FOOTBALL.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 165, 9 June 1919, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

* CENTRAL v. OPAWA

A1 DRAAVN GAME.

Few could have anticipated that the result of the meeting •of Opawa and Central in the senior competition on Saturday would have been a draw. On paper the advantage appeared to be decidedly in favor of Opawa, bivt although the blacks were made up to a great extent of returned soldiers who were once capable exponents ot Rugby they did did not have the anticipated walk over their yoixnger opponents. The game was willing from the beginning to end, and if the play was not of high quality it proved to be interesting to the spectators. In fact, when Central scored an equalising try in the second half the changing fortunes of the game in the final stages aroused considerable enthusiasm. '

The play needs little detailed description, but there were various phases worthy of comment. Central commenced with a vigor that was refreshing and promising, but Henry led a loose rush which gave Opawa scoring possibilities. Central were .relieved by means of a free-kick, but Opawa returned to the attack and Fuller had an unsuccessful attempt at goal from a mark in a convenient position. The first spell ended without score. Early in the second half the play took a startling turn. Central were pressing in thenopponents' 25, when L. Dunckley I secured the ball and,-dashing through ■ the blue backs, he transferred to ! Riley, who registered a try for Opawa. It was a spirited pieco^ of i play. Fuller failed to convert. Foli lowing this, both sets of backs showed l' occasional aptitude in handling the ! ball, and the Central backs brought play to the vicinity of the Opawa line by "a promising combined effort. This wan followed by loose tactics, and W. Maher scored Central's only try. ! Day failed to convert. Opawa made several strenuous but unsuccessful endeavors to penetrate the Central I defence, while the movements of the i blues gave Opawa "several moments of ! concern. Mr J. Torrancc rcfereed

NOTES ON THE PLAY. With generalship Central would have won. Early in the game it became apparent that the hlue forwards, with W. Maher and Gill outstanding and Saul often prominent, were superior in the loose, arid if the backs had not been so consistent in their endeavors to find the line, but had followed out more the. up-and-under policy, better results would have been achieved. Probably a long absence from the game accounts for some players' inability to find the line. On Saturday there ! wore several bouts of punting, during which about six kicks were exchanged before the ball ultimately went into touch. Tn their match against Moutere find also on Saturday some, of the Central backs showed a. tendency when kicking down the field to allow the ball to find a safe repository in the arms of one of the opnosing threequarter line, allowing the fieldsman oinvle time in which to1 find the line. ' Noting tires a pack of forwards quicker than injudicious kicking by

their backs. _ Punting, to be of any service to a side, must be so judged as to allow the forwards to be near the ball when it descends or else to ensure that the oval goes into touch. Old followers of the game will well remember Fairclough's proficiency in punifing about the time the district scheme was first inaugurated. Generally he caused the ball to soar so high that the forwards did not have' to make any special effort to be handy when it descended. Central have a solid full-back in Vercoe, whose line-kicking on Satur- S day- was invariably well-judged, Thomson and Day played serviceable games, and Bell ..showed to greater advantage., than on any previous occasion this season. Mclsaac kicked with judgment, but he is not a fiveeighths player. Altogether, the backs could be reconstructed with benefit to the side.

Opawa were frequently penalised because some members of the pack played the opportunist game, and instead of putting their x weight into the scrum were waiting to nip round to the Central side on the slightest indication of the ball going in that direction. Asa matter of fact, both teams included several delinquents as far as the off-side rule is concerned. Henry was again the most prominent Opawa, forward and he received solid support from V. and G. Smith. OS the Opawa backs, L. Dunckley and C. Riley were the most reliable, whilst Fuller did some useful kicking at full-back. Generally, this division lias the material which only requires practice to reproduce something like the form of pre-war days. The Rugby Union would be safeguarding the interests of players if it arranged for tho filling-in of a few nasty holes on the Domain. The organisation of voluntary effort to mark out the field of play would also be a step in the right direction.