Out Door Sports and Pastimes

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 839, 4 August 1916, Page 19

Out Door Sports and Pastimes

By Touohline.

Rugby Football.

All Matches Postponed. IN accordance with a resolution passed at a meeting of the Management Committee of the Rugby Union early in the season all championship matches were postponed last Saturday afternoon. There was a march-out of a hatchyof Reinforcements who had finished their training, and patriotic citizens turned out to speed them on their way to the front. It is fitting that the Rugby people should show the lads who are going to do their share in the fight for freedom their utmost respect. # * •* * A Bit of a Growl. But why did not the Rugby Union convey this resolution to the various clubs affiliated to them ? So many people were wondering on Saturday morning whether matches would be played that they became a perfect nuisance

with their enquiries at the telephone. I met one gentleman who had tried six times during the morning to get hold of the secretary of the Rugby Union, but had failed to do so. and, then he appealed to me. I tried to get into touch with Mr. Talbot, but I was no more successful than he was- himself. Whether the executive official of the Union was out of town or not I do not know, but the fact remains that every time his office door was tried the handle refused to turn. It should be somebody's business to be m attendance to answer the enquiries of club officials on Saturday mornings, and if business calls the secretary away from his office other arrangements should be made to make things work smoothly. Probably Mr. Hornig (the Union's* treasurer) will agree with my contention, for I switched all enquirers on to him. I. am willing to help on the Rugby game as far as lies in my power, but the Free Lance telephone has other calls on a Saturday morning than those relating to the playing of- football matches. Will players please take the hint? » * #. Not in the Game. Reports other than pleasant reach me in connection with the Athletic-Welling-ton College match played on the College Ground a few weeks ago. It is said that some of the methods adopted by a few Athletic players were against the fair playing of the game of Rugby, and one of them has been suspended from playing till the end of the season.

A peculiar happening has also occurred in this connection. The Athletic Club has resolved not to play another

member in. further matches this year, because of the methods adopted by.him. I have never heard of a similar thing in connection with the playing of Rugby football in this part of the world, and it denotes a fine sporting spirit as far as the officials of the club are concerned. * * * * What About the Referee ? At the request of the Rugby Union, the Chairman of the Wellington Referees' Association has agreed to exercise more care in the appointment of referees to the more important matches during the rest of the year. This is also something remarkable, and shows that, either care has not been exercised in the past, or else that the Association is having some difficulty in finding capable officials to control the games. * « » * Another Point. The whole thing resolves itself into this, viz., that the presence of senior players in this year's games is not making for better Rugby. It is strange that the more experience a player gets the harder he tries to beat the referee by offending against the laws of the game, and this factor is the one that has caused me to regret the decision of the Rugby Union not to limit the thirdclass competition to the lads under military age. The game would be the better in the future if the bad features that have crept into it of recent years could be eradicated. And my hope was that the younger generation would have played the game in the right spirit. Evidently this is not what is happening these days according to the doings in this Athletic-Wellington College match I have referred to.

Revise the Rules of Rugby. . An old and esteemed friend drops me a line from Auckland, enclosing ' a-~ >- : clipping from a newspaper there, which he pleads guilty to being the writer, of. lhe said clipping details certain suggested alterations to the laws" of Rugby and in this connection my friend writes:—"l think the present is an opportune time to make suggestions such as these, because when the war is over there is bound to be a revival in letics of all kinds, and we might as well have our own game up .to. date." The suggestions are: (1) The absolute elimination of the wing-forward; (2) the absolute "free, kick" for all penalties and place-kicks at goal; (3) the penalising of deliberate kicking into touch, other than by free kick. x (2) and (3) are borrowed from the Rugby League game, and to my mind are positive improvements on Ruebv law as at present existing. Sometimes J. feel inclined, to- suggest the adoption • + game rule on the subject of "in touch," viz., the elimination - of side-lines altogether, with the object -said that the English Rugby t/nion • would not agree to these alterations, but it seems to me that if the New Zealand Referees' Association resolved to interpret the rules in the manner sue- - gested the governing body of the' sport m tile .Dominion would agree to give the suggested alterations a trial. The "fiveyards throw in" is a case in point, and one in which the game has been" improved. c As to the elimination of the wing:-" forward, I must confess that I have a feeling of respect for the player on the % V™? scr ? m mage. When the late 1- R. JiJrison introduced the wing-for-ward it was with the sole object of protecting the half-back, so that the latter would have a fair opportunity of opening up the game. Nowadays I know wing-forwards are mainly obstruo- - tionists, but if they are done away with the old ordei will prevail, and the side-row forwards will become wingforwards directly their opponents get possession of the ball. . Now is the time, in my opinion, to apply the remedy. Teach the young fellows the spirit of the game of Rugby football as well as its rules, and by eliminating a lot of the undesirable practices a cleaner and a more spectacular game will result. This is the opportunity at the present time, and a/ study of "The Art .of Rugby Football,'.' referred to in my last week's notes, will assist greatly to that end. ■. '■• :

The Sports Roll of Honour. Lieutenant Jack Gorrie has given his .life for the Empire. He had not left school when the war broke out, and he was one of the first of several Aucklanders who went Home to enlist. .Soon after his arrival in England he went into training, and was given a second lieutenant's commission in the Royal Worcesters. Lieutenant Gorrie was educated at King's College, Remuera, and he was very well known in Auckland, particularly in hunting .and polo circles. He was a very fine type of young New Zealander. Private James Harper (killed in action) attended the Otago Boys' High .School for four years, and went from that institution to the Training College and Otago University with a view to -entering the teaching profession, and had received a temporary appointment dn one of the Oamaru public schools. He was a keen footballer, and played for the Otago University. He was wounded whilst on Gallipoli, where he also contracted fever. Private Harper was 21 .years of age, 6ft in height, and turned the scale at 15 stone.

W. H. Ellis, who is reported missing and believed to be killed, was only 24 years of age and -was educated at Wellington College. He was closely associated with the work •of the Royal Life Saving Society, of which he was hon. .treasurer and examiner for some years. His ability and genial manner made for him a large number of friends, especially in swimming circles

Sergeant C. W. Coltman (reported killed in action) was educated at the Waimate High School and later at the Aucklaud Grammar School. He -was favourably known in Association football- circles in the Northern city. Sergt. Coltman left the Dominion at the latter end of 1915, and underwent a special course of training in Egypt to fit him for machine-gun work.

Private F S. Tims /'wounded) was a very prominent Christehurch. athlete. He plaved for the Linwood Rugby Club, then for the League Club. He was also a regatta oarsman, "being a member of the Union Rowing Club. Lieut. J. H. Thomas (seriously ill) is the youngest son of the licensee of Clarence House, Hanmer Springs. He served in Samoa and was a leading member of the Union Rowing Club and the Lyttelton Football Club. Corporal D. M. Reid (reported wounded) went away with the 3rd Reinforcements. He saw active service on Callipoli prior to the Anzacs' evacuation. He was a keen sport and enthusiastic footballer, being a member of the Toko Club and represented the South Otago Sub-Union as a three-quar-

ter in their interprovincial matches on several occasions. 0 Private G. F. Bryant (wounded) was a prominent member of the New Brighton Golf Glub, and an enthusiastic member of the Horticultural Society in tlie Christchurch suburb. Mourning bands were worn by several (Rugby League clubs in Auckland last Saturday for players reported killed in action in France. They, were: 3?. McWhirter, G. Cook, and V. Vause (Ponsonby United), J. Muir (Otahuhu), and J. Perry (Overton Rangers).