Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 50, 15 June 1901, Page 20

Rugby Football.

THE Athletic-Melrose match Mas brimful of exciting incidents from start to finish, and the result — Athletic 13, Melrose 7 — came as a bit of a surprise to even the most ardent supporters of the blue and blacks. They were expected to make a good showing, but no one imagined for a moment that they w ould so decisively defeat their redoubtable opponents. From the veiy commencement, the Melrose boys were kept busy defending their lines, so consistent was the attack kept up by Kelly, Gerrard, and Co., and it was not till the Athletics had registered two tries that Melrose woke up to the fact that the anticipated easy win was likely to turn out an actual loss But, e\en then, their best endeavours could not turn the fortunes of war their way, and for the second time this season they had to leave the field without adding any points to their credit in the championship score. The forwards were about evenly matched in the pack, but in the open Melrose were more conspicuous. • • ♦ Gerrard played his best game so far this season, and was noted for his safe defence — always going for his man lowHis kicking was well-timed, too, and ilways to advantage. Kelly gave us a glimpse of his old form as a five-eighth. His passing was accurate, and he forgot the silly side altogether. He missed one or two excellent passes in the early part of Hie game, but he redeemed himself when he got warm. His stopping of the forward rushes of Melrose was a treat to witness, and, but for him, his opponents would have scored oftener. Conder, at half, was a decided success. He is only a little fellow, but he battled bravely right from start to finish. He has two faults, however, which require remedying, before his work is complete. He plays too close to the scrum, and when on the attack

should pass to the five-eighth, instead of always trying to bustle through the forwards. Midlane was the right man in tho right place, and his exhibition was a good one. His try was the result of a, fine passing rush between Conder, Kelly, Gerrard, and himself. OBrien, McTigue, Quinn, and W. Hales stood out prominently in the forward division, but every man was playing all he knew. Wrigley was the bright particular btar of the Melrose backs, and he was ably supported by Howe and A. Clarridge. Adams was always on the ball — and sometimes too often. "Waterloo" has a decided objection to releasing the leather on any account, and, as a consequence, he often gets- his side penalised. J. Spencer worked hard to stave off defeat, and was a tower of strength to the pack. His line-out work was especially good. W. J. Spencer played his best game of the season. I was glad to see that Kelly has recognised that in attacking the play cannot be made too open. He gave his three-quarters plenty of work, and the result justified his manoeuvres in this direction. What splendid chances Adams missed on the linenout by not passing to his backs. He takes the ball well, but invariably tries to push through on his own. Likewise J. Spencer. * * * At one time during the progress' of the Old Boys-Wellington match it appeared as if the latter team were going to sustain their first reverse this season, and the former to record their first win. With the Wellington score 14, and the Old Boys 10, the latter had a splendid chance of scoring right between the posts, but the attack was successfully frustrated. The Old Boys' team generally play splendidly till the ball gets near their opponents' line, and then they appear to allow themselves to be easily beaten. Time and again on Saturday — and, indeed, in every match they have played so far — they rushed the ball right, down only to find it come back again just is easily. The Wellington team gave their poorest display of the season, but th© absence of Wood may account for the cu\-

organisation of the backs. However, they won — and, by a fair margin of points, 17 to 10. As that is the main object in a football match, now-a-days, and especially by the leading teams, they should be satisfied. * * * The Oriental team descended from the fourth to the sixth position in the championship list through their defeat by the Petone team on Saturday. Misfortune after misfortune has befallen them right, through the season. First, Burns, their five-eighth, wrenches his knee, and is put on the shelf for a week or two ; then, Young, their consistent half, gets a severe attack of illness, and is but slowly recovering even now . and, finally, Marsh has his jaw broken in the Athletic match on Saturday week. With the half, five-eighth, and oentre three-quarter gone, is it to be wondered that .the team that played Petone is much weaker than the one that defeated them by 13 to 3 in the first round bv that memorable rally in the last quarter of an hour? On Saturday the forwards received very little assistance from the backs, with the result that they went all to pieces in the second spell, and Petone literally romped over them, the final score reading 21 points to nil. * * * We are two, and, therefore, not one, and this may relieve the minds of some people as to how we can be in two places at the one time. A comment on referees' decisions a week or two back drew from a member of the Refeices Association an exception to my passing strictures on referees in two places on the same day, as I could not possibly be in two places at once. It may, therefore, relieve his mind to know there are two of us. That is not what I started out to wnte, though. A representative match is to be played next Wednesday, and in duty bound a team must be picked m this week's budget — not as advisory to the Selection Committee— oh, dear, no! but only to make known my own idea of a fairly representative team. Therefore, as we are two — and, in this instance, don't agree — we have decided to place the teams side by side. The first team is . — Row, full-back ; Burr or Mclntyre, Wallace, and Gerrard, three-quarters , Wood and Wrigley, five-eighths , Meredith, half , Kelly and Ostler, wing-forwards ; King, E.

Wylie, Gallagher, J. Spencer, McAnally, and OBrien, forwards. The other team is- — Full, G. Spencer ; three-quarters, Burr, Wallace, and Jacobs, five-eighth, Wood; half, Meredith ; wings, Kelly and Ostler ; forwards, Dodd and Wylie (front), OBrien pivot), Gallagher and McAnally (second row), and J. Spencer and Adams in the back row. It is easily seen where the difference conies in — it is mainly in the backs. One of us is of the opinion that neither Hales nor Spencer played up to representative form on Saturday, and should, therefore, be dropped in favour of Row, who is showing improved form in every game he plays. The other considers Spencer's form has been so consistent that it would be unfair to leave him out even if his last game was not right up to concert pitch. Wrigley's defence is so sound that a place is found for him in one team, but not in the other. The qualities of Jacobs and Gerrard will , bear analysing one as against the other. Dodd and King have pretty even claims for the front rank, and in one team Adams is given a place in the pack, rather than the experiment of playing an extra back. Of course, every enthusiast has his own opinion, and might not wholly approve either team, but still we have followed the games very closely, and make no apology for voicing our convictions. * * * Wood was a spectator at the Park on Saturday. A bruise on the knee, received early in the season, and not attended to at the proper time, demanded the doctor's attention during the week, with the result that Wood had to look on for once in a while. I notice the Christchurch papers say that "Morry" is likely to come their way directly, but it is news to him and his friends. A decision in the Kia Ora-Oriental junior match on Saturday came as a surprise to both teams. A free kick was taken bv Oriental, and, after a good shot, the Kia Ora full-back quietly picked the ball off the ground without forcing it, and threw it to his centre three-quarter, who was standing in the field of play almost alongside the goal-posts. Another free-kick was given the Oriental team, Wilkes this time sending the ball safely across the bar. By the way, the referee received a great ovation from the spectators and players when leaving the ground.

Corbett, who used to play with the Athletic 11., is giving a good account ot himself with the Linwood team in Chnstchurch this season. From "Wing's" comments, it would appear that bhe referees in Otago put the ball m the scrummage on all occasions. This is another strong argument in favour of the Referees' Conference coming off as soon as possible. Nelson and Wellington representatives play on the Athletic Park on Wednesday — the off-day, as far as the general public is concerned, in the Royal festivities. Mr. Forsyth has been £>ppointed manager of the visiting team, who play Canterbury on Saturday, the 22nd. My hints as to methods of improving the game were acted on in many cases on Saturday, although the Old Boys were, perhaps, a little too consistent in passing back from the lines-out That species of play should only be indulged in when attacking. An incident in the Athletic-Melrose match escaped the notice of the refeiee, and raised the choler of one of the pressmen, who went so far as to ask tfic referee if he had not marked it Midlane had taken a pass neatly, and, being on the end of the line, it occurred to him that a short punt and follow on wou'd be effective. No sooner thought than acted on, but he was effectually blocked by Clandge, the latter pla>er not even being penalised. Hence the pressman's ire — just enough, perhaps — but not sufficient to ask the refeiee if he had seen it.

"Harrier" complains that the wiigforwards m Auckland football consider they are purely and simpiy "scrappers." He recommends in one instance that his club should shift down a certain player till he gets rid of this propensity. A Southern contemporary has it that W. Pitts, of North Shore, is now a duly qualified member of the "whistle brigade." That is correct, but the W. Pitta in this instance is not the same W. Pitt who went to South Africa- with the First Contingent — he is a much younger gentleman, and a native of the North Shore, Auckland. As Tommy Roberts is reported to be coming this way from Auckland, the following criticism may be interesting — ' Roberts started oft on Saturday in good style, but his play weakened towards the end. His run in the first spell was a brilliant one, and may have resulted in a score had he not slipped. At times he seemed in a terrible hurry to get rid of the bail, and was not paiticular where he threw it." "Wing," of the "Dunedin Star," owed me one, and this is the way be got it back. In dealing with my criticism on the Selection Committee, he writes — "Probably they will enlist his services as adviser on that occasion [the selection of a representative team]. He has given a gentle hint to that effect, and why not act upon it." This is, of course, writ sarcastic, but the sarcasm will be wasted on the Dunedin public. It would have looked far better now in the columns of one of the local papers. But I don't feel hurt — not at all.

A Wellington representative forward of last season has been ordered to stand by for six weeks from the 3rd June by the Taranaki Rugby Union. Mr. W. McKenzi© has written me an interesting letter on wing-forwards, in reply to recent newspaper criticisms, but it came to hand too late to be included in this week's budget. The Referees Conference assembles at the Trocadero at 1 p.m. on Wednesdiy next, but it is more than probable that, with a representative match on, thej will only just meet and adjourn till the evening. I wish them a pleasant and successful gathering. The request for a half-back for the Poneke Club is likely to be fulfilled in a surprising fashion. Rumour has it that good old Davy Gage is coming back to Wellington, and will again don the red and black jersey. He is said to be in excellent form, and, as captain of the Havelock team, over Nelson way, has played some excellent games. So mote it be, say the supporters of the Poneke Club. This, by "Harrier," in the Auckland "Observer," is fairly trenchant, and wholesome criticism is good — "It is a pity that football is not played in a better spirit by some of the Shore players. Kicking a man when he is on the ground, scragging a man when he hasn't got the ball, etc., are not football, and I noticed one well-known Shore forward in particular who persisted in this 'dirty' play. It is time he gave up that game. Several other of our seniors can also improve in this matter."

McLeod was untiring from start to finish. Godber, of the opposing side, was frequently in contact with him. and this spoilt what, otherwise, must have meant a goal or the usual greeting, "hard luck." About the Rovers individually I hardly know what to say. None of them played really well, unless I make an exception in favour of Clark, at left half. Hunter, at centre forward, was a frost — too slow, and a bad engineer for such a responsible position. He was very seldom in possession of the ball, and, when he had it, his passes were most unsatisfactory. Williams and Moore were decidedly off. They usually make a creditable display, but in ithis match they were simply nowhere. Moore, however, had a little loose play, and made one good shot, which resulted in a corner. Pye-Smith and France had very little work to do in both spells, and what little they had they did not perform very creditably. Clark played a hard game from start to finish, and it was too much for one. Paton, who is his help-mate, was helpless. Probably, too many electric shocks for the nerves. Eh, Jim? Auld and Godber put in a certain amount of defence. Godber bore the brunt of the work, and did it well, whilst "Billy" Auld was simply sent to grass after every second encounter. Referee Mr. C. A. Laurence, who had charge of the game, gave sound decisions, despite the display of ignorance by some of the players of both sides. Occasionally there was a doubt whether the referee had not made a mistake, but, on closer investigation, the referee was found to be perfectly justified.