FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 187, 2 May 1908, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. : . [By Aristobulus.] • The championship. fixtures were got untie way: last Saturday/ on the Union's newlj loased Miramar grounds.. The games wer interesting for, an : 'day, and; th attendance was good. The • position rcgarc ing the new has; already been deal v with, .but it may bo mentioned again tha tho Union should spend some of its surplu '■. money at once in improving the play in .-.areas, which are sadly in need of touchin ■up.. - Improved transport arrangements ar promised for to-day, so further commeii - on .the grounds will bo hold over in ohlc to seo ivhat improvements are effected. Tho MelroserPoneko-fixturo-was the prir . Cipal match at Miramar last Saturday, bu tho Poneko men were not in the same stree ;\. 7'their opponents. - For years/past th Melroso Club has been able to placo a stron forward team m tho field, but poor back have handicapped-thom each season. Las , year the club roped in somo young blooi for; the .rearguard, and,, pursuing tho sam policy .this yoar, tho club has now the mat ing of . an i excellent rearguard, all youn; players, who should bo ablo to see the tear through several season?. ;Ori ; last Satur day s showing the youngsters will all deve s , lop into/good men, and it looks at this earlstago as,if Melrose must have a'big say.ii the final for the championship. ■ The'whol , "."the-backs, were 1 upon .their, mettle" agains Poneko, and < nono . could be said to hay failed. • /Greeks, a>diminutive half-back, who'play e< in one of the .lower grades : Inst year, 'ha reason, to ..bo? -pleased with- the.. gamo hi .. played... His. work was nippy . throughout • and ho. always appeared to have somethini ; definite in view. The lad got the ball aw.v very cleverly at times, and. took his gruellin! . • like: ar. man; '■ Church, who created a favourable impres sioiyjwhen ho made his debut Mast year played well up to form, :soino of his worl being excellent. .Q- another colt, came through With flying colours, and should prove a distmct acquisition to the red and. blue three-quarter-lino. : - ; " y : Goorgo Spencor .. at.- full-back . was 1 Spencei at his. very best-... He was-.as .safe as the proverbial church, and the cool manner m which/.ho saved every, timo ho was called '< .was enough -to have broken; the spirit r of any, pack of forwards: 'Spencer's perfect '• line-kicking ..was; feature of v tho' gamo. He, was decidedly off in-one respcct'in which he usually . shines, ■..■and) that was placekicking. ' ■ are'Ja, 'number ,of .familiar faces in . the .Melrose."scrum.v Veteran f'BilI"-. Adams is. assisting .-his pid-, club .again after a 1 considerable spell, the :ba'nk,. and ho . played with-his. pccustomed vigour. On^the' day's ■•Play .Dewai-,/.was•'probablycthe best, of the 1 winner's- vanguard,' his:-work being) consisr tcntly good: Spencer put in sonic ser- ; viceable , work,, and King , showed flashes of his. best form, but was unnecessarily vigor- ■, . ous occasions.;■; The Poneke ; backs are not-1 a very formidable combinations with;, I 'Wallace and' F:< j chinson away.- l Paul at full-back played a serviceable ( game,; and / saved his. side rc- ' : of the * - quarters, but he .did; not get mais? opportunities.of displaying was responsible, for some : good defensivo work,, but; .the halfback Tilyqrd, bo well'last season,,was buried by the weight of the., opposition pack. The' red i forwards 'are •a" 'likely-looking lot; , and ,the;pmade up in 'some -measure.'for' the v shortcomings of the backs. Rush shaped in Ai 3 r> st y lo .; and ,: Mentiplay,. Calcinai, O-Brien, and Tresise showed up. well;* Oriental put .- a strong :' team in, the" field ■ against Athletic., but: had, all they could do . to hold: the blue and black forwards in the second. l spell.-) stairs "of'the Oriental ■ appear'-.to;-be .'Robertsr lialf,, and : Matheson, wing* three-quarter. ! '' The;, forijier put in ,a big ,day!s;.,work, and usuaily/hap- -, pofied : along- when ..he V was niost, wanted. : Matheson. shaped remarkably .well,iandiwith proper-feeding shoidd 'develop '"into 'one of ' ';, the most dangerous scoring backs in the city. Thompson;..of,'fAll Black" fame, played on ... the . left-wing, butdid,S nothing;- out of the' >"■ ordinary. Sturrock' shaped' well in the , ,- centre. - • :■■■- ■■ -, Of ;,the .forwards,, Lambert, a Wednesday representative of last -year,., and Heenan -put in consistently;. good work, and ■ Collerton was noticed kickinsMt in in s mannei v.hich . Boemed- to Vopponents.v ■;;;. ■!' Eb,',' Sales filled the full-back ..position : . for Athletics, and - demonstrated -'that he. hasnot forgotten how to handle the ball. Of other.-; backs Clark - shaped well,' and' £ut in , . one ..very . pretty dash. . Evenson .was also responsible' for some useful work." ■ ■: Ahe i whole of■ the Athletic -scrummers ;' worked well, and. it will take a 'good team to get over the blue and blacks in this de- ■ partinent. Wilson;did-some-good work, as • also did Kivell and Bell; Good defence, was shown by the" Wellington . backs: against St. James. Abercrombio and in .'particular,-tackled* weil. : ;. - •The ,pick of tho forwards in the St. JamesWellington -contest were Perry, Bruce, and Wright- for the former, and M'Kay, Wilson, ■ M'Kellar, andiTurner for the latter. . Wellington's left wing, Hill,; .was handicapped: by an': injured hand on Saturday. He .fielded faultily once or tvrice in the'first half,..but otherwise was; of great service' to . his side. ■ , Although he had not a great deal to do, , . Bridge, who filled tho vacancy .on the Wellington three-quarter line, due to the ab-1 Eence.of, Riley, created a.favourable impres-i ' 1 Bion.-:?V, ! ■■■ . ■ Malfroy (Wellington) and Warwick (St. James);did nothing exceptional at half-back on Saturday. ■ St. James's three-quarter .line'.made ,few mistakes on Saturday. M'Grath had- littlo to do. The centre, Neilson; fielded and • found tho lmo. well,. as also did Crowes, who proved especially safe. > . . Turner, a. member of the Wellington pack; gavo .a, very promising ■ exhibition of for- , ward play last. Saturday. : The way \in which he tried to keep "on the ball" was at times ■ well .worth watching. , .' Notwithstanding that lie- was at times' hard pressed, Sellars's. display at in fiveeighths for Wellington was somewhat disappointing. • In, tho, .practices this player, who wab full-back; last' year," shaped well. His poor showing at times-on'Saturday, was probably-diio: to, nervousness. : 1 ■ Barclay, tllfe' "rover", for-Wellington, was not a;', consistent grafter. - In: tho second speir, he.; was .much- more industrious. , ...It would; appear that : lie has not' yet-mastered tho requirements of-tho position, --Not infrequently he failed to fall back when , tho ball was. being heeled^out by.his pack;V "; The; display given-by- Bunckenburg, wingforward ;for. St. James,/was marked by in- . ; dustry. • He has yet ,to. learn, however, that hard Ovork does : ;not. compensate for tho habit--of getting .off-side.v . . Several times' ho. unlawfully , handled the "ball/ onco whQn . :*liis side-wiis in a'good position.' . . Of '.the full-backs in tho contest between St. James.:and Wellington, 'Thomas, who . acted-?for; tho. former, .was . the safer, his ; fielding, 1 ; kicking, .• and tackling being credit- ■ able.,-. Sheridan, on the other hand, appeared to be.nervous, lloro than 1 once ho fumbled , badly,,: His display- in the second' half, was a ■ dccided iniprovemcnt oh his showing in tho first spoil;';/', ■ Play in tho match between St.' James-'and Wellington was.confined for the most part ■ to the'; forwards. .Only one slight accident occurred, .during tlio ;{game,'. Thomas,, the St/ James full-back,;,receiving a- knock on : tho knee. • "With the', exception of the last twenty minutes the St.. James vanguard played, themore strenuously. Time , and .^again'.,'the.v - were successful in preventing "the initiation of. passing rushes by tho Wellington backs by swooping, down on the half and five-eighths., •■ ,

Victorja College had hard luck' in losing , tho services of Bogle early in the first spell ' of their contest with Old Boys; >ds lie, was playing: a; very .solid gamo. Things, wore eventually equalised in the second spell, when Goodbehoro received a ;iiasty knock in one of-liis eyes, which resulted in him leav- . 'ing-.the' field.-'--.The teams continued'to play ' until time with fourteen men. each... ,The gamo was a solid one throughout, but ! most of the players lasted well. It'was keenly ,• contested, and was, in doubt until the closing' stages,'.; >vhen Old Boys ;came with a ; needed dash, and, overrunning all opposition/ ; Thomson, assisted by Freyburg, scored a very ;■ meritorious try,'.making the s'c'oro 9 to 5. , There was,not'a great deal of difference in ~ . teams, . but.', the -bettor- ' fifteen won; ' Thero; was t'o6 much individuality 1 and not ■ enough collectiveness ahout tho. contest. i Plaj'ers endeavoured 'to'do'too . much witli- : out apparently realising that' there were , others to help them. This is an .unpardonable mistake,, and the sooner- they realise . this .the sooner ' will they know one of the ; primary principles of/the game.; : A. .M. Thomson, captain of the. Old Boys team, was the best back on the ground, and showed some 1 of his old-time effectiveness and reliability. He never got bustled, and when it was necessary lie took a hand in the pro- ' iceedin'gs ,with good -fesults.- ;-Last , year ; he played at Horowhenua. ■; ■ There was littles to choose between Hitch- ■ ings (College) and Gilbert (Old Boys). Each did'-the.'work;-:which. fell, to his share in » ; tradesmaiilike. maiiner, and it did not take an' onlooker long to realiso that they, were quite as good, if not a littlo better, than those with whom they found themselves associated; ... . , ' ' . . the speedy wing-three-quarter for Old Boys; was not as reliable as' lie might have been; i He still retains a habit'of .either fumbling: the ball or losing it altogether, and this greatly minimises, the , value of his work-to, his side. If lie were to go in ( for , l a ; -.''reliability-'test": there might, bo an improvement in his play. , 1 ' ■■ iTho cool and collected G. V. Bogle played a capital game throughout, though ho was not- so 1 conspicuous for brilliancy as he has fame.. He is yet in his 'teens, but'gives that. ' The othor backs on-both' sides were even and'did tlieir; best,' which is all a spectatorwants to seo them "do. A. Tudhope, at full-back, played a capital game for tho College. •' ' '■ . ' Of the forwards in the contest, Old Boys Versus .Victoria Collego, one that stood out prominently was .Froyberg, of swimming fame. ..tie is l yet in his teens, . but gives promise of developing into \ something 'good in tho football'line with a, bit of ago. . j"- Judging ,by- the,, football- 'displays 'in -the -Wairarapa ' • last, . Saturday, . that, ( district should . advertiso, ; v for some moro O'Learys. At present there -is; ono, Joseph,' skipper of the Masterton Club, whooo r the field, covers moro .'ground'and doe's more work than any i other two backs in the Valley. ..With threo -o!Learys in the back division,, and a - fair forward' ; teari,' ' '''might' liavb a of '.beating, 'England.' '-, ■; ■' Masterton 'backs, did 'not 'show too much combination'; against Greytowii ■ last ' Saturday ...r: Coming: from the., scrum, "j the' ; 'f'ball ■ with some.player who imagined that he was the whole team. lii this way time after time tho team lost excellent chances of ".scoring/ O'Leary, played, a really; good 'serviceable .game, ..Jvvhile, Win-; ter, .on'.the:,ra'hg-three-qu'arter ; - line,;scored; two tries,. one of which" was, most creditable. other wing-three-quarter, sliowedlio : confidence, arid made many mistakes, possibly a broken limb, sustained last,-sea-soil;;] was responsible for,his poor .display.' ,It - will bavJiecessar.Vi-foi'-hiin'.to .infuso- more. thoroughness; into 'his; work • if he • expects 'to ! -play fin-a-representative' team,^this year. last';year.,AVairarapa 'had 'in E. .M'Kenzie the' reputed 'best long-dista.hce, place, kick- in -the,;.Dominipn..-This, rfplayer,,ildcked-' goals; ?.ff6mCiall , ;,< -In : ;fact;< it;Kwas not 'safe to 'bet, : ball if the kick were fifty yards .from i tho .Ho practically won the champipnship for his team" oil his 'place-kicking,: and ho was instrumental in making a. draw-in- the ■representative match against , Wellington.' M'Kenzio hak now, retired; from'^he-"game, and Wairarapa has 1 not,a. decerit'ilong-distance place r kick /tp'irepla'ce ,'him.ltvisi'soihewliat: imfoi-tunafo that ' M'Kenzie is '.not playing this b© -would possijily.' have been •Jible. to 'give the- Englishmen,-;'whb;-have at least .three*, . kicks, an exhibition which would : havo opened their eyes; • ■ The To Ore Ore Natives first stated that thoy intended, to play in "senior football "this season. ..Later :they,, changed their/, minds.' Asked the,- reason, 1 Rangi 'Sam -said,' '*No senior,; no; kapai to juniors; you know,'half te drag-fare."' The Wairarapi RiigbyiUnion pays half, the drag-fare-of all junior players. , Iho, Jlasterton, forwards playod i.yory 'well considering, that it was' their. first .b'ig game Brenchley/and Ljde,. two -fairly: big-fellows, set the pace, but more dash is required from the whole pack. . 'i - i Greytown have some' very good youiiß; backs .who,, it..is expected, 1 will be seen to greater advantage as the season goes along. Ihe forwards passed to each other beautiiully at ;times;in ; the first spell, but got verv tired vin the, .second hdf. ' With conditiori the Greytown should turn out as' good;a fifteen as ;there is in the Wairarapa. , /- • 0. \ Cadwallader, an old-timer, " who has played , hi big football for quite a) number or - years, took a hand in the game for. Carterton against Masterton .Stars last Saturday and did very. well. Cadwallador-has borne the brunt of many, a combat, ;ahdialways asks for more. Forwards of ..this scnption are. very .valuable in a team.' Instance the one-timo'power of "Wild -Bill Adams", in. the Melrose fifteen and Polind in theiPonekes; One;or two forwards who : aro hke^s'hndiaraHer" men on the spree" do considerable . damage!'; . Referring', to matters' Rugby in Taranaki an exchangO says- that tho ■ buttei) province will;,probably have a more brilliant ;■ back team this year than they had last;' Colman, 'Hunter,, Mynott, /Con. : Shoahaii, and L/ameron are all playing, and in good ;forni. Mynott, • who . is sometimes regarded as patchy, on account. of • having passed' his prime,-is .said'to,liave shown great form at practice, and is infusing the \ old 'dash of his youthful days, into his efforts. - The'only fear .of. Hunter deteriorating is a possibility that his enthusiasm may wane, but those who know the All-Black skipper 6f- last year,-bost can vouch that,he, will never lose that' tfue .- spirit of sportsmanship' , which makes wery ..man', who takes' the fioldfdd his best.. Hardgraves .will probably; not play.'al-. though ,Ins chance of .representing the- Dominion against the English team was to be reckoned, with Last year's Taranaki forwards were fast and dashing, but the scrum work was very poor For years, in- fact, „ i f , onv " ds 'have been selected Without duo regard being gi VO n to the i serummaging. .In the' next, selection- good hookers and- sorummers may not bof ovor--Altogether, tho amber and 'blacks otl9oß should, be a'.very formidable team.. rhoro seems-to bd some diversity of'opin'onTamongst those who'control "tho destiniesot iaigby as to how the game is to bo fos- 1 tored. ;For _ instance, it will- be seen that the main.objection'of the N.Z.R.U. Management Committoe.'to - threo ;-test' matches is that .it will entail too much lost time on-the.-part'- of ...tho .Now Zealand representatives, who would naturally , have to travel .up ■■ and down the Dominion in order to take part in tho engagements. Up ln.Auck'and there-is a plea that tho gamo should; be made 'faster so that 'the public should, receivo more for its money. The Wellington; Rugby 'Union has, declared out and 'f> r pin'o amateur Rugby. This , means 1 that it- cannot train its representative'teani at its own; expense, and to the practical 1 mind it appears ta if; tiro; Wellington Union's [iction borders,,on-tho quixotic. Professionalism' in a national sport in ■ which all should ; participate carries its own condemnation in that'it tends to the production ofiidlo'specta- ( tors instead of active players, but it does not : seem to bo wrong if players aro properly re- i 30uped; for their lost time - only. In fact, this seems to bo the only way to save the i ;ame. In England the' Executivo steadily set; its faco; against this sort ,of thing until i tho past, few years when it made, an-allow- i mce of 3s. a day for table-money, and every- i

body knows tho consequences. Tho same tiling will probably happen in the Dominion, unless there is an altoratio.il in tho view: of some of'tho leading authorities. ■. ,Tho English' Rugby team is travelling 16,0 CC ;tniles to try its strength against the e'reme do la cremo of New Zealand.Still onlj one "test match has been arranged, which means that in somo circumstances, . if additional tests aro not provided. for,, no one ■ -will be. really the wiser as to which is the |s bettor team. Ono shudders to think what " will happen to the N.Z.R.U. Management l ®. Committee if only one test is played and the . "All Blacks" aro' beaten. To most people ' it appears to bo absurd that a team should 11 travel 16,000 miles to'asccrtain which is the Rugby champion, and then not have,ail ade,y quate chance of doing so. If tho New Zealanders win the only test match, no doubt the p Englishmen' will bo satisfied, because on the faco of recent experiences they can hardly *~i be exjiccted to _ win. It is not unlikely, a ; however, that this English team-will win more V matches than either it or its friends think, ? and naturally it will bo moro than i satisfied '• to win'the only test and to leave-the Do- .?' minion with < tho football public . crying, '• metaphorically, for its members' scalps and those of. the New Zealand Rugby Union. "Our opinions regarding the side essential to,tackle New Zealand in-the\Dominion with 0 any prospect of making a decent fight have often been declared, and it is thus lierdly 6 necessary to state at length _ tho extreme dis--0 appointment wo feel regarding the constitu- ;■ tion of the British team. It is not our v/ish ? to give offence in this matter. The task of •3 Mr. Harnett has not been easy. Applications to join the party were invited, and 11 plenty of players announced their willingness to, make tho journey. The' best", of these 0 have'been chosen, but candidly, witl; few exceptions, the standard is far, from high, j" Not one of tho men -would be chosen for, a : representative British team of Ui-day ; some a of" the players : could not find' places in tho 0 second team of a' first-class > Welsh club;- so 0 how can tho . pick of the. men bo nxr ected to 11 fight successfully against Now Zealand l_ when performing in Maoriland? Mr. Harnett is reported to have said that Co'!: never J can tell how a' team'may, fare. Thero ir.ay bo doubt in some eases; but it is cedent cro r they set sail what will be the fate cf the • Anglo-Welsh party of 1908.. That f.ite will s be unhappy."—"Athletic News." r "Old Has Been" writes"l have read newspaper reports of football, matches for , the past thirty years, and I am just dog-j tirod of such expressions as 'don the jersey,' s 'givo and take play,' 'play centred.' Theso s : expressions are utterly meaningless so'far as s tho football public are concerned. Has any--3 one ever heard a footballer say that Brown " was going to /don the jersey for the Ath- ' letics,' pr that it was''give and take play,' 3 or that "play centred.', ' 'Don'- the 'jersey' . shows 1 such a poverty of lanjniago' that-I rise ?• to proposo' that the'reporter.again using this expression should bo placed on'tho hterary > touchlino until he is prepared to acknowledge j his ; error. Football—e'fen life itself —is a game of jjiye and takej-so-what is the use in inserting''such-an;'expression in a report? ? Is the'.reader'any the' wiser? ; Tho.-term '' 'play centred' "is included in tho same cate- ; 'gory, but it 1 is t-riie"'it; conveys somo reean--1 ,ing; Sjjill. the reader is not'to'l'Uow if play centred at one end of. the field or the other. -In conclusion I also object -'Id'iho: .term J. .-'lrioietyV used -by' some .northern. newspapers; in preference to ,'spell'' or 'half.' i want 1 plain English; in.tho reports which I,ie.»d." • Tho statement that several members .of the 1 , 1 pro; "All-Blacks" team will bo included in [ the side which is to represent iho 'Jiew South | Wales League in 'soa'a'on.is. i;ot | confirmed by'the. .'Northern - .Union oflieials; '. ;(says' the-,"Athletic ; ;News")., "■ Indeed,.; wo; I have official authority- for ' sayin2', th'at; iii-. : stead of.,such players'being welcomed; their " inclusion Syill. be - regarded 1 with disfavour. ; ; No doubt some of the .."All .. Blacks"' wouldi greatly appreciate a repetition of the past season's favours, but the .Northern-.Union fully appreciate the fact' that the' general , public would not tolerato a "mixed team" of 'that description!., In fact, in.order tu prei vent anything' of the sort, tho honorary secretary; of the' League" is to"receive a coinmunicatiori from ,the' .Union .stating their, wishes in tho matter. No L exepptjori will be , .taken ; season' of H;, H. • Messenger, who .is, . a;- qiialified - New .South. Wales Leagiie .player," but the other numbers of' thp -'-'All-' Blacks" which;>left, Engl'and on Friday; must-not, expect: to hayp, their ,claims considered. . ■ ' .' ■ .' The Polhill F.C. havo been granted per-' mission to withdraw their' fifth-class team from the competitions. . > ( . - , . The Wellington Union has decided to issue passes .to; Miramar grounds to" thd, : officials 1 and 135 members of tlie school,teams.: ■';■■■ , ( Owing to an injury to his .hand, - Manning; was. unablo to'.;take; his. place'in the St. James's team last Saturday." ■':' ■' tin the'match botween Selwyn and Melrose Juniors'; two.''members; of. the former team', E; Bickerton' and J. .Burn's, received slight . injuries.- '.;- i . A proposal that, if dn opposing player and a., defending " player fall simultaneously in goal, each with a hand on tho ball, it shall be a fair try, was rejected at tho annual.'conference, of tho' New : Zealand Referees' Association, but it, was; resolved to refer this matter/to .the. English Rugby Union. • It was decided'at this annual conference of the N.Z.R.A. that the N.Z.R.U. be asked ' t'o . suggest to the English Rugby Union the • advisableness of making the. minimum throwin from touch five yards, .and that all freekicks .be unrestricted.;' . W; Wallace who recently underwent an operation''.which was occasioned through receiving an injury;: to , his .nose,, is, making rapid progress towards . recovery. ; ■ The Wellington R.F.U. : has decided -not to issue season tickets this year.' . The' Otago rep. team will probably go . on tour : about the _ middlo of August. _ Its engagements will, include'.matches "against Canterbury,. Wellington,; Wairarapa, Hawke's , ; Bay, arid Auckland, with possibly a match against North Otago at Oamaru ,en route. .There will bo keen competition for places in the team. .'-There was a suspicion of. improvement in the Wellington Management . Committee's conduct, of its' business oh Wednesday night,' but there is still amplo room -for more. A strict chairman could, facilitate business a great deal by cheeking somo of the committeemen, who appear to think -they are doing well, sO' long as they aro talking; no matter whether tho matter is of interest. to the gamo or not. , ' /•_ " .The Scottish team which met England recently included Colin Gilray, ex-Otago University. , Says the London " Sportsman ": — , " Gilray, though not getting his Oxford cap, played in the Scottish-trial matches, and so greatly commehded himself to the .Scottish; critics that there would havo - been' no outcry had he got his- pla'co right away." \ The Paulton Rovers, an English Association team, contains four members of one family, and two of another, while their out-side-right is deaf and .dumb. His appeals in dumb , show to the referee were highly diverting. No one will ever find. occasion to adversely criticise his language.. A peculiar. incident is reported to havo taken place in a Third Grade match at Sydney recently. One of the players was ordered off the field by the referee, but he declined to'go, and instead of aiwarding the match to Randwick; tho referee allowed it to continue, the result being a draw. This matter will, no doubt, come before the»Union. Says tho London " Sportsman " :—" Tho hospitals are to have nn influx of excellent players next season, ono of these being a centre named Adams from Otajjo University,■ New Zealand- He is to join London;" . The Athenic, in i\'liich the" British team is coming to Now Zealand, a day ahead of her time-table Capetown, and it is now Expected that the vessel will arrive here-ion Monday, May 18, instead of May ,19. „ ; . , , It is improbablo that A. •II.; Boglo, who had his right collar bono broken in the match, Old Boys v. Victoria Collego, will play again'this season. The accident'occurred as a result of a collision whilst being tackled.' - This is the fourth occasion —' twice ' at football—oil which. Bogle has sustained a broken collar bone. ." . The inclusion in the Welsh team which : met Ireland recently, of J. L. Williams, of ■ tho British touring team, in lieu of the fam- 1 our Dr. Teddy Morgan, whoso services were i not available, is stated to have by no means weakened tho general effectiveness of the lino.' ' , • H. H. Vassall, one of .the "star" threequarters in tho British touring team, suffered ■, severely, _ prior to tho departure of the team, owing to injury to tho muscles of his leg. " It was pretty obvious," remarks ,a' j cntic, " that he was requiring a rest. His i

! '' io condition was so bad, indeed, that it was 1, thought- at one! time lie would be* uriablo to ,'s accompany, the jtoam." '-. '■ At the latesj. mooting of the Wellington 10 Referees' "Association, tho chairman, Mr. F. io (Laws, expressed tho opinion that the grant!y ing of permissim to Referees' Associations h to appoint referccs in representative matches i- would have a good effect. It was, ho said, io manifest that 'the Associations were in a io better position io do so than were tho Rugby it Unions. 1 it _ Those who say Davey, of tho British tour!o ing team, operate against Gloucestershire iii io tho South-Western Test Match, declare this (1 man cannot be| overlooked for tho English 10 team , against S?otland, remarks the "Athletic News." 110 is not a big fellow, yet I. lie plays a strong game, pretty much after [0 the style of Williamson, tho South African. ! e Like tho latter,! Davey does not bow down Y to tradition.'.lip reckons himself more than ; a mere passing machine, and ho takes a deal .Q ,of watching. [Later files show that. Davey . was capped."] I j A' correspondent writes' complaining that players! tickets yere not distributed amongst , club secretaries Until Saturday morning last 'J week, and expressing tho hope that for tho future the* Union will see that tho tickets are given out in time to enable their being handed over, to!players in town instead'of , e making it necessary for tho club officers to stand at the Mirimar gates and give a ticket to each,-player ap he comes along. Si the British team. I- REPLY TO CRITICISM. "J The "Winning Post," under date March 21, has tho following to say with referenco v i,°r n! e British touring team which is duo in ' v Wellington aboutj May 18:—"Certain writers, '■ principally in the North of England, havo • been making rather sovero remarks on tho ■; composition of- tlio team v.'hich .Mr. Harnett ° is taking out vtoj New. .Zealand next month. They; predict'whdlesalo disaster, and say tho •}• -side.is nothing .like-strong enough, one.gen- . , tleman asserting) that somo of those going "' would not- get into ..a second-class Welsh Club tea m. That tho jside is not as strong as it y might be is obvious-enough, and 'the causes " which render that state of things .inevitablo i, should .also, bo v o!|vious. It'is not an. easy thing to get a strong , side together for ,1 six , months' tour; it (.is not orerybody who can spare the .time or. tlio"monoy, or, bo awaj- ., so long . without materially damaging his 7 - prospects. Tho. genuine . amateur has to ' think of these tilings.. Mr. Harnett iiad somo refusals,.'of course, but they .might all be ascribed to one or other of these causes. " That, however, is| by tho way; the point,is that it is no. good writing down the team a failure beforo it f starts.- Our -.Northern- , friends aro probalily so out of kindly feeling towards. ;tho Northern Union, anil with an oyo to "tlio fostering of the. professional spirit in tin) Colonies by belittling the • Rugby Union. tourists. These remarks are of no consequence' at Home, but it is posa siblo t-Hat too much . value may bo attached 3 to them abroad. ! ' v '.'.The team, though hot too impressive on paper, has many .J possibilities, and may "• shake_ down. in to . a;' much' better, combination ' than is generally expected. ' It has nine or ten internationals,,who, give it. the proper ' leaven of experiened, and plenty of young blood with international ..cajis' stnl in -the • t future. -There ought":to bo a sound understanding between halves and three-quarters with so many Wolshmeiv in the side, and the j two full-backs are.'airright., Tho forwards j :aro a good, -sound lot/aiid,'"'led' by tho' v/ily. |. Arthur Harding, ought at least to hold their . own. plough they will, never be tho'equals j- of tho 'All Black', forwards whom wo : saw j iii-IQOo. i, ..But, rightly or wrongly, there is r ' ,hri;.ide'a,;th&t;th'at great sido was a little above ! Now. Zealand's real, formor,. to".put it: in j; another ..way ,- at that time' New Zealand had ■. an '.exceptionally clever lot of players, all in J their'prime at oncol i .In,a-few.month's wo I ,shall know all about' it, but-meantime let us f give tho . 'Showmah' 1 and' his troupe as hearty .'a.; sepd-off ■asj we can, and not try to ~ discourage'them beforo they have>even been sba-sick:"v',",... '■ , •>:, . ! AUSTRALIAN GAME. i. / (By -HiGH-MAiik.) • ' i ■ ■An opening practice match was held last i Saturday,'',under the -rules.'of the Australian 1 Game, oil tho Basin Reserve. Aiargo crowd ; gathered to see-tho different games; aijid • gre,it iliterest centred' upon the expositions, i - i As a spectaplo, the; gimo was somewhat •marred by'.too : many players "crowding on • tho ball,- and as a result that fast, free, open 1 i football',which.. is ;characteristic of .tho Aus- . tralian'.game, -was not so,much in. evidence • lis is usual. ■ This was duo in a large'mea'suro no . doubt to the full allotted playing space not: being availablo o:i this occasion. fl'oday, witlr more- space at their disposal, (tho ■players should give a better -exposition. ' Notwithstanding tho difficulties under which the game was carried on, somo': of tho older players gavo excellent . accounts of themselves.;, Tho high-marking was. good, .and tho " kicking "—another feature.'of this game— oxeellerit /or a first day. I shall not bo surr prised to see somo new " champions unearthed..'" . 'To-day's match between the City team and the Newtown men promises to bo a'fast, even game.i 'It will not bo tho first'timo. these two .teams have contested a stubborn game: Tho City's team will bo chosen from tho following, who aro requested to ~bo on the ground not later than 2.30 p.m. Bums, Beaver, .Cromie,; Chappie, Dopley,. Hibbctt, Hodge, Jacks; Melville, M'Cready, M'Dpnald, ■ M'Whae, .Paul, Payne, Robinson, Spotswood, Thompson, Webb. ... ■ ' JUBILEE CARNIVAL.' ' • ' A GIGANTIC SCHEME. The -'celebration .'of tho jubilee of : the 'Australian game of football in August next is .to be'a unique demonstration. Teams will visit Victoria from all tho States in the Commonwealth and New Zealand, and will: play a, series of matches. So great is the enthusiasm in' the other- States that from Western Australia the team will come with its supporters by special steamer. From' South Australia, a special train is to be chartered. Mr.'. H., C. A.> Harrison, tho founder of the game, who is the first life: member of tho Australasian Football Council, ' is to. be made the recipient of congratulations from all over Australia, and there are to, bo festivities lasting a' week. The. programme is:—- . ' August 19.—New Zealand v. Now South Wales;' Queensland v. Tasmania. August 21.—Victoria v. New. Zealand. ' August- 22.—Tasmania v. ; Now . South Wales; South Australia v. West Australia., • August"24.—New Zealand v. Queensland. August 25.—New South Wales v. winners of W.A. v. S.A. match of 22nd. ' August 26.—New Zealand v. Tasmania; -Victoria v.- losers of. W.A. v. S.A. ni'atch of 22nd. . - " . ' ! August .27.—Queensland v, New South Wales. : -Augus.t' 29.—N0,. 3v. No. 4 team; No. 1 v. No. 2 team.' (Final -matches to decidd positions'on-'championship'list.) Tho visiting teams will bo arranged thus: —Twenty-fiye to constitute tho party for each State "and New Zealand. • That number to havo claim ,on net gate receipts.. This ' will not debar any State or Now Zealand ■ from bringing ( as many .players as they may wish at their'own' further financial risk. During tlio carnival the teams are to bo under tho entire control of the council. Tho controlling tyodies of .the various States and Now Zealand will be responsible for the financing of-'their.respective .parties, arid may bo recouped out, of tho net gate receipts. Tho disposition of gate receipts is thus, arranged:—After payment, of tho percentage to tho Melbourno Crfcket Club for :ide of ground,. ground charges, umpires, aJvcitising, and general expenses, tho balance will bo availablo to pay tho various States and . Now Zealand -tho allowances, totalling £1080. 1 Should tho balance available , not bo sufficient 1 to pay each' tho full amount of: allowance, then each will abato ill proportion to tho : amounts set out. Should there be funds in 1 hand after payment of tho' percentages,- .' charges, umpires, advertising, general ex- ' ponses, and allowances, each Stato (includinoVictoria) and New Zealand will bo entitled' to. receive an equal sharo of same. , i V i ASSOCIATION. '" " Centro-llalf's" - Association 1 football ! notes will be found on another page. They, i arrived too lato for insertion in this page.' (