be unwise to include it in our playing laws this season without anothei effort being made

to induce the E.R.U. to judge the proposal from our view point. After all the E.R.U. has only on one occasion had the opportunity of fully considering the suggested change in the game, and when one considers that it took the supporters of the proposal at least four years to win unanimity in New Zealand itself, it should occasion no surprise that the E.R.U., supported by Africa, did not at once agree with us. So far as one can judge from the reports that have reached us of the discussion at the E.R.U. meeting on this question of penalising the indiscriminate kick-into-touch, the arguments used against the innovation were practically the same as were urged at the outset by its opponents in our own country. It was urged that the adoption of the rule would make the game too fast to be played by strict amateurs who donned the jersey once a week as a pastime; also it was urged that this might mean the first step towards professionalism. These theories were until quite recently advanced by many in New Zealand, equally as they have recently been advanced in England. We know, however, from the experience of hundreds of games in Auckland province, where this style of play is in vogue, that the game is not particularly speeded-up, but much of the monotonous tedium of indiscriminate line-kicking has been eliminated. While it must be admitted that the dullness of the game at times is entirely due to the players themselves and not at all to the rules, it is also true that penalising under certain conditions of touchline kicking has had the exect of obliging the careless player to use a little more initiative, has prevented him from too often following the line of least resistance, and further has tended to bring back in ordinary club football more team work as compared with individual effort than has been in evidence for some years. To this extent the tactics of the game in the north have undergone a change, which, while rot in any way revolutionary, have tended to compulsorily brighten it up. It has not been evidenced that players in Auckland indulge in any more’ training to fit themselves to play the game under the new rule than do players in other parts of NewZealand where the E.R.U. rules are strictly interpreted. AUCKLAND FIGHTING LEAGUE. “It is a fact, regarding which both Mr. Slade and myseli have convinced

ourselves, that throughout Auckland ■ the style of play induced by the penalising of line-kicking has taken complete hold of both the players and the supporting public, and it is quite impossible to get any club to play under the strict E.R.U. code in so far as- this rule ■ is concerned. “Now it is with regard to the concluding sentence of the preceding paragraph that I set out particularly to deal. What attitude should the unions of New Zea- ; land adopt regarding Auckland? The position is a critical one, and must be | handled with the greatest tact, keeping I in mind the predominant interests of ; New Zealand amateur rugby, and also ( its internationalism. < “We need to realise at the outset t that the Auckland Rugby Union is real- t ly fighting hard against the encroach- j ment of the Northern Union game, and i that the fight is one for strictly ama- I teur football. Only in Auckland has the Northern Union game made any i headway of consequence (it really made j its big strides during the war period), ' and that the amateur game of Rugby I has more than held its own against the ‘ strong competition of Northern Union- 1 ism, is entirely due to the true amateur Rugby spirit of the Auckland Rugby Union and its thousands of players. ■ It i is only right that those responsible for ‘ the government of the game in New’ Zealand should in fairness to Auckland realise and acknowledge that this is so. At the same time I confess that I cannot see any constitutional way in which the difficulty may be overcome, short of altering our own constitution, and that has not been seriously suggested. We could order Auckland to confine their play strictly to the - official laws of the game, and in the event of a refusal or non-compliance, Auckland could be suspended. I am convinced that the clubs throughout Auckland would cheerfully accept suspension rather than give up their style of play, and would continue to play amateur Rugby. But what would Rugby Union football in New Zealand gain hy such action? In the first place we would be playing right into the hands of those governing Northern Union football in New Zealand, and it could only be expected that every advantage would be taken by them of the opportunity afforded them. None of us wants this to happen. A WAY OUT SUGGESTED. “The alternative is for the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union to agree in view of the very special conditions existing in Auckland, to give the Auckland Rugby Union permission to play the amended kiek-into-touch rule, at least until such time as the whole of the circumstances have been again considered by the English Rugby Union. Auckland would continue as at present to play the other unions in New in inter-provin-cial football according to the. E.R.U. bylaws, the new rule being applied only to club and sub-union games within the Auckland union or provincial boundaries. This appears to me to be the only solution that will prevent disrupting aad it i« also the only, honest way.

“It has been stated by prominent Rugbyites in England that there will be danger, as .was exemplified in America years ago, that further isolated tinkering with the rules may lead to practically a new game being evolved. We know there is no such danger from New Zealand. Having convinced ourselves that this new rule, after exhaustive trial, is in the best interests of the game, and that it floes not lead to any single one of the abuses that its opponents prognosticated, it is our duty to again impress on the E.R.U. our conviction. We do not dispute that a universal code is- very much to be desired. “Advantage will no doubt be taken of the presence of the South African team in New Zealand this season to afford. our visitors the opportunity of witnessing exhibition games,. probably between college teams, of the amended rule in operation, with a view to proving to them its intrinsic worth, and also that nothing is to be feared from its introduction universally.

“If, however, it is not ultimately possible to attain Unanimity throughout the Rugby world regarding the rule, then we should ask the E.R.U. to grant Australasia permission to play it, on the understanding that E.R.U. rules shall be played in international games whenever New South Wales or New Zealand is playing against countries that have not adopted the rule. I have no doubt our case can be presented to the E.R.U. in such a way as will convince the parent body that nothing is further from the mind of New Zealand than the severance of relations; that the new rule is u distinct improvement to the game, but that even if it cannot be conceded it may still be played in New Zealand and Australia without in any way interfering with the principles, of Rugby or seriously altering the tactics of thfe game, and that New Zealand and Australia can at any time drop this style of play when meeting teams from other unions that have not adopted it.”

The conclusion of the letter sums up what is wanted briefly as follows: Permission from the N.Z.R.U. to Auckland to continue playing this new rule, it being the weapon Auckland has designed to fight the professional or League game; that. England be asked to sanction New Zealand giving Auckland this permission; and that further efforts be made to induce the E.R.U. to adopt this rule, which the New Zealand Rugby Union considers to be in the best interests of the game.