FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 615, 18 September 1909, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

V:,:/. „' > . i , RUQBY.v f ' \(Py ABIBIOnDIiBS) f,.-/ : 'A few years ago, when tho famous Welshman jC : "X' ;,; v*as' in his prime, the news that A. I 1; Harding ■ —in his day a splendid forward—was, to leave . the country would havo-bcen-received " with h;' i:' ■ ■ consternation in. the -Principality, . it willprovoko' nothingworo .thanpassing.com- '-? inent.; The London "Welshman, vrlio, it will .be P;.: remembered,' was tholeader :of - l the- Auglo- • .Wolsh 1 ' team> which': lost . year toured. in . J«ow : Zealand. andf'Australia,\with not [•. satisfactory results, was enamoured of a life jn tho Dominion, wherein has mado up his to settlor'Harding'will leave -London for -New. Zealand in the course of this month.— t. '•' ' ."Sporting Chronicle." •' f "'V';-:-:'" ." 1 j The Sydney .'University team have this, week t> - ': 'concludedtheir tour of the Dominion.-' Out of [■:' .;: ' five matches played., the ' visitors won twice, k- .: <s viz., against ;Now .Zealand >Dunedinr - and the .1 ■Auckland. - -them, 'while -.'tlieK'themselTCs^ ',- \XTniv6fsity ' ..thing. ;; V Students come .'and go;.: and the football club ('•i, :;;;: '' is severely haridieappedj'-:"because.; it /.cannot retain promising; 'players 'and coach ' them as j: .. ' , outside clubs havo the chance of doing. l . A I ■ brilliant five-eighths or a special sturdy fortr,i v'l•!ward may be theirs : fori a, season, but .the day i.-Boon) arrives = when he - • must .leave . the .' old !•. ./ . * college. Maybehe represents, his hospital-in v - ' .S tho Old Country, 'or -referees-- in big ■ matches &~£ V:in another centre, and his fellows ' are . jlad, whilo searching for replacements'among' the : ; first-year", students. - Not seldom,: however, have !• • the colonial 'university men shown ability, in j-, the field. The Sydney touring team, it is said, f .-V■; J ;Vas .not. : tho best' that could De chosen, bnt -it ', was .the only one that, could make the trip. <VA: C * *■. 'A' number 'of those who stayed, behind, had lo h'-vilook,at. the tour', in the":ligiit. of approaching .examinations. : ; r Tho;Bluo and Gold- representatives, when thej commenced-proceedings in Wellington last k:./:" V'; ; Saturday, did hot appear to be .too energetic. K&: is : ii6t-all : hard;'work, and a few'rnns with.'-the - skipping. ;rope : along: the'ideck ■of a Is?- steamer. are not sufficient to *pre- - . pare ; anyono for Now Zealand football.--';-. The -local 'team were, intent on .ii : 'iWirj-last''Saturday, J ;-aud,':.sacrificed - physical, comfort for'.-'an hour -and a half to get it. ; . •. Somo would say'that.the team were influenced pS:'■/-4'« to • victory; bythoprofessors. and sisters,• and -:i :■ aunts in tho; "grandstand.' < It :is certainly.' a i ;. . fact that the Victoria College nicmbers pf the t ' team -were not, in - the best •of form,' as 'they f.had not engaged. in a club match for three f -.weeks previously.'.. v '--> ; tei •At tho c'.oso cf; the. first sc«ll, New Zealand p;v.,yfflledby; nine: points;: tlie'scores being 14 —5. : A powerful breeze had cautioned Sydney; to look i'. •. to their defences, and the team behaved cirj/v •. v, onmspectly. . Tho books proved rather, weak m [ .' ' taking tho'ball,: however.. ' Watchers decided that the'game would end in . 'the : - visitors'. favour,/when [• r was t:'- ; :i;;;. -,:>"Bnrel^;Worth^ten'pbints.;''Besides,-in the pretty little.'try >:which. Sydney'.'forwards entrusted 'to f■■ -' Broughton in the opening; spell, - a glimpse had -■ been; gfven : of' the resource : of.: the! .yangiiard.-. on,that occasion;was brought -{roni; , ' '- .the far end of the field;, and, ' was, almqst. put' .' .. at the Black quarter-line, Vhen the coup was ; in,' the- - Sydney; p:; : .4v-^...'; ; 6ting) fdiuid~:-a' vulnerable - spot; y Pisherfs kick,' " - from;just in', front,;was' an easy; thing;. '- .There was hardly a person on ,!the' ground |:..! . who did not cipect to see the Blue and Golds /score atThe, forwards.did .their idiity,; and, all would have k.»- ibeen: well'had l tlle*baoks.»possed'the ball with -:; V.' '.: more -care.;:; As;.it^wasi7:ti\<;y;'threw ituabout : aimlessly, and: ! gavajlte® t" : . no .quarter. timo, the Blncks|!snrrt passed' theniselves;>ia''taoklinj? and .the:: Blue [• ' and Gold efforts..eased..up; Opportunity canje i '..' •' • promptly to the cooped-np New; Zealand 'backs. ."''O >,right'^du,'to -.Bobinson I • • (Auckland),. beatfthei !en-|}f:;V'--vi;'>,'--.tire Sydney teani.V..' run; iwhich V'":, .'.i Lane. (fnllj; ; ! at :.the -sprinfter's feet, jtist-- stop<-- .did;.not. fcS-tiS ces?t?l,'free-kiolt :';by them; solace;: l4w-K: ; 'lTh«!..j»piilaii-:Cjliea^^'(Vict(uti«C , 5. ;' 7: '' his' collar-bone-'dislocated-' a/littlo ivhiro afterwards, score from s>i;:u.eiglit to; 14 Vpoints.;., • fcv-.iii' ; :Only once'did: Sydney, real use: of their.; Bupenority . in: the -.pack; although they got tho V ball to, themselves almost .'every itiiii e;. Hughes ; . transferred smartlyvitoij-Fisher/.- and, the ifive-; through.:d 6ur-: Prised host. •• ' '."-v.; up.:for |-control of the annual Public Service Rugby Ki;;;.;/. (tournaments,(one of;Tfhldh'vWill ;.bj' decided-to-V: 'day)/ They'-provide .that."th'e 'following -,De-; : . / partments' stall: be» entitled. .to ■ tak-e -part: '(1) - j,i ; ' Public, Trust,' (2)-Treasury, (3) Government Life:, i • ■: - Insurance, (4) Head.. Office of. Railways, (5) --. Bublio."Works, Mines, 1 and -. Roads, ■ (G) Taxes,; Valuation, and Advances to Settlers, (7) Lands, : - and Survey, is) (9) ..Audit, (10) Oust >:<. - toms and Marmo, (11). Accountant's and Sccrctary'a Branch of Post and other : Do- •} : . . partments ' electcd /by ,'a '.-'two-thirds | ; • The staffs of. any combined Departments must, not exceed with J%, exception .that, I:';?;.'; .if AuditiDepartment^^'cannot'enter a teami f-J/J;.'7"',: any Audit o£scer attached.' to a Department Si',, may .play for that Department. The annual ft-!;- /■: 'fl.ach\Jepartment shall 'be de-' : . . cided at'the annual -general'::meetihg- of. delep': ;V. . gates, ■ but any Department...:joihirig; after tor ; day's toqrnament .'shall "pay'an: entrance' fee ,of 15s. The game.-shall be, played according to .. the . rules: of. the; New Zealand and Wellington. Kngby Unions. The team-;winning. tho final team of the; j'i -;jV ;- 7. .Publio Service,, and shall hold, the cup.for one ( '.- .' - '-year.■■ If?at the call of timei' the scores o'f : ahy' :.. - ' - two teams. competing' against' each other : are; |; ;V ' the captains shall . toss .'for. 'choice :.of sides and play, shall .continue;, until one .team .scores, but -such -continuation of the. game I-JS,shall not exceed .fifteen minutes.;.- . ; - .Young, Stohr,: the nineteon-year-old Tarfinaki : • crack, who has been playing sach':phenomenal- -: ;:'? a mes -for'Tarahaki : ,tliis 'season (says "Lynx," : m the "Auckland Weekly News' l ), is regarded •. ' by those who ought to know lis ono of tho ■ .r. coming backs'of New Zealand. 'In addition'.to t:-his other qualifications as a footballer,- he is a wonderful place-kick-rotitside' tho half-way flag S:;'?' ft' •is ' hot' too; great -a; distance for the youth •: from .®.-.V'-^-'^'-Tai(anaki.<,>Yb6ng''St6ht ) .'olaims'.'-."foo.tbaU'; ; anfcjyy ; V'oestry.' ■; ;' .' : ; '■ '- v £:■;'<¥ -,-A Sydney .writer comments as .follows on the ... aotion of tha "Wallabies", in joining theprbfes- ''. ' 6ional ranks;—" The Rugby game; in Sydney j will,'in my 1 opinion-; -suffer, little from the . movement. It will do tho League • no N good';. the ;end, probably:no little harm. Some at least of the players are.not-,w«ll suited, to. . 1 that game, and some , are on the edge ; of the i, "sf;' . .retiring period j bnt a few will be players V under the League rules if they join. tho move- ,; . ment." "'v. The"Rugby.'Moa world in Australia is full ,'.; of regrots—that'is, by every man whose sen6o. ; ; . . of sportsmanship permits him to'feel a stigma, s.'-/ j.: . ' i». placed upoh'his'fjountry's 'sport.' Among the sports and,games;-yrhiohheater..for'tho public, there- is nothing; purer, vnothihg rnoro truly ; v . ' amateur than Rugby football.'When; the"Walf:'.;::; - - . lshies''.toured:Great.Britain and America, they- ■;) were; strict. amateurs, and were, welcomed as , i. amateurs.; At the.iOlympic.'Sports' they com- . . petcd as - amateurs lor the Olympio champion--1... ship. They, wen it, and (Says a Sydney paper) j:-;;; it was' not -their fault'- that the-'opposition: .seemed hardly worthy of.-tho occasion. • When f- : ' tho members returned from their tour, they ; were, welcomed with pride, 'Seemingly ' with i' ./:':. , pride most of. them showed their -Olympic medals. Now a number of those, players are p':; -■ .> -arranging,: in.-roturn"for a sum per man, ' alleged to he: ,£IOO, , to iiriake capital out of • ' their membership of the famous, team. Surely j;.':. these men, must be'.ignorant of, the significance ; t . of tho .Olympic Contest,, ignorant-'of;all 'that: i;. their Olympic; symbols stand for. However, be' ! ; ,ithat as U.ma'y l '''thosß whciihave''gone;.'or to. tend ■. gotaft,;. 'ov«r to the professional ranks, have no nghtto,takowith thein. tho : name of tho "Wallabies." That : namo. belongs to a' ■. Rugby Unlon'iipateur .team.'- And, if.it bo-'used-' i: by the : professionals,. it;;'w;ill- be - insult added I;.'-: to -injury; :an"!insnlt: not'only to- the game ; which .'has 'done sq''mnch for.' them, but insult [-:'v to those other. members of. tho same team to • whom (ho Itirc-is-.useless. ~■■■ ' ■ . Wn'tiDg in the Otngo "Witness," f ■ ; ■ 'pays « tributev to: Wellington football, as' prci- ■■■:-,■ -v sail ted ---in-- the --WeUington-Otago' match. ' '-; He iv. :f,says;: "As a game remarkable for its keeniiess ami the excellent spirit in whict it was played, j and for its. exhibition of sterling: baok play; on the part of the visitors,- the. contest,.fave for the disappointment of Otago's defeat and the ; avretched dispjay by the, local backs will, from the point of view of good sport, , have many I?;: ' .plensar.t;recollections for. thoM >vhC! filn; it, It M,-O-■ I-¥-■ V:.V-.. u •; .'; .'■ .. ■ :: ::

.;','; ~wa.9);g_oiierallyyconceded 'at- the"; outset,- ;when ptago's" team was analysed on paper, that .i.' if.Jhe.OtagP.provinceywas to claim a victory from the doughty Wellington team it was the ■-,- for,Hards.\rho would do it. No one. seriously. ■:' looked';to''the r: backs as a whole to do big ..;,- things against such a combination of 'stars', as ■-~ 'the northern province-possessed,-.but still there '■'■' w'e'fe'.hopes" that" there was sufficient individual h, talent hi it to assist the forwards in carrying the g> day., 'And re l-eview the game ris played, on • e '. Saturday it cannot be with feelings other than 1 of ; keen, disappointment:that Otago succumbed ° so badly. The Blue forwards impressed: everylt ono from^the start, of the-game. ..Lined out 1- on the fiold.they looked.bigger and more likely, ie and when frp'mtho'very.iump they set off on ].. smashing, rushes.;which .:penetrated._time and „" again to Wellington's last lino of defence, and ■ •■ came,to:naught,-,frequently through had luck; , when they.piore than ■ held their own in tho. :° sci'um's,' : .on',the line, and; and all is the time working', like. Trojans, it was no it "wonder?that -hopes-.of a victory'everywhere ran ■_ high."-Throiighout the whole of the , first spell ... the Blue, vanguard, administered, the sort of medicine for which the visiting backs and fork wards'had obviously no ; liking, and put up a if game the brilliance of : whioh there was no j," denying. The members'of the-pack: that'op--3 posed, them-were :.themselveS no .tyros at the l game, but,honpui'e were "all: with Otago. , ; ■ Jf. ,;t'Taliing:-'tu'e.'game''.throiigh: and through, no ■ one"can : ;bogrudgo'Wellington the win (adds ," "Fuji-back"). Their backs were immeasurably '• superio'r to Otago'n, and the '.forwards, , , while as b a .whole -not so-clover, or. e'o.. dashing as ! the ,t Blue : packy certainly made a- very good fight, and had the added and admittedly, big advan- . tage of being able to stay- the game to the, finish. The'Otago backs were the blemisb on r ' an otherwise highly creditable sheet. Lacking y all idea of what constituted attack, and with d' -no'pretence' at defence, their display; was a wretched, .and-was nothing, but a series.of.disappointments'. It was certainly .very disheartonr .: ing to the forwards, who ■ not only'. received !' no support from them,,but timo and again had e to beat back and cover up ..their mistakes/ e The Wellington backs were'an ever dangerous n combination." .......,■: i'. ,'-,';.- ' ' ; :ASSOCIATION NOTE 3. ; ' 0 -.-,-; '.'.'-•,-..■'..-'. i\.\ -.;.:." ■' ■:. : '■;. '•'•; 'i'•"'■' : (Br Centbe-Half.) : a ■ . ; There;is .really nothing,-to ; add to..what has already appeared in the news columns regard's ing. the fourth Brown, Shield Challenge"Match, a played at. the Basin Keser've between.Welling- !-'• ton (defenders),' 4 and.'.HawkoV Boy (chal- :" leugers), on .Wednesday last. .The visitors j were completely ; outclassed .in every depart- :.'. moht-of, the';game. : They played pluckily, all :i must' admit,, but gameness'; .avails nothing, 1 against , -.superiority .pace-:and- manoeuvre. 11 Their one. goal, early , in the game, came as h surprise .to the spectators, and, in. the : light a of their " overwhelming. defeat, later i on, can :■: only ( be explained. by/ the ,-fact. that the: Wel--1: -iington back division had,' according to their risky"• custom, ventured too far up; the field, • and .60 were . caught, napping. ..'The match j should do immense good to "Soccer", football in the Hawke's Bay district. Players there will 1 now be on ihoir mettle, .and next, ye.y/should f bo vastly improved,,for,; judging by the quality 3 of .'tho, representative team .which was here on [' Wednesday, there is good. sound material tD j work on. : . What.the.Hawko's Biy Association should aim .'at, as, no doubt, it will, is, the 1. cultivation 'of pace'.and : clover :combination, f :with a stern ;regard for sound .training: 3 : With the'"Soccer",'season'almost overlapping r 1 into -the. summer- sports' season,■ the • decision of .' tho Management ..'Committee, to definitely close tho senior: first division 'champion- [ ship to-day-must come as a.relief to all.conj earned.!': The coirfmittee's programmo this seaj ton was overburdened by the necessity of makj ing , 'provision,.for the Brown Shield fixtures ! in addition .to. the ordinary season's .events. > JJextseason *this ought to bo rememberedi tho--I'.\\BroWn.''Shifild' looltß>'like staving here, unless jJWangnnui, yctit6 its challengo 1 .engagement,-"opens'" : a ? 6urpriso packet—a rather j, unlikely.-.'pyent .Howover, .if. the Wellington : -Association'v-pro'pOsos' ! . : to,''ai ; rango..the ; Brown [ Shield'challengo, matches, next, season, on the . same basis ','ns;'for,'thisi year;..its ...own idistrict i programmo-Should be 'eimplified,: to, onsuro that . all tho various divisional, championships como t to an end'-flbt/later:.than the' end of August, i< otlierwiso the--game 'Will deteriorate,\as;it un- !"■ 'do'ubtedly has deteriorated; 'during, the last. few 1 Saturdays of the'.present "season. .":.'" . : • To-day's-linal for the ...senior first .division i championship, should provide a really good " game. Both: teamsrrSwifts. and Y.M.C.A.—aro • in ! first-class form, and keen. The match is s set down for decision at the Basin Eeseryo, > : and with the additional attraction).:of the in- • terprbvincial junior representative match, Welv. lington '.v.\Otagb,/whioh is ;to precede the senior,fixture; tho -Association '. gatnej should 1 receive'ia. large.' share of public patronage. - ' :'f lib. Otago Association .is staggering under a ■ debt-.of'"£7oo, incurred "in ,the purchase of •: grounds, .and this, .coupled with' the lateness I- of the 'Season, is perhaps mainly .responsible for r. :tha .withdrawal of the association s. challenge' I' for the Broivn Shield.- Otago is going toimake , a'big effort to get clear of debt, arid proposes ( to ; hold a gigantio carnival next year to raise •' funds..-'-.",, -.' .-■■ ■".'... .'•■-...■',-.-' /'•• ■ .-Wellington,, although :the youngest aesocia- ■ tion.. (except. Canterbury),; has. done the most / toadvahoe the interests of the "Soccer" game ;,.in-New Zealand. The W.P.A.-was the,first to , travel.by sea. It .has travelled four.times to , 'Otngo's , twice, and Auckland and Canterbury's ; once, and it is:tho only association which has . succeeded in inducing tho schools to take up •" the 'game." ■■['■/< '..'■ ';: / . - ; ;."Tityrus," of. the. "Athletic News," and one- ; of the best-known authorities on-the "Soccor" game in.'Bngland, has been.conducting an in--1 teresringvdiEoussion in the columriß :of the ': "Neils' ,'on- the subject; of/ goal, values, •' and - from ■'the ta'ass of correspbnderice which -has K reached'him- from all quarters^even. South, '.;Africa—has gummarised his convictions thus:—■ : '."I'hiivo carefully read and re-read all the ! : letters-published in : reforence, to my project of goals of different values, and I am more than ever convinced by the critioisms that a 1 change would bo for the benefit of the Association game, and would increase its attrac- . tiveness. The desire for an: alteration in the .'• present "system of scoring l arises from two 1 causes:— .--,.'■-■ ..-. -./-r. ■':•"■' .'-'/■., '/-' • • - "(1) To lend variety to the eport.-;/ ;;■ - '. "(2) To minimise rough ! piny near-goal, and 1 make the penalty-kick far more effective than ;. it is, when tho severest punishment known to 1 the players is often a farce. '. "If this discussion has done nothing else; it ' has brought before'many thoughtful men who are not "lazy'a plan for' making: the penalty- > kick effective whether a'goal , be.scored or not. • We have now reached this position in the'con- : trbversy:—.",;■, .'-"''■'■.';':. ■;''. ; .' ; ; / ,- 1 -, "That there is a feeling in favour of goals '• being:given.;values iii..poiiits..'-.::: .[■■' -.:• ! '■! "There;, is ■■ a case for different values for a 1 goal from ,onen play, for a gqlal from a corner- ' kick, 'and for a. penalty-kick- goal. - ' .-■-.- -/ • '' ■'. "If .the case .for three kinds of goals.cannot • be proved, ■ then. there seems quite a strong : feeling:in favour of any: ordinary goal being I changed into points—so that we may alter the 1 penalty-kick'- rule', which ,unquestionably: needs i. revision. ' The 'Suggestion from several cot--1 respondents that the granting of the kick itself , 'should mean so many points to-the attacking • sido JssnreJy simpler and better than/granting ■ a goal,'as another critic has'suggested; But ■: if; the penalty-kick be converted,. then added 1 points: would follow, -as a matter" of , course. ■ This is aprinciplo wprth fighting for,, beoause • there, is need'for revision of; the law. If we I gave four points for every, goal from'ordinary 1: play—and tour, points for'the. allotment of a 1 penalty-kick, with,, an addition of two ppints '.' if,tho penalty-kick-was converted' into a goal— 1 ,1-canribt see that tliis would,be a tax on the ! intelligence of any/lazy person. Moreover, the > man with the meanest brain could grasp this , idea. It is as simple as shelling a pod of i greon peas. I feel certain.that such an inno- ■ vation would make the,duties # of reforces very i inuoh more pleasant. Thero would not be many ;: penalty-kicks, to award. Defenders now de- >' scend to dirty tricks near goal-because they • may not be seen, and if they are detected their , opponents may not iscore. Bnt.if a defender f knew "that detection entailed a penalty of four 1 point»-;tho equal of a goal—and'tho possibility I-' of'a winning shot, he would think thrice be- [ fpro;so endangering 'his/club.: Tho .-'penalty; > kick; would be a .real- and /not an imnginary : penalty—ds is so oftenthe cose nowadays. I > am inclined to the opinion- that we have :'■ among us, proved the usefulness of goals of ' varying , .values,' nnd the-'way-to niako tho ; 'penalty-kick quite effective. I should .like to ; gather :■ tho ■ opinlope of the ; Heferees' Union \ and-Eefereos'. Societies iri : ,different parts of ■ the;country ! on thisimportant subject. ~ i 'If ariy ; studcnf of'"Soccer" has any ideas on • the above proposition submitted by "Tityrus," i I.will be pleased to afford him au opportunity, 1 should he eo desire it, of expounding tho same ■ in these notes, with the reservation, of course, ; that ■ his views ore suitably expressed.