NEWS AND NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 62, 10 September 1921, Page 12

NEWS AND NOTES.

Mr. A. C. Kitto, of Wellington, controlled the Marlborough-Buller match for, the Seddon Shield last Saturday. After the match, Mr. J. Bradley, manager of the defeated'team (Buller), stated that the rulings of tlje referee were very impartial and up-to-date, and that was another thing, by the way, which was an education to the minor districts. The local referees doubtless did their best, but they lacked a wider experience, and played the rules as they read them, and perhaps that was unintentionally, in a one-sided way. Mr. Kitto had that day played the advantage rule for all it.was worth, and the standard of play had appreciated. In the Buller team was Svenson, the Wanganui player, who played in the test Probables v. Possibles match at Wellington, and who was chosen to represent North Island and New Zealand (against New South Wales) '- this season. The coach of the Buller ' team was Clem Green. About principal Rugby events this season there has hung an air of considerable uncertainty, and ■ this has been intensified by Wellington's unexpected of the j^few South Welsh-. men's splendid run of successes during their present tour. The run of affairs leading up to Wednesday's match .was spmething like the following:—Wellington went under to the-Springboks; Canterbury defeated the Springboks; Wellington easily accounted for Canterbury, and later Taranaki, who had played a drawn game with the South Africans; Auckland went down badly to the Springboks, and last' Saturday defeated Wellington; New South Wales Tiacr"an unßfeaten record —nine wins (including the sound defeat of a New Zealand team last Saturday), points for 221, points against 68. There appeared, therefore, little hope for Wellington. But the local team,- not quite so strong as it could be, played the game which has been looked for in vain in previous matches. There was a return to combination, sadly lacking in other games, but better still was the great dash of the forwards. To them no small portion of credit is/due for the win. , They battled through the game in splendid fashion, never tiring, vigorous, solid, and clean in their rushes, outclassing the opposition pack, and almost completely smothering the other side in its efforts, to get the ball away to a fleety set of backs. ' The continued omission of "Son" White does not speak well for"the selectors' ideas of the play in the first Test match (says the same writer). White was one of the best forwards New Zealand had in that game, and he is of the type required against the South Africans. The1 selectors seem to be too eager to get weight' in the Dominion pack. Weight does not connote pushing in the !scrums. New Zealand requires, hot weighty forwards, but fast, hard-bitten men, who, besides giving the pushing power required in the scrams, will make the play loose and keep it loose and fast, and who follow up smartly. It is useless to try to play the Springboks at their own game. Unfortunately, the forwards who are selected for the third Test match, while good players in their own style of game, are too much inclined to play the' Srpingboks at the latter's game. Of the twenty men picked to train 'for the third Test, "A.L.C.," in the Sun (Christchurch) writes:—"The. selection of only one exeprienced hooker, and that man not the best, is amazing. In forward play, two things are essential to success against the South Africans— smart hooking in the scrums and plenty of fast, open play, ,the latter including good following-up. The smartest hooker in New Zealand is still E. E. Hughea, though he is 43 years old. In the Dunedin Test match Hughes had only one man (A. White, of Southland) pushing hard behind him, but he hooked well.

His age is a handicap to him in other departments of forward work, but the New Zealand pack is decidedly in need of good hookers, and Hughes should be preferred to Duncan, who is not smart enough for Test Rugby, hard player though he is. In any cave, the selection of one hooker may be fraught with consequences bad to New • Zealand. Apparently Fogarty is to be played in the front row of the scrum, although he has played there only once before in hisRugby career,- A good hooker cannot be made in 10 days." To this may be added that the selectors have power to add to the namber in training. About the second Test match, C. S. Tendall, in the Auckland Herald,, writes: —"The English Rugby Union is twitted with being oat of date, I grant you that is so, but the New Zealand Union, which, claims to be more enterprising, also has its faults. The withholding of the names of /the All 'Black team on Friday night was one of the most hopeless ibits of folly I have ever seen. Contracts or no contracts, the public had a right to know the names of the players, and a change of officials in the govemiing body in the Dominion seems overdue. The Auckland Union is doing all it cam to boost the game in the North, ibut the New Zealand Union did much- to harm ifc by its short-sighted policy in this respect." Nothing definite is to be expecitedi of the conference on loth September between representatives of New Zealand. l^ew' South Wales, and South Africa on the question of playing, amended rules., The. South Africans are wholly against a change, unless it is the abolition of the wing-forward by the "imaginary line" through, the back of the scrum amendment. They make so much use of the. line that they are not likely to surrender the advantage in favour of the Auokland rule. On the question of adequate representation •' on the English. Rugby Union, and the International Board greater unanimity should prevail, and in this direction great good may be achieved.. ' , ■The Wellington referees are winding up the season by a social gathering on Wednesday next. An excellent idea- of public opinion regarding the qnality of the Springboks is •afforded by a competition, being conducted by Duatin®, Ltd. Although the ■Springboks have created a number of ■surprises, there have been some football enthusiasts who ha^e been ablelto judge their capabilities against various teams fairly accurately. For instance, in ithie finst match (against Wanganui) four persons made a correct estimation, and competitors similarly successful in other matches were as follow :—Versus Taranaki (» drawn game) 2, v. Wairaraipa 1, iv. Wellington 2, v.1 Otago 14, >v. New Zealand (first Test) 3. Of 270 estimates for the Wellington match, 160 were in favour of the Springboks, and against Southland the voting was two to on© in favour of the visitors, but the tide changed considerably when it came to the first Test. There were nearly 600 competitors, of whom? 330 supported New Zealand and 217 South Africa, while a. fairly large number anticipated a drawn game. In all matches the borne. team has found a good number of supporters. In the ■window display in connection with., this competition there vhas-been exhibited a £5 note, but on a. recent 'morning the manager (Mr. D. Dustin) discovered that it had mysteriously dis appeared. Longing eyes and light fingers haw made some person richer, but, although tho promoter of the competition is the poorer by that amount, the ultimate winner will still have his .just -reward. ' ' ' Promoters of such competitions have to put up with a s;reat deal, and in this case 'one instance is shown by the following lettfer (as written) : —"Dea-r sir, ■Football result: can you' give me the •lady's score and- if she work for you, if pot I will apply to cook an Waittres. eeceratery. Now my coore was Springboks 30 next team they meet that was .West Coast 6. I' atn as near as you can ■get'it, answer . Six, it is not for tho paltry cak but the fa'.reotVou can keep that for me." Mr. -Fred. lews-, of the Wellington Union's Management Committee, is a handy man to have about a football! field, for, apart from has knowledge of the game and matters concerning its1 con-, tool, he is well trained i\\ rendering firstaid. This served a good purpose.at the Athletic Park lust Saturday, >when a,, player had the misfortune to fracture aleg. Mr. Laws mad© a good job. of affording the injured! player relief prior to his removal to the Hospital. EFFECT OF THE RULE. Before the Springboks came tor New Zeajand, it was stated that advantage wouldr no doubt 'be taken of their visit to afford them an (opportunity of. witnessing j exhibition games of the amended rule in operation, "with a view," in,the words of the president, of tho N.Z.R.U. (Mr. James M'Leod) "to proving to them its intrinsic worth, and also tMt nothing was to be feared from its introduction universally." When in Auckland the Springboks were able to see the rule played, but in their fixtures the ol'dl rules, of conrae, operated. After the^, match against Auckland Mr. Bennett de-" scribed the game as the best of the tour. To Auckland enthusiasts there .was only one reason for this, and that was the effect of this local players' experience of the new rule. Wellington, last Saturday, alsr had good evidence of the improvement which the rule had. mad© in Auckland's play.