FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 294, 5 September 1908, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY.

(Br Amstobulos.)

REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. September s.—Wellington v. llanawatu. September 19. —Wellington v. Otago. NORTHERN UNION GAME. September' 12.—Wellington v. Southland (at i'etono). WELLINGTON v. CANTERBURY. Tho annual-match between the Wellington Hid Canterbury representatives last uatur- ■ day furnished, an,.interesting game snded in a victory for .Wellington by 11 to h The Wellington backs played a goocT allround game without being brilliant. J. ly' an ■ at fulL gave -a capital display, his fielding and kicking being excellent. , Evenson was tho'best of tho three-quarters, butMitchmson also did some good work. Matheson did not make the most of the opportunities that came his way. . • ' M'Leod played a dashing game_ at fiveeighths, and tfas one of the best backs on the field, some of his dashes completely para- \ lysing the Southerners' defence. Magee got f . through a lot of defensive work, and scored '. two of the three tries registered by his side. ~ ' Roberts lias played better games, but at ■ the same time was 0110 of.tliQ most useful i 1 backs on . the Wellington side. He had a rival worthy of .his'steel in Burns. »'• Tho Wellington-forwards did not seem ,to pull well together during the early stages " of the game, but they got together at length arid put in some good work. The surprise : of-the team was Shadbolt, a leggy forward Vji who played a great game and stood out by ■ .time and again. M'Kellar, another 'man comparatively new to . representative football,' shone repeatedly,/andjwas specially > good oil "the line out. Rush "was -to tho fore : consistently, arid " Rangi" Wilson was.gen- • erally thfere or thereabouts. Avery put in .-somo effective work on the wing, but appeared to bo sufforing from an injured leg. V-' Tho Canterbury backs were a smart nippy Nget, but they did not get the results they should have done, Wellington frequently '..taking them in the middle of an apparently Etrong- attack and ,completely, turning ' tho tables." . Doell at full-back had a heavy afternoon's work, and "oamo- through with flying colours. (,'iHis taking of .the ball and screw-kicking \ were perfect. ! Mason was about the best tof a fair three-quarter line. Fryer put in •one or two' good runs, but his general dis- \ y»jr was not convincing. :\\ Tho Southerners' half and five-eighths played well together, r-and if _ the virion behind the outside ■ five-eighths y had been stronged Canterbury would : ihave done much better than put ' '[up five points: Gray played a ,finn game, and : made repeated dashes through the Wellington ranks, whilst Weston was almost as. prominent. Burns, at half, was at his best stopping rushes, feeding his ! backs, and finding the line, all in faultless •style. • .' Menzies, Mahoney, and Baker were the \ most prominent of the visitors' forwards, whilst M'Phail on tho wing gave a fine alliround display. The results of matches played between \the two provinces to date are: — 1876.—At Wellington. Canterbury won by 'j 19 points to I. ■ \; 1879.—At Christchurch. Wellington won' by '■si 1 goal to F'try. ' ' ' ■ 3.883.—At Wellington. _> Wellington won v? by 1 try to o.' 1885.—At 1 Christchurch. Canterbury won ,by 1 goal 1 try to 0. 1887.—At Wellington. Wellington won by I goal 1 try'to 1 goal. ■; 1891. —At Christcliurcli'. Canterbury won by . ,16 points to 1. 1892.—At Wellington. Wellington won by 12 points to 4. 1895.—At Christchurch. Canterbury won . by 6 points to 4. 1896.—At -Wellington. '. Wellington won. by 12- points' to 3. . '••' 1897.—At Christchurch; Wellington won by "4 points'to 0. ,■ ■ ' .... 1898.—At Wellington. Drawn, 6 points each. 1899.—At, Christchurch. Canterbury won by - 6 points to'.'s. 0~. 1900.—At Wellington. Wellington won by 16 point's to 6. , 1901.—At Christchurch. Canterbury won by " 12 points to 3. 1902.—At Wellington. Canterbury won by ' , .9 points to 3. 1 1903.—At Christchurch. Canterbury won by 8 points to, 5. 1904.—At Wellington. Wellington won by 6 points to 3. * 1905.—At Christchurch. Canterbury won by * .6 points to 3. ' 1906.—At Wellington. Wellington won by i ; 34 points to 0. • 1907.—At Christchurch. Canterbury won by ; . 9 points to 6. ' 1908.—At Wellington. Wellington won by II points to o.

Thus! the Sydney "Referee" "Apropos of the conferences of Mr. G., H. Harnett with representatives of the New Zealand and New South Wales Rugby TJnions on tho subject of improving Rugby (Union'football, it. is to be sincerely hoped that'itv. will, lead' to, something being.done by the' International Board. Rugby Union football as now, played in'.this, part of the world is tolorably attractive, at times brilliantly attractive. But as thejo are enemies at the doors it behoves all in .power who desire, to see tHo'game ietain its' : unifeiv. sality, and increase its popularity with those who play as well as those, who look on, to give heed to tho voices of the newer Rugby .countries. We colonials have now for 37 years taken our Rugby law and. its interpretation ;from Old England, just as we take our cricket law (with very slight modification to suit our conditions climatic) from the M.C.C. But if the International Board does not rnovo a little in the directions desired by New Zealand and Australia, in the past, as in the < present, the day may not be so far distant, when colonial Rujby bodios will find it 1 imperative to strike out "on their own" and make what may be deemed improvements in order to preserve tho prestige and the purity of the Rugby TJnio;i game in Australasia. Really but few changes are necessary to improve the game. In this country we' are not hemmed in by traditions and by the feeling that seems to-pervade English' Rngby circles that any good feature in the Northern Union . gamo must never be copied. The New Zealand Union recently threw out most of tho. best proposals for improving Rugger—which suggest that that body has lost some of its old-time democratic tendencies, and become conservative. Now, the professional movement in Sydney would, one feels sure, have quickly died out but for ono factor, which hardly anyone here counted on—not even the League itself. That factor is that a goodly-sized section of the public was rather surprised by the life and attractiveness, of the new, Rugby game.. " If," said scores who are keen supporters of Rugby Union control, "the Union would only take up this new game, or have tho laws altered in,'order to incorporate some of tho features of this game, the professional movement would be hopelessly smothered.' That the old gaiise c.in be improved everyone admits; but that most of tho inuirovements should bo on tlli' linos of the N.II game is not our view."

Tlio match played on Wednesday between tlif .limior and tho Wednesday Reprosentativr.s proved to be a very poor display. A tif the junior men selected were unable t.i piny ; but even with the poor team ti|!P :, Mii:4 their .the Wednesday men had their work ciit out to register a victory. In tho first spell it looked as if the Juniors wore goiiix to win, but there was a great deal of -tinnier play nil through. The pagHiiig at all stages was rcekless and loose, ami the liiic-kicking of_ some of the phiyeis tv:tc also. poor. In the Wednesday rearguard Schultz and Whittaker were the best, and' Corson shone owst for 'the Juniors.

| Tho forwards word very mediocre combinations. The Juniors wore rather bettor in all departments in spito of a lack of weight. Gosling was the best man in the Wednesday pack., . Mr. A. F. Harding, captain of the British team, had a bone in his ankle fractured in tho first match which the visitors • played in New South Wales. The Referees' Association will wind up a highly successful season with a smoke concert on September 18. •In the fourth-class match Southern v. Petone last Saturday Parker, captain of the former team, had his shoulder put out; Over 100 invitations will be issued in connection with-a smoke concert which is to be held in honour of the Melrose Club by tho patron, Mr. A. Fulford, at Brooklyn, on Friday evening. y The Australian nigger team, now on its way to England, has adopted tho following war. cry:— "Gau, gau, John Bull (or club or country) whir-r-r, Win-nang-a-lang-thur (pronounced nur). Mui-an-yal-ling, Bu-rang-a-lang-yang, Yai! Yai! Gun yib lang yang . . Yai! • Definitions: Gau, ■ i.e.; Hullo, or form of salutation. Wbirr-r-r: A sign of defiance. Second line: You are great men. Third lino: We are glad to meet you. Fourth line: Come on, and may the big or-better man-win. Come!

.Writing on the subject of alleged veiled professionalism at Home, the "Athletic News" recently' said: —"To put the matter plainly, 'the commission' which_ investigated the matter stands as a discredited body, so far as its search into the allegations'of professionalism'is concerned; yet the whole matter, has been sent back to it for further consideration. It is a strange proceeding, and none could hold the commission open .to blame did it merely justify its original ■ re-, port.' Is it to bo expected that it ,TV"ill' commit a sort of hari-kari by upsetting its previous findings and showing that it might before have done better things? People will be surprised if it does. However, there is further work in store for the commission if it will only tackle it. We have heard of yet' another player who is at present in New Zealand, who last year attached his name: to a professional form for / a Northern Union club in the Manchester district. Has; his case been inquired into? .If so, why does he continue to play in the colonies?' _. Referring to the rough play which took place in the final match between New South Wales and the Britishers, the Sydney "Referee " says:—" But the play was far too rough among the forwards, and occasionally illegal among the backs.' " We saw New South Wales and Queensland recently playing two matches on tho same ground, the spirit of both teams being perfect. For this reason, perhaps, "the_ unexpected ■ roughness and other incongruities in ' somo of the matches of the Anglo-Welsh ' team- - have pained the best 1 class-of- Rugby followers in Sydney. But when it-he utterances of the manager, captain, and vice-captain of the visiting toam on the necessity of playing clean; sporting football are remembered; the feeling created by the play of the AngloWelsh forwards is one of simple astonishment. If those forwards have endeavoured to emulate the New Zealand forwards they have failed. < The New Zealaridor certainly plays a hard game, rushing persistently with power and pace. But, in nine cases out of ten, his object is the ball, and, having got it, the goal-line. He is too clever, as a rule, to waste his energy in somo of the ways of two or three of our most recent visitors. •

. "The team which represented New South Wales in the final match against the Britishers was," continues the Sydney "Rfc feree," " one which would J play as fine a sporting game as any team in the Rugby world. But some of the men openly stated that it was impossible to play decent football in the circumstances. Certain players 'took the law into their own hands, and one or two astounding spectacles wore the result, in some of which local players were as much at fault as the visitors. _ It appears to be regarded as a terrible thing to sond_ a man off the field in a big match. But it is a far moTe 'terrible thing' to the game'of football to : allow that man to'remain on the field goading other players until the roughness, becomes almost .general.'; Far.;the worst and most numerous examples'of rough plav took place in the forwards.. It was largely the result of certain British , players using their hands and fists in tho ruck, or'when coming through,.. and tackling defending backs. British teams of the .past have played grand football, in a grand spirit, in ; this country. As wet weather exponents of Rugger _we take off our hats to the team Vhich nas just left Sydney. But otherwise — as a team — they are not to be mentioned alongside 'D. R., Bedell-Sivright's combination, either as exponents of the .fine points of Rugby, or for the spirit of their play." Commenting on tho. first test match Dr. M'Evedy,- vice-captain of the 'British team, writing in the London "Sportsman" says:— Despite our defeats by "Wellington and Otago, in both of which matches public opinion voted us unlucky, it was generally thought that we would fully extend the combined team'. The New Zealand XV contained nine of tho "All Blacks," and many considered that some of.these had seen their best days. Wo ourselves took the; field full of confidence, but, as everybody ' now knows, both public opinion.-,aand oiix confidence in our own ability; proved to'be entirely wrong. I', do not.intend td :givesa 'dfctailed account of th? match. It is unnecessary.; Anyone who saw-a matob.'by; the "All Blacks" when in England can easily picture in his mind last Saturday's game. On tho one side wo had the same brilliant,dash; the reckless forward rushes j the same brilliant' opportunists; and the same well-trained, fleet-footed men, forwards and backs aliko. On the other side was the well-known English dogged spirit, fighting a hopeless fight—time and again winning brilliant,openings, only to see them slip away for want of combination or an individualist to recognise them, seize on them, and turn them to advantage. Naturally ,we are greatly, disappointed at our display to date, but stiil hope to do better later on, if our invalids can only get- fit and well. Football in New Zealand is altogether different from what it .is at Home, and until it is possible to get a side to play them at thoir own game I fear the "ashes" must remain in the. Dominion. V- .

It is to be hoped that the delegates. to the special meeting' of the New Zealand Rugby Union to consider tho question of improving tho laws of the game will be bolder than the Management Committee of tho union,, and will give thoir attention to at least one matter with which the "rules of the game" are not directly concerned, viz., tho of payment for lost time. The Northern Union game,-to judge from. tho reports that we get frequently now, is establishing itself both in tho North and in the South. _ There is in that evidence enough of the desiro of players for tho improvement of tho game, ' but equally significant at least is the repeated statement that players are to receivo payment for timo lost on tour. If the New Zealand Union had tackled tho whole question a year ago is is' more than likely that the ~only '.'professional" players in tho Dominion' today would have been those who wero'in tho Now Zealand team that , recently returned from England.—;"Canterbiiry Times." At the conclusion of the Canterbury match tho Otago touring team will take ship for Wellington (says the "Otago Daily Times"), arriving in tho Empire City on Sunday. Tho match against Wellington will not bo played until tho return journey. A departure in the ordinary route - of travelling teams to Auckland has boon made in favour of tho Otago team, who will make tho trip to the Queen City, via tho Main Trunk—a particularly interesting route. The Otago team will leave Wellington on Monday morning, arriving at 5.30 p.m. at Taihape, where they will stay at the Gretna Hotel overnight. Leaving' about 8.30 on Tuesday morning the team will travel all day, by rail and coaoh, to Taumarunui, where the night will be spent at Meredith House, proceeding to Auckland— a long train journey—arriving at 5 o'clock on Wednesday evening. This will give the team throe clear days to prepare for what will pro-

bably provo to bo the toughest match of tlio tour. It should be an even game in general conditions, as Auckland this season' is much like Otago in that their .backs are nothing out of the ordinary, and, speaking flatteringly, are not in the first flight. But the forwards 1 Well, they are just tho toughest proposition in the whole of Maoriland, and I am writing of an intimato knowledge of" all the packs in the Dominion. Good as the Otago forwards arc on paper and on the field, they are not quite tho class of the Auckland vanguard. In weight and strength, yes; in line-out and scrum, no; and in dash and "devil," years behind. The dash and "devil" of the Auckland pack is something to ponder on, and it is this same vim put into their play which has a demoralising effect on the enemy, and makes them crumble like a cracknel in a dog's mouth. Otago's chances of beating Auckland with a mediocre lot of backs and a good forward team such as the province has sent away on tour is at this writing remote. Yet there is one chance of winning the Ranfurly Shield, and one chance only. Play Auckland at her own game—a game of dash and "devil," fast, following up, and deadly tackling. Give Auckland strong doses of her own medicine — attack from the jump with horse, foot, and guns. Drive them back oil defence of their own line. Give them defence to do, and pen them up like cattlo in a corner. . . There's only one way to bring the Ranfurly Shield to' Otago, and that is to attack Auckland where she lives—in the vanguard. ' W. Stead,, who played such a prominent part in tho match Southland v. Otago, has, says a Southern paper, definitely decided to retire, last week's game being the last important match he will take part in. Stead in his day has been a brilliant player, and on, Saturday's form is still quite in the first flight. It is, indeed, not too much to say that Stead was the best back on the ground, and his individual effort which led up to Southland's second try was the best display of intelligence and initiative in the match. We in Otago have in the past been most unfortunate in not seeing the "All Black" at his best, arid for several years when Stead played before an Otago audience lie was degrees below form. This created a false impression as to his-abilities, and tho critic* were unable on what thoy saw to give the popular Southlander all the honours due to him. Of recent years, however, Stead has proved beyond doubt what a fine player ho roally is, and after Saturday's game he retires with the full confidence of Otago's enthusiasts.