Football.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 37, 12 August 1905, Page 14

Football.

RUGBY. [Br DnorKiCK.] The enthusiastic follower of Rugby will brave the most boisterous weather to see his usual Saturday afternoon game. The attendance at the final match of the New Zealand team was conclusive recent proof of this, and further evidence was forthcoming last Saturday. Interest ia the championship matches was said to be dead, and the games set down weie not very enticing, bufc notwithstanding these facts a. considerable number of spectators braved the southerly storm and stood for close on two hours in the bitterly cold wind, which carried along occasional showers of drenching rain. The few enthusiasts outside the stand huddled together in groups and saw tho games through to the end. The trail of Rugby is all over the colony, and no country is in a better position than New Zealand to turn out in bulk finished Rugby players. The average New Zealand male child takes to the football almost* as naturally as a duck takes to water. During the winter months almost every school playground is turned into a seething mass of wildly enthusiastic youngsters engaged in an endeavour to boost a Rugby ball over the edge of the universe. Released from school, the youngsters wend their various ways to the nearest paddocks and continue their pursuit of the ova!. Failing a paddock, they make use of the public thoroughfare, and failing a proper ball they requisition anything from a. hat or bundle of rags to a jam-tin or piece of wood. During the present season a team of New Zealnnders visited Australia, and is now en route to London to start a tour of the British Isles, and an Australian team is about to leave Sydney on a tour of New Zealand. Besides these ventures dozens of representative teams ore travelling or about to travel/ in almost every parb_ of the colony at the cost of" hundreds of pounds. Last Saturday's matches provided highly diverting entertainment to the spectators who braved the dements and watched the floundering players, but tho football exhibition was poor, and the less said about the individual players the better. The members of the Australian Rugby team chosen for the New Zealand tour have had to undergo an examination before they leave Sydney. No cripples are wanted. , Tha Auckland Herald football writer says : "Mr. Angus Campbell, Chairman of the Auckland Referees' Association, who returned from Wellington during the week, informs me that Watkins, of Wellington, stood out as the best forward on the ground in the New Zealand-Welling-ton match." ' , It is reported that the allowance made to Mr. G. Dixon as manager of the New Zealand team while on its British tour is equivalent to £100. O. Cleland, the Old Boys' wing threequarter, left for Sydney last Saturday on his way to England. He intends following the New Zealand team 'in their matches in the Old Country. To the Editor. — Sir— As club captain of the Kia Ora Football Club 1 feel compelled, after reading the report of the Referees' Association re treatment of referees by spectators at Kia Ora grounds, to protest against the great injustice done, to us by the referee who complains of rough treatment he received at our hands. This same man had a junior Kia Ora player suspended for a year without justiheation. This we can prove easily. The next match he tried to control was a farce, as he ordeicd two of our players off in a very short tfme after starting play. Both players were said to have struck opponents, yet tlie players alleged to have been struck, denied having been struck. Another local player was cautioned by the referee for ''rough play." Now, sir, does it not seem out of all reason that players, knowing the penalty, would do such things, and that it is a singular .thing only members of one team should so offend? I consider the referee's conduct is reprehensible, knowing as ho does that a reported player is not allowed to take outside evidence against a referee. During the whole season, I can safely say that my club has had no trouble with any referee acting for the junior team, except the one in question. I am sorry there were no club officials on the ground to prevent the disturbance which took place, but had the captain acted wisely he would have withdrawn his men arid declined to play unless another referee was appointed. — I am, etc., M. Welch. [We have excised some of the personal references in tbis letter.] ASSOCIATION NOTES. [By Vangtjabd.] Both players and spectators presented a pitiful appearance on Saturday afternoon, when they were caught on the exposed fields of Miramar in one of the most boisterous storms experienced 'here for some time. The early hours of Saturday were fine, and players were hopeful of having an afternoon's sport. Southerly squalls, accompanied by drenching rain, however, net in soon after the matches were commenced, and made matters lively for all concerned. Some of tho juniors played right through the afternoon, but tho seniors in two of the matches were stopped shortly before tho hour for halftime by the referees postponing the games for the day. The teams engaged in the postponed matches were Swifts A and B and St. John's and Rovers. Sevcrjl points wero discussed during the afternoon as to what effect the matches would have on tho competition. There were somo enthusiasts who contended that each team should treat the fixture in which it was engaged as being a draw, as no goals had been registered during the course of the play. This contention if upheld by 'the Management Committee would inflict a hardship on some of the teams and even spoil their chances for championship honours. The matches wero postponed by the referees, whose action was justifiable, and it is unfair to expect" teams to accept a draw when they * had no other course open to them but to leave the field when the referee sounded his whistle for "no side." The two matches, in fairness to all parties, should be replayed. This will no doubt mean an extension of an already lengthy season's programme, but will prove the only satisfactory way out of the difficulty. Queen's Park mustered out strongly to take the field against V.M.C.A. Capham, Mawson, and Jones, of tho New Zealand team, wero amongst those who sported Queen's Park colours, and appeared eager for the fray. V.M.C.A. failed to get togother a team, consequently Queen's Park won the match by default. Piny was of a lively order in the short contest between Rovers and St. John's. The latter had tho advantage of the wind, but did not make use of it ns much ns they should. Bissett strengthened tho fiont rank, but tho rear division was weakened by the absence of ."Dick" Nnglc. For soveral years St. John's have adopted tho rule of picking their team early in the

season and playing practically the same men all through. This year, however, circumstances have arisen which necessitated many changes, and if what one hears is true there are likely to be more unavoidable changes before many weeks are past. Hovers, from their style of play in the early stages of the match, wero after a win. The backs played the heavy, greasy ball particularly well, whilst the forwards lost no opportunities of harassing the opposing backs, and keeping play from their own goal. Their work in this respect compared more than favourably with the opposing forwards, whose footwork was good, but whose dash was lacking. Few forwards seem to realise what can be done by playing hard amongst opposing backs. It is a game that- is appreciated by few spectators simply because they do not realise its worth, but the forward who indulges in ib effects as much defensive work as a back, in an area of the field where his play makes openings for his colleagues to score. The play in the Swifts A and B match was much below senior form. The A team had 8 men and the B team 9, and this fact probably accounted for tire- disorganised play on both sides. Some good individual play would now and again alter the monotony of the game. The A team missed the services of Cotes and the B team the services of Elson and Perks. For the A team, Duff proved an efficient full-back. Whito played up half, and proved an exponent in that position. • He fed his forwards beautifully, and was solid in dofence. WaddeU's footwork was a treat to witness, and the state of the ground suited his style of play. J. Pyesmith did his share without a mistake. The three forwards, Muir, P. Pyesmith, and Anker, did fairly well, the two first-named combining well in the first spell. Of the B team, Hunter defended well at full-back. Unlike his opposing full-back, however, he is not very fast. Butterworth worked hard in both attack and defence. The forwards played with little or no combination. Macdonald played well aTI through. Lewis, at left inside, was very useful, and knew how to keep his place.

Hociiey. [By Buxger.] The big ovent of tho year in local hockey has come and gone, and the fact that the championship has changed hands is a matter for satisfaction; and it must do much to encourage the younger teams. The Wellington Club is to be congratulated on its success. This year's champions have always ended the season second to the winners, and their promotion is deserved. Tho following tablo shows the positions of the various teams :—: — • >>^ . I" § J-3 111 1 1 Wellington ... 9 7 1 2 0 18 United ... 9 7 1 1 1 17 Victoria College 9 3 1 3 3 11 Karori ... 9 3 1 2 4 10 Vivian ... 9 11 0 8. i Waiwetu* ... 5 0 0 0 10 0 * Lost 5 games by default. It will be noticed that the College men have gone up a step, and that their record, for a comparatively young team, is a very good one. Another significant fact is that tho winners have a clean bill as far as defeats are concerned. In last Saturday's game both steams were very well trained, and, while the game was a good ono, it would have been incomparably better under more favourable conditions. Some fine individual form was shown. To take the Wellington eleven first, Preston, in goal, had a fair amount to do, but ho has by no means regained his old form, and it is doiibtful whether he will see representative honours this year. He showed a tendency to become flurried, but he nevertheless stopped some difficult shots. Beere, at left-full, played capitally throughout; his one error was a speculator, which allowed Elliott to break through and score. On referring to pre.vious notes, I find that on three occasions this year victory has been thrown away by this speculative hitting. Against Karori, Matheson, of -the College team, speculated, and Karori got a goal which made the game a draw; Beero did the same thing against the Victoria College, and he ropcated tho performance on .Saturday. A clean hitter, with plenty of judgment and pluck, Beere's one outstanding fault is the ono referred to. His colleague, Staples, is rapidly becoming 'a back of the first order. He was the shining light of the big match. Time after time, especially near the end, he saved his sido by sound defence. Tlid team owes much of its success to its strong half-line. Smythe, on the left, is a hard plngger, and is difficult to get .past. Ho has a tendency to be slow in his actions, and tho ball is, in consequence, frequently taken from him. This fault often spoils what would otherwise be good work. Blackwell, on the other side, is a quick, vigorous player, who follows up well and keeps his place. Ho seems to be conquering his bad habit of carrying tho ball. Reid, in tho middle, knows most of the trickß of the game, and, on his day (he has days) is right in tho first flight of halves. The forwards are a, fairly fast lot, and play with, dash and spirit. Allen has no equal as a right winger, and his play is invariably clean and neat. Hull, insido left, is *t haTd work-er and good goal-getter, and is always in his place. Pope, centre forward, has never quite got over tho full-back style of hitting, and, .16 a. result, lie not infrequently lands .tho ball in tho other man's hamls. As far aa shooting is concerned, this player has been under a cloud tin's year, .but ho keeps his country well, and gets tho ball moving amongst his fellow forwards .He was in fine form on Saturday, and put in his best game this year. Midgeley, insklo -ght, nas plenty of dash, 'but he ia too eager. This eagernee^i often causes him \o lose the leatner when he moat nstda it. Tho left-wing position has been irequently changed 'this season, but undoubtedly the best .man for tho place is Beer*. 'Good back as he is, ho will jnako a better winger. To have -come out ahead of a team containing such champions as AshboH, Smytho, and S. Hickson ie no hivaii feat, and most heartily do I congratulate <tho team that did it. Next Saturday tho Canterbury rep»« sentativos are to play their annual match against Wellington, and as h. strong combination is expected to conv> North, a good game may bo looked for. A trial .match has been arranged for to-day, and vhe team will bo selected upon tho form shown. 1 fancy the following eleven : Goal, L. Peareon ; backs, Ashbolt and C. Hickson ; halves, Reid (right), Skelley (centre), Woybourne (loft); bully, S Hickson, insides, Hull (right), Elliott (left); winga, Allen (right), Smytho (loft). .Piwton, in his prcaeni 'form, can bo given his old , position of goal, and Campbell, who usually takes centre half, hits too hard -to bo a good attacking half. Of tho other position*, thero oan bo but uttle doubt, as tho men named are considerably ahead of any competitors who could be mentioned. In ■tho ahove team, Reid is the only man out of liis place, but his fong experience in all half positions would enable hint to give- a. .good account of himself. Ryburn must bo in tho running lor goal-keeper, but as the gamo /is likely to bo characterised by Welling ton attack, rathei than defence, Pearson should get the place on account of his woll-judgcd tutting.