RUGBY (By "Drop-kick.")

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 14

RUGBY (By "Drop-kick.")

Considerable importance attaches to the statment made by the president, Mr. G. H. Mason, ai the annual meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union, to the effect that, the union could congratulate itfcelt not only on ihe manner :n which the games were fought out, but. also on the increased public interest, which showed that ttie Saturday half-holiday had been productive of good. Above all, he hoped that it would lead to «*n increase io tht* number ol young fellows that donned the jersey. That such a pronounced effect for good has already made itself felt in Christennrch Rugby circles on account of the Saturday haltholiday is most encouraging to Wellington followers of ihe game. It followers of sport, hi Wellington are desirous of seeing the Saturday halt-holiday movement brought to f tuition, it, ia time they bestirred, themselves- The election is not very far off., and The petition, necessary lor the granting of ihe poll tame* "some signing.' 1 The matter will open up a big t(uesfcion on account of tjie paucity of playing »£\mu in .iiid around the city. Chrotchardb, witb ats huge expanse of flat, land, was apparently not troubled with this difficulty, so vVollington cannot be cited a* a paraQsl l&sc Skill there are uthe* important factors to be considered, which may more than oounterbakncd this. In. tbe meanwhile it would be well if tbe matter were settled oa» v»ay or the other, for it cannot bs said, that tbe prospect of Rugby in. Wellington it the present momens is as rosy as the picture painted at Chnstchurch uy the chairman of the Canterbury Union. GROUNDS QUESTION. At the time of writing it is not known what the allotment of the City Reserves will be. No definite pronouncement can, therefore, be made about Rugby grounds for this season. The union, however, is certam of eeven grounds at the old show grounds, Petone ; two on the Petone Recreation Ground; four on the Miramar Polo Grounds; and two at. the Athletic Park, la addition, the Wellington Boys' College Grounds will be available for matches in which Collegians take part/ and doubtless the two grounds at Johnsonville will also be under offer If the experience of certain, teams who were set down to play matches at Johneonville last year ;s taken into account, the union should be chary about accepting the two latter grounds. It should certainl- refuse to give the guarantee foolishly conceded last year that two or so senior matcheswill be played at Johnsonville in return for the ground. As regards the City Reeerves, last year Rugby had one ground on each ot the Andereon, Relburne, and Newtown Parks. The Hutt Club has secured the ground behind the Family Hotel, Lower Hutt. THROUGH OTHER EYES. In an article on American football published in Collier's Wpekly Walter Camp makes some interesting observations with regard to the All-Black- team which Vi eeutly visited the Pacific seaboard. The writer deals with the American game, and makes sodip comment in reference to passing. In connection with this he Bays' : "Jf some patron of football would send East some of the backs of the New Zealand team this would offer- a possibility o? one of the most' suggestive demonstrations of massing skill 'Miai- could be imagined- American playevs ha.vts indulged in their own game so long that it t& well nigh impossible to persuade an American back to spend flip, necessary time in acquiring skill at passing — not alone forward passing but even passing back. A convincing experiment would be to take six of these New Zealanders and put them in one of our 'varsity teams in tvEits East in the following position : Two ends, the quarter, two halM>ai']<r.. and a full-back. Then, after- two o. three days' praotice, a team made no o; an AU-American tearu *rom tackle to tackle, and with these lialf-dozen New Zealanders, would probably be ahle t« score so rapidly as to open the pyps of a,ll our American players to the 'possibilities of the passinp'ganie. These Ne-v Zealanders simph ran away with both Stanford University and California University, and later defeated a picked team of the beat of th« Coast players 51 to 3. Lynch, oi the New Zealand team, has proved repeatedly that he h dangerous on a drop kick fiffcy-fiv«> yards from the goaf posts. One of thejr passing rushes, «vhinh ended in a touch-down, was started forty-five yards from the goal, and' it should he understood that all their passing must be backward, and that there are fifteen defenders to overcome. If Cantain M'Donald, of th« New Zea"landprH, would send along Taylor, Gray, M'ftregor. Lynch, Wyh©,. and George Sellars, if. would be an extremely interesting proposition to see" them handle our Rugby football under our present forward passing rules," JOTTINGS. The Welsh critics very severely criticise the selectors of the team that was defeated by England. The cables inform us that the Welsh forwards had all the better of the contest, but that the threequarteve failed. The non-inclusion of . '"Ponf.y" Jones, who was in Australasia with the Anglo-Welsh team, and W. Spieler, another veteran, is said to have biien the mam cause of the downfall. The foimer, especially, is said to be the. best centre three-quarter in Wales to-day. He' was subsequently included ia the match against Scotland, which the Welshmen won very easily. The football press of the Principality has lately become concerned at fcthe noriinclusion of Rugby in the Olympic frames programme. 'On the only ocea- [ sion that the game was included [JjOnIdon, 1908), Wales. Scotland, England, i and Ireland, refrained from competing, j and the United Kingdom, was represented by tbe champion county of Cornwall, whom Australia defeated by 32 to 3. It was too expensive a proposition for South Africa and New Zealand to be represented without a tour of twenty matches or more, and Australia happened to be on tbe spot. This will 1 fljways ocflur, as the chief exponents of Rugby are too scattered, and "a wodd's championship without Wales, Englaad, Npw Zealand, South Africa, and Australia will not be representative. Tbe number of reserves that have to he sen l/i addition to/ the tpara makes the party large and the trip expensive. PORIRUA CLUB. The Porirua Rugby Football Club Held its annual meeting a few evenings ago. Dr. M'Killop occupied the chair. The report referred to the loss of some of the best players, who had retired from the game or left Porirua, their places being filled by players new to the game of Rugby. They should do better this season with a Jittle.trainrng. The financial statement showed a, credit balance ol £5 2s lid. The club held a very successtul concert last June, which helped the funds considerably. The election of officers resulted :—: — Patron, Mr. W. H P. Bell, president, Dr. Hassell ; vice-presidents, Dr. M'Killop. Dr. Simpson, Dr. Chisholm Lee, Messrs. J. H. Prossei*, F. Bradev, D. Dickey, J. Solomon. A. M'Kenzie, F. Mason, P. 11. Miller, W. Conrick ; A. Nicol, K. Davis, C. Cole, G. Stevens, H. Gyde. T. Clarke; secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. Curtin (reelected) ; club captain, Mr. H. Buiek (re-elected) ; captain, Mr. W. Schoch (re-elected) , vice-captain, Mr. I\. M'Taggett; management committee, Messrs. D. Prosser. J. Chapman, T. Waleh, J Solomon, H. BuicK T. Wright,, and T. Katene. "It wins decided to pjay third-class this 1 !!$&&<£&( ftlso. to ejiter «, boys' tsam.