FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12272, 16 May 1903, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

TO-DVrS RUGBY CUP COMPETITIONS. The second series of matches in tho three grades of the Auckland Rugby Union cup • competitions will be played this afternoon, when it is to be hoped that nn earlier start will bo made with the piny than was the case on the opening day, when several of the teams were fully fifteen minutes late in taking • the field. All matches are advertised to • start at three p.m., and there is no valid reason why punctuality should not bo observed. In tho first-grade division the most interesting match at Alexandra Park will be that between City and Ponsonby, to be played on the No. 1 ground. Ponsonby possess a fast, weighty pack, and unless the City backs show themselves up in a more attractive light as an attacking division titan in the match against Newton lost Saturday, they will find that they have all their work cut out to bring about the defeat of tho players from the western suburb. The other senior match at Epsom, that between Grafton and iParnell, should, if last Saturday's results may be taken as a criterion, result in a runaway victory for .lie firstnamed team, as the maroons, who have been right out of the running for several seasons, look like being weaker than ever this year. Last week they had to beat up substitutes to put tho full complement in the field against Foilsonby. Another, good game should be witnessed at Devonport, where the Newton and North Shore fifteens will try conclusions. I fancy Newton most, but having in mind past meetings between these teams, would Dot be prepared to lay much in the shape of odds on the wearers of the red-and-white uniforms, if called upon to support the selection made with £ s d. Tho grounds and referees for the matches in all grades are as under: — FIRST FIFTEENS. No. 1 Ground: Pons on by v. City, Mr. G. Kat terns. • No. 2 Ground: Grafton v. Parnell, Mr. E. Gittog. At North Shore : Newton v. North Shore, Mr. A. Campbell. SECOND FIFTEENS. No. 3 Ground: Grafton 11. v. Par noil 11., Mr. White. No. 4 Ground: Ponsonby 11. v. City 11., Mr. Blakey. At North Shore: Newton 11. v. North Shore 11., Mr. Greenhough. THIRD FIFTEENS. No. 5 Ground: Ponsonby A 111., v. Paracll B TTL. Mr. Speight. i■ -No. 6 Ground: Parnell A 111. v. Ponsouby U 111., Mr. McElwain. ; 'No. 7 Ground: City A v. City B. Mr. Gram. At North Shore: Newton v. North Shore A, Mr. Molloy. ... At Northcote: Grafton -HI. v. North Shore B. Mr. Forsvtli.

The season's cup fixtures were commenced on Saturday last tinder most delightful leather conditions, and as the attendance numbered something like 3000, the members of the Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby Union have every reason to feel on good terms with themselves as a result, and at the same time to regard the outlook for season 1903 hopefully. It is not to be expected that we will be often favoured with such ideal weather.as that of Saturday last, while here and there during the rounds the matches in front of the stand will, perhaps, be less interesting and more one-sided, but, on the whole, it may be said that the indications thus early are sufficient to warrant enthusiasts looking forward to many stirring contests atd a stiff struggle for the season's honours. On last Saturday's showing both Parnell and Suburbs may safely be counted out in summing up the districts having a My in the cup, but even then five teams still remain, and not one of these can bo said to be out of the running, though some may stand out more boldly than others. It would "not be wise to try and arrive at a hard-and-fast selection just yet, as we have not seen Grafton play, and will not bo in a position to sum them up with any degree of accuracy till after their meeting with City next Saturday. By that time the task may be simplified to an extent; meanwhile, Grafton (on paper). City, and Newton read best, while both Ponsonby and North Shore possess the material to bring about those surprises that add such a spice of interest to the competition, and leave the cup result in a state of indecision practically right up to tho end of the season. HERE AND THERE. McColl, who played for Ponsonby seniors last season, has returned to Auckland. . The Public Schools* Rugby Union championship matches commence this afternoon. Of a total of 12 or 13 tries in the first-grade matches last Saturday only four were converted into goals, Yeoland (North Shore) kicking three of the number in four attempts. In the Ciiy-Newtoii match last week there were five shots at goal, all unsuccessful. Iu six or seven attempts the Ponsonby placokickers got the ball over the crossbar once in the match against Parnell. The Ponsonby District Club held the first pi a series of winter socials in the new training hall last Saturday evening. Mr. George Stephenson (Otago) "was one of the guests, and generously donated two guineas towards the hall fund. i Patrons of the Rugby game arc complaining bitterly of the increased charge to the cup fixtures as compared with previous seasons. Formerly a through ticket could be obtained for Is, now 8d has to be paid the Tramways Company for fares to and from Alexandra Park, and 6d for admission to the ground. It is to be hoped that tho Management Committee and the Tramways Company will come to some arrangement whereby the old order of things (including the i ssue 0 { through tickets on the trams) will be brought into force again. The arrangements made by the Rugby union for the issue of admission tiokets to Alexandra Park last Saturday proved inadequate. Additional ticket offices will have to be provided if patron?, are to obtain their tickets without undue crushing. The New Zealand team for tho Australian tour will play a match in Wellington on the same day that they leave for Sydney {July 11). Mr. F. S. Murray (Auckland) has been appointed one of the selectors of the New Zealand " reps.," and will meet bis co-selectors in Wellington for the purPose of picking the team not later than Juno The Wellington Rugby Union has adopted an insurance scheme for players. The annual report of tho New South Wales Referees' Association suggests that as the ■New Zealand reurcsentative team is to visit Australia this season, a duly accredited representative of the New Zealand referees should accompany the Maoriland players, and a conference be arranged exclusively on referee matters. The suggestion is one 'hat should commend itself to favourable consideration. The Otago Rugby Union is making preliminary inquiries on behalf oi the Schools Kugby Association, with a view to the establishment of representative matches between the schoolboys of Otago and Canter- . The latest suggestion with reference to the Proposed Rugby matches between Sydney and r««w Zealand Universities comes from the former, inviting a combined team from the fovf Zealand* institutions to play in Sydney ■ in July (says a Sydney writer). The Bydn«J University, guarantees all the expenses

.of the tour. It is proposed that three matches be playedtwo against Sydney University and one against the combined public schools. . The New Zealand team's visit to New South Wales in July is thought likely to interfere with the Sydney trip of the combined team from the New Zealand Universities.

The ex-Otago representative, J. T. Burt, writing to the Otago Witness after the international match, Scotland v. England, winds up as follows: — '" Now that I have seen a few football matches here, I am thoroughly convinced, if New Zealand sends Home anything like its best team, they must hold their own with the very best teams this side of the world. Perhaps I talk with a little bit of colonial confidence, but I mean it."

The annual report of the New Zealand Football Association states that it is to be regretted that, owing to the unsympathetic attitude of the London Association, it has been necessary to postpone the question of sending a team to tour England indefinitely. With regard to a visiting team from England, a great deal of correspondence has taken place. Two alternative teams were in view, and, after much consideration, it was decided to support the West Australian Association in their negotiations with Mr. Jessop. This was done, hut owing to somewhat hasty action by tho West Australian secretary the negotiations have been temporarily suspended, and there is nothing tangible to place on record. A practice match will be played in the Domain (his afternoon between the Grafton and Thistle Association Football Clubs. Tho United and Y.M.C.A. Clubs will also play a friendly match on the same ground. HINTS FOR RUGBY FORWARDS. The forward of the present day is a Jack-of-all-trades. He is expected to be fast enough to keep up with and hack up the threequarters, ho must be heavy enough to push his opponents off the ball, ho must be clever with his feet, able to secure the ball in the scrummage at once, or to dribble accurately with it in the open. He must be able to pass, kick, stop rushes, and is, moreover, expected to take his share of tho tackling. Though no forward is or can ever hope to be equally good in all these requirements (says an ex-English international), yet by practice and training a forward can usually become, like a genius, pretty good, at everything and very good at one thing. The one thing varies with the mail—some make dribbling their strong point, some tackling or stopping rushes, and some taking the ball out of touchall of which depend to a certain extent on the particular man's physique. Forward play may be placed under two great headings—play in the scrummage and play outside the scrummage. The first thing a team has to learn is to pack properly. This does not merely mean forming up three, two, three; it means forming a united and solid wedge, which is like one living body, and can wheel, turn, and move like one man. Tho important tiling about packing is to bind tight in the front row; a loosely-bound front row is absolutely fatal to any " scrum :" they will never get the ball, and they will undoubtedly get pushed. Secondly, the front row must get low, and for this reason it is unwise to have tall men in the front row of a " scrum." Again, it is all important to get the first shove, when the "serum" is formed; the side which gets the first shove usually gets the ball. To get the first shove forwards _ must pack quickly and get their whole weight on at once, so "that the moment tho ball is put in thev get their opponents moving back, and so easily obtain the ball. If it is important to pack quickly, it is equally important for forwards to break up quickly, and this can only be done by careful watching of the ball from tho moment that it enters the scrum." Many forwards shove with their eyes shut, and so never have any idea where the ball is, till they hear their halves calling that the ball has gone. In heeling, the only effectual way to bring the manoeuvre off is to heel in the middle; if the ball is let out at the side it is generally useless, and enables the opposing halves to jump on your own halves before they have a chance of getting rid of the ball. There is one more point about scrummage play, and that is one which is less understood and less often carried out than any other, and that is the proper way to screw the " scrum." What usually happens is that the leader of the pack says, "Wheel to the right or left," as tho case may be, and then all eight men wheel together to the right or left, and generally leave the ball behind them at the mercy of their opponents. The proper way to screw is for the front rank of the " scrum'' to wheel in the opposite direction to the rest of the pack. Suppose you are going to wheel to the right, the front three steadily push more towards the left, whilst the re"maining six wheel with the ball in their midst towards the right. The object of this is partly to deceive your opponents as to which side you are going to wheel, and partiv to try and push them away from the side on which the ball is, and so leave a clearer field for the men with the ball.