RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 22 May 1915, Page 6

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

. The first series, of fixtures were set flown for to-day. The results should give one an. ilea* of the strength of the various teams. Whatever the fojrm shown a very great deal of interest will be taken in the play, because many of the leading players have gone to the front, a, tact that will tend to. increase public support to the game. Football as a sport has shown itseK permeated with the greatest patriotism and earnest desire to serve its country. The number of those "who are serving, from all parts of the Empirej would probably Lave made a very, tidy little1 army, and would represent much of the best of British manhood. Manyjthere are wno have already laid down their lives, and doubtless before the awful world strife is over, there will be1-many more who will leave thedr bones in a foreign olime,' dead on the field of honci*. It is up to those who, for one reason or. another, cannot perhaps go at present, to keep fit and play the game at home so that if, as seems certain, the call for men and more men still comes, they- may- be. to^some excent at least prepared and able with.., le;>s training than otherwise --o be ready to go. out for King and country. There is no reason why the matches should not be just as interesting even though many of the best are gone. If only teams and members of teams will practise and get combination they •can show good-and interesting foot■Lall.

Hawera are training hard. Their ; '"backs are good, and have the great advantage of the coachingjof J. C!olman. Under his tuition tlpjy are said •ta he sfiftjsing -well. The forward^. could do'-with more weight, but' if~they ; keep fit s^hd/Mji'only «h6w some cohesion, in*;, their pTaj, they can make a good showitfg;' and perhaps run a heavier and slower team off their legs. The decision of the Hifwera*^3lub to . give the profit^for the season to the ■*'Sick and Wounded Soldiers' Fund" ■ is much to be commended. The Club have not got the rates on Bayly Park to finely, a serious item to a club, ■amounting as they do to about £15. This amount, added to an average year's working balance^ will be a very handsome donation from one club. ' The show ground is looking in good order, and should be better this year than last. The club's officers are' confident that they will have a good eeason. -■-■■■:'

iLieut: R. Duthie (Otago), who is reported, "killed," will be 'best remembered as the 'Varsity full-back ■of .& few seasons ago,- his brilliant performances making him the idol cf the Blues' big following. As an allround athlete he had a very fine record^ lie having held the athletic championship at the Waitaki Boys' High School at a time when the standard of athletics there was particularly high. He wag captain of the school football and shooting teams, and was champion welter-weight boxer. After leaving Waitaki he studied law at Otago University, t and, as has already been indicated, achieved remarkable popularity on the football field, success in tuis sphere winning him. representative honors for the province in 1910-11.— Christchurch Press. An interesting matter is in process of adjudication by the New Zealand Union, submitted to that body by the Canterbury Union. The appeal "arose through the action of the referee in the Marist Brothers v. 'Varsity match in allowing a try and then reversing nis decision and ordering the ball to be thrown in from the line. The appeal was lodged under rule 3, governing the powers of a referee. During the progress of the game in the second half, stated the letter, the ball was thrown in from touch; play then progressed, and in the space of two minutes Marists scored. It appeared that the ball was thrown in at the wrong place in the first instance. Firstly, the club contended that the try was 6cored and allowed, and the referee liad not power to alter his decision and alter play to .a throw-in, from touch, especially as the, throw-in from'touch na-i already taken place and play had progressed. The Canterbury Union allowed the appeal. Subsequently, however, rVars:ty appealed against the decision, on the ground that the referee's, decision should be final and unalterable. This is the general accepted rule of the game as regards decisions. The matters is one of considrable importance to payers. The result of the appeal will be watched with great interest.