ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 848, 21 June 1910, Page 7

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FOOTBALL. itCPS IOtrPuING NEW ZEALANDERS. - . . AN AUSTRALIAN . VIEW. How does this general form of this New Zealand Uvim compare with that of 1007?. queries .the Sydney "Heforw." The writer goes : on to answer the query as under;— It is superior in the forwards, weaker in tho backs. Tho loss of C&nicron is .very -,severe; ho is said, to bo tho most dangerous wing three-quarter in New Zealand, and a very high-class pln.ver. It was unfortunate tliat Stohr, described as a. young player of good promise, was also lost .to -tho eido. However, judging tho. combination as it appeared on the field on.-Saturday, New South Wales, but foi tho 'upheaval in Rugby,, must, one fancies,: have conquered this team. But this lino of thought is not fair to Now Zea-land,-since, if that upheaval had not taken place, our New Zealand • friends would hot have come .across this year.' [We : may safely say tint New Zealand forwards are as brawny, brainy, and brilasthey ever were —that is, there are no, better in tho world. ; These. forwards, the same paper says, aro'superior to those of 1905 and 1907,. though , it ha= to be remembered that theyiare not.opposed by such a combination;! of hashing, dare-devil and seasoned forwards; as those of tho two years mentioned were. 1 They: remind one of, tho .forwards-of '1903,- being tall/ powerful, heavy men, very quick on their-feet, good dribblers/ as neat in hand-passing .-.s baoTiS.'-' aiid-'tireU'Sa in backing uj... They aro the "best set. of forwards one has seen this.;year in'any kind of football, and thtsr qualities are of tho all-round order. : : They were, on tho whole, beaten for pos- • session of the ball in the scrummage in the'opening game, but this was turned to advantage by the quickness With ivliich ithey'broke up/and, together with wiuger M'Kellar, dribbled away from-the back the Blue pack, giving tho local backs no ebd of practice in ground fielding and ! Tusli-stoppiug. The three second-row forwards, Francis, Paton (lock), and Patterson/ aro, very . big men;.-and the others are solid! specimens of tho_ genus. Henco they , make a pack nf. considerable power, -lendwih tho ruck are , hard lot to stop, -{particularly .as they work in a bunch. ' THE WEEK'S RUGBY EVENTS. ■ The" following aro tho Rugby fixtures, grounds, and referees for Saturday.— -' Senior.—Athletic v. St. James, at Athletic Park No.l, Mr. W. Spencer; Old Boys v. Oriental; at Athletic Park No. 2, Mr. A. Neilson; Hutt % • Ponefce, at Hutt 510. 1, Mr. A. Trcgear; Petone v. Melrose, it Hutt No, 2, Mr. L. Simpson; Southern Wellington, at Karori Nd. 2, Vl'. J. Trancis; Victoria College,' a bye. ..Junior—Southern v.' Victoria College, at Polo No. 2, Sir. S. Standiu; Melroso v. St.! James, at' Polo No. 3, Mr. C. Bell; .Oriental v. St. John, at l'olo No. ;i, Mr. l.'Keys; Athletic v. Poneke, at'Miramar IPaik. No. 1, Mr. J.'Slines; Old Boys v. Petone, at Recreation Ground, Mr. P. Bfartin; 'Selwyn v. Wellington, at Miraimar Park No. 2, Mr. IV Laws. ,i Third;— Southern v. Exchange, at. Mirar janor Pari: No.-3, Mr. H. Larway; Ponckd ! v. Victoria College, at Miramar Park No. ! i, jlr. J; Russell; Oriental v. Wellington, -at East's No.' i, ,Mr. A. Thompson; ICarori v. Selwyn,.at Karori N0,.1, Mr. |W;' Roberts; Wellington - College v. St. iJohu/'Mr. C; R. Roberts; -Petono v.. : 31elrose/at Show Ground No. 2,-Mr. C.. p. Brocklcbank; Johnsonville v. Porirua, at Porirua, Mr. W. J, Meredith; Athletic, a bye. : • ■• '• - Fourth Class.—Athletic v. Petone, at :Show / Ground No. 1, Mr. R. Evenson; :Hutt v. Oriental B v: Show Ground No. i 5, Mr.;J.,D. Eraser; Melrose v. Oriental A/ at Dupna Street, - Mr. H. Walker; d?onekc v, Victoria College, East's No. I), iMr..--G. Buttler,;; St. . Jaiiies v. Southern, ENowfcowii; Park, Mr. J. J., Mahoiiy St."' 'John v. Selwyn, Anderson Park, Mr. R. (Pordyce;.Old Boys, a-bye; Jolmsonvillo, £' bye. ... , Fifth Class.—Hutt v. Athletic, at Show Ground No. : 'C,.3li\ 'F/Suminerliays; Wellington -College-vi .Selwyn, at Wellington, College/at 3, Mr." J. Weybourno; South-■ eri/v. Pebarie, atNo. 3 Show Ground, at - 3, Mr. W. Church; Poneke v., Melrose, at lAthletic Park, at 1.30, Mr. J). M'Kenaie. ■ 'TO-MORROW'S GAMES. Tramways . ! v.: Oriental; at Athletei Park No. 1, Mr. L. Simpeon; Star v. Butchers, at Athletic J?ark No. 2, Mr. W.- Uornig; Star B v, ■Butchers B, at Newtown Pack, Mr. W. Jl'Kcnzie. { REFEREES' ASSOCIATION. A weekly meeting of' the Wellington r ßeferecs' Association was : lield'.last night, . Mr.'D.' sl'Kenzie presiding. The .chair-, man'reported that 'in regard to the weekly lectures arranged for the benefit of players only nine players attended the second lecture last Saturday night, n>. :6ix of these members were i.um one club and three from another,, he did not consider it necessary to go on with the lecture. lii consequence of the poor 'attendances, ;■ the loctures are to be abandoned. A-letter was received from the Wel-lington-Rugby Union to the effect that ■two referees had failed to keep their ap-.' ipointments on a recent Saturday, and m consequence .the union, were compelled to ■refund ..travelling expenses to the four teams concerned.' The union expressed ■the hope that in future referees would givo ample notice of their inability, to luifil their engagements. Mr. -F. Laws otfered a suggestion to the Appointment Board -that referees failing to take their matches on any Saturday and not giving notice to that effect should ho appointed ■to the sauie ground the following we?k. It was decided to send a letter of. thanke jto the New Zealand Referees' Association i for subscription towards the expenses of entertaining delegatesto the annual conference.' . With reference to the recent amendment of the Laws of the Game, a circular (cancelling previous circular) was received from the New Zealand ' ltugby Union embodying the full list of amendments. 1 The association is now awaiting advice from tho "Wellington Rugby Union as to when the latest amendments are to come into force in local football. Tho latter' part of last night's meeting was Bpent in a discussion on the rules as amended.