WOMEN'S HOCKEY

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 9, 5 October 1933, Page 2

WOMEN'S HOCKEY

Invitation to Dominion

SATURDAY’S CUP MATCH

(By

“Critic.”)

The women’s hockey season in Welling-ton-will officially close ou Saturday with the playing of the annual representative Maori match between Wellington and Wairarapa for the Hunter Cup. at Porirua.' The main attraction will be preceded by the meeting of the Wellington and Wairarapa B teams. The Wairarapa A team, present holders of the cup, is an exceptionally strong combination, possessing the two essentials for a successful side, namely, a sound defence and a forward line understanding the true value of combined efforts, Lhe same cannot be said of Wellington, although it is quite on the cards that the local side will make a strong effort to win the trophv. The local team, both forward and*back, could read much stronger that it actually is. It is difficult to understand why the selector or selectors could not see. during the recent matches with Ohau and Manaknu, where Wellington's actual strength lay. It certainly is not represented in the team selected to play Wairarapa on Saturday, and to my mind, it looks very much like W airarapa retaining the cup for the second successive year.

The visitors are expected to arrive at Porirua about dvidday on Saturday, where they will be welcomed in true Maori fashion at the Pa. At the conclusion of the matches to be played on the Hospital ground, the teams and members of the visiting party will be entertained to a dinner followed by an entertainment and dance in the evening at the Pa. The cup will be presented to the winning team during the evening, and it is hoped that the donor, Mr. James Hunter, will be present to make the presentation.

Notes on Campbell Cup Players. Mrs. Langley was again tho stumblingblock on Saturday. Playing extra back, she was a real tower of strength for Greytown, forcing Hutt back and turning defence into attack.. She was ably assisted by Mrs. Kate Hiropi, who was placing her wings into position and clearing beautifully. Of the half-line, Mrs. R. Peterson was the best, being very fast and a good hard hitter. This no doubt gave her an advantage over Miss Wallis, although the latter is to be commended on her play. The forward line was not as good as the Hutt. Playing with long passes and being well supported by their halves, gave them the advantage although they were certainly lucky in running up such a high score. Misses Calwaddlc and Rhodes were the best, displaying good,stickwork. They often had lhe opposition baffled, and they lost no time on reaching the circle. Miss 13. Simpson again filled the position of goalie, and often earned the appreciation of the spectators. Using her feet to advantage, she was able to rob Greytown forwards and place her forward line on attack. Miss D. Worenall was not on her game, and, with her co-back, depended ou speculating, and more often than not missed, allowing the fast Greytown forwards to go through. It is a mistake for any back to speculate, as there is nothing gained even if you do connect. Stopping the ball allows you to place your shot, and even if the forwards are following fast a touch places the ball out of position for them, and iu position for the bock. Miss Joyce Shicl certainly had a hard time iu the half line, and she must be commended on tho way she executed her work. Being the only regular half of the team playing, she was worked overtime assisting the other halves and breaking up the Greytown attacks. This line was tne weakest Jink in the team, both wing halves failing to tackle, and being content to stand off. The forward line played well, and certainly deserved success. They executed short, snappy passes, but the Greytown defence had a day on. Even after gaining ground they ■were forced back through lack of support from their halves. Misses Sheil and Avery were the strongest, and were ably supported by the two juniors. Misses W'urenall and Watson. The baby of the team is Miss K, Strickland, perhaps the most promising player that I have seen this season. She has played for the third grade through the season, but on a vacancy occurring in the senior team she was given her chance, her first senior game being against Hospital in the final. She excelled herself, and earned praise through this column. On Saturday she was again prominent, and, playing inside with Misses I. Sheil and Avery, proved that she would soon be on top in big hockey.

Invitation to Now Zealand? _ The Australian women’s hockey council has recommended that wheu the Australian championships arc held in Melbourne in 1935. invitations be sent to New Zealand, Vancouver, and Fiji, to join in a Pacific tournament. The idea seems a very good one, and no doubt the N.Z.W.H.A. would be a willing party to such a scheme. In the following year there are to be international matches in America, and it is the intention of the Australian council to be represented with an all-Austra-lian team. Hopes arc also expressed that the sister Dominion. New Zealand, may find her way clear to also send a team to this, tournament. The Australian council is certainly a lire body, working under a Krand system.

Miss Edith Thompson’s Impressions. ITior to leaving Australia for England, Miss Edith Thompson, former president of the All-England Women’s Hockey Association, who paid a visit to Wellington during her recent New Zealand tour, said that though the European countries arc so closely in touch and hare nothing like the Australian and New Zealand difficulties of long distance to contend with, it is to Australia and New Zealand that the initiation of international hockey tours are due. In 1914 an English team toured the Commonwealth and New Zealand, and had it not been for the war no doubt Australia and New Zealand would hare paid England a return visit. In 1922 a British team went to Denmark. and since then there has been considerable “coming and going” between the Danish and English teams. During recent years the Americans have become very keen players. Philadelphia is the centre o f activity, and several times coaches and referees from England have visited the United States to give instruction. In Belgium, Holland, and France there are many women hockey players and the Germans have been making rapid strides lately. They have organised large clubs for women with carefully graded teams. The international federation controls the games for all countries. MUtb regard to England, there are at present 1000 clubs, with a playing membership of over 60,000. Each year there are three matches between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and this year, for the first time in 35 years, England' was defeated on its own ground by'Scotland. Refereeing is very strict. There are °! ,1 -v 15 A Rrade referees in England, and about 120 who hold the B grade bnd-e Good refereeing has been the main facPor in raising the standard of play, and the first-class referees have as large a following as the first-class players Hockey is very popular in the industrial centres of England. The Manchester association has 100 teams playing every Saturday.

Miss Thompson was most interested in hockey in New Zealand. Until a recent match played against the New South Wales touring team nt Auckland on its return from Fiji New Zealand had not played an outside team since J9J4 'j’hc Maoris piny an excellent game, and any representative team from New Zealand would include at least three Maoris. JLhey arc fond of all branches of sport, Coiicludhie Notes.

'rhe 1933 season has been rather prolonged by representative matches etc but witli the final matches to be'plaved at Porirua on Saturday, the concludin'’ notes of the season will appear in next Thursday's "Dominion.”