FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME. PLAY IN TARANAKI. TO-DAY’S SENIOR FIXTURES. A Grade. Okaiawa v. Opunake, at Opunake; Referee, A. H. Guy. Stratford v. Kaponga, at Kaponga; J. F. Kiley. Patea v. Clifton, at Waitara: F. Julian. Tukapa v. Waimate, at Manaia; F. A. Phelan. B Grade. Old Boys v. Inglewood, at Inglewood; J. H. Thompson. Okato v. Lepperton, at Lepperton; J. O'Grady. Erthasu v. Star, at New Plymouth; F. Hooker. Ist Juniors (Northern Division.) Star v. Rahotu, at Rahotu, 3 p.m. Urenui v. Clifton, at Urenui, 3 p.m. Tukapa v. N.P. Boys’ High School, at Western Park, 1.15 p.ih. Ist Juniors (Southern Division.) Hawera v. Opunake, at Hawera, 2.45 p.m. Okaiawa v. Alton, at Okaiawa, 2.45 p.ia. Patea v. Kaponga, at Fates, 2.45 p.<m. SATURDAY, MAY 6. A Grade. Kaponga v. Waimate, at Manaia. Hawera v. Okaiawa, at Okaiawa. Tukapa v. Clifton, at New Plymouth. Stratford v. Patea, at Stratford. B Grade. Scar v. Inglewood, at Inglewood. Old Boys v. Okato, at New Plymouth. Eltham v. Lepperton, at Lepperton. POSITION OF THE TEAMS. A GRADE.

TEAMS FOR TO-DAY. STRATFORD v. KAPONGA. The following will represent Stratford against Kaponga. at Kaponga. to-day : Sharrock, McCullough, Butcher, Kivell, Masters, Bonner, Coleman, Aiken, Berg, Court, Vaughan, Coulton, Ryan, Wilson, Rev. McKenzie. Emergencies: Carroll, Walters. Thorpe. Cars leave post office at 1 p.m. THE “SOCCER” GAME. VISIT OF THE AUSTRALIANS. THE DEFINITE ITINERARY. By Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. Regarding the visit of the Australian “Soccer" team to New Zealand, the following itinerary has been definitely decided upon: — Leave Sydney May 20. Saturday. May 27, play Wanganui. Wednesday. May 31, Nelson. Saturday, June 3, Wellington. Wednesday, June 7, Weetland, at Greymouth. Saturday, June 10, South Island, at Christchurch. Wednesday, June 14, Otago, at Dunedin. Saturday, June 17, first test, at Dunedin. Wednesday, June 21, Canterbury, cither at Ashburton or Christchurch. Saturday, June 24, second test, at Wellington. Wednesday, June 28. Taranaki, at New Plymouth. Saturday, July 1, Auckland. Wednesday, July 5, South Auckland, at Hamilton. Saturday, July 8, third test, at Auckland. Wednesday, July 12, Manawatu, at Palmerston North. Thursday, July 13, leave for Sydney, NEWS AND NOTES. Wanganui has 29 teams playing this year as against 24 last season. There are four in the senior competition, seven in the junior, seven in the thirds, eight in the fourths, and three in the fifths. The football season was opened last Saturday in real football weather. For an opening Saturday good play was witnessed, and as the season advances play should reach a high standard. Indications point to there being keen competition for representative honors for the southern tour; consequently it behoves all players to keep into form. The meeting of Hawera and Opunake last Saturday was endowed with great interest, as it was generally recognised that Opunake, from the previous year’s showing, had a team to be reckoned with, particularly as this year it had behind it a player with international experience in K. Ifwerson, ex Auckland and New Zealand rep. Hawera also had a stronger team than last year, so a great contest was expected. Opunake, however, were somewhat weak. Norgate being absent from the forwards, while the backs suffered by the sad accident to the late T. Duffy, a promlslhg five-eighths. Hawera forwards proved too good, and though the Opunake backs made a good showing, the vanguard superiority was the deciding factor. Wilkinson was in good form, and scored three tries, though it must be recognised that he was up against an inexperienced player. Osborne, on the other wing, was hardly up to senior form on the day. Robertson, at centre, did a lot of useful work, whilst Purcell, at fiveeighths, showed cleverness. Walshe at times did good work. Atkins got the ball away nicely. Of the pack, West and Fogarty and the Murphy brothers showed up, though all did well. Brophy, at half for Opunake, did not relish the Hawera rushes, though he marked a lot on the line-out. A. Lusk was the better of the five-eighths, doing a tremendous amount of defensive work. K. Ifwerson, at centre three-quarters, showed great resourcefulness. Rye, on the wing, 'did not get many chances, but on one occasion gave a taste of his quality. Of the pack Bowman was the pick, being always in the van. He was well supported by Mcßeynolds and Gilhooley. Clifton proved much too good for Waimate, who are having a lean year, but with the young players coming on the southern club should in a year or two regain the position it held some years back. Clifton has again a strong team, and will be well in the running for championship honors. Indeed it would not be surprising if the men of the river city get closer this year than ever, and during the past few years they have been knocking at the door every year. The match between Okaiawa and Patea proved very close. Indeed the general opinion is that a draw on the day would have been a satisfactory finish. Patea are well satisfied With the showUw thatt team. whlsh

will be strengthened as the men get combination. Sullivan, an ex-Wanganul five-eighths, will be playing with Patea In future.

The B grade matches proved very close, there not being more than 3 points between any of the teams. This points to a close contest to decide which will get in the A grade. Lepperton are to be congratulated on their debut into senior ranks. To be beaton by such a narrow margin by an experienced team like Old Boys was indeed a good beginning. As the members of this team are young and keen, they should do well as the season advances.

The match between Eltham and Inglewood went to last year’s winners by a narrow margin. It is considered that a draw would have been a good finish, as Eltham is said to have landed a goal, which escaped the referee's notice.

Okato also narrowly defeated Star. The coastal team last year had to amalgamate with Bahotu, but this year there Is a decided improvement, and the inclusion of Eustace and B. Roberts, among others, has strengthened the fifteen considerably. Eustace, who for years was one of the club's mainstays. Is said to have played a good game. Star team played up well, and, taken right through the game was very even.

In the A grade competition to-day principal interest will attach to the meeting of Kaponga and Sjratford. The former had a bye last week and have not yet been seen in action, whilst Stratford will have the services of Berg, who created such a favorable impression as half for Taranaki last year. It is said that J. Kissick will again don the Kaponga

AH the B grade matches should prove interesting, particularly the meeting of Inglewood and Old Boys at Inglewood, whilst the match between Star and Elthami at Western Park should attract a big crowd. Okato journey to Lepperton, and this should provide a struggle worth witnessing.

Walshe, the ex-Opunake player, who played for Hawera in the opening match, has now taken up a position in New Plymouth. Though not playing up to the form that got him in the Taranaki reps, a couple of years back, he should be an acquisition to one of the local teams. The ranks of tte Old Boys' team have been strengthened by the inclusion of Marks, an ex-Hamilton and Waikato representative, and now a master at the Boys’ High School. He is said to be a top-notch five-eighths. With a heavier pack of forwards Old Boys would prove a hard proposition for any team.

The Tukapa-Stratford match was an even go till the second spell, when the New Plymouth team added a further eleven points to their score. Their win was probably due to the fact that the backs made more use of the openings that came their way than did their opponents. The forwards were a hard working lot and put plenty of dash into the game, but were beaten in the heavier work by the Stratford pack. In the scrums the latter hooked the ball on the majority of occasions, but the backs did not seem to have the necessary combination to make use of it. Occasional passing rushes, with the exception of perhaps two instances, ended with the wing-three-quarter with little ground gained. Masters and McCullough were hard workers In the Stratford forwards and McAllum, Allen and Cocker put in a lot of good work for the winning team. In the Tukapa backs it would be hard to individualise. Brown was the pivoting point of a quick attacking force, while the tackling on the whole was good. Kingston at full back played his usual sound game. Thorpe (half), Gray and Vaughan were prominent in the Stratford backs. The full back (Fenwick) did not appear to be playing up to form on the day. . The interest taken in the' seven-aside tournament at Kaponga on Thursday must be very gratifying to the Kaponga Sports Club and also to Mr. Casey, the donor of the handsome shield. Fourteen teams had entered, but one of the Hawera teams, CUftdh and Opunake did not materialise. The presence of the champion Petone team, comprising the redoubtable Nicholls brothers, the New Zealand combination, also Comer, a North Island player, as well as Hamilton and Thomas, a speedy three-quarter, added interest to the tournament. The result was accepted as a foregone conclusion for Petone, though it was felt that Hawera might extend them. However, Hawera had difficulty in getting a team, and took the field with three forwards and four backs, which spoilt their prospects, and they fell victims to Kaponga A in tte second round. Some great football was shown. Petone showed pretty work in their matches against Stratford and (Kaponga B. In the latter match their work was very spectacular. la the semi-final tne Kaponga A team made their work hard, and it was only superior combination and cleverness that enabled Petone to win. The final proved a great go. New Plymouth High School, who had opened patchily against Kaponga C, evidently being nervous and feeling very much the absence of Brown, who was on the line with an injured leg, had Improved in the second round against Kaponga Hockey, and in the final made Petone play all out to win. They played thesame open game as the redoubtable visitors, and tackled well, evoking rounds of applause. Indeed, it was only the speed of Thomas and a somewhat lucky opening for Hamilton earlj’ in the game that gave Petone the victory. The Petone supporters on the line had a very anxious time in the concluding stages, when School were making matters very willing. It was a struggle worthy of the best traditions of the school, and the public recognised it as such.

It is stated that at the next meeting of the Rugby Union management committee two or three protests will have to be considConunenting upon the work of last season, the thirteenth annual report of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union says: "So far as all affiliated unions are concerned, the past season was a very heavy one, while with the New Zealand Rugby Union the season’s operations were probably the heaviest in its history. In addition to the Inter-Is-land fixture, a Possibles v. Probables match was played, followed closely by two international visiting teams playing extended tours, interwoven with the secondary schools Competition for the Moascar Cup. In all there were some thirty-four matches in which the New Zealand Union had a direct responsibility, and this cm the top of the usual business made the season a very heavy one. It is a matter of congratulation to note that these three tours were carried out in a successful manner, bott from p playing and financial point of view. The general result appears to have been exceptionally good, as the balance-sheets of affiliated unions so far to hand all show an improved position. Debits have been wiped off, and considerable sums have been spent in improving the playing fields.”

s S © «2 1 .s & Clifton ... 1 1 —. — 31 — 2 Hawera .. 1 1 —> —< 20 6 2 Tukapa ... 1 — — 14 3 2 Okaiawa .. 1 1 — —• 6 3 2 Palea 1 — — 3 6 — Stratford . . 1 — 3 14 — Opunake .. 1 — 1 — 6 20 — Walmate .. 1 K&ponga had a B bye. SENIOR. 0 31 Okato .... 1 — — 3 0 2 Old Boys .. 1 — — 3 0 2 Inglewood . 1 1 — — 3 0 2 Star 1 — — 0 3 — Lepperton . 1 — 0 3 — Eitham ... 1 — 1 — 0 3