FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8603, 9 June 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

WGLO-WELSH TEAM'S NEW - * * ZEALAND TOUR. Wednesday, June 10th.—South Canterbury Union, at Timaru. Saturday, June 13th.—Canterbury Union, at Christchurch. Wednesday, June 17th.—West Coast and Buller Unions, at Greymouth. „,,,-, ", Saturday, 'June 20th.—Nelson and Marlborough Unions, at Aelson. Saturday, June 27th.— New Zealand, at Wellington. < Wednesday, July Ist.—Hawke s Bay Union, at Napier. Saturday, July 4th.—Poverty Bay Union, at Gisborne. Wednesday, July Bth.—Manawatu and Horowhenua Unions, at 1 almerston North. Saturday, July 11th.—W anganui Union, at Wanganui. . Wednesday, July 15th.—Taranaki Union, at New Plymouth. , Saturday, July 18th.—Auckland Union,'at Auckland. Saturday, July 25th.—New Zealand, at Auckland.

NOTES. (By " Spectator.") Chief interest on Saturday centred in the Kia Toa—Feilding tussle. Certainlv the better team won, although 1 can't help thinking that had the Blacks not been so unfortunate as to lose the services of lung and O'Connor in the, backs and Alartin, one of their best attacking forwards, they would, to say the least, not have allowed the Yellow hordes to swarm over them like a "White Australian" ■'nightmare. They presented a pitiable spectacle on manyoccasions during the game, and some of their backs were very shy and retiring when necessity required them to get down to a Yellow swoop. Hodgins was a brilliant exception. He. played the. best defensive game on the" ground, not even excluding Trevena.

The Feilding forwards are a great combination. They are always together, always on the ball, and never gave the Blacks a chance. The McMinn-Stalker combination was at a sorry discount, hardly showed at all in attack. Tiny "found'' the sky pretty often with his punts, but the forwards didn't get under them as they should have done, and the Yellow backs got the leather in safety every time. Ward's penalty goal was a beauty. Nevertheless it was a very doubtful one.

The other game, was a very interesting one. Palmerston have had wretched luck right through the season, and Saturday's game was only another instance of it. It can hardly be held that a side which wins on its kicking alone can be said to be playing the better football. Yet this game shows how important a tiling accurate kicking is. Whichever way you take the game kicking won it. Smith's "drop" represents the difference between the scores, while Eraser's accurate eye and powerful muscle accounted for six points, leaving only three points to the credit of what is recognised at the most important thing in Rugby, crossing the line.

The Red rearguard is showing decided improvement. L. Smith is coming on splendidly, and would do great things in a good back team. Eraser was again safe at full, while Barry played his best game. His try was the' result of a great dash,, and with careful coaching lie will develop into a first-class scoring three-quarter. Amodeo was the best back of his side, doing his work well. His main fault seems to be an abnormal desire to bury himself in the scrum every time he gets the ball. This trick may come off occasionally, but the Red half uses it far too frequently. Old Boys' vanguard put up another good fight, and it could not be said that there'was a waster among them. Paddy kept them hard at it all the time, and they responded to his fervent appeals in a willing manner. Gordon McMinn and Walters were always conspicuous in the loose. So was Mull ins, who deserves a perma- j ncnt place in the senior team. Of j course "Brummy" was all there, es- ! pecially on the line. Wingato. too. J did his share. Palmerston's back division reminds one of a look into a hospital. Thoy aro having hard luck. Buchanan played a cool and resourceful game at full, and was always safe, while Stewart at half showed plenty of dash, but not so much head as the rightful owner of that position. I j am not much enamoured of Briscoe's plav, and Nicholson didn't do anything wonderful either. Eglinton's try was a beauty ! He was fully ten yards on the wrong side of half way when he intercepted a pass, and the way he headed for home was delightful*. He was only knocked out three times during the game, and two of these were at critical periods. In the second spell he got away again and looked like repeating his performance, but was grassed alter a fine run. Hewitt was very safe, and had a hand in two of the tries. The first one was all his doing. All Stubbs had to do was to "get" for all he was worth, and he "got" successfully! Stubbs played a game which should give him a permanent place as rover in the team. It was a strange thing that Feilding used Mexted, their fleetest man, in exactly the same manner as Palmers**) n used "Scorcher" Stubbs. Both were successful. The possibilities of a sprinting rover aro worth considering. Among the forwards Kyle was badly missed. But I think Peed more than made up for Buick's absence. He has more pace and is a good scoring forward. Matheson as usual played the game for all he was worth, and Best was always where the battle raged hottest. Brough appeared to be over-anxious to grab the ball, instead of keeping it at toe, but otherwise he was into the fight Avith the gloves off.- Brown is an honest grafter . The "only third-class fixture on Saturday was the very uneven contest between School and Palmerston. The schoolboys again demonstrated their superiority, and gave their opponents a hot time all through. Their main weakness on Saturady's play was their inability to get the ball in the scrum. They have no hooker. Why not try Klein in the front rank? He"is the cut of a hooker. I think another wing should be found in the forwards. Collins is a good grafter, but he comes round the scrum like a snail! The result is that a good half can beat him every time. Perrin did his work well on Saturday, and his two tries were prettily scored, although the second one was the result of a well-timed run and pass by Dobbie. The School flier, however, was very faulty at taking the ball. Gardner played his usual clever game, and as usual marred his good work by a little selfishness. He should give Bennett more chances to use his powers at place-kickine. It is a pity that another good fullback could not be obtained, as Bennett showed splendid form at fiveeighth. Pegden was certainly a fail-

ure in the position. It must be remembered that size is an essential in an ideal full. Smith again succumbed to bis besetting sin. Otherwise ho played a Splendid game. School must remember that to beat t eliding thev will have to*rely mainly on their backs. It is therefore iW-ntinl that they have a v , hooker whJN can get the ball. Palmerston played very second rate football, and were lucky not getting a bigger licking.' Russell at lull made a rule of mulling the ball and an exception of taking it. Chambers' onlv good points were bis kicking and his hair! Winton was slick at half. Daniolls was not given enough chance*. There were one or two instances of rather rough handling of small schoolboys by big Palniurstonians. That isn't football!