Rugby Football.

Free Lance, Volume VIII, Issue 377, 21 September 1907, Page 18

Rugby Football.

THE dead days are appi caching all right— the time of the year when devotees of football have an opportunity of turning their attention for a few Saturday afternoons to something besides the kicking of a football about. After this lapse of time is bridged over, the followers and players of the winter pastimes occupy their minds with other avenues of amusement, but, in the meantime, the break in the round is enjoyed by some and regretted by others. As to whether I enjoy it or regret it personally is sometimes a matter of conjecture with me. It is pleasing to get away fiom the Athletic Park for a while, especially now when it seems to have developed into a swamp because of much rain, but it is wearisome, all the same, not to have something to occupy the sporting instinct. • * -v The match arranged by the Rugby Union as the main bill of fare for patrons of football last Saturday was evidence of the dead days. Two teams played off for second place in the fourth-class championship, and, although the players put plenty of vigour into their movements, it was only natural that the general body of the football public should show their interest in the fixture by spending their Saturday afternoon elsewhere than at the Athletic Park. • • • The curtain-raiser to the fourth-class match was a game arranged between the Athletic and Masterton Club teams. As a friend put it to me, ' 'The fourthclass match is not worth going to see, and the other game is played too ■early!" If the Rugby Union wanted to cater for the suppor%rs of the game, it would not have been a hard master to have got the Masterton players to start their game at three o'clock, and the opportunity- to have witnessed senior players would have drawn a fair attendance. As it was, there was only a handful of people watching the game, and they could not raise any enthusiasm over the play at all. The ground was wet as the result of recent rains, so much water lying on the surface as to render it impossible to play a decent game of football. It, therefore, was only in the order o£ , things to find the playera loth to indulge m passing rushes, and hard kiofeiug and following was the order of the day. There was not much difference between the merits of the respective players, the ball being at one end of the field for some time, and at the other for another long time. The game ended in a pointless draw — a fair indication of the merits of the play Mr. E. Wylie was the referee. • • » The outstanding feature of last Saturday's fourth-class match was the fine place-kicking of L. Campbell, of the Southern team. He had four shots during the afternoon, from awkward angles. The first one struck the crossbar and rebounded into the field of play, the second one mipsed the uprights by inches, the third and fourth ones going fair between the posts. His style of kicking is very attractive, as he wastes no time in placing the ball. Bv the way, he is no connection of the trio of brothers who won many matches by their place-kicking for the Wellington representatives and the Melrose team in the days that are past, viz., Jack, Alec, and Colin Campbell. • • • This is hardly a Rugby football item, but it will pass muster. Mr. W. Coff G y — familiarly known to his friends as "Billy" — has 'long been associated with the Rugby game in one wav and another, and many of his friends thought he had tired of his love when they noticed his name appearing as the delegrate representing the New Zealand Football Association at last week's conference of sports bodies. "Billy" as a "soccer" enthtisiast was too much for many of his friends, who were not long in asking him the meaning of it Shortly, the head body of "soccer" football desired to be represented, but could not find anyone with sufficient time at his disposal to do justice to the position. In his dilemma, the secretary approached Mr. Coffev, telling him the views of his body, and asking

him to represent them as well as his own Association — New Zealand Boxing. As the said views were to Mr. Coffey's liking, he assented. Mr. McVilly had been deputed to represent the New Zealand Rowing Association, but business cares were too pressing, and he had reluctantly to absent himself from the Conference. The secretary of the rowers was m the same position, and so Mr. Coffey, as a member of the Council of that body, was asked to represent it. Just fancy the weight of responsibility "Billy" was carrying — New Zealand Boxing Association, New Zealand Football Association, and New Zealand Row ing Association. During the the chairman ruled that each body represented 1 could only exercise one vote, and there weiv some heartburnings in consequence. Mr. Woods «as the second delegate for the New Zealand Athletic Union, and Mr. Thornton occupied the same position for the New Zealand Cucket Council. Mr. Coffey was, however, in the position of being able 'o pour oil on the troubled waters, and, as these gentlemen's views agreed with those of the bodies he represented, Mr. Woods and Mr. Thornton were both given a vote and an Association to repiesent. 1 • • • The reasons given by one of the Welsh clubs for joining the Northern Rugby Union are rather lemarkable It is just as well to mention that these reasons refer to them when playing as an amateur club under the Welsh Rugby Union. Here they are — 1 That from past experience they are convinced that strict amateurism means financial failure. 2. That the success of the club durnig the last two seasons was gamed by poaching the best players from other towns. 3 By liberal payments under the table. " 4 By paying more than other clubs could afford. • * * Loo De Vere, a 1900 Wellington representative, referees these times m matches on the West Coast of the South Island. "The return friendly match" is the way a Carterton paper refers to a football match. I thought all matches were friendly, or supposed to be. There is nothing in a name. The "All Blacks" and the "All Saints" are &he titles under which two teams opposed one another at a place called Romahapa, m the Otago province. I have to extend my congratulations to some unknown friend in the Clutha district. "Touchhne" is not a very common title for a football writer, but I have a namesake in the far South. The scorers in the fourth-class match last Saturday were — For Southern : Tries by Elton and C. Russell, L. Campbell converting the latter and kicking a penalty goal. For Melrose . Try by Clarke. V-Oinger" Collerton and Brenchley, the old Oriental and Permanent Artillery players, were amongst the Masterton team at the Athletic Park last Saturday. The former kicks as hard and as wild as ever. A remark by a spectator "They say that Wylie says the refeiees in Sydney are ten years behind the times. It looks as if he has a code of rules of his own." This statement was made while the fourth-class match was in progress last Saturday. The feeling is similar to the following in many parts of the colony just now, and it is growing, too: — "Not a few people of this progressive borough have expressed their indignation at the money-grabbmg propensities of our [Hawke's Bay] Rugby Union." Ned Page, the ex-Old Boys player, who is now-a-days a lawyer in Eketahuna, still i^eeps in touch with the game. He "refer eed a match in <his district the other day, and a writer complimented him on His pluck in sticking to the field under such adverse conditions. Clem Green, Wellington's representative half-back on the pi esent Southern tour, wore long trousers foi the first time on the eve of the departure of the team for Christchurch. The Petone lad was subjected to much chaff because of the fact that he was leaving his boyhood days with his knickers. A match was played at Miramar last Saturday between the Polhill thirdclass team and the employees of A. S. Paterson and Co. Polhills proved the victors by 30 points to 3. For the winners^' A. Walker scored three tries, converted another, besides potting a fine goal from the field, and tries were also scored bv J. Power (2), J. Carmody, P. Clifton, and E Warner. J. Windsor scored Paterson and Co. 's try. Jim Manning, the Oriental forward, refereed with much satisfaction to both sides. (Continued on page 19. ,

An interesting report of a football match in a Hawke's Bay paper. — "The Qty Cadets football team amved today. The match was won by Gisborne." Can anyone tell me if the Mr. W. McKenzie who is representing "The Dominion" at Masterton is our old friend, "Off-side"? It it is, congratulations from one who wishes him well. The making an annual fixture of the match between Canterbury and Wellington was brought to pass in 1895. Until last Saturday's match, the referee was a resident of either Christchurch 01 Wellington, but the old rule has been departed from. The "Post" beat the "Times" easily at Berhampore last Saturday. I only refer to the match here to remark that an ex-member of the Free Lance staff was a big thorn in the side of the "Times" fellows, Arthur Geddis being responsible for two of the four -tries scored by the victors. Cannot someone coax Joe O'Leary, the Wairarapa five-eighth, to spend a season m one of the big centres ? He is full of promise, has much resource, and uses a lot of head in his play— so much so that a year with a better class of back than he rubs against m the Wairarapa competitions would bring out all his latent possibilities. I wonder what size of hats the Te Aute School footballers wear? Someone wanted the New Zealand Rugby Union to send the Maori boys on a toui through the Old Country This request was not acceded to, and a milder one was made, viz., that they be allowed to play the Auckland representatives for the Ranfurly Shield. And it is passing strange that the _Te Aute team is not even the champion one of Hawke's Bay. Eleven matches have been played between Canterbury and Wellington in Christchurch, the former being victorioas in nine games, and the latter in two. In 1879 Wellington won from Canterbury by a goal to a try, and in 1897 the "butcher" team won by 4 points. Therefore, for ten years WelhDgton bas been beaten every time it took the field at Lancaster Park. What is the reason— a better team, or better luck? There was much talk at the beginning of the season about the growth of Australian football and the decadence of Rugby football in the Taihape distiict. But I read that school football in Taihape is getting a decided impetus this, season. "The local scholastic team wi'l meet a team composed of Rangitikei school representatives on Saturday, and the following week will journey to Wanganui to meet the youthful players of that town." This extract would seem to indicate that as long as the Taihape schoolboy plays the Rugby game its future success in that district is assured. Football is a fascinating game, and <i is tenacious in its hold upon its devotees. I know not whether this is an original remark, but I am constrained to make it from the fact that both Tom and Bill Hales took the field once again for the Athletics last Saturday. Tom has definitely retired any time during the last five years, and Bill has been a veteran since the days when many of the present Athletic seniors were in that club's fifth-class team. When I first met the latter, he was a third-class player, and the year I am calling back to remembrance is 1885. Further comment is unnecessary. Jimmy Smith, a member of the Wellington Rugby Union, is said to be the father of a proposal that club teams from Wellington should go to the Wairarapa and play the club teams there on the Saturdays when they have the bye. The proposal is a good one — if the Rugby Union can afford to bear the expense, and if the players can obtain the neressary leave. There is too much travelling now-a-days by players, and, if club teams as well as representatives take to the road, the employers are bound to have a word to say. The good of football is a grand thing in the abstract, but the best good of the game, to my mind, is the curtailing of travelling by players to the smallest possible limit. "Is it unlawful to barrack at a football match?" asks a writer in the Petone paper. When the match between the Petone and Hutt Borough Council employees was in progress last Saturday, one of the Petone players was subject to a deal of adverse critjcism by some Hutt supporters, and this led a Wai Petone spectator to loudly express hi«; admiration of the said player's tactics. There was absolutely nothing objectionable about the Petoneite's "barrack," but it appeared to ruffle the feelings of a Hutt policeman who was present. "Look here, young man," said the constable, "if you call out again you'll have me to deal with'" And, with a mien which signified! great authority, the man in blue again turned his attention to the exciting play.

Fred Laws has been getting away from home again. He refereed the Woodville — Scinde match, in Napier, last Saturday. The small boy generally objects to a football ground being unoocupied. Several of them obtained a football from somewhere last Saturday, and got Custodian Murphy much worried at the Athletic Park. They were happy for some time potting and place-kicking at goal, but at last "Tom" came along. Nevertheless, they kept banging away until he got within striking distance. Then, they scurried to the bank, only to return as soon as he got far enough away for them to do so in safety. Eventually, Mr. Murphy got assistance, and 1 the boyj trwk the ball home with them. The most humorous personage at Miramar last Saturday was a "barracker" for the Gas Company team. The men of light were playing the timoer spoilers from the Stewart Company, and the party I am writing about followed the play up and down the field with a plaintive cry of "Gas Com — pan — ie Gas Com — pan — ie"" Not content with urging his own favourites on, he also wanted to assist the referee, and his remark, "It's a fair try for Gas Company, ieferee'" every time those players kicked the ball over the goal-lme was a source of much enjoyment. But he had a good time, and why should anybody complain ?