LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Northern Advocate, 18 August 1931, Page 2

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

I?EPS V. THE REST. XOPTIILANDERS AT DARGAVILLE. EXHIBITION MATCH. (*Spcoial Corrospondent.) On Saturday, what was stated to have boon the largest crowd to muster in Dnrgaville at a football match this se'ason, was present to view an exposition of the League code or Rugby football between the Northland representatives and a B rop team from the Northland district- The match was “played at Selwyn Park, by, special permission from the Borough Council, and was thoroughly enjoyed. For many of the spectators, to whom the rules of play were unfamiliar, the game was somewhat puzzling, but all conceded that >t was much faster and more spectacular than anything ia which they had been accustomed. Admiration was expressed on all sides at the remarkable handling and passing of the Leaguers, the ball often traversing through one pair of hands after another for the whole length of the field, to be finalised by a touch-down, gained with evidently no effort. This apparent effortlessness is a phase of League which might easily cause unthinking spe'etators to consider the game unduly easy to play, but the • real truth is that the men, finding the game harder and faster than any other code, train consistently and are thus so fit that this ease in running is always one of the most noticeable features in a League match. The expertness and sureness in the handling of the ball is occasioned through the League principle of Aever kicking if it is possible to pass. This code clings to the axiom that, so long as a player retains possession of the ball, the opposing side cannot score with it, and so the faculty of clean passing and sure fielding is developed in a high degree. As usual with representative teams that have not played together sufficiently long to acquire proper combination, the game at Selwyn Park was j not up to the standard of the best club play, and was therefore not as good for exhibition purposes as would have been a match between the two leading senior teams. Added to this was the fact that both the referee, Mr Taylor, and the coach, Mr Ben Davidson, who played in the B ranks, were intent on furthering the process of t education -at present being administered to the rep team -which is to play against. the South Auckland ■ representatives at Carlaw Park, on Saturday next, for the .- Northern Union Cup. This trophy is in League cirwhat the Ranfurly Shield is in Union Rugby. The teams were as follow:— / .

Northland (Blue), —Full-back, D. Parkes; three-quarters, L, Lowe, I?. Hamilton, E, Cunningham; liveeighths, C. Hamilton, E. Meyer; half, W. Shortland; front row, H, Bowyor, A. Wells, E. O’Callaghan; sidjfe row, MJ. Hertzell, N. Dunn; back row, R. Cunningham. B Reps (Red and Black). —Fullback, C. Meyer; three-quarters, F. Jones, B. Davidson, W, Whitelaw; five-eighths, J. Crackett, A. Dent; half, J. Catlin; front frow, A. Swanberg; F. Paul, T. Roekell; side row, C. O’Callaghan, R. Wells; back row, K. Sirl,

The A team showed the advantages o.f the week’s training and coaching under the capable direction of Mr Ben Davidson, the well-known international,, and were able to dispose of their opponents with comparative ease, as can bo seen by the score, 35 to 11.

Although there was such a wide disparity between the final figures, play was not altogether one-sided, a good deal of the total being made up through the brilliance of R. Ham ilton, who was responsible for 19 points himself.

The scrums were remarkably even, each side getting the ball 20 times. The B team’s principal weakness was in the inside backs, Catlin finding himself strange at half and not starting the concerted action so necessary in big football. Scorers for the Northland selection were R. Hamilton, five tries and two conversions; N. Dunn, two tries; E. Meyer 'and W. Shortland, a try each; C. Hamilton, a conversion; and D. Parkes, a field goal.

For the B team scores were made by A. Swanberg, two tries; F. Jones, a try; and J. Catlin, a conversion. The following members of the Northland League executive accompanied the teams: —Messrs C. E. O’Callaghan, E. W. Taylor, F. Little, R. Baker and F. J. Howie. A number of supporters also made the journey, the means of transport being the Northern Bus Company’s largest vehicle and some half-dozen ears.

After tea a large crowd assembled to see the teams off on the home-

ward trip, and the vehicles started off to the accompaniment of cheers, which were lustily responded to by the visitors. Before leaving, a large deputation asked that another match be arranged in Dargaville, if possible, this season.