FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 799, 23 April 1910, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY.

• r (By Aiusiobultjs.)

'fn Poneko ranks there is a feeling of confidence that tho senior champion- ; ship will be annexed by tho team again • this season. Poneko players, of course, i ; , ; s opp iu ttje best position to gauge.their r,;/, o«» fighting weight, but tho general 'i; 'Opinion of outsiders is that they have ,'n .a lmich weaker.team than last year. « :I*litchinson, Flanagan, and Tilyard absent fronr the team last Satur- !■> day, but the champion-holders had an I ,: easy victory in their initial match. ;. !:il. : . who-played full-back for the r.:/;.team last year, was half, in place of ■I f : ; Tilyard, who' was prevented from playt •; : isg through illness. Mowatj ; late 'of J'-/- -.Athletic', was on the five-eighths line ;■; with Walshe. '"J. Elliott,- .who'played ;. ; --.:. fur i'onsonby last year, was'on the left ' ■wins, and E. Ryan, the flior, was.on' :;_ tila other wing, with : Prendeville as *,:':'.}.: cewtre. . ■ ,■■■.. . : J; :.;A junior player last season, Cording j has now. been promoted, ,but lie was i : . ;i .\ : hardly; alert enough as full-back. He I; • ciiinot be said to have played a safe ;;. : "' ■■jj'iKid. Chapman, a burly .forward, who. • ■■:■'; ■',:■,..;;placed for Kia Ora (junior) last year, j;..ih,An acquisition to the pack, which ,:■ ■■'.; •'; '.wqikcd. well together on Saturday. )'.■■'■''■■' Ji<>ntiplay being , absent, Calcinai was r. , ' : .ca.isted -as a forward. . ■ .. ' \ ' .■ I'hbre was little hope.-for'.'College in £.:■: -the scrum, because they found in their'

::; opponents one of tho heaviest packs in ■y.tiiL' competition, whiletheir forwards, E(ostJy new men, are slim young :felloivs. ■'■' ■!'- ■.''■". ~ "•; ■■ .-. '_■ '■ ..,, ' Cnrtayno, lock; is the only member of •.-;-. tbrt'team who is at all bulky,- but Colwill learn, probably several times ...-"this season, that ono pair of broad '•'•■■■■■'"{shoulders; cannot win a match. Thero J :; wks a consultation of the College team before the match at Miramar last week, ■' ■.'■:.;. siid it concluded with a round' of hand- ; clapping.. Curtayne had been elected ■; captain—a good choice. .;■ '.; .'".. '_-'.-, 'O'Lcary has dropped out of; College ;.: .ranks: this season. It will be remem-: •: 'bored that last winter ho was disabled :,,..'for. p. time .with a broken collarbone.: ■:, ll.isinoss responsibility - has no doubt v :l-d to his retirement from the 1 football ' - li^ld.; Dc la Mare was. oil the touchy ,'lii;j on Saturday.. Ho.was an energetic : : foiward, but ho explains that examina- : liofis-are i ahead and lie must prepare. :: Thorefpro lie has'forsaken the game for ■-.;-" ei'while.'- , - .••.■' ... ' ■.■■:■ -,•.- .'■', : .V, As. wing forward, Youiig; ran ex- ■; ttudent of Canterbury College, appeared ...."tij. understand. the position,: but ,\the ■■■■•;,":'fact'Of;liaving,so , alert'.a,.player..ias'Gar-' :.-diner at -his elbow ; seemed .to subdue

}■.;;:'■ '■■■■hijnt':-'/:■;■': ;': .'.;. :tf:; ;': ; ■ '•..':'-'. '".; ',;.There; were-; other ''■ new forwards. ::-■,..-Wplls !has.'come from • Taranaki, and ';.'V--v.Jackson .from "[ .Wanganui College. ';■■..•"::. Bliqrt," who. has;not been in the College ; ;'-. team since three years ago', again took :-r-v a place'in the front rank of the,scrum! C, V v .v.llownall, who played half for- , Ath- '-.'.- ; . letic". two: years ago, was. behind the j:/.■■■scrum. ;J. Ryan, of St. Patrick's' Old v;.'■'• •:lJjys.last : year, was on the ~■:■:■ line/, with -Phillips, who has, fought p ■;■ •. Ji:any hard games for the honour of his ;V■■■;;;college, •■Jh-..-;the past. "•'The:,■■:three-' i;-:'; Quarter line' comprised: Duncan '(the ; : ; : ;.-sprinter)/ Bertram' (centre, who is a :: : ;,v Te. Aiite),' and Faire fnlli&acE)'. -Faire. ib. a-live !,.'.'■: Jwck) and should dp well,on the wing', !. : -if': given opportunity.., '■,:■■'■;;;'.,, , ' j:- , : The" College full-back was: Burlc, late :■ : 'of St..Patrick's Old Boysj: who^'/played ;y ■ full-back ior the junior representatives {;';"■•' last ;.year.:' He played confidently.''. .. !•: .'/i'tie game, was not'won by Poneke. f.;--without' something of a. struggle, al : F;.'.,tiiough.the Reds' were not at,any time ; : v-. fully:.extended. Passing ,was more, or \ } -'■':■ !'less futile'in. the gale'which was blowK; and Walshe,. wbft. was seen .in a ':, '',?>; couple :of electric movements, failedj :'.y] : :Vwith: the rest -when it came to. trans«::::ferring the ball.■■-. It was a day upon ;'..; strength: and condition- of • the ?';forwards was of first- importance," and (iv: .l'oneke (forwards,'"sparing themselves 9/-, Kiioti: at \ all, V went'', through, to .victory,' j. '■■■: .: without'.'allowing ..their''.opponents, to ft:-*-.? i-* ecoreV. ':■• ■_'■':-'':. .-■ ■• .• .-.- ■. ; '-.:,'■.:■■'■ '

: It, seems a great pity that patrons of the matches at the Athletic .Park ,can-; nbt .depend upon; getting a reliable programme every' Saturday. If the teams, were set out properly, and were reasonably correct, the card would be well; worth purchasing. Of course, there Jwoujd be some difficulty in getting the. -.names of the. players accurately for the initial.matches''last Saturday, but.even making, due allowance for that fact, tbo programme that; was : on. sale at':the.park-did not do credit to those who were responsible for its production. Had the only fault' been that one or two of the names were wrong it would not have mattered much, but all the. teams .were l not set out as-should'be the fcaso. The worst feature of all, however; was that the names of the members of .one of the teams in the "star" ; fixture were given wrong way about! ;■:''Among'the .Athletic XV.last Saturday, none showed greater improvement compared with last season's form than .-"Sim"-.'Wilson. Not once, did .'the

'Z-y.sC diminutive three-quarter shirk his duty, p. ?.' and. the result was 'that at times he K-;■-.'; found himself more than holding his {; : ,:- own in' cases' where formerly he would i>.-'vhaye failed, to. acquit himself . with j. ; ? credit. _ His success thus early should js-';v'ba a big incentive to him.for the rest I , ).:■■ of the season. ■'• ';'•■. .'■-,', ,

\?\. •-■',.".-'• According to' the "Arrow," the N.S. : ['■".W.-. Rugby Union has not yet rc- {■-;:. ceived /word from England sanctioning: fc-: -.the ■■' five yards' throw-put. However; \\:'.'.\ .tho-amended"rule,'"which provides that [.:.; : tho ball 'shall belong to the opposite iv • '.siile when carried out, should meet the }-..;.'.' case: It is now in operation. !'■ ; ;.:-.;.;,.'5t. James have unearthed a rather. I '; promising centre three-quarter in Brad- ;•'■■ ;)j\V, .formerly of . Timaru.y Against ti■;'-,-.-.'-Sn«th'eni last Saturday he made several I-',':. runs, but , was at. times slow w'-' '' n gathering '. in the ball, and more £!-V than 'once.' criatic with" his passes. !■:'..?■: .Bradley,'is .reputed to be a kicW of f-V more; than average ability. Judging t- 7 .: .byibis .showing, he should be useful on !:v. : ':.defenc6 as well as on attack. - ■ ?/■'■■;■' '-i.Definite.information was received in i'vv .Sydney 'on April 8 by cable from tho Z-r.s [United States to" tho ( effect that the «■';•: ■■Californian Rugby ■ team would visit ci.thfl.colonies this, season, and engage 'i;V : ;V.iii : .a-.Beries of games in New South ... ..Wales; :Queensland, and Now Zealand. I'-;.,•: sit -will -bo remembered that Messrs. .:.,*'L'anigan and Presley, of Stanford ■-V ■ University, ; and Scliaeffer, of Califor- \'■;.''■(■■ nia, 1 . wore in Aiistralin and New ■ Zoa- ;?,-'•: land, within short intervals' of/each, fc' other/ studying the gninc and the local :> - .mbthods, and klow oxnctly' what thdir I ;m(m will be exacted to face , ..;.:', Auckland has this season lost • the ; ~s ervices, of one of its most .promising , : . hist' : season's, representatives in A. T, •'•'■' Waddell, who left Wellington by the 1 :' Niwaru'en .route to England. It is ; possible that' Waddell will play tho Northern Union game there, i , should sufficient ,- inducement be ; • forthcoming. Wnddcil-' is a slashing {forward, and, bcsitlos representing ; Aucklnnd;niul Hawkn's Bay, played for : . the North Island in tho inter-island Iγ ; match last yoflr. '■ •';■;.:. '■■!.'Easily'the pick of the Oriental backs '.-■ 'Was Matheson. In the initial spell the ! sppec'y threc-quiirtor did a lot of de- {■■.-'". fending'capably. It was not until'<tho f:; -jeecond; spell that be cot anything like

a chance to shine on the attack. Then there somewhat unexpectedly happened an opening which only a scoring back luce. Matheson could put to proper use. His score brought about a change of luck for Iris side—and with it camo victory, in which he had a big share, for, in addition to his try, lie potted a fine goal. Big , things are expected or Matheson this season. . _ Speaking at Auckland the other day, Mr. W. D. M'Lean, president of tho i\ew Zealand Hugby League, gave some particulars of tho history of tho game in New Zealand, which, he said, had made far greater strides than was anticipated, -tic dwelt at some length on professionalism, and strongly advised the new club to ride down the accusation which had been cast on tho new clubs and their parent bodies. He emphatically stated that neither the New. Zealand Bugby League nor any provincial: league had ever paid men for playing football. He stated, however, that one of the main objects was to give the players just compensation ror the time lost when on.tour.

■ For some reason or another the Athletic forwards were "in and out," as was the position so.frequently.last season. Bell started the season well with a couple of tries, both the result of creditable play. ' Of the others, Kivell is deserving of praise, but he did not make the most of bis opportunities. ' The wallaby presented to the Plymouth Rugby Football Club (England) by Captain M'Mahon ; and the Australian footballers, who were in England in 1908-9, was landed at Plymouth recently. The littlo'animal, about six months old, was sent Home, under the care of the chief steward of a liner. Several-of .the officials' went off to re? ceive the wallaby, which has been named "Jimmy." It is very tame, and was, received wearing a coat of the club colours:.'.' ■

It was resolved that two delegates be sent from Otago to the New Zealand Union, and the chairman, in speaking on : the subject, advocated sending delegates'from Otago.,;',They had already removed: some unpleasant impressions that had existed between the Now Zealand and the Otago Union. If it wore not, a slight, he would say send all their delegates from here. The. strongest representation' was given by their 'itvn mcii' going up.. Messrs. F. H. Campbell and H. Harris were appointed .to' represent Otago, and it was resolved to write to Messrs. Isaacs, G. M'Keliar, Falconer, and- Brodie, asking them if i\\u\r services were available. ' ;

fjo tar-as-the New Zealand team :to tour: Australia is concerned, it will have to be selected largely, on reputation. This (says "Full-Back" in the- "Otago Witness") is rather fatal to the choice of the best team to represent the Do-. rninion,. , 'and Iffeatr t will bo prejudicial to. the giving of firat-clats exhibitions of the: gamo in Australia. '- Tho New South -Welshmen are advancing rapidly in Rugby, and are now almost a match for'a, purely; representative team from these islands,': It reputation is to guide the selectors in their choices of the New Zealand, team (and I see nothing else for-jt) /one or two players will find places who otherwise might have to be 'merely considered." The North-South Island match ■ at Wellington last year revealed, a .' heavy '"passenger list," "mainly; in, the ranks. : of' the • North Islanders.; It is to be hoped the selectors will not: forget; the men who failed to play up. to the■ reputation last season. The , Oriental forwards would have hid a. much harder, row to hoe had tho back division not been no energetic. To say the. least which the Oriental . vanguard''g"ave could not by _ any means have been ; thoroughly, satisfactory to supporters of -the club. Bofore the pack are able to go the full hour and "fa half at top ,'mucn more atttmtion willhave.to be given to training. ,:Murray,.. Galloway, and* Akers, however, did well at times. .; ■■"Sporting Life" understandson high authority, that' there is every prospect if the ; International Board passing a rule with rogard to the .wearing of: studs, ;and making illegal the use of v those conical studs, which are habitually worn in Wales, and doubtless by certain players:out of the Principality. The -studs in ; question are. jlong and cone-shaped. They have a central-basis/ of metal—practically 'a nail—and. are covered ,jvith leather. When perfectly new they; are not specially safe, but when, the leather is worn and the metal centre or nail is laid bare they.are not merely dangerous, . but' are literally lethal weapons. Tennant's serious injury at Cardiff, on February 5 last was due to one of these studs, while very, few of the. Scots escaped slight injuries i from the same cause. Schulze's stockings, pants, and_ jersey showed strange, yet striking, evidence of the danger of the. studs. • His. stockings were.torn, there were long cuts in his knickers and. , his jersey was also cut in places. The garments of : all ;tho - Scottish players • .boro"similar, cuts'-and tears. Phis , ' , makes -it ; .clear.'. that- considerable carelessness fls.-.tp- the safe; or dangerous; condition of-the studs-prevails in Wales. ■■; ' ...-• ,■ .

ASSOCIATION,

(By Centre-Half.) ' TLe. start given matches ks't Saturday was not so satisfactory as. it might, have Keen. ' Out of four senior games "drawn, only two were- played, the other two'-, going by default. '-• "• ' '■ ' ' . . . The Diamond-Rambler contest) played at Newtown, Park, was the best of .tho senior games,: but at its very, best it was not inspiring. However, perfect football' could not be expected in view of tho fact that the match'.was the first of tho season, and that a/, gale of .wind swept the -field.. On -tha'day's play Diamonds deserved their win, their form iii the second half : being much bettor than that shown : by Raihblcrs. Tho Diamond 'team is practically tho same as last year. They had one ca'p-' able "new man in Tongo, who should- be a useful member of the combination when he gets used to the play.of his coinrados. "Jimmy , , , Collins, one of'the oldest Diamond enthusiasts,' was dug out for the day to fill a gap, and, despito the fact that he ivas handicapped by an lyrorplus of weight, he acquitted himself with honour. A trio of "oldstefL ,, in'R.-Davenport, J. Paton, and AV. Auld followed the movements of the Diamond veteran with keen and appreciative eyes. ■'

-The Ramblers mustered strong, about 18 senior men boing available on tho ground. The team .has some excellent material to work on this season, several ex-St. John's men having signed on with the red and whites. In goal they have the services of Webster, formerly of the Wanderers, , and another first-class now in an is Paget, • formerly an Auckland representative player. Hart, , an Englishman, is another new man, and. the e'x-St.' John's players, in the team are Cross, Trevcthick, Johnston, and Ferguson: The above, with Edwards, Coward, Smallbohc, and Anker, make a combination which should take a lot of beating whon they strike 'form. Newtown Park was badly marked out on Saturday last. If the side lines cannot he chalked each Saturday, two more posts should certainly bo placed at the quarter way. The same defect was noticeable'at Duppa Street. Although things look good and hearty in the lower divisions this year, the first division does not look cheerful. First of all, Petone withdrew their senior team, and now Wan-

dorers have dono likewise. Petone aro entering a second division team, and Wanderers, it is stated, could put in a senior team if they liked to forego tho subscriptions of certain players. Between those two clubs and other senior men who havo not signed on for anyone, thcro should bo a good chance for tJio formation of an entirely new club if someone would only step in and pus hthings along. ■ . • Tho throe Ponrua gentlemen who waited upon tho Management Committeo of the Association on, Wednesday night proved themselves to bo wholehearted supporters of the soccer game. The object of their attendance at the meeting was to endeavour to get tho Porirua boys' team graded as sixth class instead of' fifth class. The obstacle in tho way_ of tho change was tho fact that the sixth class boys are mostly schoolboys, who cannot bo ex? pected to travel, but tho deputation got over this difficulty by offering to send their' boys into town occasionally, and offering to pay expenses of teams which journey to Porirua'. "Wβ prefer that our boys should play Association, and we don't mind putting our hands into our pockets to give them their game," was the substance of Porirua's sportsmanlike offer. One of the deputation stated his intention of giving over a portion'of his property next year for the formation of a private soccer, ground. Needless to say, the committee was impressed by the whole-souled enthusiasm of the Poriruo sportsmen, and met them half-way. .

Westralian soccer has made even greater strides during the summer months than its most enthusiastic bupporters dreamed, and the annual general meeting of the senior association held.on March 23 was the largest ever recorded, the big boxing room of the Perth Sports Club being crowded with delegates and supporters. Three new clubs applied for admission to the senior league—Midland Junction Locos, Subiaco, and Perth ex-Students, the last-named being a revival of a once popular'senior team, thus bringing the league up. to nine clubs, the greatest number. West Australian soccer nas yet recorded, and being one club more than ■the number constituting the Football League (Australian rules). A soccer club flourished at Midland Junctio.i (where the Government railway workshops are) some years ago, and then passed out thrqjgh the players scattering, but the new club has '30 newchum British players, and should build upon lasting. foundations. The application from this club came as a surprise, as they had concealed their intentions up to the-lost minute of the application.... Tha finances of the associatio.i vere shown to he in a healthy condition, the credit balance being the largest ever, recorded. : >