SPORT IN THE TROPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19412, 21 August 1926, Page 13

SPORT IN THE TROPICS.

BLUEJAGKETS AND NATIVES. NOVEL PLAYING GROUNDS. TREES ON FOOTBALL FIELD. The fact that the Englishman who leads his life in the remote corners of the world clings to his games as to a cherished possession was forcibly impressed upon tho officers and men of H.M.S. Diomede, which yesterday returned to Auckland, after cruising among the Pacific Islands for over three months.

The Diomede, being the latest addition to the New Zealand Division, was making her first tour of the islands and, although some of the complement had visited tho outlying possessions before, the majority were new to the experience. The calls at the various islands were for the most part without formality and the men were given full opportunity to take part in games on shore. They found that wherever a white man was there too was a football, and a team of natives who handled it with surprising dexterity. Every island possessed its recreation ground and, having decided that " the play's the thing," the native saw no reason why the seasons should regulate his choice of games. On the island swards, often baked hard by tho tropical sun, it was purely a matter of inclination whether cricket, Rugby or hockey was played. Teams of eager natives, barefooted and agile, tried conclusions with the man-of-warsmer, not without success. For the most part they had the advantage oi: being in training, whereas the sailors were often) not in the best of form after some days on the water.

Rugby football in sweltering heat was a uovel experience to the sailors and the unorthodox methods brought to bear against them often left them at sixes and sevens. The coloured footballer does not include the low tackle in his tactics, and as a result a player from the warships, on gathering in the ball, was frequently startled by being crushed to earth with a severe jolt. When able to look about, ho would find a huge native, smiling broadly. He had descended on his opponent from behind, like a bolt from the blue, and clung to him until both had hit the ground. The nativo was found to be particularly smart at picking up the ball on the run, but when it came to tactics or combination he was rather at a loss.

The playing fields themselves were often rather trying. At Vavau it was a matter of some concern to find five trees growing in various parts of the football ground. However, the game was played to a finish, not without the players executing brilliant sidesteps when a tree loomed up in tho foreground, When the Diomedo's teem scored a try near the touchlines it was necessary, in order to convert, to kick (she biill over a tree. Instead of going between the goal-posts the ball lodged in 'the branches. On the other hand the trees were useful as dodging posts, and mar# than one " dummy " pass in the vicinity; of a tree-trunk puzzled players of both sides.

At cricket, too, the native has his own methods, and, would rather hit six balls in succession to the boundary liqe and go out with the next, than sacrifice dasliing; play to stonewalling. r- - ! r v..