Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 49, 8 June 1901, Page 20

Rugby Football.

THK lust lound of tlio Senioi Championship matolios is no« concluded rind ,i few hints for an nnpio\ement in the play from an attractive as well as a practical standpoint may not be out of place at this stage. In tlio hrst place — to use a printer's term— the game is becoming too stereotyped in character, and a good deal of the science that should characterise Rugby football is being eliminated as a consequence In nearly every match the same tactics are. adopted — the forwards get down to the scrummage, the front-rankcis gain possession, the ball is heeled out to the half the half parses to the five-eighth, and then the bail travels to the three-quarter line This is invariably the order of tilings as the games are placed Saturday by Saturday on the Athletic Park These tactics seem to be like the laws of the Medes and Persians — at least as far as the players and the majority of the spectators are concerned, and the defeating of an opposing team by a series of strategic movements ne\er seems to engage attention. * * * How is it that now-a^days w e see none of those short passing rushes of the forwards that were so brilliant a featuie of the game in bygone years 2 I lemember what effective work in this direction the Manawatu representative team performed in 1893 In fancy, even now , I see Cockroft, Mowlem, Elliott, and Matravers coming down the field with the ball nassmg from one to the other in good style as they in turn approached an opposing player Those who saw the match with Taranaki last season will easily remember how r Wellington's first try was scored A passing rush started from the line-out by McAnally, and was participated in by Caloan, OBrien, and Gallagher, the latter sending on the leather to Woods, who scored the try. The majority of our present-day teams contain dashing forwards, and

they could all practise these short passing rushes with advantage * * * In the hnes-out from touch — which aie generally the most monotonous of affairs- -good woik could be done by a foiward jumping for the ball, and when lie got possession, instead of trying to bii'-tle thiough the opposition, passing the ball direct to one of his own backs -no matter which one, so long as it was the back in the best position Then, the particular back-player who received the ball could either elect to start a passing run. or, if in a good position, he could pot for goa] — he would have such a lot of time on his hands, and a cle ir field to manoeuvre in. Again, the monotonous play on the line could be relieved if the player throwing the ball in handed it to the pl.iyer nearest him on his own side, and then running; into the field of play take the ball himself, and start a passing run. Of course, both these tactics should only be lesorted to when attacking. + * ■* I would like to offer a suggestion here to the half-backs, as these players, to my mind, are the pivot of the back play. For variety's sake, if for nothing else, instead of regularly passing the ball to the five-eighth directly you receive it from the scrum, try a dash round to one side of the' pack, and when there pass right across it to the five-eighth. This is a species of strategy that always works to advantage if there is the combination there ought to be between the half and five-eighth. A move of this sort is bound to cause the opposition to expect the attack from the wrong quarter, and, therefore, its success sccrnb obvious, and, at any rate, the experiment is worth a dozen attempts to score on the siily side. * * * The game, to my mind, has nearly as many possibilities m it as a game of chess, and there is no doubt that when one line of attack has failed theie should be others to fall back upon if Rugby football is to be brought to the state of perfection which its popularity warrants. Space is too limited to enable me to go as deep into this subject as I would wish — but enough has been said to set players and enthusiasts thinking, and I am sure if they do, some of the above suggestions will be found worth a trial, and, if so, an improvement will be noticeable in the play of the team that practises them.

The display of football on the Athletic Park on Saturda" did not cause the blood to flow any the faster through the voins of those Avho lisked the promise of bad weather by journeying thither with a dull leadon sky overhead. The Petone team were expected to more than extend Melrose in their match. Although the score of twenty points to nothing, by which Melrose won, ij> not a fair indication of the game, yet at no period did the suburban team appear likely to get the upper hand — they got behind shortly after the kiok-off, and kept getting still further in tho rear as the game progressed. The Poneke-Old Boys match, for more than half the game promised to afford a surprise, the former apparently appearing content with the score at three points each. All the opening up of the play -h as being done by the Old Boys, with the result that the Poneke supporters began to wear a worried look. Howover, the Old Boys tired towards the end, and their opponents rattled on an additional eleven points in quick time At Petone the Athletic-Oriental game was splendidly contested, victory resting with the former by eleven points to eie;ht. The first spell ended with no by either team, all the points being notched in the second half. The display of the Petone back team on Saturday was of the weakest possible description. A place in the third fifteen ought to be found for the full-back. His work was of such a nature as to cause ironical applause from the spectators -whenever he caught the ball. Braid did a lot of good defensive work, but he might almost have been "off the field so far as his fellow backs were concerned — they invariably neglected him. Jacob was suffering from a knock on the forehead, received at work, which perhaps accounted for his disinclination to stop rushes. Ryan handled the ball well, but Cairns and Philp were very weak. * * * The resolution passed at a recent meeting of the Management Committee empowering members of the Committee to report oases of rough play that might escape the attention of the referee was operated on for the nrst time on Saturday. The secretary noticed one of the Petone players kicking an opponent, and informed the referee that he intended to report him to the Union for the

occurrence. At the time of writing (Tuesday) I cannot say what the Committee is likely to do, but my opinion is decidedly that the player cannot be suspended, as no provision is made for such an action under the laws of the game. The referee at Butler's Paddock last Saturday appears to have had a lively time. One player reported for swearing and foul language, a second for kicking an opponent, and a third for inciting the crowd to make a hostile demonstration against the referee after the match. A representative match has been arranged with Nelson for Wednesday, the 19th June, to be played on the Athletic Park. It is more than probable, however, that with the re-arranged programme of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall's visit the game will be fixed for Thursday the 20th. The Referees Association is hardpressed for members to fulfil its engagements every Saturday. With a membership of forty, the secretary finds himself at his wits' end to supply enough referees for sixteen matches. This is not as it should be, and the members ought to make the secretary's duties easier for him by taking their fair share of the matches every week. Brunsden, whose name has been figuring in the football papers m the colony lately, returns to Wellington from Auckland this week, and will, more than likely, be playing with the Ponekes in their next match. "Brunny's" record will take a lot of beating — Played for Linwood (Christchurch) on April 20th ; Poneke (Wellington) on 4th May ; Parnell (Auckland) on 25th May , and, if everything goes all right, he will be again playing for Poneke on th© 15th June. If his play does not improve, it will not be for want of seeing the game played under different conditions. The Referees Association has a Classification and Examination Committee, the main object of which is to promote any likely junior referees to senior matches if they possess the necessary qualifications. With the difficulty the Association has experienced in filling the list every week, the Committee has not had an opportunity so far this season of seeing the junior referees acting, hence no promotions have been made. By the way, a suggestion has been made that the Committee would not be exceeding its duties if it put several of its present senior referees to a practical test to determine whether they should still continue acting.

"Touch," my confrere on the "Times," ia being hardly dealt with by football scribes in the Wairarapa — his interpretation of rules being questioned a lot. The Poneke team are urgently in need of a half-back. McAnally will interview applicants for the position at the Gymnasium any Tuesday or Thursday evening — no premium required. Sutton, who played last season tor Poneke 11., is showing good form in the North Shore's (Auckland) three-quarter line, and is reported to be improving every match. Buddie, who will be remembered as an old Wellington College boy, is also plajang for the North Shore Club, and a Northern scube says of him "Buddie played a plucky game, and never flinched from his work." Another back team — Full, G. Spencer , three-quarters, Burr, Wrigley, Mclntyre , five-eighths, Wood, Wallace , half, Meredith. What a fine team, they would make. There arc all the elements of attack and defence that go to make up a perfect back team.

There's many a slip, etc. Everybody in football circles thought that Merivale had practically won the Canterbury Union's senior championship, yet on Saturday they went under to the Albions to the tune of twenty-one points to five. George Stephenson is leaving Dunedin at the end of the month' for Sydney, his intention being to join the theatrical profession as a manager. "The Paralyser" will be missed in football circles in the Scotch city. The "Weekly Press" states that Mr. C. W. Gaxrard, in acting as referee in a match in Christchurch the other week, disallowed three tries scored because the player with the ball had been tackled in the field of play. It is not stated whether the ball had been held or not, but the inference is that it was not. If Mr. Garrard is quoted correctly, the sooner the Conference of Referees gets together the better, for the decisions reported as having been given are totally opposed to the rule as it is read in Wellington.

There seems to be a dearth of goalkickers in several parts of the colony. In Wellington, however, we do not suffer from this complaint — McLachlan, Hales, Meredith, Wallace, G. Spencer, and Callander all having done some good place-kicking already this season. "Whistle," in the Gisborne "Times," and "Spectator," in the Napier "Telegraph," are advocating thei abolition of wing-forwards, because they tend to make the play tight, and prevent passing. What has our old friend—"Offside" Mac — to say on the other side? Several contemporaries have it that W. Pitt, just returned from South Africa, is in harness again for North Shore (Auckland). It may be news, therefore, to mention that he played for the Athletic Club in their threequarter line last Saturday. The innovation of the touch-judge not being allowed to assist the referee in kicks at goal cannot be said to be a good one. The spectacle was witnessed on Saturday of the referees in both

Football m Auckland wears a lop-sid-ed aspect this season — City, and City only The other teams do not appear to have a ghost of a chance for the championship.

matches on the Athletic Park charging towards the goal after each kick as if their lives depended on the result of their run. whereas, under the old system, they could have quietly watched the kick from a position behind the kicker with as much satisfaction to themselves and the players — without considering the spectators at all. I certainly consider the old method the better one. There is a possibility of Tommy Roberts, who is known as a speedy wing three-quarter in Auckland, coming to Wellington for sessional work at the Government Printing Office this year. He has always been recognised as one of those whose chances for inclusion in the representative team could not be lightly passed by, and he has done good service for the Newton Club. Roberts is more widely known, though, in connection with the Wairarapa diaster, for his name was in everyone's mouth at that time in connection with the bravery shown by him in attempting to save the lives of some of his ill-fated fellow-pas-sengers on that occasion.

Junior. Mel rose 7 <> 0 1 64 17 13 I'onekc . . <5 5 0 1 75 17 11 St. Pat's Coll. 7 5 2 0 57 65 10 KiaOia ..6 3 d 0 51 22 6 Oriental . . b 2 3 1 43 53 5 athletic . . (5 2 4 0 18 44 4 Petone ..7 2 5 0 45 63 4 Old Boys . . 7 1 5 1 27 84 3 Well. College 2 1 1 0 14 20 2 Wellington ..6 1 5 0 18 56 2 Owing to the non-receipt of several returns, the complete list of third and fourth class matches cannot be publishsd. Southern and Melrose are leading For the third-class championship, and

SENIOR. CIA R Matches q , N fe "c § I i 3 5 q S S p^ j p Pc 2-2 a- In sjQ* cS go. s S> j-4 Wellington . . Poneke Melrose Dnental Petone \thletic 31d Boys .6 5 0 1 100 . 6 4 1 1 77 .6 4 1 1 80 . 6 2 3 1 35 . 6 2 4 0 34 .6 2 4 0 50 .6 0 6 0 23 41 11 17 9 28 9 79 5 56 4 71 4 97 0

The following tables show the positions of the various clubs in the senior and junior championship matches up to and including last Saturday's games . —