FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1921, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

IfHER-SCHOOLS’ MATCH. N’.P. HIGH SCHOOL v. NELSON COLLEGE. EASY WIN FOR NEW PLYMOUTH, (By Wire —Special to Daily News.) Nelson, Last Night. The match between the New Plymouth High School and Nelson College to-day was won by New Plymouth by 22 points to G. It proved fast and open, an interesting feature being the passing of the New Plymouth backs, which was brilliant on many occasions, the ball going through the hands .of Cour or five players repeatedly. The Nelson’ forwards were superior and kept the New. Plymouth backs in check to a considerable extent. Nelson was unfortunate in losing the services of its centre three-quarter early in the first spell, thereby affecting its combinction, but this could not have affected tne win. The first points were scored by Nelson with a goal from a penalty kick. After strenuous play the Taranaki backs got going, the ball passing between Brodie, Alexander, Shaw and Brown, who dived over *he line. Towards tte end of the first spell Brodie scored a neat cry, but Brown's kick missed. The spell ended:— N.P. High School S Nelson College 3 Soon after the second spell opened Brodie secured the ball and passed to Alexander, who made a fine opening, passing to Foden, who soured. The kick failed. The Nelson forwards made a fine loose rush, a score resulting, but no goal. The Taranaki backs got going again, Brodie, Alexander, Shaw and Brown participating. Brown made a fine cut in and scored. Brown failed to convert. Another successful rush was made between Brodie, Alexander, Shaw arid Foden, who scored. The best piece of play on the ground was a piece of cut in play by Brown at the conclusion of the game, he scoring a brilliant try. The match ended:—: N.P. High School 22 Nelson College G It was a splendid game throughout and was fought in the best spirit. Nelson heartily congratulated New Plymouth on a well-de-served win.

INTER-COLLEGE TOURNAMENT. CHRIST'S COLLEGE BEAT WANGANUI. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wanganui, Last Night. The Inter-Collegiate Rugby tournament opened to-day in brilliant weather, Wanganui College meeting Christ’s College. Both teams were well matched and the play throughout was fast and .spectacular. In the first half, as the result, of a good passing run, Thompson scored an unconverted try for Christ's College. Tie second half was splendidly contested, and as a result of good passing Thompson again scored for Christ's College, who won by G points to nil. On the whole the standard of play was not as good as in previous years. The best feature was the resolute tackling by both sides. On Wednesday Christ's College will meet Wellington College. THE TEST TEAM. FINAL SELECTION NOT MADE. Wellington, August 22. The New Zealand Rugby Union state that tte second test team is not selected. The final selection will not be made until next Friday. WELLINGTON v. TARANAKI. SATURDAY’S MATCH. The match between Taranaki and Wellington representatives, which takes place at New Plymouth on Saturday, is exciting considerable interest among football enthusiasts throughout Taranaki. Given fine weathef there should be a large attendance. In North Taranaki additional interest is centred on the fact that it is many years since a -Wellington team has been seen in, action in New Plymouth, the matches for some years having been played in Hawera, where the fixture has been tte most popular of the year. The Wellington touring team is composed of young and versatile players, whose handling of the ball is sure to please spectators, and they will keep Taranaki busy. The Taranaki team should be a solid combination. as Mr. Malone has selected nineteen men, who will assemble in New Plymouth for training on Thursday morning, under Mr. A. L. Humphries as coach. A practice match will he played on Thursday afternoon, and j the final selection of the team will be 'made • on Friday evening.

The nineteen men chosen are : Backs, Robertson, Wilkinson, Cameron (Hawera), R. Roberts (Okaiawa), G. Hooker. Brown (Tukaya), Sykes (Old Boys), Coutts (Inglewood), Hickey (Clifton) ; forwards, Cain, Campbell, Fryday (Clifton), Allen (Tukapa), Malone (Kaponga), Masters, Kivell (Stratford), Birchall (Waimate), Spratt (Patea), Whittington (Hawera). If any of these players are not available they are asked to advise the secretary of the Rugby Union immediately. THE MOASCAR CUP. The New Plymouth High School team will play St. Patrick's College for tlie Mo a scar Cup at Wellington on Saturday next. The Wellington team is considered to be the crack fifteen in tte competition, and a good game is anticipated. At Wanganui on Saturday tl»e Wanganui Technical College team defeated Napier Technical College by 41 points to nil, THE SPRINGBOKS. THEIR AUCKLAND VICTORY. BACKS TOO GOOD FOR AUCKLAND. States the special correspondent of the Dominion:— In the early part of the match between South Africa and Auckland, the South Africans showed fine handling among the forwards, and great line-kicking that carried them to ] the attack, till Hwerson and Grierson broke away in a two-handed buu», and the Auckland forwards dril/bled over the African line, Nickolas just missing w score. A breakaway and a great run by Van Rooyen put the Africans near the Auckland line, but a free kick saved. When Auckland wero breaking clear Clarkson beat several defenders in a fine swerving run, and passed to Zeller, who scored, after thirteen minutes’ play. With the exception of the back combination, the Aucklanders were playing up to the Africans, but Townsend was playing a superb game, giving his outsides fine chances. After twenty minutes the Africans began to throw the ball about among the backs, Clarkson showing dangerous cutting in ability, and twice Van Hec-rden was grassed almost on the line. The Auckland forwards outplayed the other pack in open rushejf, but the visitors more than balanced the advantage by their superior line kicking. Zeller shone out as a dangerous side-stepper, out failed to get through. Heavy forward rushes by the local men were continuously parried by line kicking. When Auckland were frequently penalised for off-side play it was line, line, line. Just on time, the Auckland forwards improved in the loose play, but did not look like scoring.

The opening of the second spell was marked by Auckland’s first passing work, and twice the African defence was within an ace of being broken. Long line kicks put the Africans oh th* attack, and wk«fi beautiful haad»

| ling by Townsend and Zeller gave Africa, a second try, the game got very fast. Van. fleerden showed up in several bumping runs. Mistakes in the African passing let Auckland win to a position, where Badeley goaled from a free kick. In the second spell the Auckland forwards seemed to last best, but a third African score came. A breakaway by Clarkson was followed bj- a fine swerving run by Zeller, wire is a dangerous scoring man. Van Heerden's try followed as the result or outpacing the field in a seventy yards’ run. The Africans played to the backs in the final stages, and the visitors’ rearguard was too fast for the local men. Townsend, Clarkson, and Zeller were lip to the best New Zealand test standard. One of the outstanding features of the play was the triumph of the* African scrum formation over the Auckland formation, for it was in very rare instances that the Auckland scrum obtained the ball, and consequently the Auckland backs Fad mostly to make their opportunities from line-outs or loose play. In this connection Townsend, as scrum half, got away a good deal in the first spell wira picking the ball out of the scrum, hut early in the second spell he was penalised four times in quick succession for the fault. The fourth time cost his side a penalty goal. Apart, from this fault, Townsend played a very clever and heady game, being right up to international standard. Among the other African backs only Clarkson, Zeller, and G. Morkel showed a standard of play up to New Zealand international class. Zeller, on the wing, was always brilliant when tiie ball came to him, his fielding, handling, kicking, and running being of clie best class. Royal Morkol was literally a tower of strength to the African forwards in the lineout, and Duplessis and Ellis were good allround men, but, generally, the Auckland forwards showed to better advantage on the line and in the loose. C. Fletcher and Nicholas were the outstanding local forwards. The Auckland backs were generally outpaced, and they got little, chance to show their scoring ability, but their tackling was poor all round, and It. was only the tackling of the forwards that averted a much greater defeat. REVIEW OF THEIR TOUR. A KEEN, CLEAN TEAM.

The South African football team has .now travelled nearly 3000 miles since their ai\ rival in New Zealand, and played 11 matches. The impressions received by the visitors in covering a wide teritory have been varied. They hare been hospitably rcelved everywhere, crowds and bands having turned out to welcome them, while the social functions provided have been numerous. Discussing the tour in the South, Mr. Will Lawson, who is Reuter's representative with the team, said the meeting of New Zealanders and South Africans in the football fields of this country should have an important effect upon the game of tiugby in both countries. It was really a meeting of two distinct styles of play. The chief difficulty bad been to get clear rulings on points of play concerning which different interpretations prevailed in the two Dominions. A good deal of tact had been required on the part of the referees, and it must be added that the Springboks had always accepted the referee’s rulings, though once or twice they had asked for fuller information on the points concerned. They were essentially sportsmanlike players. “In regard ’to the rough play which occurred in the South,” Mr. Lawson said. “I would like to clear up any misunderstanding on the matter, particularly as I have heard it mentioned here that the Springboks are rough players. There was no indication of any rough play until the Southland match, at Invercargill, when the rough play was attributable to olie of the Southland forwards, whose behavior has since been inquired into by the executive of the New Zealand Rugby Union. The Otago match, at Dunedin, was marked by play amounting almost to violence, and a very bad impression was left in the minds of the public, since, naturally, the .springboks retaliated on the field. It will be enough to say that the president of the Rugby Union and the chairman of the Management Cammitiee .of the same body, who arrived at Dunedin on tlie eve of the first test match, thorough!:.’ investigated the matter, and satisfied themselves that the whole trouble was started by one Otago player, who will be called upon to explain his conduct. An apology for the occurrence was tendered to the Springbok team. The result of this prompt action was that the test match was me of the cleanest games ever played in this country, it was the kind of Rugby, in fact, wbicn has set New Zealand’s name high in the records of Rugby football.