FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE TARANAKI TEAM. RETURN FROM SOUTHERN TRIP, RECORDS OF THE TOUR. The Taranaki team, comprising 25 players, accompanied by Messrs. Jas. Garcia (manager) and W. A. Guy (coach and chairman of the selection committee), returned to Taranaki last night by the mall train, after an enjoyable southern tour. All the matches played were very hard, and numerous bruises, etc., were sustained by the players, but only three or four were placed out of action, viz., Ennis, who received a sprained ankle, and Taylor, whose head was slightly injured. In the last match, Johnston and Hunt had to leave the field. Early in thd tour several of the players suffered from colds, but recovered later. The result of the matches played shows that football in the South Island has come back much quicker than has been the case in the North Island, and particularly in Taranaki. Indeed, in the majority of the South Island provinces football has shown a vast improvement, especially in Otago and Southland. In Taranaki, football has not yet reached prewar standard. The. forwards are there, out the province sadly needs a half and fiveeighths. With an improvement in this direction, Taranaki could meet the best of the provincial teams in New Zealand without fear as to the result. The team played five matches while on tour, winning the first against Wellington by 15 points to 1, and losing all the rest, viz.. South Canterbury, by 11 —3 ; Southland, 6—3 ; Otago. 17 —8: Canterbury, 17—13. In all 37 points were scored for Taranaki and 65 against. Taranaki’s 37 points consisted of nine tries, two converted goals, and two penalty goals. Coutts scored the most points, with two penalty goa.'s and two converted tries. Then came Malone, 9 (three tries) : Wilkinson and Ennis, 6 each (two tries) ; West and Hammersley, 3 each (one try). Of the 23 men who made the trip. West, Fogarty, Hammersley, Malone and Coutts played In each of the five matches: Lynskey, Wilkinso'n, Marks, Masters. Hunt. Fryday. Johnson, in four: Taylor. Harris, Hickey, Vaughan, in three; Oliver; Ennis. Court, in two (Court als>' going on to replace Johnson, who was injured in a third match) ; Stohr, Allen, Brien, McCullough, in one. Pri.or to reaching Hawera last night, Mr. R. Fogarty (captain of the team) expressed appreciation on behalf of the team of the in terest displayed in their welfare on the tour by the manager' (Mr. J. Garcia), and also uy the coach (Mr. W. A. Guy). In replying, these gentlemen congratulated the members of the team on their behavior during the tour.

THE CANTERBURY MATCH. TARANAKI UNLUCKY TO LOSE. On Saturday Taranaki were somewhat unlucky in being defeated by Canterbury. In the first spell Taranaki had all the better of the game, and wound up with a lead of seven points. They were attacking throughout the bulk of the spell, which was very fast, and several times crossed their opponents’ line, being awarded three tries, but it is generally. conceded that .they scored at least two more tries. Malone and Hamimersley on one occasion touched down ahead of the Canterbury man. whom the referee saw force the ball, whilst on another occasion Malone sent Frvday over the line with a beautiful pass, which the referee held to be thrown forward. In the second spell Canterbury had their turn, and as Taranaki’s inside men allowed their opponents too much room to operate, the local took full advantage, and set Ford galloping on every possible occasion. Thus Canterbury won a match that was fast, exciting and brim full of incident by four points, though the score might just as easily have been the other way. The Canterbury team surprised their own public by the exhibition they gave, easily the best of the season. Indeed, the match is conceded to be the best rep. imatch played there this season. The Taranaki forwards kept them busy. A feature of the play, was the remarkable rapidity with, which play changed from end to end of the field. One moment a team would be hotly attacking and on the verge of scoring, and next moment would be as strenuously defending. The great pace seemed to j tell a little against Taranaki at the finish. | though they never let up. and till the call i of time looked like pulling the game out of the fire. West played another great game, and was again well supported by Fogarty, Fryday (than wham there is no fitter man in the team) and Malone. The latter did an immense amount of work, both in defence and attack. Lyn-r-kev, at half, did not get the ball out too well. He was Inclined to stand hack too far from the scrum. In the second spell, when nlaylng five-eighths, he mustered up a lot of pace, on occasions getting his side out of difficulties, and making some good breakaways. Johnston played his usual sound game till he was injured. Oliver did not Impress. Standing too deeply, ho frequently missed his man. Vaughan, at centre, had a lot to de, and did imost of It. though Ford beat him badIv once. On another occasion Vaughan had hrAd luck in not scoring. Wilkinson was the | nick of the wingers, scoring a characteristic ’ try and being well tackled on other dashes. ] Hickev defended well, but seems to have 'ost all his old dash, as he was very slow to get going; in fact, he seldom gave It a go, preferring to kick. For New Zealand ren. form he was disappointin'’-. Coutts. at full, took and kicked well, filling the bill admirably, though he Injured his leg early in the game. Petersen, Andersen, and Rutherford were the pick of a gooij set of Canterbury forwards. Kerwan proved a nippy half, whilst Page and Evans connected well with the threeo.uarter line, of which Ford, the All Black at centre three-quarter, was the pick. THE SOCIAL SIDE. GREAT HOSPITALITY SHOWN EVERYWHERE. On the social side, the team had a thoroughly enioyable time, being very hospitably entertained throughout. Their treatment up till leaving Invercargill has been already chronicled. Tin Monday evening, when they arrived at Dunedin, they were met by Messrs. Kavanagh (chairman) White, Harris, members of the Otago Rugby Union, and J?. S. Wilson (secretary), and taken in motor cars to their hotel. On Tuesday morning they practiced at the Caledonian grounds and in the afternoon they were taken for a motor run along the sea-front to Portobello, and in the evening were the guests of the Otago Rugby Union at Fuller’s vaudeville. On Wednesday morning they were taken un the cable tram to the Roslyn Woollen Mills, the largest wool manufacturing works in the Dominion. Mr. Proc- : tor. a member of the Otago Rugby Union, i brother of Mr. N. Procter, of WftHara. was ■ the cicerone on this trip. After the match i the two teams dined together. In the morning before leaving for Christchurch other | points of interest were visited. The Otago Rugby Union has created an official position, viz., chairman of the Entertainment Committee. This is filled by Mr. H. White, and he certainly carried nut ts functions admirably, being most attentive to visiting teams. In fact, nothing was too much trouble for him, if he thought it added to the pleasure of the visit. As the train passed through Ashburton, the team was welcomed by ,the Mayor (Mr. Galbraith), who entertained them to a welcome cup of tea. On arrival at Christchurch that evening they were met at the station by several members nf the Management Committee, and motored to the Dominion Hotel. They practised in the morning at Lancaster Park which was the best ground met with on the tour. In the afternoon they were imotored tc the Metropolitan Trotting Club’s grounds al Addington, then up the Cashmere Hills, whence a good view of the city is obtained, afterwards proceeding to Sumner for afternoon tea That evening Fullers was the attraction. Aftei the match the teams dined together, and ther were motored down to the station on route for Lyttelton, being given an enthusiastic send-off. A splendid trip up on the Maori, and Wei lington was reached at 7 a.m., the team beinf met on the wharf by Mr. J. Lundon. a mem ber of the Management Committee of the Wei lington Rugby Union, and motored to theii hotel, where the Auckland team were alsc Quartered. In th* afternoon both teftflaa weti

taken for a motor trip to . the bays round Wellington. Mr. Prendeville, chairman of the Wellington Rugby Union, and G. W. Slade, chairman of the New Zealand Rugby TJni.on, accompanied the party. In tho morning the Wellington Union placed a motor ’bus at the team’s disposal for conveyance to the station, and the last stage of the trip was begun at 8.20, New Plymouth being reached at 8.10 p.m. Right through with the exception of the Friday afternoon at Invercargill, when it rained and the preceding Wednesday, at Timaru, when it blew, the weather was splendid. In fact the trip Was made under conditions that could not have been excelled. Right throughout every assistance was received from railway officials, hotel staffs, and others with whom the team came in contact, every one being anxious to make the trip as pleasant as possible. The behavior of the team was excellent, the proprietors of several of the hotels expressing appreciation. At Christchurch on Saturday evening, in presenting the team with a box of cigars, the proprietor of the Dominion Hotel said that the behavior of the team was the best of any he had known during his 20 years’ experience. THE KASPER CUP. Writes our Puniho correspondent:—'With reference to the notes under the above heading by “A Coastal Footballer.” stating that, my notes forwarded to you were misleading, I wish to make the following statement. In the first place. I was at the presentation of the cup, and no mention whatever was made of the difference that existed, and I was unaware of any until a few days after the notes were published. When I heard of it I referred the matter to the captain of Puniho team, and he informed me that everything was quite right. Since then the coastal footballers’ notes have been published, and so I again referred the matter to Mr. Hill, and I received the following reply, which speaks for itself: “The coastal footballer in his notes on the 26th inst. is evidently laboring under a delusion, for no protest committee existed. However, the heads of the different clubs met Rahotu, and, after a discussion, awarded the Kasper Cup to the Puniho team. It was the first match we played (a drawn game) that Parihaka surmised we had outsiders in. Parihaka did not protest then or mention anything about it till after the final game. It was then that they discovered that the Puniho team were too good for them (a rather rude awakening). Tn this event Puniho played with one man short. Parihaka declaring that it was against the union rules to have our man replaced 10 minutes after half-time. We also had to play against two jersey-less men, and yet with these disadvantages we defeated them by 6 to 3. On the foilowing Saturday we played Rahotu, and as this was the match which decided the winners of the cup, Pari--haka were sports enough to request Rahotu to put in all the best outsiders they could collect, a request, that was declined with disdain. Had Rahotu defeated us in this game Parihaka would have been the proud possessors of the cup. Parihaka has never asked us to play the first game over again, which we would have done with pleasure. As for the new rules referred to, we do not believe in signing a scrap of paper written out in pencil.

THE LEAGUE GAME. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, September 4. Benson, Lapham and Mansted have been selected for the League team in lieu of Blinkhorn, Watkins and Thompson, who are not available. Caples has been appointed captain.

RUGBY IN SYDNEY. SOCCER’S ADVANCE. (By Ernest E. Booth, N.Z., and Australian Representative.) Ever since the departure of the "All Blacks.” the football public hare been haying quite a contentious time discussing the .ate visit of the "All Blacks” and the past, present. and future of the game. There can be no doubt that the visit of the Maoris and N.Z. rep. team this season has I had most beneficial effects. The Union game has quite again won a place, as it were, on the sun of observance. Very few know how ; really low it had sunk and what a "faithful few” hung together and kept the flag flying. With the return of the game many old "appendages” and “encumbrances" returned looking around for privileges, publicity, etc. The prevailing belief exists that N.Z. football Is declining, particularly in back play. Personally, I imaintain that the non-success of the last team cannot be taken as an absolute criterion. N.Z. should have won. and certaintv could have, had some players been recipients of good advice. Want of coaching in actual team work, obsession of line kicking (which certainly has been one of the most outstanding weaknesses all through N.Z. up till the arrival nf the new rules), wore bad featuree nf N.Z.s play. The material is still in N.Z.. but more theoretical knowledge of , the game wants Inculcating into that material. ] Amongst, the many explanations of N.Z.’s defeat given, about the most original was from the “Wayback.” who had lived in Wellington. N.Z. He asked me in all seriousness: "H n w would anyone expect a N.Z. team to win without a Roberts in ft? It ain’t possible.” Dick McGregor, of Thames, and a member of the 1903 team, “living here, recuperating successfully from illness caused by rheumatic troubles, attended the late matches. He has the same onininn as myself that the greatest weakness of N.Z.s play was the inside backs. He thinks the forwards just about on a par with the past and only require burnishing up. Generally he was very dissatisfied with the team’s play. There can he no douht about the Improved local form. T saw and nlayed with several N.S.W. teams, and it is doubtful if the Wallabies of 1908-9 played with more systematic understanding. Undoubtedly the Australians have evolved a distinct national style of tlPir own. based on sound principles more universally understood than in New Zealand. They have specialised birr hookers and breakaways and perfected the English eight scrum better than the Englishmen over did. The Blues, to my mind, showed a better adaptation to the new rules. This applies especially to the us-s and abuses of kicking.

The pumps were nil a battle of systems, an? had N.Z. played the 3—2—3 formation they would probably have won every gamie by a pood margin. There is no doubt that the restrictive policy of the different, referees towards the wing forwards had a most detrimental effect on the whole team’s movements. How the Australians love the wing forward. "N.Z. again invaded our shores with that perennial football pest the wing forward, with his spoiling tactics.” With an eight pack, the wine forward trouble could have been averted, and using their weight New Zealand could have had SO ner cent, of the ball from scrummages. The N.Z. pack usually loses weight, height, and pace by the inclusion of two usually undersized stocky men, mediocre only in line-outs and open play.

One good effect of the two visits has been to win many old players, ex-collegiate mien and referees, back to an active participation in the game. Next season they will don the jersey again for another flutter. I have seen the majority of the Union clubs playing and they can all do with some bolstering up with additional playing strength. The standard of club play, as can he easily understood, is not as high as New Zealand.