SPRINGBOKS AND MAORIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1921, Page 3

SPRINGBOKS AND MAORIS.

GOOD FEEMNG RESTORED, Rotorua, Last Night. The Ara was have telegraphed to Mr. Bennett (manager of the Springboks) accepting his explanations and denials. They reciprocate the feelings of regret ait the episode, stating they telegraphed Dr. Pomare asking him to personally convey the thanks of the Arawas and state that the sentiments expressed, by Mr. Bennett and Mr. Pienaar at Rotorua again dominate the situation. THE AUCKLAND MATCH. The Taranaki team shaped quite as well as was anticipated against the Auckland team on Saturday. Their defeat was entirely due to the superiority of .the northerners’ rearguard and the failure of our inside men to block the nippy Badeley Bros., who at fiveeighths for Auckland quite dominated, the position and made great openings, which their speedy wings took every advantage of. No doubt the ground, which was cruelly hard, had a disturbing effect among Taranaki players and prevented them from going down as solidly as one would have wished. Berg at half, however, gave a good display, going down well when the ball came his way. Cameron was apt to hang on too much, whilst Coutts, though he did good work at times, did not tackle his man. Hooker, at centre, did a lot of solid work but did not. judge his passes too well. Hickey, when the ball came his way, made good use of it and also tackled well, though opposite a very speedy customer in Williams; indeed, it is questionable if there is a faster threequarter than the Aucklander. Wilkinson did not get many chances and also was weak in defence, though, it must be remembered that he was thrown solidly early in the game, and. this no doubt took the sting out of his play. Lusk at full gave a capital display, getting 1 out of difficulties well. His retirement through injury was a distinct loss, as Malone, who was playing a great game at wing-forward, was only mediocre at full-back. Of the forwards, none played better than Allan, Fryday, Campbell, Whittington and Birchall.

THE AUCKLAND TOURING TEAM. NOTES ON THE PLAYERS. The following players have been selected to make the Southern tour with the Auckland Rugby touring team, playing matches against Wellington on Wednesday, September 21, and Taranaki on Saturday, September 24: —Backs: Finlay. Williams, V. Badeley, Ifwersen, C Badeley, Earle. W. F. Smith, J. Hughes, IW. Lamb. Muir. Forwards: Milliken, McCullough, McLean. Mclnnes, Treeize, Nicholas, Arnold, Knight, Helander, Righton. Commenting on the team the Auck» land Herald says:

The players selected to make the trip are the best available and on present form there is a strong side in the making. All the backs are nippy and fast, accurate in fielding, clever at making openings and for the most paVt bright in initiative. An excellent combination on attack, the Auckland backs only require some stiffening in their defence to make them reliable in any contest they may be engaged in. The Auckland forwards. too, have in the ranks the making of a solid pack. Free in the loose, clever on the line, with strong breaking away proclivities and dashing in the open, the Auckland forwards have only to continue the art of fast following up to make them a dangerous pack and a dominating power in any engagement. In McCullough. Tresize and Helander. Auckland has three good first rankers, a fine second row in McLean. Mclnnes, Arnold, and Knight, a great break-away forward in Nicholas, a sound rover in Milliken, and a good all-round forward in Righton. Altogether Auckland is well served in its selection of forwards for the touring team and the pack should have a strong influence in the forthcoming matches against Wellington and Taranaki. On form much is expected of them, and they are certain to play up to reputation.

NEWS AND NOTES. The Auckland team will arrive here on Thursday evening from Wellington and will return home by ■steamer on Saturday night, the steamer being delayed to suit their convenience. An endeavor is being made to have the steamer further delayed so as to enable the team to attend the Boxing tournament.

T. Buchanan, for so many years associated with the Taranaki Rugby Union, is now a prominent official of the Auckland Rugby Union. Tom was present at the station to welcome the team, and during their stay in Auckland showed them every consideration. He is looking forward to visiting Taranaki with the northern team next week.

< J. Arnell, the president of the Auckland Rugby Union, mentioned at tbe dinner on Saturday night that he had taken part in the first match between Taranaki and Auckland, which was play/ ed in Auckland in 1887 and which, incidentally, Taranaki won by one point to nil, a try in those days counting a point. Ever since J. Arnell has taken a prominent interest in Auckland football, having been for some years selector and now president. You can’t kill the old-timers. A Davis, a prominent Taranaki rep forward of 1891-2-3, and afterwards also a Thames rep forward, played wingforward on Thursday for the Faimers Co-op. northern division against the south. He stood up to the game right to the end better than most of the younger players and, incidentally, notched a try.

We have to thank the Inglewood Football Club for an invitation to their annual smoke concert on Wednesday next

REFEREES’ ASSOCIATION. The final meeting of the northern branch of the Taranaki Referees’ Association was held last Monday evening. Mr. G. Hopkins presided over an attendance of twenty members. After the usual routine business had been completed, the chairman, in replying to a rote of thanks for the able way m which he had controlled the meetings of the association, gave an interesting account of the season’s doings. The northern branch of the associai tion has more than doubled its num--1 bers during the season, and at present [ there are thirty active members on the Iroll Meetings have been held Weekly and the fact that the average atI tendance has been fifteen is ample eviifUr,™ e£ the great iatereet the northern

referees have taken in the game. Among the junior members are many keen exfootballers of repute who, if they stick to the whittle, will undoubtedly become first-class referees. At different meetings lectures have been given, and many discussions have taken place on the rules of the game. The purchase of a blackboard has greatly assisted in the demonstrations to members of the more intricate rules of the game. The attempt made throughout the season to obtain uniformity of interpretation of ithe rules has undoubtedly borne fruit. The rules were gone through one by one, thoroughly explained, and the importance of similarity of rulings emphasised. As regards rough play, although there were several cases in which the referees had to take action, on the whole the game has been played in a good sporting spirit this year in Taranaki. It is gratifying to know that the northern branch will commence next year with a strength of at least thirty active members. There is no doubt but that a strong referees’ association is a great help in every way in furthering the interests of Rugby football.

ASSOCIATION GAME. The following have been selected to play against Hawera at Stratford next Saturday (those who cannot catch the 11.50 train kindly notify L. C. IL Dawson; ’phone 37): W. Johnson, G. Lawrence, J. Holmes, Julian, N. Shepherd, W. Shepherd, Kutz, Palmer, B. Fitzgerald. Woodhead, J. Gadd. Emergencies: Markland, Gorrange, Howlett. HUSH! A TOUCHING PEN PICTURE. Hush! Tired out with the day’s efforts, all are soon asleep except the indefatigable trainer, who wanders on tip-toe from room to room to see that his charges are sleeping comfortably and are not cramping their muscles. And so the night wears on This touching pen picture from our evening contemporary is not a description of slumber time at one of Dr. Truby King’s admirable Karitane hostels for infants. It is the affecting climav to the stdry of a visit to the All Blacks’ training ca.mp at Day’s Bay, where some twenty odd delicately nurtured young New Zealanaers are being prepared for their encounter with the Springboks. It is heartening to learn that these fragile young creatures are being so carefully nursed for the great day. Such tender saplings as our friend the lock. Moffitt; the gentle winger, McDonald: the delicate scrummers. McLean, Bellis, Fogarty, Duncan, and Co.; the fragile Steel and the slender Siddells must give their nurse a lot of anxiety even in Slumberland.

So serious indeed is the outlook that Dr. Bumpus is going over to Day’s Bay this morning to supervise the final preparations of the All Blacks for the momentous decision on which the future of civilisation hangs on Saturday next. The Doctor says he thinks Mr. Leslie has overlooked the necessity of providing a diet that will yield the right number of calories and vitamines to five places of decimals. The team must have the correct amount of exercise, neither too much nor too little, and the foot-pounds ’of effort required of each man must be figured out In ounces. Mr. Leslie’s visits through the night to see the men are sleeping properly are too casual altogether, and the Doctor is organising a trained staff of heart specialists who will each listen with a stethoscope to every man’s breathing continuously through the night. A fleet of rubber-tyred bath-chairs has been secured to wheel the team from the Day’s Bay steamer to the Athletic Park on the great day, and the traffic will bo diverted during the solemn progress.

Major Fitzurse says it is imperative that arrangements should bo made to keep the public-houses open until midnight on Saturday so that if New Zealand loses the people may have a proper opportunity of drowning their sorrows. The Major does not regard this contingency as probable, but his motto is “Be prepared,” and it is vital that the Health Department should see that a full supply of stimulants is accessible in event of disaster. Otherwise it would be impossible for the bulk of the people to bear up unaided until the opening hour on Monday morning.—Dominion