FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 15481, 1 May 1914, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

ALL BLACKS* AUSTRALIAN TOUR. The itinerary of the New Zealand team's Australian tour has been arranged by the council of the New South Wales Rugby Union: New Zealand v. New South Wales. 11th July; New Zealand v. Australia, 18th Julv; New Zealand v. Queensland, at Brisbane, 25th July; New Zealand v. Australia, at Brisbane, Ist August; New Zealand v. New South Wales, at Sydney, Bth August; New Zealand v. Australia, at Sydney, 16th August. It has been decided that this year midweek matches shall not be played outside the capitals of N*w South Wales and Queensland other than necessary in the interstate games, in view of the contests with New Zealand.

SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL.

The following are the rules adopted by the Schools* Rugby Football Committee to govern the match's during the season: (1) Results of matches (on score cards), signed by the referee and captain of thP winuing team, must be sent in to the secretary (T Begg, Arthur Street School) not later than the Tuesday following the match. (2) Matches not thus reported will not count. (3) All matches must be played as arranged by the "committee. Matches mutually arranged will not count. (4) Any club failing to keep an appointment, unless the decision of the referee is that the ground is unfit for playing on, i shall forfeit the match. (s)' "All protests must be sent within one week to the secretary. Rugby Schools' Committee, Arthur Street School. (6) Any boy found playing with toeplates on his boots will be ordered off the field. (71 All players must be bona fide scholars of the school they play for. (81 Any boy having left school i vrill be allowed to represent the school until the end of the season, provided he has played in at least fire of the matches. (9) The committee shall have power to suspend during their pleasure any player who may be reported for rough or unfair plav. or for using profane or indecent langnage. (10) The committee shall have power to disqualify any boys considered too big for the schools' competition. No plaver in the junior competition to be over 8.7, and in senior competition not more than four playeTs in any team to exceed 9.0. (11) The committee shall have power to deal with any special matter not dealt with in these rules. INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. The international Rugby championship, in. which England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland figure, is invariably a most interesting event. During the present season in Great Britain, however, it has proved even more interesting than formerly. England won the championship by defeating Scotland hy 16 points to 15. The gains is described as being the most interesting ever played between the two countries. The winners played three very close games, as they also defeated Wales bv 1 point and Ireland by ,5, b6 that afthough at the top of the list the points for and against, only show the small margin of 7. Wales was second, having defeated Ireland and Scotland comfortably, but losing very unluckily against England. On the play, therefore, the Welshmen showed better form, although the result will go on record with England as 1913-14 champions-. The competition is called the "triple crown," and the contest between Scotland and England was also to decide the holders of the Calcutta Cnp. England has now occupied first place for two successive years, besides playing a tie with Ireland in 1911-12.

KINO AT A RUGBY GAME His Majesty the King, who sat beside the Rugby Union president, Mr Arthur Hartley, of Casileford, at the Rugby International maten at Twickenham between Ireland and England on February 14, appears to have greatly enjoy«d his experience. Throughout the game His Majestv kept up a running commentary upon the play, and readily acknowledged his delight with it all. " That*s very clever," he observed, when Lloyd gave the Irishmen a, lead of a dropped goal, arid with aU the subsequent scoring he expressed great delight. Hi* Majesty told Mr Hartley that he always enjoyed an open game in which there was plenty of scoring, and with the variations in the international he saw just the sort of game that ha liked. " There is no doubt," said Mr Hartley, in conversation with a ' 3p6rting Life * representative, "that His Majasty thoroughly understands the Eugby game. There were many points in k which he criticised, and I had to agree that in K«gby there are a lot of apparently trifling things for which the run of play may be stepped- The King grasped all the points, and asked particulars about some of the players.—Lloyd, for instance —and was genuinely pleased with the fluetuaiting character of the game. "The Kin" would be pleased," Mr Hartley added, " whichever side won-, so long as w« had an open, scoring game. As H happened, it was an open, scoring game, in which England proved successful by 17 points to 12. Th« King, in telling me bow much be liked the Rugby game, sftid frankly it was one of the best matches be had seen. But if he were & football legislator His Majesty 6aid he mould not havo play palled up so much, as it ia fo* <w.ui<uijui knwlrcoji."