FOOTBALL

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1423, 16 August 1881, Page 2

FOOTBALL

Now that the match Auckland v. Waikato has been definitely arranged for Saturday next, and the teams selected, a few woidi of advice to our meu may come in handy, the more so as> they have had no opportunity of playing together, in the first place I must tell them that the game has much improved in Auckland dining the last season or tvTO, and a much faster game will be seen on Saturday than many of "our boys" have ever seen in New Zealand. A great deal more dribbling will bo done, and herein lies the reason that so few matches are drawn now-a-days, that is speaking in comparison to some few seasons pa3t, when, teams being at all evenly matched, a draw was rather the rule than the exception. Tight scrimmages the Auckland boys will not go in for if possible, as they are too light all round for that against our weight, and consequently loosp scrimmaging, running, and dribbling will be their game. Always stop a dribble if possible, even if yon have to Ue down on the ball to do it. If you collar, collar low, and try to collar the ball as well as the man. Ifc often saves a pass. At forming up when the ball £oca into touch, the Auckland team are very smart, no time being lost at all, and this should be particularly looked to, as many a good show is obtained from a well received ball thrown in from touch. Watch little Newell on these occasion", he is Very smart close on the touch line. In running, it is a grave, and, I am sorry to say, too common fault to run too long ; never let yourself be collared with the ball if you can possibly get a chance' of a kick, and if possible kick out into touch. By doing this your side will gain the full benefit of any run you may have made and the distance you may have kicked forward as well, a3 the ball has to be brought straight in where it crossed the goal line, whereas if a man is collared and a scrimmage ensues, all the advantage he gained by a lot of hard work may be lost. > We all know that a good run looks, v?el], pleases the gallery, and ensures 'ho end of - applause, but players should, more particularly in a match, with aii outside district, think mo^e of

food to be done to their side, and less of little personal glory or the kudos of doing a brilliant but perhaps useless little bit of show. Passing the ball is a thing that requires a lot of practice, and if not done well and in season had better be,, | left alone. I would not say, do not do it ; but what I do say is, make sure that your man is there to receive it w,hen passed, and that it is not intercepted by an adversary. Passing pay*»splendidly if well done, but take care*flsS to throw on. Back players should always kick unless j, they have a clear, run before them ; never risk being- collared, because, as a rule, it is too near gadl to risk a scrimmage. Our kicking ought to be equal to Auckland's, as I don't see many of their brilliant kicks down to come up. We are not a slow team either, but it is in the knowledge of the game that they will have a lot the pull of ÜB. Our team will suffer a great loss in Wood, who, I believe, cannot play, and in his absence I expect to see Grierson elected captain. He knows most of th& men, and plays a hard name himself, yet withal is pretty cool. He is, perhaps, a little too fond of running, but I am sure that he will take the advice I have given about that in good part, and act up to it. I notice that we' have a preponderance of back players, but some of them will make very good forwards where a good kick is at times invaluable. I say to all, "Keep cool; don't play ' offside' (the Ponsonby players can do enough of that for both teams). Keep your tempers, and take the tips off your boots before you go on the ground, and, above all things, look out for the first rush' of the blue and whites. They will swoop down like a wolf on the fold, or the American eagle on a small bird, and goodness help the unready." Full Back.