FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 103, 1 May 1909, Page 14

FOOTBALL.

The English international record of the season up to date reads:— Pl.vd. TV. t,. P. For Agst. Pts. Wales ... 3 3 0 031 8 6 England .2 1 1 0 11 13 2 Scotland . 2 1 1 0 12 S 2 Ireland ..3 0 3 O .13 3S O England lost to Australia by 3 points to 9 points, and beat France by 22 points to co thing. Wales beat Australia by 9 points to 0, and defeated France by 47 points to 5. By the last English mail news came to hand of the death of Mr S. E. Sleigh. i The deceased gentleman will be rememi bered by old players as one who took a ' prominent part in laying the foundation of Rugby football in New Zealand, and : especially in Otago. It might also be [ said that the fact of New South Wales i now being a strong Rugby centre was in j a large measure due to his efforts, as it ! was chiefly through his energies, assistled by the' late W. V. -Uillton, that the i first. New- Zealand team visited New j South Wales. Mr Sleigh was manager of j the team, which was aot beaten on the j tour, and was practically the pioneer of | Rugby football in New South Wales, for, j although a team from there had visited j New Zealand two years previously, the ! game had not become thoroughly popular jin Sydney. The late Mr Sleigh played j for Otago in 1599: he was a member of j the Dunedin Football Club team that ! toured New Zealand in 1577, playing | games against Auckland, Wellington, Xel son, Christehurch. Temuka and Timi aru, and winning all the games except j that against Auckland, which was I drawn. Mr Sleigh acted as secretary of the ■ Otago Rugby Union. About 20 years ago he left New" Zealand, taking up his residence in London, and before the foundation of the New Zealand Rugby Union he represented the Otago Union on the English Rugby Union. The annual conference of referees, held this year at New Plymouth, seems to have occupied a great deal of its time in hair-splitting (remarks "Full Back" |of the "Otago Witness"). The decision |of the conference that "should any part

lof a player who is running with vie ball j swing into touch or touch-in-goal, such | player shall be considered in touch or ■ touch-in-goal respectively," is quite a J Solomon-like decision. Personally, I earI not see that there is any need for an j alteration in the rules in this direction, and I should like to learn the arguments j adduced which influenced tlie conference :in coming to the above decision. It seems Ito mc that the rule simply puts another i burden on referees, and a very heavy one i too, seeing that referees, owing to the I position they are placed in in the field, will ifind it a most difficult thing to decide when a player infringes the new rule. Another important ruling given by the j conference is that where a player with the ball runs back over his own goal, j with the intention of going again into the ; field of play, but before doing so is forced Iby his opponents to make the ball dead, i a touch-down shall be awarded. The ruling, however, is subject to approval by the Appeal Council, but in the meantime referees are to follow the above ruling. . This rule simply amounts to this: j that a team have forced their opponents ' back to the line, and in an attempt to j relieve the pressure, one of the defending i players secures the ball and runs back | over his own line. The attacking side, I however, must stand off such player after I all their work in forcing their opponents back to the line, and let him get in his : kick unhampered. If, however, the atj tackers charge the player running behind the line with the ball, he can touch down, and his side gets a kick out from the twenty-five! This appears to mc a wonderful interpretation for the conference to give birth to, and I sincerely hope the Appeal Court deals with the proposed motion as its merits deserve, and leaves the penalty for such an Infringement as ! that stated as it is at present —scrum five yards out. One can hardly imagine that it is 21 years since the first British team visited New Zealand, but such is the fact, and the 21st inst. is the anniversary day of one of the most historical events in the annals of Auckland football, for it was on that date the wearers of the now famous blue end white succeeded in defeating the pioneer British team by 4 points to nil. With the exception of Barlow lladigan, Hooker Conway, and Orlando Wells, who have crossed the great divide, and New MeCausland. j Tommy Brown, and Billy Hobson, who are out of the country, the rest of the team are residing in or near Auckland. I end it would be in keeping with the i importance of the event if some sort of ! re-union was aranged to celebrate the occasion. Probably the management committee of the Auckland Rugby Union will make a move in the matter. Rumours have come this way (says a Wellington writer) as to allege_ abuses o f the English Rugby Union's professional laws by Taranaki players. There is an air of mystery about the affair which wants clearing away. Wellington has seeemingly a very decent stock of backs to select from when the representative fixtures come along this season. There will be plenty of scrummagers in reserve, the difficulty which is most likely to present itself to the selectors being the evenness of the numerous candidates. The balance-sheet of the New Zealand Rugby Union will be submitted on May 13th. Interesting developments are awaited (says a Christehureh exchange). The Canterbury Rugby Union have made application to the New Zealand Rugby Union for the North and South Island match to be played there this season. The matter was referred to the incoming committee. Only three New Zealanders -figured in the final tie of the inter-Hospital Rugby Challenge Cup, decided in March, Richmond and *ron by Guy's, after a one-sided game by 21 points to nil. L. B. Stringer, of Christehureh, figured in the winning side's threequater line: and A. H. Hoby. of Wellington, among the forwards, whilst T. Harrison, erstwli/W? of Otago University, was in the losing pack, until pulled out to replace an injured Middlesex tkreequarter. The game was decidedly tame, the Guy's team being "on top" all through. Stringer played a fine game, but was not in scoring mood, though he had a hand in making the openings for most of the seven tries gainea i y Guy's. Place-kick-ing was not a strong point with the winners, for though there was no wind not one of the tries were converted. Wales created a record this season by winning their fifth international match of the season—Australia, England, Scotland, France, and Ireland having been beaten in turn. Such a feat is not likely to be performed again for some time, for apart from its obvious difficulties, it is certain to be some years ere a colonial side will be seen in Great Britain, says ar. English writer. The people of Wales seem unable to restrain themselves when any big match U played, and enthusiasm ran riot at Swansea at the end of the Wales v. Ireland game W. J. Trew, the Welsh captain, was carried off the field shoulder high; thousands waited outside the ground until the players had dre?sed, and then, preceded by two bands, a pro cession was formed, with the brake containing the players the centre-piece, to the headquarters of the Union,