Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 97, 10 May 1902, Page 5

Rugby Football.

COMING homo homo from the Athletic Park on Saturday, a pleased spectatoi iemarked tome that he had enjoyed the match between the Ponckc and Wellington teams so much that he felt he had got more .naai the value of the sixpence he had paid to obtain admission to the ground And it was. a great game, particularly when it is considered that it was only the second Saturday of the football season, when plavers generally are considered not to be in their correct playing condition. The weather was beautiful, the turf was in fine order, and both teams turned out their full strength. The Porieke forwards looked natty and vigorous to thi?' eve, the Wellington's on the other hand being heavy ajid strong, and in some cases appeared as if a littJe more form would be ableThe backs- on either side were eo,ual to anything when they went on the field, there being no less than seven Wellington representative players behind the two nacks. The gam can be best described as a willing and interesting one, of w Inch the Poneke team, excepting for the first fifteen minutes in the second half had a.ll the best of the plav. In the forward ranks, the Wellington team got possession nearly every time, and it appeared, looking from the touch-line that then opponents eave them all the opportunities thev could in that direction. Seemed as if thev had

aimed at the conclusion that it was use loss trying to get the ball The gaano that suited them best \\a& the open foiwaid one, and aJI then endea.vouis weie mainh spent in that direction, and with moie tlian the iisuaJ HKMSUIt'i ot SUCCCSS. Wallace u a.s m g,ieat ioim, and lie leceivod a, gieat loiuid of applause when he notched the opening !>core, which was renewed again when he safely piloted the baill aci ohs the bar. Roberts pla>od cle\eily, and main a pla\er with pretensions to collaring whom I could name, would be doing himself a kindness, if he watched the pftoctne wav in which Cocky" hnngs his man down every time Jacobs — aood man as he is — alw ays found Mothoi ft art h when he came' Roberts' wav Slatterv hesitated a lot, but Manning infused more vigour than usual into his plav The way he beat the fast follow ers of the Wellington team was a trea,t to see. He must, however, curb a disposition to do questionable things when an opponent is charging him. or else he, will be given a place amor* the spectators before the season is o\ ei Slater was suffering from a seveie cold, and vet made only a couple of mistakes his woik geneially being clean Davis played neatly at half and heat one or two of the opposition when the ball oame his way. A beautiful opening he made on one occasion, but he ran just a 3 7 ard or two too far Forward, theie was not much to pick and choose from m the Poneke ranks. Sweeney was ever prominent, and McRae. and McAnallv weie perhaps the best of the lemainder, though they all grafted m real earnest. On the Wellington side. Jacobs was plaved at nve-cighths, and, a.s before mentioned, he ran into a brick wall ever? time he went Roberts' way. He made one or two fine runs. Mclntvie and Brodie did not play up to their best_ foim, the opposition forwards not being too much to their liking. Meredith was generally in evidence behind the Wellington pack, and passed out well, although in the majority of cases he found too manv opponentslound him when he got the ball.

Lcnatt put in a heavy afternoon's work \eij eiechtably, but a couple of mistakes are to be debited again&t him, the most soiious one being the- pi dude to Poncke's second scoie. ScanJan's form of tlie previous week u as not exhibited in this game, the> confidence show n being much below that m the match against Petone. McMmn and Burnett got possession in the front, and the former walked haul in the open He has a bad habit of tin owing his aims lound like a windmill, which may get him. into trouble dnectlv McLachlan followed up well, and Gallagher shone in the line-out. WaJsh tned eaih and the gymnasium will do him good as the season goes, on Bend is a fine stamp of a forward, but S Wilson was not nearlj so conspicuous as he was against Petone. Manson and Kember had generally tlie woist of the deal on the wing-foi-ward, Mann and Honour getting the better u them. • ♦ * The match on the other ground at the Athletic Paik, between the Mellose and Athletic teams, was well contested, though it was completely overshadowed by the game played alongside of it. The Athletics showed improved foim a,s compared with their opening match, and, as is the case with them will perhaps be m good playing condition w hen thei second round commences. The Melrose, though winning the match, did not have much the better of thpi deaJ, a«d appearances pointed in several instances to lack of gymnasium piactice. Kell\ got through a> lot of work, and, w ith Johnson scored a fine try. Johnson seemed the ba.ll fiom a bad pass among; the Mehose backs right on his own line, and earned it over the ha]f«a\ line He then transferred it to Kelh, who finished the distance aJoaie. It was a fine display, and was deservedly applauded Tiath to tell, though, I did not see much of this game. A. Cla,ndge, m one of mv spaie glances, recovered himself splendidly and a mis-kick was, in the following act, transferred into a good one. Wi iglev stopped a couple of rushes m hite ow n solid way, and passed the ball out ainona his confreres.

The meeting of tlie delegates of the Kugln Union last week was well attended, and all the motions submitted received iau- consideration, and, with one tnvial exception, became law — or, to be correct, in one instance the prevailing law nas mped out. I refer to the motion taking from the Management Committee the power to report players. One at the delegates, speaking to this motion, got off a good one. He said, in the impetuosity of his argument, that the Management Committee were placing themselves in the position of "judge, jury and accused"— and, strange to say he failed to see the reason for the laugh that ensued. The motion passed providing for the books of the different clubs being audited by the auditois of the union, is a good one and should goi a. long way towaids improving the financial status of the clubs affiliated to the union. • • • An incident m connection with the Poneke-Wellington match was brought up at the meeting of the Referees' Association on Monday night, and it deserves more than passing notice. On one occasion, three of the Poneke forwards tackled Lovatt, full-back, before he could get the ball away, amd that player, seeing a try was practically inevitable if his opponentsi got the ball, held on to it, and gave a free kick against his team. The referee could have awarded the Poneke team a try — and should have done so if his opinion of the circumstance agrees with mine — under the rule which reads — "The referee shall award a try if, in hisi opinion, one would undoubtedly have been obtained but for unfair plav or interference by the defendin gside." The Association decided to carry out the rule, but pointed out to its members that they must be practically sure of their ground before awarding the try. It is one of those fine points on which, if a, decision is given, there should not be the slightest chance of it being open to cavil. * • * Championship matches commence in Auckland on Saturday. Sterling, a forward with an Auckland reputation, is stated to be throwing: in his Jot with Poneke. now that his duties in connection with yachting are over for the season.

The lesult of the Petoue-Oneutal match came somewhat as a simmse after Petouo's downfall on the pinion Satuiclcu , but on then native heath the subuihan team often take a lot of beat ii)« I \entuie to predict that the-*, will soon wipe out their initial defeat Roberts put m some steilmg woil: toi the Ones." his line lacking being, most effective M R;, an's perhnmance in kicking two goais foi Pet one — one from a maik and one horn a penarU — is deserving of mention. Best put in a lot of useful wOl k but did not pass enough He potted a prettv goal the ball just clearing the bar In Miles and Fitzgerald. Petone ha\e two fine foi wards, who should make a bid for lepiesentativo lion 01115, The two sets of for w aids were well matched and evei \ >aid was keenh contested. Petone pla\ed with a lot more dash than on the Paik, and put a stronger team m the field Gleeson of the Orientals has the makings of a good man He is a strong runner and kick, and onlv wants experience Bi ice and Chambers, the Peto-ne w mgers, weie prominent throughout, and were of material assistance to their side. The Orientals hare a first-class forward in Best, who has repiesented Nelson for the last five years. He should pioxe a decided acquisition to the wearers of the black and white Braid put in some dashing work for Petone Ke seems to he showing improved foim this season. He was responsible for their first try * • * The New Zealand Rugby Union spent, ai lot of tune over t'ie allotment of the trophv promised by His Excellency the Governor for competition among the different unions in the colom . That the competition for the trophv will impart anv added interest to the inter-union matches is open to (|Uestio^ and I venture to predict that when the Management Committee award the trophv at the end of the present season the onlv matches the holders wall have to plav to keep it will be those annual games which are played at present A lot of debate ensued as to whether the challenging team should be allowed its expenses, but the proposal to that effect was defeated, and the position is now that if amy of the unions w ould like to contest the keeping of the trophy with the one in possession they will have to travel to the challenged union's ground, and play a match there, pavmg all their own expenses If there is a loss 011 the match the home union has to stand the jacket, but if there is- a profit, the net proceeds are to be handed over to the New Zealand Union The proposal to send a New Zealand team to Great Britain has been shelved for a month, the chairman of the meeting upholding a point of order that no business could be brought on of which the affiliated unions had not recened a month '<- notice. The special meeting to deal with this ajid other matters has been called for Thursday the 6th June, and the motion of the Canterbury Union has an amendment tacked on to it to- the effect tha.t the English Union should be ashed to waive the laws of professionalism sufficiently to fit in w ith the proposal before it is decided to definitely move in the matter of sending a team to Gre ,t Britain. Personally, I am opposed to the motion, as a/nv team sent on a trip of this sort ais the rules at present stand cannot be representative of the colony, aaid if it is not more harm will be done to the prestige of the colony as a footballing centre than all the newspaper winters and football ban-ackers could amend if they kept on from now to Doomsday with the gush" that is sometimes read and heard from them on this subiect The proposal to bring all the unions, in a defined pio\incial district under one head should receive short shrift, and the other one to give visiting teams a fourth of the home team's net gate will not be taken seriously b"\ any of the unions • • • A suggestion wa& made at the meeting of the New Zealand Union the other night to bnng the penalty for lifting the foot m the scrummage into operar tion this season, but. as the mattei will not be finally decided tall the aavnual meeting of the English Rugby Union, in September next it was decided to take no action in that direction till furthei advice is received from the Home Union Mr. J. H. Pagni so well and favourably known among the footballing public, has become mine host of the Western Hotel, Willis-street, and any time business or pleasure calls you that way you will find 'Jack" with that perrenial smile on his face, and with a courteous greeting. That his new line of life mav be congenial and profitable to him is the wish of his many friends among whom I subscribe myself.

H<il<~"s has come oat horn his letntnieut and pla\ed up to toim at tailback tor Athletics last n«>k Pan> is liohclas -making on the West Coast and was not pla\ ing roi Wellington second at the Lowci Hutt last Satin da\ FeJI is stated to liase paiahsed the Kui Oia playeis last week, and his showing m sonioi games is inexplicable to them, at any uitc. That was a gieat lecoid put up in Dunedin. b\ tlie Alhamhia Club last Saturda\ . Four teams in the field, four wins 104 points foi and none against. This surch must be a oolonlal lecord. Tlie matclies for next Satuida^ aie Wellington \ Onental (Paik No i), Mehose \. Poneke (Paik No 2) and Old Bo\s v Athletic (Petone) Wellingtoni, Poneke, and Old Bo\s should be the wmneis Mr T R Klhson lias foiu aided a t\ pe-w ntten cuculai to the Selection Committees ot the several senior clubs asking roi the names of the playeis m the \arious teams whom the Committees consider are worthy of consideration in view of coming representative matches The burning question just now is whether after the inglorious display of the Kaikorais, in Dunedin last week, 'Jimmy" Duncan Mill be coaxed from that retirement of Ins Ke is said to have deserted his old love, though, and is acting as coach for the Dunedin Club tins season. The Wellington team is being re-or-ganised for Saturday, so I am told. S. Wilson is being put centie three-quar-ter, McLachlan is going on the wing and Leversedge and A Wilson are filling the vacancies in the pack. Kember and Scd.nl an are the plaveis beino- superseded WaJla.ee is loud ui Ins piaises of the valuable a&set as a health-restormg place Dr Newman's farm at Levin is to that gentleman. The colt" firmlv believes that he would not be as well as he is to-dav if he had not accepted Dr Newman's invitation to spend a week or two in the countr\ and feels more than thankful to him for his manv kindnesses. The Referees' Association have an examination committee, whose duties consist of testing the knowledge on the rules of the game of gentlemen aspiring to be. refeiees. Yet, in all seriousness, at tlie meeting of the Association the other niaht a member suggested that one of the committee — who had been on that boch since it was first constitute! — should submit himself for examination simph because he had not alreadv done so and not on account of anv alleged unfitness of the examiner m question The suggestion leceived the treatment it merited — a motion beino passed dnecth opposite to it