FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13745, 9 May 1908, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

, , , » .RUGBY. • . • , ' " . The opening games of the season wore -.played last Saturday tinder the very best of conditions- "Why '» new ball is, however, '{'& allowed to be used in " important .matches; . 'has always been a puzzle to most followers ' of the game, for an? " angular" oval is most "" treacherous to field. Of course, the i'ulo "winch, says that, A, ball, .must, bo a. certain ii: length has always 'necessitated the use of; a new ball in interprovincial games, but ;< • . there is no doubt- but that better football .'I ' would bo the result were the ball used one that. has been knocked about in a couple of games. •-■■■> . ■ ' ~ , . , The Parnell-City match was not a highV class exhibition, .both teams being in evident waftf of field practice. - The score was not a ■ true indication of the game, for. tho teams fortunes fluctuated considerably, and City supporters had many anxious moments. The handling of-the bull, genorally, was not • clean. Full catches were dropped, , passes wero knocked on or dropped, and rolling balls wero invariably- fielded in anything but-, a. clever manner. v Tho City backs attempted some passing runs, but there was a lack of dash in the attacks. > The vjiiy forward line has been considerably strengthened by the inclusion of P. Walsh, who was the " star" forward of Saturday's match. His footwork was very •L ; ■ fine on "several occasions. Seeling was also : 'prominent, but he does not appear to bo . in' first-class condition yet. The pack was -> - able to push the .maroons, and on one oc'f casion shoved them 25yds. Lifting of feet . in tho scrum was ■ noticeable, both teams :JC>: being equally at fault. City will have .to • strengthen up very much in the forward line to have a chance with the Ponsonby for-■".-wards. _■ - r _ The Parnell. rearguard was not, in. form i; and they have made much better displays in the past. Hardwick is a good stamp of r player. Ho is hardy and is sure to make a name for himself before the season is out. There was an,absence of .fast, nippy passing j ■}y' runs. against City, the -passing that took : place being of a laborious nature. The . maroon backs should endeavour to use the touch-lino more, and some of the backs should certainly practise the use of both V. . feet, for punting. : The forward lino put up a creditable perv. formance, and are an improvement on last - .. year's pack. . No player stood out prominently, all. working in unison, excepting, fierhaps, in following up, where often two orwards were the only ones up to the play. Much need not be said about the Ponson- £ ! by-Graf ton match, played on the -outsido f, ground. Tho runaway victory of the West- .; erners. will npt, it is" to. be hoped, dishearten the Graftonites, for they had the mis- ; t fortune to meet those * who may be tho win- :; ners of tho championship in their first game. i Difficulties are only _ made to be overcome, and in football, as in every other game, it' 1 it wonderful what a, small amount of-grit and a largo amount of enthusiasm can do. ■ It has been said that Ponsonby really won fe ] by 40 ■ points' and not 38, and that three • . 'goals were kicked; but that does not make ! . si much better average of goals per tries. •, j The kicking of Webb was good, and ho is dis credited with tho only goals scored, but .the club captain apparently was not desirous of piling up tho points, for.;he allowed, the : • kicks to bo taken by all and sundry, with ' very mediocre results." • '• At Devohport 'Varsity were out for tho firfet time, the historic Varsity blue being -quite a refreshing sight on the. senior foot- " ball -field. They were pitted against the chosen - of North Shore, -and- finished tho f J game with honours easy. ■ : The team is • light, . but smart, some of the work of the 'tear division being very cleverly done. The ' ' forwards aro below .senior .average weight, "but--it! was noticeable that although-' opposed to a much heavier pack. they were able to ; : get the ball on'the majority of occasions. >• \ The Shoro backs were uneven in quality, D. Miller and Jackson being the only two : to. make any showing. The others found a tho dry-ball difficult to hold,- and frequently missed:-chances ; or mulled' catches. As of W f old, D. -Miller gave ; a good • exhibition of ;v-:v;line-kicking, 'a most useful quality to relieve 5 •, a pack forwards. ■ and Jackson was smart i; behind the pack,' .but ~ must cure his lone-. band game and get rid of the leather quicker. Tho North' Short forwards should < improve ' with , a longer acquaintance with w one, another's. play. : , Willis and - Push were the' most' prominent last": week, but the >•&., latter will have to take the field in lighter trim. to.do first-class work. , • ••r.-'.rVi♦*wV s "■ . r . t 7 I * f. ---r —— ' . • TO-DAY'S MATCHES. ' "The matches set down for decision 5 to-day are. Ponsonby and City and 'Varsity; and }'■ Newton, t both . at Alexandra . Park, and :V' North Shoro" and Parnell at Devonport. •h v. The Ponsonby-City match is 'the leading ■ ■■ attraction, being, tho meeting of the cham- , ~ pion team of- last season-with the ronnerg- ■ up. Last year there was very little be- ' ■ tween tho ms, their matches producing v fine • games in each round. .Unfortunately thero was a certain amount of feeling im- • ; parted into the play and tac- , tics were ' sometimes" resorted to. : Every right-minded supporter of the game will agree that there can bo unnecessary rough- : ness imparted into tho Rugby game, and it 'tho wish of patrons that these tactics i should be eliminated this year. On the • showing of the teams last Saturday I have - , no hesitation in saying that Ponsonby • should win to-day, but th§ir team is exactly A the same, while City have included Coleman (late of Balmain), Redwood, who played . •. in last season's' representative trial games. \Even, with,these additions, City will have to play - up to the very best club traditions to '%■,-. win. : ...>! - H : The North Shore-Parnell match, at Devon>o port, should produce a willing contest. Shore are : considerably strengthened and V hafe, 'in' addition; exercised their right to, vh. draw from the crow of a warship, and will play Murfitt, ■ of - H.M.S. Pioneer. Murfitt ' will be remembered as having played well 'for, the marinefcsuburb at the latter end of ?;■ last -season.— :.- In ■ additon to "the handy ,"'v man'" tKe'dub will play Hector Wynyard; ' a member of a famous football family and jis' '• a ! last season's' junior representative, and H. Littlejohn, a Wednesday afternoon represenV tative of last season.. • > k Tho , 'Varsity-Newton match will give , . patrons an opportunity of comparing the 1 r quality of Newton's new, players in actual play. The capableness. of the team is at " t present problematical.; , \ ; - p.HERE AND THERE. The aKntial meeting of the New Zealand - Rugby Union will be held at Wellington on the 14-th inst. -. The Auckland Rugby Union will be represented by Messrs. Gallaher, Sheahan, Langsford, and Murray, who will leave for Wellington by Tuesdays steamer. A number of notices of motion aro set down for hearing, and the business of the ; session appears to be" heavy. Advices have been received in Auckland that Otago intends to send a team on a • Northern tour this season. Auckland is included in the itinerary. The British, or Anglo-Welsh, team is now Hearing the Dominion, Tho first match of the lour will bo played at Master ton Against | "** % lW<tfr , ftr4pa" on - the 23rd inst. W ■ The new A.R.U. junior scheme has re- . suited in an increased number of junior ■teams having entered for the second and thinj-grado competitons, which open to-day. c 5 ' The juniors' affairs arc now in the hands V-' ,of an Advisory Committee, consisting of Messrs. Donaldson, Sanders, and Atkin. ; -V This should result in a more sympathetic ; fueling being shown to these players by the ;V. management. . • , Mr.: H. Jones has been* re-elected sole selector cf junior representative teams. The position is not a sinecure, and Mr. Jones . deserves tho thanks of the union for his untiring devotion, to -tho game from an un- • attractive standpoint. ' The "jUnior selector's work, while important, is mostly done away . from.the public view. .. ... ... Twelve" thousand -people witnessed the Rugby Union football match Sydney Uni'versity,,.v. Newtown, at. the University. Oval, Sydney. Members of the New Zeals, professional team since their return to • Sydney have stated that the amount of dividend to each i one.of-the party was about £350. The - country - week carnival of Rugby ;- Union football will take place in Sydney in -v June,., starting On the 6th. ' Tho New South Wales Rugby Union foot- '. . ball team will probably compete at tho • Olympic Games in London this year. f/' Referee baiting (says an English exchange) • is becoming .of much too frequent occur- / rence. The officials at Oldham and Gainsborough had to run the gauntlet of demon-•-s:strations. Warnings.notices .not appear '-v; to .restrain some spectators, and perhaps the S suspension of one or. two grounds where J offences are ■ committed would be more - efftl'oneke's defeat at Wellington • on Satur- j day ■ week was hot altogether, surprising £ when * it is - remembered that both Wallace and Mitchihson weve absent. It is under-y-stood that, they: will both be out again Shortly. Mitchinson has .been suffering from tin injured biieo<-.>; : . • V;v•'- >;. •' WBmiM ■.... J." 1 -. ■-> .- / V ' ' • ' ■' ' fc * . . '

r 5u...... ? : ■ Tho professional -New South- Wales team " which met the New Zealanders last Saturday included 1 nine men who played against them before they left for England, tho new men being J. Rosewell, J. Davis, and L. ' O'Malley (forwards), and A. Butler (half- ' back). ■ „ ' . Tlie Now Zealanders, after spending a few weeks quietly in Sydney, training and practising, and seeing the nights, opened their match programme at Newcastle on Wednesday week at the Show _ Ground. • Under Rugby Union rules, 15 a-side, they played a Newcastlo team, and tho nature 1 of the game is best indicated by the score— : 53 points to 6. ■ Wright, skipper-of the Pro.-Blacks, says that Messenger was the "star" performer of the touring team. The crowd always yelled for Messenger. His place-kicking was magnificent, atid during. the intervals lie usually gave an exhibition of his prowess in that direction. On one occasion he placed 22 goals out of 24 shots, all from difficult angles. ... - . . . The Englishmen will arrive in Now'Zea-land-by the Athenic, which is due in Wellington on May 18. Their visit is bringing out a lot of old players (says a Southern exchange), among whom are Hunter (Taranaki), Bennett (O'tago), and even Duncan, who cannot resist the: temptation of having another whack at tho Britishers. There are a number of ancient local players also likely to don the jersey again with the same object in view. ; A committee from the Vancouver Rugby Union waited on th 6 directors of the Brockton Point Association-on March 10 in aegard to the playing of-Rugby fixtures there next season. Tho Rugby men wanted the assuranco of the grounds for games in February with the New South Wales team, and received it, though the; question of terms was left over for the new board of directors. Tlie principal attraction at Miramar (Wellington) last Saturday was the contest between last year's champions (Petone) and Oriental. Tho game fulfilled expectations and proved fast and exciting after the first few minutes. The suburbanites had all the best of the play, holding the upper hand throughout most, of the first; spell and during, the greater portion of tho second term, but Uriental played a stubborn, defensive game, and eventually, by the aid of their backs, succeeded in pulling the match out of the fire in the last few minutes, amidst great excitement, winning by 11 points to 8. • British pluck seems something more than a phrase when one reads of the diversions of the boys in an orphanage connected with Dr. Barnardo's. homes in the' East End ol London (says Football and Cricket). All theso lads are physically defective, yet they box, swim, make ardent use of the apparatus in their gymnasium, and this winter capped the climax by organising a football team. Of course they play a modified form of the game, a boy Who has no legs being permitted to handle the ball, and a cripple being' allowed to "kick" with his crutch. Even so, however, they must needs display the same qualities of nerve and courage that, outside the football field, have enabled our race to score many a goal. In view of the. approach, of tho British tourists, the following may be regarded as timely. The lines are from the pen of one who knows, " Off-side Mac." —Confine your training to plenty of walking exercise, as fast as you can go; accomplish five miles in about 45 minutes; boxing, wrestling, sprinting, and kicking about.. Never go in for long runs; they produce staleness, and unless ' it is for an important representative fixture do not train up to the last stage of physical . endurance.' Always have something to como and go on. -Eat plenty of beef and raw eggs, and almost any vegetable except potatoes. Be careful of what you drink. The individual who stakes his reputation on beer, when he has muscles and brains, is better out of the team. . . A....'.. Below is an expression of opinion by "Ranger" in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News of the quality of the coming British team (says an exchange):—"The Rugby Union team to tour in Now Zealand probably would not be considered good enough to do duty for England in an international match at Home, yet one would not be surprised to see tho visitors?; fare Jar better against the .full strength of New • Zealand - than the English fifteen did four years ago. A party that is constantly travelling and . playing together is bound to develop .the" spirit of co-operation in a very high degree, and this natural production of combination was tho great secret of New Zealanders' success here. If a team had suddenly been chosen to play one match for that country against - England it is by no means certain that the latter would have' been beaten. In connection with the forthcoming tour it is surprising to learn that . the Scottish committee has decided to sus- ' pend T." Wilson, a former Hawick .and Glvdesclalo player, for the simple reason ' . that he has promised , to.'form one. of the ' party The suspension is understood to hold for in the, case of all matches played .under . tho auspices of the- Scottish . Union, • and games played by Scottish teams in England; This seems to be carrying an opinion (perhaps a mistaken one) to an absurd - length. .The Scottish Union thinks that these tours breed the. spirit professionalism. Other people 'think that such undertakings promote the growth - of . the game. Nobody ■ knows who is correct, and to suspend a man as though he were already a professional . is prodigious. To be consistent, the Scottish Union certainly ought to declare that : nono of its men should ever play with or against anybody participating in the tour." In its suspension of T. Wilson, the Scot- • tish Union is, no doubt, doing what is best according to its lights (says an exchange). But antipodeans who follow British football see in it merely an aggravation of hostility and discourtesy extended the New Zealand Rugby . Union s representative. team while in Scotland. The-Field is one of those English newspajpers famed for its broad views on our great national sports. Being cosmopolitan, its remarks will be read with interest by colonials, who may nevertheless . not subscribe to all the views:—"Recollecting the history of the disputes which in 1884 interrupted the relations between the Rugby Union and the Scottish Rugby Union, and caused the suspension' of various international matches in later years, those who realise how punctilious are these football governing : bodies will apprehend serious difficulties from the latest regrettable incident. The Scottish Rugby Union committee has pronounced a decree of suspension against a player for joining the team organised by tho English and Welsh Unions for a tour : in New Zealand and New South Wales. Although the player in question) is or has been a member of Scottish. clubs, and the suspension can only apply to him in that capacity, he is undoubtedly from a football point of view an English subject, and it will hardly bo possible for the Rugby Union to ignore his case altogether. The origin of this affair is traceable to the refusal of the Scottish and Irish Unions to countenance the tour. So far they were, of course, within their rights," and they may also have been taking the wisest course. Football in New Zealand' is so highly organised that it does not need the help of an English team, while recent events have given great reason- to fear that the Rugby Union's enterprise .will only serve to assist antipodean clubs -towards professionalism. But so long as they remain-amateur it cannot be anything but an abuse of power for the Scottish Rugby Union to prevent its members from .playing with, or against them. ' A former attempt by the Football Association to dictate to amateur players concerning their choice of opponents raised a loud and universal protest, and it is only just to apply the samo measure to similar action on the part of a more reputable executive. Having issued its prohibition, tho Scottish committee may feel bound to enforce it by formal measures, the first faux pas leading logically to tho second. The suspension, it is true, is a matter of little concern to the player, who is now connected with the Carlisle F.C., but it is precisely these little points of honour, involving no material interests, that givo the greatest trouble to diplomatists, especially where football is concerned." • Tho annual meeting of the Mercury Bay Football Club was held in the Mill Hall, Mercury Bay, on May 3. The balance-sheet for the'last year was read, showing receipts £13 53 Bd, and expenditure £13 2s, leaving a. credit balance of 3s Bd. The. following officers were elected: Patron, the Hon. Jas. MeGowan; president, Mr. R. Middlemass ; ■ vice-presidents, Dr. Gordon, Messrs. W. Callaway, C. O'Brien, H. Steedman, F. Meikle, Geo. Song, J. Matthews, J. Jaekman. P. J. Brown, Jas. Eyre, Geo. White, S. Edmonds, T. McGregor, and Don. McGregor; - general committee, Messrs. J. Rhodes, F. Cleaver, - T. McGregor, W. J. Noble, and H. Smith selection committee, Messrs. Robt. Middlemass and 11. Smith; secretary - and •- - treasurer, • Mr. W. Hodge. Over 30 new members were elected. The record for the past season showed the matches ' played numbered eight, of which seven were won, and one lost, the points for being 108 and against 29. Thero is every indication that another prosperous year is in store for this club. , ■ A . paragraph appearing in Southern papers, telegraphed from Auckland, to tho effect that the" Management Committee of tho Auckland Rugby Union had decided to approach the Wellington Rugby Union in reference to the playing of the interprovincial .match here during the, visit of the American fleet, is a trifle premature. The matter has not even been discussed by the Management: Committee, although the wish of the writer of the paragraph referred to may havo" tho consummation he desired. The matter will probably be discussed on Monday evening next. . The. following letter lias been received from "A Player," dated May 6:—"ln this morning's issue of your paper there appears • an article which refers to recompensing representative players for lost time. Mr. ;, Wilson spoke at the Canterbury Rugby

Union meeting in favour of paying players for lost time, and he also moved to the effect that tho Canterbury delegates to tho N.Z.R.IT. conference bo instructed to support tho proposal. Now, if Mr. Wilson will just think what the word 'amateur' means when correctly defined, ho can come to no other conclusion than that instantly a player receives money concessions in any form whatever he can no longer be called an amateur. There is no grade between amateurism and professionalism, as_ once a man receives money he is a professional in every sense of the word. We might as weH mako Rugby football a money-making concern at once, and not, try to form some new kind of organisation, which is -neither one thing nor the other. I think that the Rugby Union Committee could entertain the players in such a manner that they would re-, quire little or no money. If the visiting teams were entertained by the local unions in an up-to-date manner, instead of on the cheapest scale, and given first-class lodging and travelling accommodation, as well as light refreshments at spell time (with a few trophies thrown in), I think -that- Mr. ilson would find that proposal quite unnecessary. [While agreeing with A Player" that payment of wages to representative players on tour is not desirable, I certainly do not agree with his remarks as to the treatment of travelling representatives. My experience is that tho accommodation provided is always of the best procurable, and that the union spends freely, too lavishly very often, on the entertainment: of the visiting teams. —Lynx.] . AUCKLAND RUGBY UNION. A special meeting of the Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby Union, over which Mr. M. J. Sheahan presided, was held last evening at,the Sports Club, the following delegates being in attendance: —Messrs. C. P. Stichburv, F- S. Murray, I. J. Ohlson, S. R. Somerfield, It. 11. Froude, and V, Langsford (secretary). Tho meeting was called for the purpose of discussing a requisition from the Newton District Club, praying for the removal of the balance of the term of disqualification imposed on P. Long. The requisition was supported by a petition containing a large number of names of club officials, players, and supporters of the game. ■ The disqualification for 10 years was imposed on Long four, years ago, and the persons supporting the requisition are of the opinion that he has been sufficiently punished. The request for the removal of the balance of- tho term was discussed very fully, the discussion lasting about two hours. The committee were unable to agree to the request. NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION: AN "AUCKLAND APPEAL. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION*.] Wellington*, Friday. At a meeting of the Management Cornmittee of the New Zealand Rugby Union, tho Auckland Union forwarded an appeal by the Ponsonby District Football Club against the ruling of tho .- president at tho annual' meeting of tho Auckland Rugby Union. The appellant _ protested against being prevented from acting as a delegate, on the ground that he was not resident within the Ponsonby district. ' It- was decided that the committee, inform the union that it has no jurisdiction. By-law No. 8 in tho Auckland Union's by-laws gives tho right of appeal to the New Zealand Union only on such matters as are provided for in the by-laws of the New Zealand Union, and the matter in question is not provided for. [The above statement refers to an appeal made by Mr. D. W. McLean against the ruling of the president of the A.R.U., that a delegate must be a resident of the district which he is chosen to represent. . Mr. McLean was not re-elected this season as a delegate for North Shore, where ho reside«, but was appointed the following week by the Ponsonby District Club as one of their delegates. At the annual meeting of the A.R.U. the president (Mr. A. E. Devore) ruled that Mr. McLean could not take his seat as a Ponsonby delegate.] . THE ASSOCIATION GAME. . Tho Auckland Football Association has changed .its night of meeting to Wednesday. A senior club recently sent a request for registration of players to the committee by "telephone, but the committee has decided that all registrations must be in writing. _ The Association .clubs are .better off in the matter of playing grounds this season than ever before, the game being played on all the cricket grounds in the city, as well as at the North Shore, with headquarters at Kingsland, whore two of the three senior-grade matches :will be played. • Two " new; teams appear in the first division this season, W.Y.M.I, and Ivanhoe (the winners and runners-up in the second division last year). If these teams can combine the dash of the lower, grades with some • of the more finished play'seen in the firstdivision , they aro sure to do well, and ■ increase the interest* of the senior competition. A change has been made in the ; teams playing in the' third and fourth divisions. Ponsonby, who were placed in the third rank, wero eligible for the fourth, and took tho place in that grade of United, who are desirous of playing in the third grade. As there was a double change there was no necessity for a redraw. .; Mr. W. H. J. Wrennalls, late Association secretary, has forwarded me _ some papers ■from Taranaki, in which he is reported to be rapidly recovering'in- health. _ ■ The Wellington Association is this year better off for grounds than ever before. When the Miramar/ground was lost a few players went over to Rugby,- but now that there aro plenty of playing grounds available a larger number of players than ever are joining the different clubs. There are 44 teams taking part in. the first, second, "and third-grade championships this season. It is stated on reliable . authority (says a Southern writer) that it is intended to open negotiations shortly for the visit of a British team- This is just what is wanted, as it would givo an impetus to the game and assure its future in the Dominion. The first international of 1908 was a great success frcm an England point of view, and so also from an Irish onefinancially, seeing that £1267 (a record) was taken in tho. shape of gate money. It must be many seasons (says Football and Field) since matches were fought, out in spite of such elemental adversities as during the 1907-8 campaign, for we have had treacherous, lung-wracking fogs; dangerous, ice-bound surfaces; stamina-testing nelds of mud; half-sales, with blinding shower of rain, and, we believe, also some sunshine, It is seldom that matches on . the principal grounds are knocked on the head through the; playing pitches being under .. water, because as a rule they are well-constructed and efficiently drained; but postponement through a rain-laden surface has been the order at least once in the league world this month. A meeting of the Auckland Association Football Referees' Association was held in the Sports Club on Wednesday last. _ The following officers were elected:—President, Mr. A. M. Myers: vice-presidents, Messrs. F. E. - Baume, ; M.IP., Kent, Poole, M.P., Muldoon, R. Noton, Richardson, Leo Myers, W. Coleman, Love, Groville, C. J. Parr, J. Eridean, T. Harle Giles, F. Prime, lA. Kidd, M.P., S. Coldicutt, 11. Kohn, P. H. Vaile; chairman, Mr. C. Mould; secretary, Mr. I>unsford; treasurer, Mr. C. Mould: committee, Messrs. Mould, Dunsford, iPhilp, and O'Dell, The secretary will be glad to hear of gentlemen willing to give their services as referees this season.