RUGBY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 September 1924, Page 11

RUGBY.

THE HAWKE’S BAY-AUCKLAND

MATCH

“Dick” Wylie, who was Kirkpatrick’_s mate in the front row for Hawke’s Bay, is an ex-Petone player and a member of the. -Wellington family of that. name, two of his uncles —Edgar and Albert—having* played as Wellington representative forwards. The young fellow—he is not very far along his -twentiesv yet—lias represented a lot of Rugby Unions :alreacfy, l his calling as an Audifi Officer taking him to different parts! So far fie has played for Manawatu, Taranaki, Bush, and Hawkers Bay, andjlon his showing against Auckland is good for a long spell yet at this Rugby game. Since this was \ thken, word came through that Dick, who was very popular in Hawera" hadj dislocated liis right shoulder. All herb will wish him a speedy recovery. •: The 'veteran amongst the Auckland forwards was R. Fogarty, the ex-Otago, Taranaki, and Nev? .Zealand representative. And; he was the best of> the bunch, keeping up with the hall and using his feet to good purpose in the rushes. N. McLean, who is very sparse in the thatch for such a young fellow, was not far behind Fogarty, and if this pair had received the assistance expected from tlieir mates, the game would have been much closer than it 'f tvas. ( The most concerned young man in Napier on a recent Saturday was a bank clerk, who was accidentally trapped in the bank strong room owing to the jamming of the door. This occurred just whfen the office was closing, and when the staff was off,' hot foot, for a football match, and naturally the prospect of missing that fixture roused more horror than the prospect of ah’ afternoon in the strong room. Finally, however, the door was persuaded to open, and a very relieved young man went off to the football match at the double. Discussing the Auckland-Hawke-s Bay match, a Napier paper says: All the Bay forwards played up to their best form, but Walker and Ormond were easily the best on the ground.

Wylie and Kirkpatrick were in great form in hooking, getting the best of 80 per cent, of the scrummages. The game was played in the best of spirit, although on one or two' occasions in tight places the forwards indulged in a little of the rough stuff, but it was only .momentary. Karl ifwerson’s play (on account of the many things recently written anent him) was closely ■watched by the fans. Ixj is safe to. say that he is not the Karl of old. Don Wright, with a winning pack and side, may be as good as his northern reputation, but on Saturday’s form is no marvel. " Goodacre, at full, was the best of J>he Auckland backs, outshining Yates throughout, and it would not be surprising to see him gaining higher honours next season.

Anybody looking for trouble can find . it by, following this recipe, given by an Australian writer (says an exchange) : “If you desire diversion in the shapeof testing your temper, attend any football match at any place and on any Saturday afternoon, and argue with a supporter of: the losing side on the merits of the: umpiring. Take up the attitude that the arbiter is aiving a brilliant and impartial interpretation, and your desires will he appeased. The average football barraclrer is the type under review;, and he forms one of the most curious aspects of all human nature-. He will find fault with every free kick given to the opposing team, or else laughs tlerivkely—if hi s own ti-am is ahead—and when iiis favourites are in turn the recipient of the free—be the decision palpably correct —lie will scowlingly inform you that ‘cow must behave somehow,’ or ‘by cripes, he’ll get what’s comiim to him.’ ’ 0 .

Football ini the King Country! “A regular Donhybrook”'” is the description given to the closing scenes iof ?a. football match played last- Saturday at OtCAva between the Otewa juniors and 1 the Huia juniors (said the Chronicle) The trouble, is. alleged to have had its origin in ill-feeling in legarci to an accident dn a previous match in which a hGity- v>tewaito *i broken ]<2oShouts o-f hostility were aihong the early indications of trouble, and when at the end of the match two players set out to settle a little argument- 'between themselves things became really/ lively. home of Otewa’s fair supporters did a haka to encourage' their men folk palings were torn from the fence and converted/into ready-to-wear shillelaghs. The Huia, supporters vent • h f J , l ', escu - of their -fifteen, and the foight was on m earnest. Just how* it all ended is not clear, hut fortunately no_ one was seriously hurt. Speculation is rife in Otorohahga as to what wiH happen when Otewa visits that town for a return match.

ALL BLACKS

The All Blacks reached Home this week and will he playing Devon on Saturday next. The very greatest intcrest w’ill be taken all over ihe Avorld Mn the first clash with an English team. The result will be awaited with very keen anticipation. Everything going to - schedule (savs “Tackier” in Truth) the Al! Blacks should be hopping off the boat on Tuesday next. They will he shifted up to the" 1905 All Blacks headquarters at Newton Abbot, and there got ready for the opening of the momentous tour Saturday, September 13, will see their first match decided, against Devonshire. It is- to be hoped that the All •nlacks do not run into a referee of the type that controlled the All BlackSurrey game in 1905. That match was described by most papers as a ‘whistling fantasia.” A chronicler of the day had the following .'to say on the subject: “The fantasia commenced U1 *4.i c • ? st . mimite and ‘continued, w’lth brief intervals for lespiration, thoughout the game. Dreetly some one got the ba,ll and there was a. prospect of a bit of play worth seeing the releree would, commence his fascinating solo. ‘-•'itit “Twenty-five minutes from the start, however, the referee showed signs • of fatigue, whereupon the All Blacks quickly seizing the importunity—and the ball-crossed the Surrey line and converted Several explanations were advanced for the referee’s extraordinary lapse, but the two most "ev,orally accepted were that he had cither dropped the whistle, or that the pea in it had stuck. As for the game—there was no game. It was an exposition of the

power of music*to tattle even the- New Zealand footballer. At the end of these games there is usually a rush tor the jersey of the man who has scored but on this occasion there was a wiid scramble for the referee's ’ 7 “ Tackl ? r ” has an idea that -tmly Stead can tell a very funny story over the Surrey match, and I have a shrewd idea, that Billy knows where that whistle got to.