FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 10933, 16 May 1899, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

The weekly meeting of the Committee of the Otago Rugby Football Union was held yesterday. On the report of the Flag Committee, it was agreed that, while it was recognised that the Southern Club had done their best to put their ground in the best condition, it was necessary still to erect a barricade. It was also resolved to point out to the Dunedin Amateur Ground Company that the Carisbrook Ground was in a very unsatisfactory condition, and that some steps should be taken to improve that ground. Messrs Morris, Duncan, Harris, M’Laren, Strong, and Young were appointed a Ground Committee. The report of the referee (Mr A. Spence) in the Union v. Southern match on the 6th inst., that he had ordered H. Allen (Southern) and H. Bennett (Union) off the field for, as he alleged, having exchanged blows, was taken into consideration. The Committee, having heard statements by the referee, both players, and by other witnesses, resolved that the referee having accepted Bennett’s explanation of the charge against him, no action be taken in respeeb to him. The charge against Allen was, however, proved, and he was severely reprimanded and cautioned. It was resolved by a majority—“ That this Committee agree to abolish the entrance fee for senior and secondgrade flag matches.” In the annual report of the New Zealand Football Association mention is made that an English team is to tour Australasia under Rugby rules this year, and it behoves the New Zealand Football Association to take such steps as are possible to pave the way for a visiting socker team. Some decision should be come to early this year as to the position Mr Bain, the representative in London of the New Zealand Football Association, should be asked to adopt. It is regretted that, owing to the apathetic attitude of associations on the other side, no progress has been made this last year in the direction of an Australasian Association Football Federation. The Council will probably be asked to consider during the coming season whether it is not advisable to urge the Auckland and Otago Associations to organise their young players on similar lines to those which have proved so successful in the Wellington district. An agitation is on foot in Wales to alter the point scoring. It is fell that the try is not given a sufficiently high value as compared with the dropped goal and the penalty goal. A suggested system is: Penalty goal, 2 points; dropped goal, 3 points; ; try, 4 points; converted try, 5 points. There is much to be said for this scheme.

They carry the anti-professional feeling pretty far lengths in England. The Royal ArtiHery team at Portsmouth were ruled out or the amateur cup competition because their m ® n I werc said to have broken the amateur rule by going in for special training at the seaside at their club’s expense. A curious coincidence occurred in the two latest matches of the Leicester Rugby club. In the first, v. Swansea, five goals were scored: in the second, v. Northampton, six goals. In neither case was there an unconverted; try. It. should be said that of these eleven "goals two were. dropped and two were penalties,

but tbe Whole seven tries obtained were converted. In any case, the absence of an unconverted try with eleven goals scored must be pretty near a record for two successive games.

The longest period during which an English Rugby football club has remained undefeated is probably that from March 21, 1891, until February 11,1893, during which Newport were able to claim a record without reverse. In 1891-92 this club won twenty-nine matches and drew four, scoring 536 points to 25—a performance in advance even of those of the best Welsh clubs of to-day.