FOOTBALL NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 14, 18 June 1920, Page 10

FOOTBALL NOTES.

SPORTS' PROTECriON BANNER, PUBLIC SERVICE (12) v. UNION (.6). Union kicked to Fortune who returned to middle field, the Union pack breaking away in the two lines that followed, but kicking too hard to J. Dalgliesh who sent it back to neutral line. Union did a line pass but the kick set up a Service pass and McDonald passed to J.D. who sent a bad one for Saunders to juggle with and score. Fortune missed with a good effort. Service 3. Sproat marked the 25" and Union marked his weak kick ; the line scrum that came was even, Service heeling for McDonald to pass slowly when .tackled, a scramble following., During an exchange of poor kicks Galbraith came out fast but did not dive, so the Blacks benefited, Saunders coming fast and being tackled at the north-east corner of No. 1 ground. He dropped the ball, and the abiduitous Jack Dal piclced it up and scored. Fortune again made a good shot, but the score was ordy Service 6. A big colour rush, through the Service full waiting for an elusive bounce, looked well for Union, but the Black backs were too good and cleared to north middle line. A full to full effort saw the Service man redeem himself with a good take and kick to the old spot. A Union break-away made Fortune kick cleverly over his shoulder and clear to line. Cameron came away well, but lost his pack, and J. Dal- j gleish mis-ki-cked the heel, though a dribble finished the Service effort toJUnion 25. Union forwards broke every Service line, but fed the ve'ry safe opposing backs — the man coming away with the ball siiould change direction to a player on his right or on his left, and not send the ball forward. Gasey and McDonald, of Dunedin and All Black fame, were masters of this strategy. Stewart of Union made a good man-to-man tackle and his other forwards supported him in the openlng, but Service were penalised for lying and Cockroft had a shot, his forwards, by their position during the free, proving that they didn't know where to stand, or how to

follow a high punt. They stood in a bunch and backs easily got out of the way of the wedge-like mass. J. Dalgleish and Fortune did some good work, but Callaghan was not lucky in support. Cockroft had a good pot from a 1 mark, and Service had a man in front for their take the scrum, resulting just in front of the posts. From the break Sellars shone to the 25 line where a free to Union sent the ball "out ten yards from home. Stobo relieved excellently, and a Union kick was well returned by Service full. . Stobo again headed a rush and cleared a fine Union forward effort, but the Cockroft pack came back again to be checked with a defence pass J.D. to Saunders, who kicked too low for attack. Blacks were smarter than Union around the scrum and the play ran into the latter's. territory where a heel was sent with a bad pass to second five McDonald, but the poor Union backs let the ball be sent out in their own 25. A great colour rush was stopped and Service heeled, bufc McDonald slipped in jinking, the movement endirig in a pass to Saunders who didn't find the line. Black forwards came up and Union were penalised for unsuccessful anticipation. Fortune goaled beautifully. Service 9, Union nil. The kick was returned to half-way, and a big Union dribble gave Service full a chance for a meticulous speculator. Then Union wingthree had a lash and a scrum followed, Union securing and passing badly, but the forwards came to the rescue forcing ' the ball to within ten yards of Service line, where Cockroft broke through in possession and scored five yards in from . the north-west corner, no one saying him nay. When the kieker failed, the score was, Service 9, Union 3. The line umpires stood tcgether on a line drawn through the middle of the bar and the ball-spot. Mr Isaac Jenkins has it that line umpires to be of any assistance to the referee should, when watching goals, stand one at each post and look up. F.-r. perience teaches, try it. When Service got the return of their kick, Union wingthree was out of place for Blacks' fmi who returned short. An interchange of kicks was very ragged and a Union forward received a pass in good position but got flurried making a forward scrum, the heel from which came to Service, but

Jack Dalgleish clipped and made a set scrum from which Union secured, Then their pass was as usual, poor. The forwards retrieved the lost ground and Service again fed, McDonald being wrongly penalised for coming up as he had initiated the movement. The kick relieved Colours to the 25, and another free saw them well into Service last stretch. Black forwards began a clearing effort but Union McDonald sent it back with a | left to where it had been, and two Union forwards scored — a great rush! Cockroft made a weak kick. Service 9, Union 6. Service dropped out badly, their forwards standing together and their kieker didn't give them a hope of Teaching the ball, although Union waited for bounces. Still Union McDonald relieved coming up and getting a lucky bounce that his weak wing had waited for. From , the line parallels Union forwards came away magnificently and Jack Dalgleish dived on the ball in the midst of feet and foes like "a Briton. The game was as clean as clean could be except for an odd push on the line, one man .being especially given to that rotten practice. Lance Dalgleish relieved with a" line kick when Union seemed to be coming into the' open, and the scrum from the line out saw Service pen--alised. Stewart, a weak kick tried a drop, Cockroft having a sore leg. The effort forced Service, and much ground was lost to Union. The 25 returns ended with a Union mark which was again weakly kicked, the bout ending with the ball at midline. In the scrambling play that followed Union backs failed to do their wTork, not knowing how to go on one knee to pick up a ball, and generally showing incompetency. Line work brought out sonie bad one-handed taking — or knocking on — by Union, but they always carried the lines, their heeling being nonexistent possibly through knowledge of the backs they hacln't. Union pack again came and Lance Dalgleish and Stobo cleared twice to the side line where the Service pack showed their coaching by defence heel for J.D. to boot clear. From the parallel scrum Fortune speculated at the ball, and an off-side went to Union, but Stewart returned to the corner. Service heeled and the play shifted half u.p the 25, where C&mertai broke away, and, cm arriviiig at the mid-llne, oentreil,

the ball dying at half-way at Union 25. Union forwards carried the play at om to Fortune who kicked out losing ground with a curly one. The spell ended, Public Service 9, Union 6. The second spell opened with muiled j catches and poor kicks, nothing being well 1 done except a liner, by Fortune, a Black ? off-side later putting Union into good position. Some kicks exchanged were no! prevented as forwards would not dive a! the kickers, and Union reached Seiw 1 25. Fortune cleared but Union came back with a free, and Service showed theii • science by foot-work, McDonald finally booting into Union ground, where a J Colour mark relieved and Fortune was bustled in the take, losing by puntingin the wrong direction. At this stage the Union backs were feeble in concerted work and slow in kick, Langbien doing the onlj 3 dive-at-a-kicker of the match, and curtail- 1 ing the return appreciably. A pa®V bout of . the Dalgleish's and McD*| .\ finished by the last-named finding line at the corner. Union cleared ^ 1.1 ancl Stobo did a heavy clueck by I Service full made too good kicks and t • ball was in neutral line. The gar® WIJ now slow, Union forwards being too M and always the better in line work. ® , Donald tried a run in and was we j tackled by Union backs, the effort hav® | been made too far from the Union j Sellars showed up in a good Service I breaking to the corner. Saunders , 1 high, and a scrum gave Fortune a c ^ to run well and centre ; but the kic | marked. Union forwards smashed r^,j and J. Dalgleish went down on the , among most gentlemajily forwards. lation was rife among backs, the galE ' J ing painful to behold. Black & | made position and McDonald iece" ^ scored, Fortune being unfortunate i the kick. Service 12, Union ^ ^ J game lacked only a whistle 0 ^ u dreariness, Union not being S^OI^C0 rnsh Service being content. A 6 ^ ^ 1 tested Union punting and foun ^ ^ and Union forwards again lastj which they did right up 0 ,j e ga i>, 12 yards The the heeling Black a cliance, _^^ Ib9 was sent out at almost a pub^j whistle blew then with the sc Service 12, Union 6r