RUGBY

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 9 May 1925, Page 9

RUGBY

FIXTURES. GROUP I. May' 16. —Old Boys v. Opunake, at, Olpunake; Stratford v. Kaponga, at Kaponga; Star v. Eltham, at EJtViaaii ■' Athletic, a bye. May 23. —Stratford v. Eltham, at Stratford; Athletic v. Kaponga, at Hawera.; Star v. Opunake, at New Plymouth; Old Boys, a bye. May 30. —Old Boys v. Star, at New Plymouth; Eltham. v. Athletic, at Eltham; Stratford v. Opunake, at Opnnake; Kaponga, a. bye. June 6.—01 d Boys v. Kaponga, at Kaponga; Athletic v. Opunake, at Hawera; Star v. Stratford ,at Stratford; Eltham, a bye. June 13.—01 d Boys v. Stratford, at Stratford; Star v. Athletic, at New Plymouth; Kaponga v. Eltham, at Eltham; Opunake. a bye. GROUP 11. May 16. —Tukapa v. Pa tea, at New Plymouth; Inglewood v. Hawera, at Hawera; Olitton. v. Okaiawa, at Waitara. May 23. —Tukapa v. Clifton, at Mew Plymouth; Hawera v. Okaiawa, at Okaiawa; Inglewood v. Patea, at Inglewood. May 30.—Tukapa v. Inglewood, at mglewood; Okaiawa v. Patea, at, Patea; Clifton v. Hawera, at Hawera. FIRST JUNIOR. S' May 16.—Opunake v. P.W.D., at Manaia; waimate v. Patea, at Patea ; Hawera v. Ath etic, at- Hawera; Okaiawa v. Eltham, at Okaiawa; Kaponga a bye. May 23.—Opunake v. Patea, at Patea • Waimate v. Okaiawa, at Manaia; P. W.D. v. Eltham, at Eltliam ; Kaponga v. Hawera, at Kaponga; Athletic a bye. ■ , , May 30. —Opunake v. Eltham, at Opunake, 1.15 p.m. ; W aima.te v. Kaponga; at Kaponga ; P.W.D. v Hawera, at Hawera; Okaiawa v. Athletic, at Okaiawa; Patea a bye. June 6. —Opunake v. Kaponga, at Opunake- Waimate v. Hawera.. at Hawera; Eltham v. Athletic, at Eltham; Okaiawa v. Patea, at l'atea; P.W.D. a bve. * June 13. —Opunake v. Hawera, at Hawera; Patea v. Eltham. at Patea; P.W.D. v. Athletic, at Manaia;’ Kaponga v. Okaiawa, at Kaponga; aimate a bye. June 20.—Opunake v. Ath’etic, at Hawera ; Waimate v. P.W.D. v at Manaia; Kaponga- v. Patea, at Kaponga; Hawera v. Eltham, at Eltham at 1.15 p.m. -. Okaiawa a bye. June 27. —Okaiawa v. P.W.D., at Okaiawa; Waimate v. Eltham, at Manaia ; Kaponga v. Athletic, at Hawera v. Patea, at Patea at 1.15 p.m.; Opunake a bye. THIRD GRADE. , May 16. —Eltham, v. Okaiawa, at Normanh-y, at 1.15 p.m.; Hawera v. Waimate, at Alan a, ia, at 1.15 p.m.; Patea. a bye. May 23.—Paten, Waimate, at Manaia, at- 1.15 p.m. ; Hawera v. Eltham, at Hawera, at 1.15 p.m.; Okaiawa: a bye. Mav 30. Patea v. Okaiawa. at Pa,tea, at 1.15 - p.m.; Waimate v. Eltham, at Eltham, at 1.15 p.m.; H awera ® hye. I FOURTH GRADE. May 9. —Waimate, v. H.T. H.S. A’, at Hawera; Okaiawa v. Kaponga, at Kaponga; H.T.H.S. B v. Hawera, at Hawera. May 16.—Waimate v. H.T.H.S. B. at Hawera, at 1.15 p.m.; Hawera v. Kaponga, at Hawera, at 1.15 p.m.; H.T.H.S. A v. Okaiawa-,• at Norinan.hy, at 1.15 p.m. May 23.—Waimate v. Okaiawa, at Normlaniby; Kaponga v. H.T.H.S. B, at Kaponga ; H.T.H.S. ' A v. Ha.wera, at Hawera. May 30. —Kaponga v. Waimate. ai Manaia.; H.T.H.S. A v. H.T.H.b. B at Hawera; Okaiawa- v. Hawera, ai Normanby.

NOTES. The season has got into jts stride and the championship matches in all grades have made a very good start, which augurs well for the season and for the class of football that may be expected. Though Athletics were beaten it was only by a penalty goal, and, as Stratford are generally ‘picked as the likeliest to check Tukapa, the first showing of the new local team must b_e considered quite good. It js very gratifying lafiso, to know that they are training consistently, and that most of the members of the teams are turning out well. That i.s a feature towards success which can licit be too strongly emphasised. Players should all be ‘able to play hard and to be going at top at the sound of the 1 bio side” whistle, and they cannot do it unless they train. Proper training, too, makes for combination, and that is essential if teams are to go far and have a chance against strong opponents. A well trained team has a wonderful asset in the fitness 'of its members. Athletic’s second team made a very promising debut, and, though they were beaten, they gave their opponents a good run. They are a ;>oung team, ilceen and likely to improve. Hawera’s senior forwards have a hard task ahead of them, for until the hacks develop more confidence, and have more experience, the vanguard will need to be at their best. They are a great team, and have some or the best, of the younger lot of forwards in the province. The union could do a long way worse than try out these young players i in the representative games *lt is a mistake to cling too long to the veterans.

Ha wera juniors had to fight haul to secure a win from Okaiawa, but they did it and deserved the victory. They are quite a promising team.

The Technical High School A team made a' creditable showing in its match against Kaponga, and displayed good form which' promises well for success in the remainder of the season.

To-day Hawera are at Patea and Athletic at Hawera meeting Old Boys. The latter are said to have a very fine team, and include Brown the All Black, it promises to be a very good struggle. The other match on the show grounds to-day, is School v. Waimate, and that should provide an interesting display.

Mr. W. A. Guv is again one of the selectors of the All Black team. Aftei the success last year ( it was hardly to he expected any alteration in personnel would be made.

Football shorts with little bow ties! And elastic-sided boots! In 1875 two members of the St. George’s (London) Hospital Rugger XV. wore them. They were to be seen (the boots, not the players!) at a ‘‘Rugger” Exhibition in Covent Garden.

The New Zealand team which i,s to visit Sydney will leave these shores on Juno 4.1" A. Napier writer says that Knight a lid Lomas, of Auckland, McNab and Blake, of Hawke’s Bay, and Elvey and Harris, of Canterbury, appear* to be certainties, and whoever beats Cork ill for half position will get the trip.

It is the intention of the New Zealand Rugby Union to hold a trial game to assist in the determination of the team to visit Australia. The team .will, it is understood, consist of .players other than those who recently returned from England. The receiving of a team which will be considered in some respects a B grade appears (says a south-

TIME OF STARTING MATCHES. It lias been a had custom for a long time that Taranaki Rugby teams do not arrive oh the gimnid for which they are set down in time to make a start punctually' at the advertised time. The union should urge—especial y for the sake of the spectators that matches should start punctually. From now onwards the days are getting shorter, and unless teams observe the time it means that if there is any time lost from men being hurt games will finish in the dark. WEDNESDAY PLAY.

Very keen enthusiasm i.s being displayed by all the teams in the midweek competition, and, as they are all ’’training, they should be able to give the ‘‘public” a series of good matches. It is a striking tribute to the growth of the sport that it is possible to get out eight clubs to enter for a competition in addition to the Saturday teams. It is good to see so many of the young men able and willing to take part in a great sport, the game of New Zealand. Their competitions had a good ‘‘kick off” on Wednesday, and there is little doubt that, as the weeks go by, competition will become keener and keener, and the standard of play improve. The meeting at the end of the season of their champion team with the best Saturday iuiiior team will cause a feeling of healthy rivalry between the two sections of football., DRESSING SHEDS. All difficulties have now apparently been surmounted, and last Saturday the A. and P. Association considered the agreement regarding control, and sent tne scheme on its way with their blessing and best wishes. It is an excellent scheme from all points of view, and, as the president remarked, ‘‘the best thing the association had ever done.” There is no doubt it will popularise the grounds. GATES IN FRANCE,

The old game of Rugby has caught on with the French sporting crowds, to judge by attendances at recent matches. * The cables a few days ago told us that receipts from the international Rugby matches played in France this, season show the All Blacks were the greatest attraction, the Paris match heading the list with 400,000 francs. The Toulouse match * came second with 330,000, compared with France v. England 302,000 and France v. Ireland 263,000, The All Blacks must have deeply impressed the French authorities in Rugby, since they are adopting New Zealand ideas in relation to the laws of the game. How far they are prepared to go in this direction is, however, not clear; that is, whether it ‘applies to the scrummage formation and the packing in of seven forwards or deviations from the laws, as observed in Great Britain, which provides for the more general application of the advantage principle and the five yards throw-out from touch, etc., or otherwise. In any case, it indicates that the French are thinking differently fl’om their Rugby, brethren across the Channel.

ern critic) to he a doubtful policy on the part of the New South Welshmen. While we here think that another fifteen can be found almost equal in strength to the victorious All Blacks, they will not prove the drawing card in Australia the other would have done, while the prestige of the home football will suffer if the second edition of the All Blacks prove successful in their games. ‘