FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17112, 18 March 1919, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME. NEW ZEALAND V. WALES. RETURN GAME ENDS IN DRAW. LONDON, Jan. 5. A return same between tho Now Zealand and Welsh teams was played at Cardiff on New Year's Day, and ended in a draw. The Welsh side was rather uneven, tno forward? beinsj slightly too old to last on tho very sticky ground. The New Zealanders made tho came very fast from thfl beginning, and would undoubtedly have won if they bad realist that it was a forwards day and not wasted so much energy in feeding the back line. Almost every attack bv ilip three-quarters broke down on account of the greasy ball. „ , _, , Near the end of the first spell the' Welsh forwards dribbled into the New Zealand twenty-five, where Coghlan nicked up in the loose and commenced a dangerous attack which ended in his setting the ball again and scoring. Well into the second half the New Zealand backs succeeded. Brown. 11cNaught, and Robert? together got over tho lino and Roberts scored well in. Agnin the kick failed. Unfortunately the New Zealand captain did not realise the possibilities of a forward came even at this stage, and the whistle blew with no further scoring, The teams were-— Wales: D. Williams (Swansea). ,T. H. Bacon (Cross Keys). M. O. Thomas (St. Bart's Hosnitnl). J. Cojrhlan (Cardiff) R. Hummer (Newport), K. Lloyd (Pontypool), Clem Lewis (Cardiff), J. Webb (Abertillerv), P Cold rick (Newport). D. Llewellyn (Cardim. T. Davies (Pontypool). 0. Samuel (Cardiff). N. C. Jones. R G. Homcns (Swan sea). 0. Pavey (Penarth'. New Zealand: J. O'Brien. J. Stohr. R. Roberts, P. Storev, McNansrbt. Cockroft Brown. Sellars, Hazel). Moffitt, Wilson Bruce, Eissick. Fogarty. Singe. NEW ZEALANDERS IN FORM. SCHOOLS' PLUCKY DISPLAY. [f'EOM OCR own CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON. Dec. 57. Old Deer Park. Richmond, had its lareest "gate" of tho season on December 21. the attraction being a Rugby match between a New Zealand fifteen and a side from the Public Bchools Services. The Now Zealand men O'Brien (II Q), Roberts (Brockton), Cockroft (Belton Park). _ and Storey (Sling). McNaught (Cambridge), Turcaj (Bo3Combe), Munro (Cambridge), Moffitt (Cambridge), " Ranji " Wilson (H.Q.), Sellars (Stevanaje). Hascll (H.Q.). Allen (Boscombe), Bruce (Boscombe), Arnold and Murray (Grantham). The home team was a good one and at the outset was very aggressive. Ellison (R.A.F. and Liverpool University) was going strongly when brought down by Cockralt, Thomas (St. Bart.'s Hospital and Ouiversity College, Cardiff) then made a brave attempt to break through, but was not permitted to go far Maior Jonlcma ("Wales), one of tho forwards, was prominent in a movement which carried operations into New Zoaland territory The visitors forced their way back, but Thomas brought relief with a neat kick. The Schools continued to do well, but McNaughl ran strongly, being brought to earth in great stylo by Collier (R.N. and Dartmouth). Storey was pulled down on the lino and, the ball being thrown forward, a good chance was lost. A penalty against the Schools, taken by Hawll, failed to bring forth points- New Zealand was pressing hard, and after some rough-and-tumble work near the line, Moffitt dashed over, Ha&ell missing with the kick. Colliei relieved with a fine kick when New Zealand were threatening, and then Munro got over, but lost the ball. At half-time New Zealand led by a try. Early in tl-.e second half the Schools were on the defensive, being compelled to touch down. A penalty by Ilindoraley gained pround, following which the New Zealanderf R"ain got (joins, and Tureai filmost scored, The fjichools were penalised, and Sellars' kick increased the visitors' points to six Almost immediately after Moffitt got over in the corner, Sellars converting with a splendid kick. A sharp bout of passing, in whicl McNaught, Tureai and Roberts were parti, cipants. resulted in an easy try to Roberts' Sellars improving. The final score was £ "oa's (1 penalty), 1 try (16 points), to 0. The Morning Post says:—" Wjion the Nevi Zealanders are in fall cry for a score then is no such thing as a lost opportunitysuch are the .intensive backing up and th< unerring fielding. People ask the reason for this high art in - New Zealand Rugby It is to be found in the genius for gamos which a delightful climate has enabled i ;reat section of tho Anglo-Saxon race tc cultivate. And the New Zealanders ar< sportsmen to the core." The Daily Telegraph states:—" Of course there was never any Question as to th< superiority of tho New Zealanders. The sur prise was that they did not win by a mori handsome margin. I was much impressed b; tho Colonials' push, and as a winger "Ranji Wilson was excellent. The backs wero ful o f possibilities- Every one was a sprinter ancl each tackled with deadly sureness Tureai, however, towered above everybody Perfectly built, always on ths look-out fa; openings, quick into his stride, he is i player likely to win a game all by himself so qu'ckly can he turn defence into attack O'Brien was a polished full-back." THE GAME'S IMPROVEMENT. NEW ZEALAND IN DISFAVOUR. The New Zealand proposals for the im provement of Rugby are still boing com mented on very coldly by the Rngby writer in England. " W.L.5.," in the Athleti News says: "Dominion Ut.iona may pro test and may even withdraw from affiliation 111 furtherance of independent action. The: will be perfectly at, liberty to hive off tc morrow if they desire to do so. As w have repeatedly pointed out the game can not stand further speeding-up, and player remain amenable to amateur rule. The devc tion of plenty of tima to practice, whicl few Rigby Union players can. find, migh allow of ft degree of fitness being obtainei which might enable them to stsnd speeding up, but men who regard football as a recroa tion—which, first and foremost, it is, an* far from being the entertainment flora people would like it to beoome—already hav sufficiently fast sport— fast for most New Zealand must bow to the laws or ge out. There can bo no medium course. Fortunately for the game, the Rugby Unioi usually discusses the representations of th' Dominion in a rather more friendly epiri than tho Rugby writers. THE LEAGUE GAME. NEW ZEALANDERS AT HOME. It is stated that the Northern Union, club: in England are believed to bo communicatim with a number of promising footballers ii the New Zea'and Expeditionary Force wit! a view to signing them on when they an demobilised. A few years ago. tho Northen Union, with a view to stopping tho impor tation of colonial players, passed a rulo tha no club could reenter one as a member unti ho had had two years' qualification hi Ens land. This rulo will have very little weigh now. inasmuch as most of the better player; in the N.Z.E.F. have been playing in Eng land for two seasons. NEW ZEALAND V, AUSTRALIA. [FROM OUfi OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY, Mar. 7 Tho announcement that a New Zoalam Rugby League team will visit Australia dur ing the forthcoming season, at the lnvitatloi of tile New So"th Wa'es Tjen™. has beer reed vecl in fcydn y wth much ratisfaetion and the arrangement of the itinerary is beim awaited v-ith interest. . Tho various bodies govern ms athletics ir the State are hurrying on their arrangement: for the re-establishment of sport on its pre war basis. Tho demands of the war denude< the playing-fields of their, best men, and fo: three or four years neither athletes no public have shown their accustomed interes in the outdoor games wh ch bulk so target: in tho everyday life of this country. Bowl: was about tho only pastime which kept gomi at about the 1914 strength. Cricket. Australia's national game, sufferei a great slump, but the celerity with whicl tho game wus resumed when fighting ceas£< showed how keenly Australians felt the de privation- Moot of the best players ore stil ••over there," and this season's matches havi not been anywhere near the accustomed stan dard. but by next season the popular player should be back at tho wickets. Until some idea ia obtained of the date: fixed for the peace celebrations, and hov they will fit in with the King's Birthday June 8. and the Prince of Wales* Birthday June 25, it will not bo possible to arrange the itinerary of the New Zealand team witl any definitenesa The New South Walei League is now giving the matter attention It is certain that these, the first important post-war matches, will bo very popular. LAWN TENNIS. DAVIS CUP CONTEST. ENGLISH REPRESENTATIVES. LONDON, Mar. 5 It is expected that the. English competitor* for the Davis Cup will include J, C. Parlco A. H. Lowe, A. R. Klngscote, and T. 11 Mavrogordato. J. C. Parke, the Irish champion, was on< of the team who lifted the Cup some year; back. He defeated both Brookoa and Heat! in the singles matches. , „ . - A. H. Lowe is a brother of Gordon Lowe who won all the championships hero in 1915 T. M. Mavrogordato is a Greek, and hai been for a cumber of years m the front rank of players in England. He has not yet played in a Davis Cup match. Perhaps liis nationality prevents him, , A. K. Kingsoote, unless he has greatly improved: could not rank as a Davis Cup representative. J.C.L. V. RAWHITI. A match played on Saturday between th. JC L. and the Rawhiti Clubs, resulted 11 a win for the J.C.L. by 8 points. Th games wore". 81— 1