FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, 25 June 1921, Page 3

FOOTBALL

.'ARANAKI COMPETITION ’ HXTCBES FOB TO-DAY. Following are the senior fixtures for tog's competition matches:— A GRADE. Stratford v. Hawera, at Hawera. Palea v. Waknate, at Pa tea. Clifton v. Opunake, at Opunake. Tukapa, at Kaponfa, at Kapcnga. B GRADE. Old Roys t. Star, at New Plymouth Oka to v. Inglewood, at Inglewood. POSITION OF THE TEAMS. A GRADE.

STRATFORO v. HAWERA. The .'ollcwing players have been selected to represent the Stratford seniors in their maU-h afatnat Hawera seniors at Hawera today : Collins, Penniall. McKenzie, Wilson, Gray, Lamplouch, Befg, Gray, Taylor, Carlson. Mas’iers, Kireil, McCullough, Coulton, Hamp- *» TO-DAY’S GAMES. To-day will see the start of the second round In the A grade. Clifton came through the first round with a two points »c«»d of Hawera, who are a point ahead of Stratford. (Some exciting contents should be witnessed before fin a lily is reached, as the first round showed there la little to spare between most of the teams. Clifton meet Opuhake at Opunake, and as the fohnfr are an Improved team, r.nd the lattot hare lost several men through accidents, the ilsue should not foe in doubt. Main interest will attach to the meeting of Stratford and lilwera, at Hawera. these teams having played a draw at Stratford last round. Tukapa elect Kapongi and Kwponga. and If they repeat last Saturday's game, will make the southerners move. Waimate and Patea meet at Fate*. The last games of the second round in the R competition also take place. Star meet Old Boys at New Plymouth, and Okato meet Inglewood kl Inglewobd. Both games should be interesting, as on their result will depend whether Star or Inglewood will be In R the lead. Should both be defeated it will even ’£• ao repetition up. LAST SATURDAY’S GAMES. Football will "come back*" as the most popular game in the Dominion if the open play that characterised most of the senior games la 'Taranaki last Saturday Is continued. The game for some time past has -been deadly dull, due to the incessant line work and the confined forward play. This was all changed last Saturday, and for bringing it about, those responsible are indebted to the thanks of followers of the game May they keep the game open and the players tooting is the general wish. Tukapa effected a Surprise by defeating so convincingly such a doughty team as the OkstawaS. Ten pointa is a good score to rattle up against what is generally recognised as one of the best fifteens In Taranaki. Tukapa opened up the game from the beginhing. this style of play suiting a llsrPt and fast team as they are. It/ was a treat to Witness their following up and deadly tackling. Seldom did th Sy miss Qjeir man, *na leldom did they go for him other than at h’s tegs—the only safe Way of collaring. The trlehy Robert Bros, and the resourceful halfback Atkin had few chances to stow their ability and versatility because of this tackdng, Mtwifbstanding they almost always got the ball In the scrum.

Okalswa have generally been able to put (ood forwards in the field, and the set that are now upholding the Hub's colors are no txception. But in the open they were not equal to the nippier Tukapas. and towards the Iniah showed Signs of tirfo-r somewhat. The >ksfsWa plan of game was plainly to make it forward, the opposite to Tnkapas. The visitreg captain committed the vita! mistake of adhering to these tactics when the tide had tel in against his team and the Tukapas had proved superior to the tactics employed. T'me and time again Atkin, getting the ball, instead of sending it out. rushed in amongst his forwards who were breaking up, or endeavored

lo gf*t through on the "blind” side, inevitably to bs amo’hired. With a set of backs tike OkalAWa’s. the game manifestly was to ?2«l them from the scrum. Had this been gone the frame would undoubtedly have had a different testtit, not that Tukapa would have been defeated—they Were playing too surely ind confidently for that—but there would gave been less difference in the scores. TdkapS'S supporters H ere naturally elated it Obtaining such a handsome victory, and if the team will only keep up their form, train reguiatiy .-.nd not spasmodically, and pursue theft kA me tactics of marking their man and taekilhg them, and being hard on the ball all the time, then Tukapa is capable of beatteg anything else tn the competition, given jf course fine weather and a fast ground, {tough Pukekura Park was not very fast on Saturday. Here's to you, Tukapa! You played a Splendid game and deserved your Tin I CllAon kept up their unbeaten career with Stratford, who fully extended the champions. Xlngaion again showed uhat a great fulljack he is, saving bift side again and again, forwards proved too good in the rerun work, but Stratford were superior in he loose. Masters, Kireil, Coultnn and laxnpeon being always prominent. Stratford tacks were weaker ih fielding the ball, but tandled It better in passing rushes than their tpponents. Gray and Wilson were perhaps be pick. Goodwin again showed what a hard nan he is to stop by putting !n some exhilarating ‘runs that roused enthusiasm. Ross ilso played a fine and plucky game, going on .gain after he had injured his finger. Camp>d!l. Young, Taylor and Soffe were the pick •f the Cl’fton pack.

KzDocga had no difficulty in defeating Opulake, who, however, have been dogged by td luck, and again lost one of their best >la}ers. \ The R grade matches again proved very lose Inglewood showed there was no fluke ibout their first victory over Old Boys by Igain defeating the town teaan on Its home {round by 6 points to three, Coutts klcsmg ;wo goals for the Inland team. Okato and Elthaia played a draw at Rahotu. GENERAL NOTES. N. Kireil, an ex-Stratford boy, who left ihe inishd town some two years ago for Hawke's Bay, and represented that province frith diatlnctlnn agalhst Taranaki last year, F captaining the sheep province's team this tear. King, the el-Taranaki forward, who ha? Men In.the South Island, paid a visit to T.tralaki thia week print to leaving for Australia.

As usual, great interest was taken in the annual matches between Te Aute v. WahganiU Colleges played ar. Palmerston North. The, matches were played in rain, and the grot nd. I g particularly hi the senior game, was rerj greasy. Despite this the senior match was. fast and open, and there was some fin? bad ’ plry witnessed. Te Aute forwards were toheavy, and followed up fast, and to this an their deadly tackling they owe their victory Their backs' too, also excelled at handling the greasy ball. Te Aute won comfortably by 23 points to six. a feature being the goal kicking of Rangi Akura, who converted four tries. Wanganui juniors wun by 11 points to , Prior to this match the seniors had met on 23 occasions, and a coincidence was that each teacn had won 11 games and lost eleven, whilst the other was drawn. Each team also h?d ’cored 213 p. nts. Congratulations to Kingston, West, Klssick and Masters on being selected to represent the North Island. Kingston should have no difficulty in gaining his Ndw Zealand cap. West and Kissick should also be included In th-- New Zealand team. Masters, if given a ! gamp for the North Island, will also be hard to keep out, as he has never played better than at present. SOUTH AFRICAN VISIT. Once again the itinerary of the South African team has been altered. Owing to the ter.-n arriving in New Zealand a week earlier than was anticipated, the bulk of the matches have now been shifted forward a week, and the Taranaki match will be played at New Plymouth on July IG, instead of July 23. This will ghe little enough time for the Taranaki team to got ready, and it therefore behoves all players to get into active training at once. The proposal to play a match against Wanganui on ’uly 14 will now have to be abandoned, and as a result the team will only have the match against South Auckland In which to obtain that combination that must be acquired if the province is to have any chance of extending the Springboks. Forward Taranaki can be felled on to maintain the traditions of the province, but the backs have so far had no opportunity of showing their attacking abilities, owing to the style of play that has been practised by clubs, in order to give the team a chance of obtaining combination, it might be advisable for Mr. Malon- ;o select two fifteens, possibles ' v. probables, v.ho could pl«> a match as a curtain reiser to the collegiate match at Har.era o July 9. The team to do battle with South Africa could then be finally' selected, taken 10 New Plymouth for a week’s training, -nd possibly during the week c.uld be given a practice match against a fifteen from New Plymouth and surrounding districts. PRIMARY SCHOOL FOOTBALL POSITION OF SENIOR TEAMS.

GROUP I. SENIOR FIXTURES. Second Round. July 2.—Central v. West End, Pukekura Park; Waitara v. Fitzroy. Waitara; High School Preparatory, a bye. July 16.—Central v. Fitzroy, Pukekura Park;, v. High School, New Plymouth; West End, a bye. July 30 —Central v. Waitara, New Plymouth; West End r. High School, Western Park; Fitzroy, a bye. August 13.—Central v. High School, Racecourse: West End r. Fitzroy, Pukekura Park; Waitara, a bye. August 27—West End v. Waitara, Waitara; Fitzroy r. High School, Racecourse; Central, a bye.

THE LEAGUE GAME. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, June 24. The following combined New Zealand and Queensland team will meet New South Wales cn Monday in a Rugby League match: Fenwin, Davidson (New Zealand), Brown, Woolley (New Zealand), Broadfoot, Laing (New Zealand), Lonagan, Richards, Bennett, Potter, Q’DonnelL Tancred, Avery, Somers. The last three are New Zealanders. NEW ZEALANDERS DEFEATED. • Brisbane, June 21. Toowoomba district beat the New Zealand League team by 30 to 18.

t z 8 J J 2 1 e 5 6 ?l if toh 8 6 2 — 48 31 14 laweta 8 5 2 1 77 31 12 lUatford 8 5 2 1 61 39 11 Ikiilwa 8 4 1 3 38 31 9 Upwca 3 74 35 9 4'ainute 8 2 2 4 42 60 6 hsitlpa 8 2 9 4 42 44 6 *atea 8 1 1 6 42 66 3 Jpun-ke 8 1 — 7 35 97 2 B GRADE. Itar o 1 38 29 10 lisle wood 7 o 1 28 1G 10 did Boys 7 3 1 3 59 39 8 Eltham 8 2 4 23 40 6 Oka to 1 1 5 21 51 3

T3 — ® * c ~ f ~ E £ ij ft U High School (Prep.) 4 4 —► — 8 West End 4 3 1 — c Central 4 2 2 4 Waltara 4 — 3 11 FUzroy 4 —, 3 1 1 —