FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1921, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

CH UR A v. TARANAKI B. . TO-DAY’S MATCH AT ELTHAM. Considerable interest is being taken in the match which is to be played at Eltham to day between the Ohura representatives and the Taranaki B team. The Ohura team is mainly composed of young players, who have already indulged in a couple of practices this week, and expect to give a good account of themselves. The Taranaki B team also contains a nuuttber of players who have on occasions represented Taranaki, and aro still well in the running for representative honors, whilst tho balance is made up of men who are being given an opportunity of showing their worth, and they will probably all represent their province before the season's engage-ments are finished. The train leaving New Plymouth at 11.50 a.m. should arrive in Eltham in time for the match. Mr. F. Julian will referee. OKAIAWA (16) v. OHURA (0). The Ohura “reps” played the first game of their series of matches on Tuesday, when they met Okaiawa at Okaiawa. The visitors bad a number of good individual club players, but, being mostly young fellows without much experience, and never having before played together as a rep.- team, they lacked combination, and their opponents were able to hold them very comfortably. Playing with the wind in the first spell they succeeded In keeping play very even for quite a while. From a mark Laurent piloted the’ball over tie ' bar and drew first blood for Okaiawa, the first spell ending: Okaiawa 3, Ohura 0. Upon changing around in tho second spell Okaiawa kept the visitors penned down in i their own territory practically the whole! time. Soon after play commenced F. Atkins J nipped over and tho major points were add-1 ed. Okaiawa 8, Ohura 0, The visitors then I made some good attacks, but threw away a I couple of chances of Henderson, • following up a high kick down field, smoth- ’. ered Roberts, who took things too leisurely,? and got over. Laurent succeeded in placing: the ball over the bar. Okaiawa 13, Ohura 0. i A minute or so before time Roberts scoredanother try, but the shot at goal was un-! successful, and tho game ended: Okaiawa 16/ Ohura 0. Roberts, the Taranaki rep., who was play*• ing for Ohura, did not appear to take tho ■ game seriously; be appeared, rather, to toe endeavoring to gauge tho strength of his warn without bls assistance, but with yea terdny’s experience to go on and his own knowledge and ~<be very fine play we know that he is capable rtf. the Ohura team to meet Taranaki B on Thursday may be quite a dlf- ’ ferent proposition to yesterday’s team.—Star. BREACHES OF RULES. SPRINGBOKS EXPECT PENALTY TO FOLLOW. Masterton, July 19. According to the Dominion’s correspondent at New Plymouth, it was noticeable .in the game played there that the South Africans frequently stopped playing In anticipation of the whistle sounding for a breach of the rules. Mr. Bennett, manager of the team, was asked to-day for comment on this statement. Be said that the question was really . one of Interpretation of rules by the referee. ; In South Africa they were penalised for the slightest breaches. Of course, even African , club captains advised their men not to wait for the whistle, but his team were so used to bSing penalised for some of the breaches which occurred at New Plymouth, that they automatically suspended play. It did not • matter whether the penalty was in their favor • or not. At New Plymouth the ball was , knocked on several times without a penalty • being Inflicted. ' , ( A THE SPRINGBOKS IN THE WAIMIRAPA. 7 “NO TRICKS UP THEIR SLEEVE.” 1

The whole of the Wairarapa turned out on Monday to do hofior to tho Springboks. Mr. Bennett, manager of the team, in replying to addresses of welcome, said that before they came io New Zealand they had not dreamed that Rugby was taken so seriously by the people. Such stress was laid on the game that his team felt they sEmplyhad to be victorious (Laughter.) ITe had been told that the Springboks would never leave this country as winners of the test matches. From what he had already seen,. ko began to have his doubts whether his informants were not correct. Some people here condemned the South African methods because they were not as progressive as those in use in New Zealand. In Africa they favored the older form of the game, and the forthcoming matches would prove whether tho conservative or the new formation was the- better. They would endeavor to show that tho old methods produced the best sport; if they found they were mistaken, they might adopt New Zealand methods. In conclusion' ho said he would convey to the ladles of Durban and Capetown the thanks of New Zealanders for what had been done for their soldiers. Mr. Pienaar, the captain, said that bis team had been fully extended at New Plymouth. They had no tricks up their sleeves, as suggested by the previous speaker, hut they recognised that they would have to play hard to win the forthcoming matches. South Africa also called Rugby its national game, but it had not got the same hold on the people in that country as it had in this Dominion. He had been .told that In New Zealand religion came first, and football next, but he was now inclined to place football first and religion next. (Laughter.) At the conclusion of the reception the Springboks gave two Maori hakas, which they had learnt since their arrival in New Zealand. The average weight of the Springboks’ team that played Taranaki on Saturday was I4st. 4 lbs. Taranaki's average weight was 13st. 21bs. REFEREES FOR SATURDAY CENTRAL DIVISION. SECOND GRADE. Midhirst v. Tajik 1, at Tarikl, 2 p.m., Mr. Cleaver. THIRD GRADE. Eltham v. Toko, at Elthaan, 1.30 p.m., Mr. Scoon. Stratford District High School v. Stratford, at Stratford Park, 3 p.m., Mr. Blanchard. FOURTH GRADE. Stratford v. S.D.H.S.. at Stratford Park. 1.30 p.m., Mr. R. F. Harkness. Inglewood v. Eltham, at Inglewood, 3 'p.m., -Vr. Gilbert. “SOCCER” AT STRATFORD. THE CLUB REVIVED. A meeting of “soccer” enthusiasts was held at Stratford on Tuesday night with the object of reviving the Stratford Association Football Club, there being an attendance of over twenty. The club has been in existence for a number of years, but has been inactive of late years. The meeting decided to revive the club, the membership fee being fixed at ss, and about 30 naunes were handed in. Arrangements were made to hold a practice match to-day, tie matter of permanent officials' colors, grounds, etc., being left over till a later date.