RUGBY FOOTBALL

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 114, 15 May 1926, Page 25

RUGBY FOOTBALL

NOTES ON THE GAME. A successful innovation on the part of the Management Committee of the Southland Rugby Union was the invitation to the sub-unions to have representatives present at the first meeting of the month. Last Monday night three sub-unions were represented, and several matters pertaining to the -welfare of country football were considered, records "Hooker" in the "Southland News." By these monthly meetings more pood will be done for country footfall than a year's correspondence would effect. It says something, too, for the keenness of some of these country delegates', some of whom come 40 or 80 miles on a very rough night to be present. Several applications for reinstatement have been made by players who forfeited their amateur status by participation in League football, and it seems safe to conclude that the third attempt to plant the Northern Union code in Timaru will prove no more successful than the previous ones (says a writer in the "Timaru Herald"). New Zealand is not to have matters all its own way in the vanguard in the coming Rugby Union tests in Sydney in July (says the "Telegraph"). The V.M.C.A. Club has secxired the services of a young giant, Jack Middleton. The new member stands 6ft oin in height, and weighs over lost. Notwithstanding his immense physique he is a sprinter of repute, who covers the hjindred yards in almost "evens." Reporting: on the annual conference of the N.Z. Rugby Union to the management committee of the Hawke's Bay Union, Mr. N. McKenzie said that the conference was put through in record time. An extensive programme of re-presentati\-e games for Hawke's Bay was arranged for this season. "It is becoming increasingly hard," said Mr. McKenzie. "to mollify the smaller unions in their demands for games with the big unions, and curiously enough they all want to see the 'crackajacks'—Hawke's Bay. They don't seem to realise that the Bay team cannot be in more than one place at once, nor do they seem to realise that the players must have some time away from football to earn their living ■ — there is an opinion current no work done up here in the winter." (Laughter.) A Gilbertian situation has arisen in Sydney. League fans hailed with rejoicing the defection of Toby, the Rugby Union star, who has filled the full-back position in the amateur code with great success, but hardly was the news out when the League's crack full-back, H. L. Courtney, intimated that he had had enough of League and was going back to the Union game. . According to the "Echo dcs Sports," "the thorny question" of the admission of fresh countries to the International Rugby Football Board is troubling France. The journal says that, while there is a likelihood of Kew Zealand being admitted, it seems that the inclusion of France will be opposed more vigorously than ever. "If," the journal adds, "this forecast proves correct, the question must be asked how long the managers of the French Rugby Federation wil Iput up with an. ostracism aa mortifying aa it is unjustified."

ikernating between here and Kohi:narama. The liandior.pper had been iberal with his starts, the ten-footer Vera receiving 20 minutes from the scratch boat, the well-known 14-footer Kismet, both scratch and limit boats belonging to the same owner, Mr. E. Francis. Usually the course sailed by :his class has very little windward work in it, but on Saturday the north-west wind gave the boats a good test on this point. Kismet was just a bit too keen and beat the gun by a length, but by p.omptly obeying the starter's recall, she lost very little, and was in the lead before reaching the weather mark. Although leading boat, she was hard pressed by the 14-footer Tui, which was sailed with good judgment, both on and off the wind by her owner, Mr. R. E. Fenton, a a veteran yachtsman of over 60 years. Tui was only 70 seconds behind Kismet on the first round, but the latter lost some time setting and re-setting her spinnaker, which she at first carried on the .wrong gybe. On the second rooind Kismet did better, and in spite of a rather light crew, carried full sail, and Tui won the race with a little over three minutes to spare from Bronzewing, Eleanor being third. Not only was Tui's skipper a -veteran, but his mainsheet man. Mr. G. Wilkie, was only a few years his junior, so it is not invariably the young men who win the sport of boat sailing. We have races for the 14-footers confined to juniors under 21, what about a race for veterans next season.' It might prove an attraction at the Anniversary x.2gatta, or at some club fixture. One of the officials of the day was Mr. Tom Kilfoyle, late of Parnell, who is wellknown to the older generations of Auckland yachting men as owner and sailing master of the old-time cracks Tangaroa and Aorere. Tangaroa, althou-h 35 years old, is now a launch at Wellington. Mr. Fred Browne, another official, has also had many years experience, both in sail and later on launches, and this young club is most fortunate in having such experienced yachtsmen to guide its destiny. During the race an incident occurred which went to show that some of the skippers were not very familiar with the rights of a boat on the starboard tack, but they are not alone in this respect, unfortunately. Speaking of the lack of knowledge of the rule of the road shown in a recent ease before the court, a correspondent makes some sweeping and rather exaggerated assertions against our amateur skippere. He proposes that skipper* of pleasure craft should be made subject to the same regulations laid down for owners of hire launches and other craft who make their living on the water. It is quite true that some of our launch skippers display ignorance of thp rule of the road for steamers, while all our sailing men are not well grounded in the racing rules, but fortunately they are in the minority, as the small proportion of accidents prove. To help all who wish .to gain this very desirable knowledge. "Speedwell' , is pleased to !>e able to announce that lectures on thp.-e subjects will shortly be given by < apt Cliffe, who is well qualified to speak on such matters. The letter reads as follows: "Mr. Justice Stringer's decision regarding the collision of the Wainui and the Iris Eileen opens a- question which it k hoped will not be lost upon the Marine Department. His Honor suggests the desirability of the introduction of regulatiora requiring the ekippere of small

craft to pass a test to ensure their fitness to take such veseals to sea. However urgent the necessity may be with regard to craft of the type of the Iris Eileen. I suggest that it is even more necessary to ensure that skippers of our pleasure craft are adequately conversant with the fundamentals of seafaring. Having in view the great number of small craft on the harbour, the obvious incompetency of and foolhardiness displayed by some of our amateur skippers raises a feeling of speculation as to just how long it will be before a very serious accident occurs. Amongst those who 'go down to the sea' in pleasure craft almost innumerable instances are known where only particular graciousness- or , . the part of the great god luck could have averted serious consequences following upon the ignorance of some amateur skipper of elementary considerations, of nautical requirements. In justice to yacht skippers it can safely be said that in very few instances are thry found wanting on the score of efficiency and competence. The very nature of their craft ensures speedy disaster to themselves following mistakes, and in many instances the present-day yachtsman learnt by bitter experience in his younger day?. Even then, the actions of some indicate the desirability for a more intimate knowledge of the rule of the road and their obligations in this respect. A similar testimonial cannot, unfortunately, be given to a great number of launch skippers. Admitting that there, are good and bad in every type, a fairly extensive acquaintance with the sea has convinced mc that probably not 50 per cent of our present launchmen possess even an elementary knowledge of nautical requirements, or would be able to do any good in a crisis. Our hire launches are bound by regulations as to equipment and accommodation, but in view of the grave risks taken by e'eippers of some of our pleasure craft, the need for similar regulations governing their actions is just as pressing. The opportunity now presents itself for the Department to take steps to protect the lives and property of a great proportion of the public. An examination of and issue of licenses to skippers of all pleasure craft above certain dimensions would be welcomed by the competent, and would eliminate a great cause for his worry, the 'farmer.' " Referring to the opinion expressed in this column a few weeks ago about the necessity of enforcing the racing rule which disqualifies any boat fouling a mark at the start of a race, another correspondent sends his endorsement of

our views, and proposes a remedy. As the writer is an experienced yachtsman, his views are entitled to consideration. He says: "Dear Speedwell,—l was pleased to notice your remarks a couple of weeks ago, commenting on the 'mix-up' among boats at the start of the final cruising races of the season, and I wish to emphatically endorse your action in drawing attention to what I am sure is a growing evil—one if not checked will eventually result in serious damage to some boat or boats, and to some of the crews, perhaps even loss of life. Keenness at the start or any part of a race is commendable, but it is being overdone to the extent of gross breaches of the racing rules. It is therefore up to the clubs either to enforce their rules it they are strict enough, or, if not, to at once amend them and to severely j'jnish offenders whenever caught. It should be easy for all the clubs to combine and appoint an official to act for all to watch and report any unfair tactics at the start and throughout the races as far as can be seen from the starting post. Many competitors would rather put up with "bluff" than protest, and, of course, this is taken advantage of by the unsportsmanlike section of the yachting fraternity—fortunately a small proportion of those who follow this sport. A lengthy experience of numerous sports shows mc that some men, if they can break rules and get away with it, go further next time. Personally, I am satisfied that the only remedy is disqualification for a long period. Inquiries I have made reveal the fact that there are quite a number of yacht and launch owners who have given up, and are giving up, racing owing to the unfair tactics by other competitors, which are passed unnoticed in many cases." In speaking of the speed boats two weeks ago, mention was made of several boats which had been built by their owners. It appears we were in error in stating that the owners of Baby Dev. built this boat. It was Miss Devonport which they built. Baby Dcv, or Haruru, as she was originally christened, was built at Tuakau, Waikato, by Mr. Sam. Granros, assisted by Mr. Bob. Murphy, both well-known Ponsonby boating men. In addition to the Sanders Cup winner, Betty, which was on view for a week at the Dunedin Exhibition, Tauranga sent their champion 7-footer, Speedwell, and reports state that she was a centre of attraction id the Auckland Provincial Court. She was owned by Mr. Percy Carter, Commodore of the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club, whose young son sailed her with great success." The boat caused consideraole interest to be taken in the class and Speedwell was purchased by a Dunedin yachtsman. No less than seven other Dunedin boating men sent to Tauranga and obtained plans of the class with a view to building, and it appears probable that next season there will be quite a small fleet of these diminutive craft racing on the Otago harbour. Master George Carter has gained hie spurs and i= now the proud owner of the 14-footer Lois He makes the third skipper ora 7-footer who now owns a 14-footer. The chi-- is deserving of every eneou~agement on the score of a training ground for prospective owners of bigger boats. As mentioned last week, the various hauling out arear3 are quickly filling and no doiint many owners will take advantage of the good spring tide to-morrow morning to pull up for the winter. It is not often that yacht racing and football are carried on simultaneously, but surh was the case last Saturday. When the finishing gun of the Tamaki Yach.t Club's race marked the final event or the .-pason, an opposition roar was heard asiiore, where two local football letfrn.-j could be seen battling hard for ue winning try which was secured in Lhe last few minutes' play and greeted in the usual way by the supporters of the successful team. Owing to the absence from Auckland of their patron, Mr. Ernest Davis, the hall which was to have been tendered by him to the Victoria Cruising Club has been postponed. The Akarana Yacht Club will hold their second dance next Saturday in the Power Boat Association's club bouse.