ON FIELDS OF SPORT

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 September 1940, Page 12

ON FIELDS OF SPORT

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

NEWS AND NOTES. Apart from the junior representative match, last Sunday’s games against Canterbury teams did not provide thrilling football, and once again it was made clear that there is little to be gained, from a football point of view, from field-days conducted with the aid of teams travel?ling by excursion trains. Even allowing. for the unfavourable weather and ground conditions, the displays of the Canterbury club teams were not good, and it will not be surprising if the West Coast League in future refuses to arrange matches for such occasions, at least not until the extreme end of the season, when all club fixtures have been completed. Complicated: / .Efforts to bring the season to a close received another set-back on Sunday when Blackball and Runanga seniors played a draw in the Knock Out and Bradshaw Cup competitions, and even now it is not clear whether it will be possible to finalise the Bradshaw Cup competition, Blackball’s doubts in this regard now appearing to be well-founded. The semi-final of the Knock Out is to be played next Sunday, the following Sunday will be taken up with the Inangahua-West Coast match, so that the final of the Knock. Out cannot be played until the first Sunday in October, a week later than the usual official closing of the season.

Opportunity Lost: Once again the decision of R. Clarke, the Blackball captain, to kick up-and-under When penalty close to the opposing goal was possibly costly to his team on Sunday. With Runanga five points in the lead, Blackball were given a splendid chance to secure two points with a penalty goal, but the opportunity was declined. Later, Blackball secured a converted try, for a draw, and Bailey’s kick on that occasion proved that he could have secured the two points earlier. It is seldom that a try is scored from an up-and-under penalty, but Blackball have certainly given the odd chance every opportunity of emerging in their last few games.

T sei i cs* Taking full advantage of a not over-strong opposition, the Marist backs executed some nice movements on Sunday, despite the adverse conditions. R. Pollock and J. Roberts gave some of the finest demonstrations of the finer points, such as scissors movements and reverse passes, seen on Wingham Park this season.

Reappearance: W. Glynn made a reappearance with the Runanga seniors on Sunday and despite his long spell, was a tower of strength. The heavy condition of the ground suited him, and he was always in the thick of the iray. There are few players who can play consistently good games at infrequent appearances as Glynn has done since his official “retirement.” Return to Form:

At the beginning of this season Jim O’Donnell, the young Blackball player, was hailed as the best fullback available, but after the first round of games he lost favour, and did not appear to strike his real form again. On Sunday, at Runanga, he was back to his best and played a fine game. His handling of the greasy ball was good, and he showed plenty of dash in useful runs down the centre. He has the ability, and he should settle down to be a first-class full-back next season. Too Strenuous: Arguments are often heard regarding the effect of an all-night journey on football teams, but there was abundant evidence at Wingham Park on Sunday that it is impossible for players to give of their best on the day following a long train journey. All of the Canterbury teams faded out in the final quarters of the matches, particularly the third grade representatives, and it was obvious, discounting those who had the holiday spirit, that the visiting players could not do themselves justice.

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

One of the most successful representative seasons in the recent history of the West Coast Rugby Union has closed with possession of the Seddon Shield regained, and a fine record of five wins in six matches for the representative team. The representatives defeated Buller twice, Canterbury, Air Force and Nelson, and lost once to Canterbury, and in none of the matches won could they .be termed lucky to .win. The team was strong all round, but especially in the forwards, and the pack can be considered as ranking high in Dominion inter-provincial class. While the backs were expected to be more dangerous as an attacking combination, the whole team performed creditably at Nelson, and the victory, though hard-earned, was . well-de-served. The forwards reached the highest class at times. The whole team can be warmly congratulated on an excellent record, and on a fine victory in the Seddon Shield match. The future of the Seddon Shield competition in the coming seasons is indefinite, and, as in the last war, it may be found desirable to suspend fixtures. However, it is to be hoped that the most strenuous efforts will be made to retain the trophy when it is put up for competition, as its value to the province is obvious when the attendance in Nelson (5,700 was the official figure) and the many hundreds of visitors are considered.

Nelson Opinion: Says the “Nelson Mail”: The two factors which lost the Shield for Nelson were that the forwards could not quite hold their own in the tight work and so lost the ball to the backs; and the fact that members of the team by numerous infringements gave Lindbom, probably the most deadly kicker Coast has had for years, and Scott, opportunities to use their kicking boots. Dominating most of the scrums, West Coast after an early success by Nelson, were not again headed in the scoring, and though Nelson scored three tries as against Coast’s two, the visitors’ kicking was deadly and Nelson presented them with opportunities to capitalise in this direction. The challengers’ general play shaded Nelson’s and the better team won. What Next?: At last evening’s meeting of the West Coast Rugby Union, Mr T. O’Donnell said there were nine married men in the representative team, and that while those men had all the fun, their wives had to make sacrifices. He suggested that some token might be given to those wives in consideration of the sacrifices they made. The suggestion was discussed in committee, and, needless to say, no action was taken. Wellington Finance! At a recent meeting of the Wellington Rugby Union, the chairman, Mr J. N. Millard, said that this season the “gates” at club matches were approximately' half of those for last season. The representative match receipts, too, were down on those for last year, but had the weather been good they would have compared favourably. At this season’s club matches the takings amounted to about £lBOO. Played 45’s:

Before the toss at the Seddon Shield match at Nelson on Saturday, R. Watson, the Nelson captain, suggested that the teams play 45 minute spells. R. King, the West Coast captain, objected, and wanted only 40 minute spells. The referee was called in to adjudicate, and tossed a coin to decide. Winning the toss the Nelson captain had his way, and 45 minute spells were- played. The extra 10 minutes did not prejudice the chance of the Coasters, who finished the stronger of the two teams.