FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1921, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

TO-DAY’S FIXTURES. "A” GRADE. , Hawera v. Patea, at Hawera; Mr. Julian. !• Stratford v. Okaiawa, at Okaiawa; Mr. McKay. : Kaponga v. Clifton, at Waitara; Mr. Roch. ’ Waimate v. Opunake, at Manaia; Mr. Guy. “B” GRADE* ; Old Boys v. Okato, at New Plymouth; Mr. J. Johnson. I Eitham v. Star, at Eitham; Mr. West. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY, MAY 14. "A” GRADE. Tukapa v. Stratford, at Stratford; Mr. Guy. Hawera v. Opunake. at Opunake; Mr. McKay. Clifton v. Waimate, at Manaia; Mr. Petty. Patea v. Okaiawa, at Patea; Mr. Roch. "B” GRADE. Old Boys v. Inglewood, at Inglewood, Mr. Julian. Okato v. Eitham, at Eitham; Mr. A. Court. REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. June 3—v. Wanganui, at Wanganui. *.Tune 30—v. Manawatu, at Stratford. July 6—v. Wellington, at Hawera. •July 28—v. Wanganui, at Stratford. August 3—v. Canterbury, at Hawera. August 6—v. South Africa, at New Plymouth. August 27—v. Otago, at New Plymouth. Sept. 17—v. Wellington, at New Plymouth. ♦ Arranged tentatively. Matches £ave yet to be arranged with Auckland at Taranaki and with Auckland, Wellington and Manawatu on the respective clubs’ grounds. There is also a probability of matches with South Auckland and Hawke’s Bay being played in Jaranaki. STRATFORD CLUB. The following will represent the Stratford third grade team in their match against Toko in Victoria Park at 3 p.m. to-day:—Grubb, Nolan, Haldane, Walsh, Davey, Collins, Malt, Wilson, Phillips, Papps, McDonald, Hinton, Smith, McSweeney, Grant. Emergency, Anderson. FOURTif-CRADE MATCH. Stratford District High School defeated Eitham by 10 points to 3 at Eitham on Thursday. For Stratford D. Allen scored two tries, one of which he converted, and the other was converted by Des Forges. Coulder scored for Eitham. Mr. H. Nuttall (Eitham) was the referee. SCHOOL FOOTBALL. At Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, yesterday afternoon, Central and West End Schools met in a friendly match. Central proving victorious by eight points to nil. Some very good combination was shown, and the prospects appear bright for some interesting primary school football during the season. OVERSEA VISITORS.

REQUEST FROM NEW SOUTH W’ALES.

At a meeting of the management committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union on Thursday night, a letter was received from the New South Wales Union, asking the New Zealand Union to reconsider its decision to l>cstpone the visit of the New South Wales team to the Dominion. Consideration of the request was deferred pending the receipt of definite advice as to the exact sailing date of the South African team, which is to tour New Zealand and New South Wales.

The chairman (Mr. Slade) was delegated to proceed to Sydney to represent the union at the conference to be held of representatives of the South African, New South Wales and New Zealand Unions, and that should no finality be reached the conference, a second conference be held in New Zealand; Mr. Slade to also act as official delegate for the purpose of welcoming the South Africans on their arrival in Sydney. The president of the New Zealand Union (Mr. J. McLeod) is also to be invited to represent tie union at the Sydney conference.

ASSOCIATION GAME. FRANCE BEATS ENGLAND. By Telegraph.—Press Assn—Copyright Received May 6_. 7.40 p.m. Paris, May 5. At Association football France (two points), beat England (one point). The match was played at Vincennes. This is the first time France has beaten England.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. NEWS AND NOTES. The opening matches of the senior competition indicated that all the teams were evenly matched, and that there would be a close struggle for ‘supremacy. This was further borne out on Saturday last, when, in the six matches played, the greatest margin was four points, whilst two of the matches resulted in a draw. Another feature was the low scoring, indicating that the defence play is sound. So far the positions of the teams in the "A” grade competition is as follows: —Clifton 4 points, Walmate 3 points, Kaponga 3 points, Stratford 2 points, Opunake 2 points, Hawera (1 match) 1 point, Tukapa 1 point, Patea nil, and Okaiawa (one match) nil.

The match between Tukapa and Waimate provided a good exhibition. The southern forwards combined well, and were always on the ball, and this, with the safe defence of their backs, nullified the advantage that the Tjikapa backs possessed. Tukapa forwards possess some fine individual players, but there was lack of counbination, time and again a player going on his own. Birchall was the pick of the Waimate forwards, though he had a tendency to play offside, due probably to the fact that owing to an injury he was playing wing forward instead of occupying his usual position in the front row. Winter Brothers and McKay shaped well. Of the Tukapa pack, Johnson, Wilson, Allen and Quickfall were the pick. McAUum put a lot of dash into his work.

Brown made his re-entry into club football, and played a fine game at half in the second spell. His dummy that led to the try was a beauty. R. Oliver and the Hooker Brothers also played well. H. Oliver was hardly up to form. Of the Waimate backs, Burke at five-eights did yeoman service for his side, being wherever he was wanted. Haynes, Bailey, McKay and Badley were also solid in defence. Patea are to be complimented on the splendid showing they made against Clifton, and, provided the team keeps together, it will have to be reckoned with before the season closes. Spratt, who was unfortunate enough to be injured in the opening match last season, played a great game, and fully deserved his score. M? Cain played his usual headj’ game for Clifton, and was responsible for both tries.

Okaiawa flut up a good showing against Opunake on the home team’s ground, and had they taken advantage of all chances ip the first spell might have won. The Okaiawa team were playing their first match, and will undoubtedly improve. Atkins and Dick Roberts are playing for Okaiawa. The latter, however, has not yet struck his best form.

Rye showed what a dangerous scoring man he Is when given an opportunity by getting over after a run from half way. Most interest will centre to-day in the meeting of Kaponga and Clifton. Both teams will have their strongest combinations, and the struggle should be worth witnessing. Clifton’s rearguard will be strengthened by the inclusion ot Kingston, ex-Auckland rep., and Hickey, ex-Taranaki rep., and in this department the river city will have the advantage. Kaponga have a great set of forwards, headed by Kis<lck (who is playing better than ever). Lyn-

skey, and Malone, but it is questionable whether they will be able to show sufficient superiority over the Clifton pack, which is also fairly strong, to compensate for their back division, which’ is said to be weak. Stratford, who were without the services of Kivell last week, should be able to defeat Okaiawa, who will be all the better for last week’s match.

Hawera and Patea should provide another good struggle, though last year’s , champions may have the advantage. They have a solid forward pack (West and Fogarty are in great ft rm), whilst their backs are good both in attack and defence. Cameron is playing as well as ever, whilst their three-quarter Due—■ Wilkinson, Robertson and Whittington—is a brilliant one. Their only weakness is at half. There is a probability that Bellis will be playing with Waimate this season. The inter-collegiate fixtures that were inaugurated last year will again be played this year pn the Saturday of Hawera Winter Show week. It will probably be made a Moascar Cup match. Indications point to Taranaki having a strong representative team this year. There will be no lack of forwards, while in the back division all last year’s young players are available, and there is a good sprinkling of new men. In view <sf the big programme to be gone through it behoves all players to get into form early, and keep In form, as there will be opportunity fcr a large number to earn rep. honors before the season closes.

L. Sole, the Waimate half, has returned to New Plymouth, and will throw In his lot with Old Boys, for whom he played prior to his removal to Waimate.

The honorary members’ tickets issued by the Taranaki Rugby Uhion this year are now available. They afford a chance for old enthusiasts to keep up their interest in the game, and as they admit the bolder and a lady to all club and rep. matches in Taranaki, they should be in demand. As a matter of fact, they were instituted at th© request of oldtime players.

t THE AMENDED RULES.

A GREAT WORK ACCOMPLISHED. PRAISE FOR MR. JAMES M’LEOD. Thus "Drop Kick” in the Evening Post: — The Council of the New Zealand Rugby Union did a great work for the Rugby game in New Zealand at the annual meeting on Thursday in clearing up the embrogllo over the variations in the rules of the game as played in Auckland province. The situation was most delicate, and anything but the most tactful handling might have resulted in the withdrawal of the Auckland delegates from the meeting and the secession of Auckland from the union, with the inevitable result of a triumph for the League game in the northern province. The greatest credit for finding a way out is due to the patience and skill of the president (Mr. J. M’Leod, of Taranaki), who has something of the qualities of a Lloyd George in an awkward predicament. He kept the meeting concentrated on the main Issue of one rule—the kick into touch—and dismissed for the time being the other variations in the rules played by Auckland—the "imaginary line” through the back of the scrum; the referee to put the ball into flhe scrum, and the no-dkarge free kick. These were points for the discretion of the referee, said Mr. M’Leod. At the finish, Mr. H. Frost (Auckland) quite franftly admitted the other alteration Auckland had made and wanted to keep. A final amendment to the president's original motion—that Auckland be permitted to play their version of linefinding “subject to the approval of the English Rugby Union,” put forward by Mr. Clem Green, of the Buller Union, late of Petone—was tactfully accepted by Mr. M’Leod in the place of his own wider concession, and this satisfied the old stalwarts, and the motion, so amended, was passed ananiniously. It was a triumph of tact, and Mr. M'Lecd deserved the many encomiums passed upon I’lm. There has been no better president of the N.Z.R.A. for many years, and this was recognised by a unanimous re-election of Mr. M’Leod for another term of office. The business on Thursday was admirably run by the president as chainman.

Auckland, then is satisfied, and honor satisfied, too, in the staunch barrackers for the old game. Quite rightly they are opposed to any severance from the English Rugby Union, but their union can be purchased at too great a one-sided sacrifice. There is not the slightest doubt, from the letters of Mr. C. Wray, that the English Rugby Union suspects us here of a leaning towards the professional game; otherwise it would not stand so pat on the old rules where any change might be towards the League code, but yet is open to make alterations in other directions. With the present president, secretary, and management committee, tlie public may rest assured that the case is In the best hands, and, if any adjustment can be made, it will be made. Big Rugby is dependent on the gate here—otherwise the patronage of the public; it is not so In England, where the gaime Is chiefly confined to public schools, colleges, and universities, and clubs largely composed of exstudents. To them the gate is nothing; they are able to keep the game going out of their own pockets, and, if the public do not like it, they can leave it. It. is this misunderstanding of the situation here—this ignorance of our conditions—that lies at the back of England's refusal to sanction changes to open up the game. • Mr. V. Meredith, ex-representatl.ve and one of Wellington’s greatest players in the palmy days of the Wellington R.F. Club’s preeminence in the club chain pion sl\ps, was the chief spokesman for Auckland, where he has been resident for the last three years. He said he went up to Auckland “to’ scoff,” so to speak, at the new Auckland rules, but h-e

“remained to pray,” if one may judge of his ardent, enthusiastic defence of the Auckland movement and Auckland’s attitude. He .is convinced that the amended rules make for a vast improvement in the game, so much so that he cannot watch an old-style game with any pleasure now. Last time ho was in Wellington he told "Drop-kick” he went up to the Park to see one of our star fixtures, and pulled out at half-time, dreadfully bored. If that Is tte case with an old Rugby enthusiast, what about the ordinary crowd? Mr. Meredith would not agree to a compromise suggested by "Drop-kick” in the “line-kicking" rule—that every ball which went out between 25 line and the gaol line should be thrown in from the point where it went out, and so also with every ball that was kicked out from any point between the 25 line and the gaol line, no matter where it went out. This would put a premium on accurate line finding near the corner flags, but would penalise any kick from the centre part of the field between the two 25's, which did not reach the last stage of the touch line. Auckland players, said Mr. Meredith, have developed great skill in landing the ball in play so that it bounces out, and this gets over the difficulty. One would like to see an example of the Auckland game played down here. Mr. Meredith prophesies a great team to represent Auckland this year. Club football is likely to bring out some “star” backs, who have been nursed through school football until they are strong enough for the gruelling game among the big seniors. Altogether, football promises to be extra good the next three or four years with visits from England and France, and in 1924 possibly an All Black trip Home to the Old Country.

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SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY TEAM. COMING CLASH WITH NEW ZEALAND. WILL BE BATTLE OF GIANTS: SPRINGBOKS EAGER BUT CONFIDENT. (By Major Leslie Cox, in The Referee) Capetown, March 14. Ere these lines appear in print, South Africa will' probably have embarked upon the biggest Rugby undertaking of all—the clash of the Springboks with the Fernlander on the grounds of Australasia. * Ever since the two great teams of history—the Ail Blacks of 'O5 and the Springboks of ’oG—toured Great Britain and piled up such prodigious scores, this struggle was inevitable. Time and again it has been suggested, but the great barrier lay in th© fact that our seasons synchronise, and that a tour means that 30 of the leading players will be absent from their homes for the whole of the season. But the military All Blacks team performed a great missionary enterprise. Rugby had slumped when the striplings went to the war; it needed a rousing tonic to re-create interest and. enthusiasm, and the All Blacks, flushed" with the triumphs achieved on the football fields of Great Britain, after the bloody fields of Flanders, provided that much-needed impetus. It was a challenge to young South Africa. It was a wonderful advertisement for tte game, and created a wave of unparalleled enthusiasm, because the AU Blacks to a man proved themselvs great players and gentlemen.

GENESIS OF THE TOUR.

There has never been so popular a team to visit this country. It was my pleasure to travel with them everywhere, and they were overwhelmed with hospitality. Their conduct on and off the field of play was irreproachable, and Ln return for all that they had done, and for the excellent fellowship which had been established, the South African Rugby Board pledged Itself to send over a team, as a slight mark of appreciation of the efforts of a great combination. The tour means that at least 30 of our best players will be away, but Australia and New Zealand have appealed for South Africa’s co-operation, in order to check the possible extension of Northern Unionism in the Commonwealth and New Zealand. Th© team will be the guests of the New Zealand RugbyUnion, which has arranged that five or six matches shall be played in Australia. The secretary of the New South Wqles Rugby Union has just written to say that the tour of the South Africans, with their open football, will mean everything to them in the fight that they are waging against the professional game, and, as a result, all the clubs report that their season's prospects are most promising. South Africa has never had to face the opposition of professional football, and never will, because the system under which, the game is controlled prevents the possibility that. AMATEUR TO THE CORE. If there is such a thing as Socialism In sport, then South Africa Rugby football is Socialism, because the most junior player in the most juvenile team has as great a claim on the governing bodies as the most famous International. South Africa is divided into a dozen districts, geographically, which control Rugby football in their clearly defined areas. Here is the system of control and administration of many of these unions, all of whom are represented on the South African Rugby Board, the last court of appeal and the controlling head. In these unions, none of the clubs possess grounds, nor does any club take a gate. I can see I.n my mind some of the Rugby legislators in the Old Country open their eyes at such a statement. But at the beginning of the season the various unions arrange fixtures, not alone for the senior teams, but for the seconds, thirds, down to the eighth or ninth fifteen—down to the under 13, in fact, the smallest of small boys. And the onus of providing the grounds and their upkeep devolves on the union.

CLUBS NOT CONCERNED IN GATES.

How is this done? By tie arrangement of a series of attractive matches, week by week, on the big grounds. The gate takings are the sinews of war for the union, and the cash is administered for the game by the clubs themselves, which, with equal representation form the union. How do clubs meet ttelr expenses? They have none. The union does not pay travelling expenses for these weekly matches, and rare, indeed, is it for a club to obtain a p-ant, except for the upkeep of the University ground, which obviously is not the property of the union. But once every two years the union has to face the expenses of sending away a representative team to the South African tournament, where some 400 players, drawn from all parts of Africa, fight out a series of matches to decide the question of supremacy. That tournafiient is the secret of the uniformity of play it. NeW Zealand football, to judge by the ing teams passes in review before' the best players in the country, and they return to their homes—sometimes 1500 miles away—and set to work to model ttelr play on that which has, been most successful. But the clubs themselves have to keep going on the.'j? members’ subscriptions; that is their sole source of revenue; the union takes all "gates" and administers the game entirely, but, it has frequently to find as many as thirty grounds on one Saturday, and this is met out of the common fund.

The system seems Utopian, but is practical, because, from the start, it was adopted by the clubs, who I- ave—possibly unthinkingly—raised up an impossible barrier against the introduction of professionalism, because there are no grounds, and there is no temptation on account of clubs receiving big "gates.” Here each club naturally watches the administration of the funds very closely; each is a check on the other, as it were. So far, the system is so eminently practical and satisfactory that there has never been a suggestion of professlbnal football, either in Rugby or Association, for the dribbling code, though slower to move, has now adopted this system in its entirety in many centres, and so, for aye, have shut out the possibility of professionalism.

PROFESSIONALISM. NOT DESIRED.

We do not take any exception to the professional, mind that, but it is maintained that in this country there is no room for the nonproducer. It is a country of a very small copulation—the wonder is that our players have done so well, as there is all told not a million and a half of whites south of the line. We have a country which cries aloud for labor, and every man must be a worker. There is no room for the drone in Africa, and there is no room for th© professional player, except as a coach, for the improvement of the physique of our lads. We have been invaded by a professional contingent which fought for two years, and tried to establish professionalism in athletics and cycling, did establist it, in - fact, but so strong was the feeling against this, for the reasons that I have specified, that laws were actually introduced which most effectively put a' period to the operations of those who would have diverted our youths from the.'.r proper sphere. We believe in sport for sport's sake, and the motto is general in all sports.

PROSPECTS IN NEW ZEALAND.

With reference to this New Zealand tour, ti e probability is that the development of the great dual and a triangular contest, in fact, with Australia in, will be almost as closely followed in England as in this country. Nearly ten pregnant years have passed since the Springboks were seen as a team, on fields, whilst the "All Blacks" have not, toured England for 16 years. Much has happened since those days. England has recovered its old time prestige, and the old Rugby code is more popular now than at any other period of its history. That Is as it should be; it is a great game, and we owe everything to Great Britain, whose sons taught us how to play it. New Zealand football, to judge by military term, is just as strong, but perhaps not so individually brilliant, as in 1905. We gauged the strength of New Zealand at Home by its military side, and recognise that it will be very hard to beat the Fernlanders’ representative teams. A few fairly representative teams out here put paid to the military

All Blacks’ account, but we made no false deductions on that account.

YOUNG SPRINGBOKS ABROAD.

Just at present South Africa is experiencing a lean time. Some of our very best players, whose presence would strengthen the team, are engaged on their studies in England. It is a fact that Britain has profited by some of our most finished players who performed brilliantly against the All Blacks. Van Schalkwyk, the Guy’s half; Neser, of Oxford; Van der Belt, the Dark Blue, and a rare string of forwards, to say nothing ot Krige, Steyn, Schmidt, Bekker and the like. Africa just now would like to choose eight or nine, or at least to have a dozen of these players at the trials which precede the tour in April. All of them, public school men, were finished players and known as such ere they left us. As to their qualifications, and the stir that has been raised. South Africa had its rule 20 years ago, and decided once and for all, that no man should wear the Green and Gold unless he was South African born, or had five years’ residential qualification. That was wby Brookes, with 4% years’ residence, was not included in our 'O6 team, but he went to England on his own and England played him against us. I do not hesitate to say that if F. Mellish and Duncan will go, that South -rffTica will include them, just as we Included in our International team other South Africans who had been granted English caps, players like the late Major Reg. Hands, F. G. V. Hopley, N. F. Howe Browne, etc. We have always insisted on five years’ residence, falling birth, but none of the other countries has worried about it till this season, and only then because there were so many brilliant South African and Colonial players on the other side, that to continue as in the past would have been to perpetrate an absurdity.

PROSPECTIVE PLAYERS.

But here is a summary of the chances of the side that, we shal begin to build up next month. At full-back, Gerard Morkel—Britain has rarely seen a better—is as good today as ever, and we have good backs in fair number. We have superb wings, if the two Van Heerdens can get away, but at centre we are weak, and that is where South Africa Is likely to be let down, although M. Krige—another of that great football family—Strasheim, his partner at the University, Clarkson, and Cerfontein or Meyer may prove better than we expect. Again, at half South Africa will be very sound; Michiu, Myburgh, De Kock—all of Stellenbosch—and Townsend, of the South African military teairn, will probably go, and a better four could not be desired.

As to forwards, remarkable though Lt seams to be, we do not shirk the issue with the All Blacks’ wonderful forwards, if the right men are chosen. Britain remembers South Africa’s magnificent forwards of 1912; the veldt breeds big and speedy men, and though they lack cleverness, the African octette has never yet had to admit that it has been outmanoeuvred by the New Zealand seven.