SENIOR FIXTURES (GROUP 2).

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1921, Page 3

SENIOR FIXTURES (GROUP 2).

First Round. May 28.—Toko line v. Eltham (Stratford); Stratford v. Inglewood (Inglewood). June 4.—lnglewood v. Eltham (Eltham) ; Stratford v. Toko line (Stratford). June 11.—Eltham v. Stratford (Eltham); Inglewood v. Toko line (Inglewood). Second Round. June 25.—T0k0 line v. Eltham (Eltham); Stratford v. Inglewood (Stratford). July 2.—lnglewood v. Eltham (Inglewood); Stratford v. Toko line (Stratford). July 9,—Eltham v. Stratford (Eltham); Inglewood v. Toko line (Inglewood).

LAST SATURDAY’S GAMES.

NOTES ON THE PLAY.

Clifton, by defeating Kaponga on Saturday, maintain their place at the head of the list. The game was a very interesting one, and was keenly fought out to the end. Play was mostly confined to the forwards, and here the southerners held tte advantage, though the Clifton pack stood up to them well. Clifton had their strongest rear division, which included Boss and Kingston (Auckland reps ), Colman, Hickey and George (Taranaki reps). Seeing that Clifton were obtaining the ball from the scrum one could have expected great things in attack from the first-named quartette, but their display was disappointing. Ross tried to set his backs unoving, but only on one or two occasions did the machinery act.

Hickey again demonstrated that he is lost anywhere but at wing three-quarter. He is brilliant there, but he is not a five-eighths. Clifton’s attack improved immeasurably when Kingston came up to first five-eighths. The ex-Aucklander played a very heady game, and with Ross, is a tower of strength to the Clifton team. In the forwards Campbell and Young played well. The former is very clever, and was responsible for one of Clifton's scores.

Kaponga backs, though not brilliant, were very solid in defence, and at times handled the ball well. They compared very favorably with: their more formidable opponents. Lynskey, at five-eighths, is showing improved form, and runs hard and straight. His brother, at full-back, was very solid, taking and kicking well. Of a good set of forwards HCissick and Thoumine were the pick. Malone also did a lot of sterling work at wing-for-ward, always being on the ball. Stratford, who were without the services of Masters and Kivell, were soundly beaten by Okaiawa. The game is said to have been very strenuous. The Okaiawa forwards played a hard game, with the result that there were numerous "casualties,” no less than eleven Stratford players being temporarily placed out of action. There was very little science shown, the play not being of the variety that would appeal to the public. Johnson, the young Okaiawa three-quarter, greatly impressed the spectators. Patea took a weak team to Hawera and suffered accordingly, last year’s champions putting up a good score. The Hawera fifteen is a well-balanced combination. Their pack is solid, and their backs are good, both in attack and defence. Cameron and Osborne, the latter an ex-High School boy, will stop anything, but on attack both are inclined to go too far—a big mistake when they have a scoring three-quarter line like Wilkinson, Robertson and Whittington. Fogarty and West are said to be playing at the top of their form. Spratt again played a great game for Patea, who were without the services of McKenna, Tangipou and Crompton. Opunake, who are on the light side, went down to Waimate. They made the mistake of playing Waimate’s game, keeping the ball to their forwards, instead of setting their backs moving. Moreover, playing against the Hui ia th© first *jwll after twa

was a mistake. In this spell Waimate put up all their score. The B grade competition also promises to be very interesting, though Old Boys, on paper, appear to have the better team. Tte Tariki Club has met with considerable misfortune this season, and as thdir supply of players is limited, it is doubtful if they will be able to carry on. Of the five brothers Meuli who have donned the „ jersey for the club this season, three have met with injuries. C. Meuli, in the Midhirst-Tarlki match on Saturday, sustained a fracture of the right leg just above the ankle. Mr. Jas. McLeod, president of the New Zealand Rugby Union, who was »sked by the union to represent New Zealand at the conference in Sydney between delegates from New Zealand, New South Wales, and South Africa, to discuss the question of the amended rules, owing to business reasons will probably be unable to make the trip. This is to be regretted, as no one was more familiar with the subject that Mr. McLeod, whose advice would have been invaluable.

Congratulations to Mr. D. J. Malone on his re-election as a North Island selector. It is now up to players to get into form, and keep there if they wish to attain New Zealand representative honors, as the North Island team is a. stepping stone to the New Zealand team.

NEWS ANO NOTES.

Owing to the withdrawal of Rahotu from the senior competition, there will he no senior match in New Plymouth this week. Chief interest to-day will centre in the meeting of Clifton and Waimate, neither of whom have been defeated, though the latter are a point behind owing to a draw with Tukapa. The Tukapa— Stratford match, at Stratford, is also creating great interest.

Eltham residents are keen on having a representative match this season, and the Progress League is interesting itself in the matter. There has been a distinct revival of football in the Eltham district, and there is no question that a representative match would give the game a further impetus. It is probable that the Union, will endeavor to arrange a match there.

Canterbury has agreed to play Taranaki on August 3, at Hawera, instead of August 4, as they originally suggested.

T. Buchanan, a member of the T.R.U. management committee for many years, is now in Auckland, and still takes as keen an interest in the game as he did in Waitara. He is holding down the position of official Press representative as a member of the Auckland Rugby Union, and is a good man for the position. In a letter to the writer, he says that the game is on the boom in the northern city, despite the opposition of the Northern League, and twenty-three playing grounds have to be provided each Saturday, and six ' warehouse teams have yet to come in. In addition 9098 primary and secondary school boys play the game each Saturday, so the position takes some handling. That the Northern League opposition is no bogey, he points out by stating that the attendance at their opening •matches on a sixpenny gate was between 3000 and 4000, whereas the League on a one shilling gate had between 6900 and 7000.

SCHOOL FOo/bALL.

The inter-schools football competition will commence on Saturday, 21st inst., and tte organisers of the various junior groups are reminded that matters will be facilitated if they will kindly forward their fixtures to the secretary (Mr. A. T Honore), so that they may be advertised simultaneously.

A mistake seems to have been circulated as t«. the rules relating to the competition for the McLeod Shield for 1921. The shield will not be competed for by representative teams chosen from the respective groups. The winning team in each group .will be eligible for the shield.

Briefly the organisation of the junior competitions is as follows: —The schools within each group play off amongst themselves one round only. The winning team of one group is then matched against the winning team of the next group, and the competition continues until a final results, the shield going to the winner. Unfortunately a delay was caused, early in the season, the result being that the commencement of the competitions has been held back. It is to be hoped -that things will move with a swing from the 21st inst.,, and that all concerned will give the competing schools their whole-hearted support.

A UNIQUE SCHOOL FUNCTION.

The Kapuni residents are looking forward to a function that will be unique in the history of the district. In the inter-schools fesAall competition for 1920 the championship laurels fell to the Kapuni team, and preparations are being made for a fitting celebration of the event. Mr. J. McLeod (the President of the New Zealand Rugby Union) has donated a shield to be competed for annually, and has kindly consented to make the presentation in person at an' early date. The function will take plactT at the school, where a large gathering is expected, including the headmasters of the schools within the Kaponga competitive group. Representative boys from last year’s team will also be present, and will take part in a general match in the afternoon. If weather conditions are favorable a most enjoyable time may be anticipated, ac no pains are being spared to welcome the guests. Mr. McLeod will be entertained in the evening at a banquet given by the adult representatives of the district.