FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14691, 27 May 1911, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS.

TO-DAY'S MATCHER.

THE arrangements for the principal matches to-day are as follow: —

SENIOR GRADE. (At three p.m.)

Parnell v. University (at Alexandra Park. ■No. 1 ground); referee, Mr. H. Frost.

Marist Bros. v. Ponsonby (No. 2 ground); referee, Mr. Katterns.

City v. Grafton (No. 4 ground); referee, Mr. A. Campbell. Newton a bye.

SECOND GRADE.

Parnell v. College Riflen (at Alexandra lark, No. 3 ground); referee, Mr. J. Williams.

University v. Newton (No. 5 ground); referee, Mr. Mcl'hail.

Ponsonby v. Marist Bros. (No. 6 ground); referee, Mr. Knox.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The pride of position at, Alexandra Park has been given to-day to the Parnell-Uni-versify match, which will thus take place in front of tho stand. Tho University team's success against both Ponsonby and Grafton gives them the right to be iooked upon as possiblo winners to-day, the latter team having drawn with Parnell 011 the opening day. The students, who arc a greatly improved team this season, are playing with rnoro dash, the infusion of new blood in the forward and back divisions having given tho older members a good lead. The I'amell team are always a side to be reckoned with, and they may be relied 011 to give the 'Varsity men a hard game. >

Marist Brothers Old Boys' team will play their first serious match of the season today, when they will meet Ponsonby on the No. 2 ground. The team is greatly strengthened this season, and the club supporters arc sanguine of victory over tho redoubtablo opposition. The experience of the Ponsonby team, howover, is something to bo considered, and as the men are playing into form the Old Boys will need to lie at their best to win. One thing which may prevent Ponsonby's success is tho fact that some of the loading players are reported as likely to bo playing the Northern Union code to-day.

The City-Grafton match should provide a great struggle, the teams l>ciug very evenly matched. The result is very hard to anticipate.

hx-Presidciit Roosevelt, who has been visiting California, made a speech to tho students of tho University of California at a "rally ' held to give the baseball team a send-ofl on the eve of an important game, and congratulated the collegians on their adoption of tho Rugby football rules. The former head of the union stated that he thought a modification of the Ameri3.ul game was necessary, and t*.a although ho approved of all forms of exercirc lie felt that the game as played in tho colleges of the Eastern States, here, was a hit too strenuous. Air. Roosevelt expressed his regret that the could not see one of the Rugby games, his visit being in the offseason.

Rugby is still growing on the Pacific Coast of America, and next season promises to l>o oven belter than the successful one of last autumn. Tho universities »jh' high schools are holding spring practice so that men who aro not familiar with the game may be instructed in the rules and methods of play. In this way the coaches expect to have a greater number of men who know tho rudiments of the Rugby code when tho season opens, and in this way improve tho standard of play, and, mayhap, discover some diamond in the rough among tho new aspirants for places in the Rugby teams.

Although an Australian team is duo to visit the Dominion this year, according to Australian papers, there is not much chance of the Now South Wales and Queensland Unions sending a team. Th© All Blacks' clover five-eighths, J. liuntor, has boon the recipient of numerous congratulations on his recent marriage. The Metropolitan Rugby Union's competitions opened in Sydney on May 6, when, with 10 first grade, 14- second grade, 10 third grade, and 16 city and suburban teams playing, the union had directly under its control 50 teams, or 750 members, taking part in the amateur game. This (says the Sydney Mail) is irrespective of a number of junior olubs, and, of course, the public schools, which play their matches on Fridays. The fact that so many players lila remained loyal to the union at a time when inducements to desert are many speaks for itself, and seems to warrant the feeling that with such a backing no fears for the future of tlio game neod be entertained.

During the progress of the AlbionChristchurch junior match last Saturday the wing-forward and one of the fiveeighths of the latter team came into violent collision, with tho result that the former had several of his teeth loosened, and the latter now bears the imprint of them on the back of his head.

The Temiika Football Club has presented Mr. D. Ilorgan, a well-known South Canterbury player, with a handsome gold modal, on the occasion of his retiring from tho game. The presentation was made by Mr. T. Buxton, M.P. Mr. Ilorgan has a good record as an athlete. In 1899 he started playing football, and got into the representatives the same year, and has represented South Canterbury every year since that date. ll© played against Britain in. tho match on Lancaster Park, when the ground was under snow, and twice represented the South Island. Ho was also in tho final 30 from which the selection for tho All Black team was made. On several occasions there havo been seven of his brothers playing in the Temuka, senior team, and on two or three occasions thero have been three of them in tho backs of the representative team. Mr. O. V. Langsford, secretary of the Auckland Rugby Union, has prepared a plan of the grounds at Alexandra Park. This will be fixed on the grandstand, where players may get tho necessary information as to the location of the grounds on which they are drawn to play. The union officials received a notification during the week that a fourth grade player named A. Askew, a member of tho Marist Bros. Old Boys' Club, fractured his knee in last Saturday's game. A. Noedham, of the University second grade team, injured his knee last Saturday. This will keep him out of the game for some weeks.

The Ponsonby fourth grudo team objected to the Rovers' win by default against them being allowed to stand. The Ponsonby players said they could not find the ground. Tho union has decided that tho match lie played later in the soason. A member of the North Shore third grade B team was censured on Saturday for too much talking. Players should remember that tho referee has power to prevent, the players criticising his actions too freely. 11l a letter received this week from Wellington the writer stated that fortunately the injury to Freddy Roberts was not so serious as at first anticipated. Roberts is said to bo very keen now to make a new representative record for Wellington. Ho has played 4*B matches, tho record being 54, held by H. W. (" Hen") Kelly. I fancy Roberts has moro New Zealand matches to his credit than Kelly.