FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17813, 12 July 1923, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

TOWN (19) V. COUNTRY (6). With a view ro the selection of the team to represent Canterbury in its many tixtures this year, a game was played at Lancaster Park yesterday between representatives from the Town and Country trains. The display was not by any means of a high standard, the greasy ball and treacherous ground being in a large measure responsible for this state of affairs. Influenza m,.l other causes prevented the Town from being represented as strongly as was at first expected, and the Country team was weakened to a lesser extent. The game, though uninteresting to the spectators, proved conclusively that many of tho Town players arc not up to representative form, while amongst the Country team are one or two sterling footballers. Quite the best back on the ground was the Ashburton half-back. A. St. George, who showed lirst-elass football, though badly supported. fl. Dalley's display at full-back for the Country team was aiso full of merit, his tackling and defensive work being especially good. The other backs showed a lack of knowledge of the liner points of Kugby. On the Town side McC'leary stood out 011 his own in tho forwards, and McCabe and .Fitzgerald were the only two of the backs to show any initiative on attack. The teams were as follows: — Town (Red and Black) —A. Brown, W. Fleming, I. Brown, F. McCabo, W. Elvey, E. Fitzgerald, B. Brodie, B. McCieary, C. Greatbatch, J. Burrows, O. Turpin, P. Kirby, J. 11. Parker, R. E. Masters, B. Dicdrich (wing). Country (Blue and White) —H. Dalley, J. Calder, J. Horgan, C. Barney W. Dalley, D. Hay, A. St. George, F. Childe, 15. Dennehy, J. Bell, D. Fitzgerald, B. Waghorn, K. Foster, L. Chisnall, 11. Collin3. Right from tho commencement the Town team attacked, and a smart run. by McCabo threatened danger, but a pass went astivay, and H. Bailey and St. Goorgo sent play back to half-way ■with good line-kicking. The Country backs thus early wero out of position, and Fitzgorald started a passing rush, which was carried on by Elvey and Brown, who, when tackled, sent out lob passes. Eventually McCabo secured, and had u straight run in from the twenty-five yard Hag. Brown was successful with tho difficult kick. Country attacked for a short period, but again the Town backs attacked, MzCabe making a long run, mostly across field. He passed to Greatbatch, who sent on to Kirby. and eventually Parker scored a good try. I. Brown failed to convert with a good kick. B—o. The Country forwards, headed by Dennehy, Fitzgerald, and Waghorn, made a bold bid to score, but a lucky speculator by I. Brown got his side out oi troublo, and loose forward rushes gained furthor ground. Weak tackling by tho Country backs allowed McCabo to gain ground, and eventually Fleming secured and scored near the corner. The kick at goal failed, and half-time sounded with Town leading by II points to nil. "Town had a short period on attack at tho start of the second spell, but a loose forward rush, headed by Horgan and Dennehy, soon had Country pressing hard, and Horgan had a shot at goal which missed. St. George set the Country backs going several times, but Calder continually knocked on, and penalties assisted the Town team. Offsido play by a Town forward gave Horgan another chance, and this time he sent the ball between the uprights. A few minutes later St. George snapped up the ball smartly, and sent on to W. Dalley, who beat Elvey, and passed out to Horgan. Tho last-named sent on to Calder, who badly beat Fleming, and crossed the lino just as he was tackled by Elvey and A. Brown. It was n good piece of work, that shdwed up tho weak tackling of the Town backs. At this stage Country _ seemed to have a great chance of winning, but faded away, and a loose forward rush ended in Diedrich scoring for Town. Brown converted with a good kick. Shortly afterwards a loose rush by tho Town forwards ended in Parker scoring again, but Brown failed with the kick, and the game ended with Town winners by 19 points to 6. Mr E. E. Luttrell was referee.

MAORIS (13) V. SOUTH CANTERBURY (0). (BPECIAI, TO "THX PRESS.") TIMARU, July 11. The first representative match of the season in South Canterbury was played to-day before a large crowd at the Caledonian Grounds between the Maoris (all black) and South Canterbury (green and black;. The weather was dull and intermittent showers fell during the nrst half of the game and settled later into a steady drizzle. South Canterbury kicked off, and shortly after the commencement gained considerable advantage by a good exhibition of line lacking. Then from a scrum on the Maori line, Mathieson made a smart attempt at a try., but missed his chance, and a force resulted. A little later Logan put in a good line kick for the Greens and took play well up into Maori territory. Then J acubs (Maoris) secured and kicked out. From the line out Logan got the ball at his feet and looked like crossing the Maori line. He was cleverly tackled, and the effort failed. Shortly after this Tuiapa secured from a smart passing rush and scored the first try. The kick was successful. Maoris 5, South Canterbury nil. A moment or so a-fter the kick the Maoris came up strongly and Bell dashed across the line. The lack at goal failed. Maoris B, South Canterbury nil. A penalty kick to South Canterbury, taken by Scott, missed, and a lino kick by a Maori forward brought the All Blacks up into Green territory again. D. Fairbrotber secured and by a line kick took play back to half way. Following: on this, the All Blacks looked very like adding to their score, but Fairbrotber forced. Half-time sounded with the scores . Maoris 8, South Canterbury nil. On resuming, South Canterbury changed their tactics, and fought strenuously, play being in Maori territory most of the time. From a. scrum Kingston slipped away, but was forced out, A slick passing rush by Bell, Peina, Potaka and Roberts ended in the last named getting across in a favourable position. Jacobs kicked a good goal. Maoris 13, South Canterbury nil. This was a piece of good football and the first really spectacular flash seen so far. Again the All Blacks looked like scoring, but Fairbrother forced. At this stage Bevan (Maoris) was injured, but resumed his place. Play was now in South Canterbury territorv for a time until Gerrard got the b'A at his feet and worked up past half wav. At this stago Jacobs, the Maori capain, retired hurt. He was replaced by Kingi. Roberta dashed up and was just about to score when he was successfully tackled by D. Fairbrother. A little later P. Ward pot_ a nastv crac : i: across the eyes and retired. He

was replaced by* N ■ Ritchie. There was no farther scoring by cither side, and game ended with the figures: Maoris 13, South Canterbury nil. Mr J. o'l/eary was referee. A curtain-raiser to the big maton Has played between Timaru Mam School and Timaru South School. Alain School won by 3 points to nil. NEW ZEALAND UNION. v ?xrs3 ASSi'CIATIW TEI.S3HA:-i..! WELLINGTON, July 1 At to-night's meeting' *■:: -he iSew Zealand Kugby Union, ;i lo'Ao" v>\\s received iroi:\ the South Wales Courx.l asJv.li-: for permission ty bum? -jS plav.i-6 and a agreement for -7 nhivt-iv. The masseur was ngToed to. The s>'ew ir'onth Wales I ounci; resetted its inability u> czi nd the tour by two matches' as asked ow ng to the difficulty of {he plovers in getting leave unci' the unsuilability c! - . mentis. It also asked ir a ra.-ii-ch against | the Maoris could be s-u'.s ttuicd ior that against "»Vairarap;i and ±hi;h districts. Tno request was re-fused. M;» V. R. Meiedith, Auckland selector, advised hie inability to attend a meeting of the Selection Committee at Wellington. It wna decided to as'k the 1 Auck.and bnicn to make another nomination. Tho Horowhcnuu Union fidvis?d the issue of a challenge to Hr.v!;e's liay for the Kanfurly Shield. A motion was carried congratulating tho 1 Maori footballers on the way m which had upheld Kugby trad.lions, and thanking them for their f:ne work in the Main Trun:s disaster. "These Unions, although they demur about our charges, :'.;*e m".t br.c ward in cia min< their '25 per cent./' s:ud S. S. Dean, chairman, when tho Ofogo. Canterbury and Auckland Unions protested at. the Union's decision io increase ihe admission to the matched of ill© K-v; South W ales t-nvm during the tour. Mr Dean .said the tour would co-t £SOCO at least. There were -T men, whose expenses were £2 pe:' day for ten weeks. £SOO in boat fares, and *he cost assembling the Xew Zealand tcajn, which was considerable. As ■& matter o. fact the tour would not cost a. great lest than the Springboks. Th? only difference would bo 1 lie distaiice between Sont 11 Africa find Australia, and Australia and Xe«Zealand. In the c.a.=e of tiw South Africans, thev had had £4OO profit from the Australian visit in hand when the team arrived here Tlr.ee Unions —Wangnnui, Southland and South CantcximTv—had asked the c _ v '' Zealand Union to increase its charges lor the Maori matches. . Mr Wylie: After all, they cant get m a picture bliow nowadays in a decent seat -or less than ha'f-a-crown. The Union decided to pass the matter on to the Finance Committee to bring down a report to the next meeting. N.Z. ASSOCIATION TEAM. (BY CABLS—PRESS ABSOCIATIOX— COPYBJOHT.) (AUSTRALIAN AKD N.E. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received July 31th, 7.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 11. The "Referee" contends that, in view oi the defeats suotained by the New Zealand Association "team at the hands several country teams, tho selectors should visit every part of tho State before selecting test match teams with the object of including worthy country players in the teams representing New South Wales or the Commonwealth. ' 1 . On tho other hand many Association officials dismiss the country defeats of the New Zealanders airily, oonterdine that the visitors concentrated on. winning the ''aehes'' and treated the other games as picnic contesta.