FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE GAME FOR MAORIS. LOYAL TO RUGBY CODE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The consolidation of Rugby football among .faoris was the subject of a conference between representatives of the Maoris and members nf the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union Mr. Slade (chairman) occupied the ?halr. and among the Maori representatives were the Hon. A. T. N-ata MP, Tau Henare. MP.. Messrs. W. T. Parata. T. Parata, . Nikera and S. Maloha. and members of the New Zealand native team. During rhe discussion, which was of an informal nature. It was stated the Maoris desired to remain loyal fo the Rugby code, and if a proper system of organisation could he !ntroduced. the outlook for them was very promising The meeting decided that a Maori advisory board be set up to devise a scheme for the betterment of the game among the Maoris, and to report to the New Zealand Rugby Union. The following were appointed tn the board: Messrs. W. T. Parata, convenor (Bar nf Plenty). W. J. Stead (South Island), M. Winlata (Horowhenna). A. Takarangi (Wanganui). S. M. Piki (Hawke’s Bay), W. Nikera (Hast’ngs). T. Carroll (Walroa). T. French (Waikato), S. Maioha (North Auckland). Captain Pitt (Poverty Bay), nnd Rev. Pini Tamahori (East Coast Rugby Union). SATURDAY’S TUSSLE. LAST-MINUTE VICTORY. TARANAKI’S REMARKABLE RECOVERY. "A game is never lost until it is won.” The tvuth of the old axiom was demonstrated on Saturday when the Taranaki representative team snatched from Wellington a last-minute victory (savs the Wellington Times) After lagging behind a’l through the match, which was played as a cur?a<n-ralB?r to the All Biecks v Maoris flxtqte. the visiting team made 3 fine r?coverv late jn the second spell, and when th?~ registered the try which ga.ve them their on’v and essential lead, it was to n «cen? of enthusiasm ' , Wellington, to phrase it mildly, were not at their best. 121? forwards plaved well? but the same weakness in the inside backs which contributed so largely to their loss of the Rsnfurly Shield was in evidence once again. Ragged as the play was in the first spell. Wellington were much superior forward and back, and with anything like combination in the back line might have rattled uu a cricket score. But Wogan proved again that he is not a good plaver in attack, and Mahoney, at centre, was 8 poor substitute for Aitken. Not all the efforts of Trapski and Udy could improve the positior not all Malfroy’s bright «010 wnrk could make up for the fact that the Wellington three-quarters were never given a chance The Caranaki backs were giving away opportunities by the score, but no advantage was taken of them, and it becomes Increasingly evident that Wellington need’s an old head in ppe. Pf the centre back positions. It was a game of <nv.ssed opportunities. To commence with, it was undoubtedly one of the worst exhibitions of football seen on Athletic Park for some time. Later. th? Taranaki t?am brightened up. and after scoring a splendid try, their pack, including such fine players as Fogarty, West and Malone, were heartened up. The balance of that half was & ding-dong battle. In the second spell it was the same. To say that th? visiting back line went to pieces is not to exaggerate. Only Pnnls and Marks played consistent football. The yellow backs fumbled, they failed to field, and their kicking was much below standard. Again Wellington failed to rise to the occasion. In a game ever Increasing in pace, they established a lead of eight points—and let up. And any team which lets up deserves to lose. Taranaki’s remarkable recovery, after having been thoroughly beaten for the better part of the spell, is a thing which will live in the -memories of football enthusiasts. Their high kicking tactics succeeded. The packs, well matched in the scrums up to now, began to show signs of weariness. And with it the north countrv men gained the unper hand tn the loose. The fine efforts of Marks. Ennis and Coutts but finished off what the forwards had begun. That, and the over-confidence of the Wellington backs within a few minutes of time, resulted in the yellows reaping the fruits of their exertions. It Is to be hoped that Wellington will take the lesson to heart.

The Walmate fourths met if’ Kaponga fourths on th? Manaia Domain Saturday, and a well-contested game resulted in a win for Walmate by 5 *xjints to 4, a converted try to a potted goal. NELSON COLLEGE MATCH. THE FIXTURE POSTPONED. Owing to an outbreak of measles at Nelson Co’!ere the football team is unable to make the trip to New Plymouth, where they were to play the local High Srfiool to-morrow, end consequently all functions In connection with their visit have been indefinitely postponed. It is understood that the Nelson boys are anxious to have the match played during the first week of next term. HIGH SCHOOL TEAM. A GOOD RECORD. Thl< is the first time in the history of the New Tfivmouth High School that its first fifteen has succeeded in winning the junior championship of Taranaki. A glance at the turn’s performance this year will at onre c-monatrate what a fine scoring side it is. Matchea played 13 won 12. lost 1 : uoiffts fnr 285. against 51. Taldnr an average it works out for each match thus: Points for 20. arnlnat 4. Of the 265 points scored by the team Brown, the captain, fft centre threequarter. b«a trained 106. while the wing threequarter* Foden and Abbott, come next with 54 and 30 points respectively. Much of the credit, however, of these high scores lies in the fine npenin?* mad? for (he th??e-ouarter line bv the two fire-eighths and half-back. The forwards, though nai. so bic and probably not «o good as some of the School packs of previous years, hare got a good share of *he bell fot® the hacks, nnd hare shown distinct cleverness in opening un the plqy for the more twill I ant men behind them. THE SOUTHERN TOUR. It is now eleven years since a Taranaki team toured the South Island, and in the interim Southern football appears to have shown considerable improvement, whereas the reverse is probably true of Taranaki. Forward the team is a rerv solid one. and should make a good showing, save possiblv In hooking the ball, where Taranaki »s undoubtedly weak this rear. The backs, when they get a little combination, should be good on attack, but their defence is on the weak side, ns was shown by their disinclination to go do<n to the h?fty loose rushes of rhe Auckland pack the other day. Unless this is remedied it mar prove their downfall. Robertson will be sadly missed in this respect. The Hawera player is verv safe on the defensiye. thus enabling the men behind him to get in their work. Lvnskey, at half-back. qn?s down gamely to everythin?, hut is rath?? inclined to forget the men behind him. Of lit? hewever. he has displayed a tendency tn ?per un th? game: If he assiduously cultivates this he should prove a valuable man in the team, as he can play either halfback or five-eighths. Th? last Taranaki team tn travel the South Island made the trip in 1911 and had almost a triumphant tour. Matches were played nt Palmerston North. Wellington. Invercargill. Dunedin. West Coast, and Christchurch.. The results of the matches were as follows: — r. Manawatu. won 12 to 11. v. Wellington, won 23 to 3. v. Southland, won 12 to 11. v. Otago, won 27 tn 3. v. West Coast, lost S to 9. v. Canterbury, web 24 to 3. Of the six -matches played five were won and one lost, the team scoring 106 points against 40 points. The team was a very strong one. comprising C. Sheehan, H. Prince, J. McLeod, R. W. Roberta, H. J. Mynott, J.

Colman, C. Brown, J. Stohr, D. Cameron, L. Hill R. Taylor, G. Hawkins, H. Dewar. O. Young, A. Smith, A. Osborne, M. Cain, H. Whittington, and N. Patterson. Of this team, C. Brown, J. Colman, and R. W. P.okerts are the only ones that are playing now, and each has won the rep. jersey this season. J. McLeod, H. Dewar, and Reg. Taylor have joined the great majority, the two latter having made the supreme sacrifice during the war. Taranaki's record against the provinces met and to be met on the Southern tour up to date is as follows :

Taranaki has also played one match on a previous tour against South Canterbury, which Taranaki won.

Played. Won. Lost. Dr’n. For. Agst. Wellington .... 31 11 19 1 212 278 Southland .... 4 4 — — 37 20 Otago 8 3 4 1 79 67 Canterbury ... 9 7 1 1 104 44