FOOTBALL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 29 May 1919, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE MAORI TEAM

(BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) INVERCARGILL, May 28.

Despite a greasy ball, a fast, opeii game was witnessed to-day, when the Maoris met Southland. A wing forward was not played. The visitors, with, the wind in the first spell, held the upper hand, attacking with brilliant passing movements, and putting on three tries (two being converted) to nil. In the second half the Southland forwards showed stronger form, but til© game continued open and attractive to the end, the Maoris winning by eighteen points (four tries, three converted) to eight (converted try and a goal from a mark).

It seems indeed like old times to once more scan the regular list of fixtures, and it will be good news to hosts of supporters that the first of the series of fixtures commences on Saturday next. The yellow and black of Hawera will be pitted against the green of Opunak*. Both teams have had doughty champions in their records. The same applies to Kaponga and the red. and hlack of Okaiawa. All who are keen on football will look forward to seeing some great tussles and hope that all players will realise that the win is not the be-all and end-all of the game, and that they should play hard, clean football for the sake of the sport. There is as much credit to a team who play their level best, even if they lose, as to the teams which play and win their matches. The striving for supremacy is the best part of the game. The proposed alterations t«"the rules which have been circulated among clubs recently, were ment.oned at the meeting of the Referees' Association on Monday night. It was pointed out that until the proposed amendments were adopted by the N.Z. Rugby Union nothing could be done in the matter. The proposed amendments will come up for discussion at the annual meeting of the N.Z. Rugby Union on Thursday evening, and should any or all of the alterations be adopted clubs will be officially notified of the change in due course.

The Referees' Association, decided at their annual meeting to circularise clubs with the object of having the games started punctually to time. It is to be hoped that this suggestion will bei carried out, as very often in the past matches were finished in the dark, which was a very, unsatisfactory state of affairs, both to the referees and the players, not to mention the public, who pay for admission and expect to see the end as well as the start"of a game.

Tho Association ia of the utmost importance to the game. Given competent referees, men who know the game and have kept up with the latest developments, the standard of play tends to improve. Keferees should lay themselves out to control the game and while religiously shunning undue officiousness, to let players see that their word is obeyed j without question. Players must remember this and accept loyally and without question the decisions of the referees. I It is hardfy to be supposed that even the best and most careful referee will not sometimes make a slip or fail to see some fault. He has only one pair of eyes, and be he as vigilant and watchful as man can be, he is practically certain to miss some point that one or other of the thirty players will see. It must, however, be remembered that the referee is honest in his rulings, and is quite impartial, save in the rarest of cases—proving the meaning of the old saying, "The exception proves (or tuste) the rule.'' If all alike—players and spectators, for the latter can help in the conduct of matches —will remember that to err is human and realise that referees fire always doing and giving the best that is in them, there will be mutual help.

The questions to be derided at the next meeting of the Union cover the reinstatement of Northern Union players, the abolition of the wine; forward, offside in the scrum, absolute free kicks, referee always to put ball in scram, kick off otherwise than from twenty-fives, and advantage rule at line-out.

The annual report of the Union notes with pleasure that the prospects for the coming season are of the brightest. The ranks of active players will be considerably augmented by th c return of our gallant _ soldiers, and co-incidentally with this increase of strength the possibilities are that inter-union matches will be resumed, and the pre-war popularity of the game will be fully restored.

Because of its bearing on the future ot the game it is interesting to note the important fact that amongst the 'boys' at the front Rugby Union football has unmistakably assorted its pre-eminence over all rival codes. Throughout tne war period it has been universally favored by the military authorities, and has become the generally recognised test in international athletics. In view of the foregoing facts it appears> to joai committee that in the interests of New Zealand football, it would be most unwise to take any steps calculated to upset or interfere with the existing international uniformity. In an address at Leicester recently the Rev. Yeomans Wright, C.F., a padre who was taken prisoner with General Townshend's force in Kut, told a most amusing story. One of the first things the British soldiers did was to start football playing, and in due course a Rugby match was arranged, and was watched by the Turkish officers and men. The Turkish commander was greatly struck by the game, and when his opinion of the spectacle was asked he replied: "It is the first piece of real fighting I have seen during the campaign." Dealing with the question, "The Greatest Game I Ever Saw," "W.L.S.'' writes as follows in the Athletic News: "The New Zealand battles at Inverleith and Cardiff Arms Park were most memorable, and of the two the latter match probably must be given lhe palm for creation of downright enthusiasm and keen if not high-class play. The atmosphere was overcharged 'with electricity that day, and onlookers and players were affected by it. Wales hung ©n to their bare lead despite all the claims and protestations of the late R. G. Deans that be had crossed the rubicon. • I never have agreed that in -the engagement with Wales New Zealand1 showed the best form that was in them. let I think I must concede that the match was the most exciting from startto finish that I have ever seen."