FOOTBALL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 June 1925, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY LEAGUE.

AUSTRALIAN MATCH

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT SYDNEY, June 2.

In a Rugby League match Queensland defeated New South W aI os by 27 points to 13.

“ALB BLACK” TITLE

R UGB Y UNION’S CL ATM

Cry TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. WEILLINIGTON, June 2

The much debated proposal of the New Zealand Rugby Union, to preserve the title of “All Blacks”, for its. own use, and to confine the use of the silver fern leaf design, on uniforms to amateur sports bodies which have control of New Zealand representatives in any field of sport, came before the council of the New Zealand Boxing Association to-night. A letter on the subject received from the 1 union stated that if necessary the Minister for Internal Affairs would be approached with a view to having legislation enacted. Dr. McEivedy (chairman) : “ I don’t see that any .sp'ortsi body should claim the title All Blacks. I don’t think the New Zealand Rlugby Union, should claim it as it is exclusively the pro-" perty of the 1905 team and will be preserved to: them. Not even, in my opinion, should future touring teams have a title which was conferred upon the 1905 team by the British Press. That being so-, I do not- consider that any future team will have the right to use the title. As regard® the uniform, if the Rugby Union have it registered they can prevent other people from using it. If it is not registered they surely can. have it registered.” Mr. D. R. Hoggard: “I do not see how the New Zealand Parliament is going to control newspapers in England calling, any New Zealand team by the name of All Blacks.”

The value of preserving the amateur privilege by acting along the lines proposed by the Rugby Union was generally admitted by the meeting, which finally decided to be represented on a deputation to 1 the- Minister. Dr. McEvedy was appointed the council’s delegate.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

CLIFTON v. HAWERA

The weather conditions on Saturday were not altogether conducive to good football. Although the ground was dry a strong, gusty north .wind tended to upset passing and goa] kicking. It was no doubt due to this fact that the first try was not converted, the ball‘falling just a trifle short. The game was for the most part ragged and purely a forward tussle. O'n both sides' concerted movements failed, the pla.y being best when left to individual players. For the visitors, Young, the full back, showed great science in the second spell, and Ward, the captain, certainly merited l his responsibility. Several of the other players showed good promise, but hotli teams lacked combination. Hawera, appeared to have very little .advantage over Clifton, blit their attack was a little stronger than that of the visitors. It was admitted that Clifton certainly had bad luck, but a certain measure of their loss was due to a. lack of combination among the players. Among the local players West- stood out prominently as usuaj in the forwards. Hulhert (wing forward) and Mal.come (three-quarters) did some good work; hut Bailey (halfback) wa s disappointing, although this was not altogether his fault, as he had previously received an injury. Taken as a whole the game was uninspiring. On several occasions it did really interest the spectators, but for, the most part was disappointing. Both teams showed a lack of fine training, and what was more important, dicl not seem used to each other. It would appear as it"both teams needed more training in. combination playing, and individual members of the teams appeared to rely too much on themselves, and instead of passing were liable to hang on to the'hall too .long, and as a result were collared. All players were apt to make' this mistake, for it goes “against the grain” to work hard and then let someone else take the credit; but the player must remember he is playing for his team and not his own glorification. it is believed that more points in a match are lost- through this one little itein than in anv other manner.

Several younger members of the local team- show sufficient promise that, if they work hard and train well, might warrant their inclusion in a provincial representative team in the future.

OKAIAWA V. PA TEA. Patea put up a wonderfully good stand against Okaiawa, and by good forward play prevented the latter from crossing their line. Okaiawa, however, had easily the best of the game. The home team’s forwards worked hard, and succeeded in very effectively stopping the attacking movements of the* visiting backs. Baldwin, Hunt and McKenna were about the best of tile home team’s.pack. Amongst the backs, C. Wills was outstanding, his attack and defence being all that con'd be desired. Jackson showed up in attacking mbvo ments, and was equally good in defence, while. Ladelle gave a similar exhibition. Thompson, the full-back, made no mistakes, and got the ball away to the right quarter every time. The Okaiawa forwards were an even, hard-working lot, Birchall, Fry and Linn being perhaps the most conspicuous, the former, doing a lot of spoiling work bv bis fast following up. The backs initiated quite a number of promising movements. but failed to put on the finishing touches. At least three tries were lost through faulty passing, failure to take a pass, or a knock-on at the critical moment. Tuki, at fullback, again gave an indifferent display. So far this season ho has not been able to strike form, and the delightful exhibitions which lie has given in past seasons have been entirely absent. Atkins and T). Johnston got in a lot of useful and heady work. R. Roberts also played a fine game in the first spell, being particularly sound in defence. In the second spell lie appeared to tire, and a kick on the* leg also hampered him considerably. Griffin showed improved form, and should develop into a good player. Cameron and Purvis showed up well at times, but clid not handle the hall too well. The 'fitter’s potted goal, which won the match for Okaiawa, was taken from near half-way, but appeared to the spectators to have been ‘ ‘unpremeditated. ”-

STRATFORD v. OPUNAKE

After their sanguine showing during the opening games of the competition Opunake were expected to make a favourable comparison wtih Stratford, and the defeat of the coast players by such a substantial margin on their own ground, where they have always been regarded as a tough proposition, came as a surprise to supporters of both teams. The days’ play, however, found the odds greatly against the home players, and though unlucky in failing to open a scoring account, they could not have hoped to prevail against the superior dash and combination shown by Stratford. The issue was practically decided in the first half of the game, when the visitors had the advantage of the wind, in which Opunake wei’e unfortunate, but after the change over they were unable to play it to advantage as Stratford had done, and while the former failed to achieve results,, the latter added two tries to the ll points compiled in the first spell. For the winners, the outstanding players were the forward leaders Kivell and J. Walter, the former’s display in both close and breakaway tactics being on a par, if not better, than that given by the newly-appointed All Black, though the latter, who played Jock, had not the same opportunity for clearing from the scrums. The rover, Eryday, was a constant menace to the opposing middle backs, and in this play as well as his combination with his own rearguard gave an exhibition which justified his place in to-day’s Taranaki-Wanganui rep. game. McCullough, who, it is said, was selected only as a reserve, showed as another, useful hustler, and if the club has others of his calibre on the waiting list it is fortunate.

The backs, though not as spectacular in attack •as the favourable weather conditions might have allowed them to he, were sound in defence. CJoulton, on the right wing, was the most conspicuous in aggressive play, though the hall seldom reached him in the orthodox manner. Behind the scrum J. Sangster was not as nippy as his vis-a-vis, Mason, but managed to stop many movements bv the" opposing forwards. At full-back Casev fielded and kicked well.

While the home pack worked with vim and sustained the pace with credit, the opposition constantly broke their concerted movements. Discrimination was difficult in a set of forwards which contained ho slackers. O'Rorke and G. Lusk, however, deserve mention for consistent battling, and Bowman was also conspicuous. Considering that he had to compare with such an experienced exponent in the position, Brooker, the wing forward, gave a fair showing. Trotter seemed to hold his scrum efficiently, though the hookers did not secure their usual lion’s share of scrum balls, and such did not reach the half as promptly as has been the case in previous matches.

Among the backs Mason, the half, made up in pluck what he lacked -in weight, and m stopping the Stratford forwards won the spectators’ admiration. When he did receive the ball cleanly he sent, his passes promptly, hut tardiness among his supports and the rapid thrusts by their opponents generally caused the moves to fizzle out almost as soon as they were initiated. W. Hohaia, the right wing, was noted in clever defensive work during the first spell. In the second he used his pace in some startling openings, but, due no doubt to his position, was inclined to hold too obstinately to the ball. On the other wing Evans, who showed speed, was well marked by Coulton. The "score against them might naturally lead to the assumption that the Opunake rearguard was lacking, hut they were to be credited with stemming many serious onslaughts, and were taken by surprise only on the occasion when Young and Coulton worked the throw-in. The other tries, two from forward rushes and one from play close to the goal line, would have taxed almost any defence.