AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20333, 14 August 1929, Page 15

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

AUCKLAND CLUB'S RACES.

KELLS RETURNING TO FORM

NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP.

Wcatlicr conditions were anything but pleasant last Saturday, when athletes of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club appeared at the Domain to compete in a meeting that was to prove one of tho most successful Ijcld this season. Sixteen sprinters brought forth their best efforts in tho 75yds. dash, while a good field of 20 harriers faced their stiffest task this season, over a course of just under six miles.

In tho final of tho sprint McXiol appeared to bo the winner at the distance, but ho could not sustain his effort, and was beaten into fourth place. C. R Wilson, who had tho advantage of tho inside pnssago, took full uso of it and won nicely from Barker, who in turn was inches ahead of Torbett.

Conditions wero very trying when tho field set off in the steeplechase, but a heavy gale of wind and rain a few minutes later made progress infinitely harder. A. 11. Eyro, on 4£tn, was tho first to have any advantage, and led the field for about two miles before being displaced by G. Rodgefrs. Savidan was racing at top speed, and, having left Kells, was fast gaining on tho middle-markers. With over four miios covered, Rodgers, a new man to the steeplechase ranks, had shown clear superiority to tho other frontmarkers, and gained a big break on tho field.

Savidan caught and vanquished in sue cession Cooper, Andrews and Whitten, all of whom made bold bids to hold their own. Rodgers held his lead over tho last mile, and, timing his finishing effort nicely, just managed to ward off a challenge from Savidan and win by about syds. Whitten finished third, just ahead of Evre, with the rest of the field well strung out. Hells ran a good raco and recorded second fastest time, showing something like his true form. F. L. Whitten, who won the Training College steeplechase during tho week, again showed good form, and with Andrews gave the next best display. Scown and Cooper reappeared after a couple of weeks" spell, but both showed a lack of training and were well back at the. finish. Barker is gradually striking form, although he is inclined to bo erratic. He can always produce an extraordinary sprint at the finish and still appear quite fresh. He would ho well advised to study the using of his powers more during tho earlier stages of a raco than so much at tho finish.

During the week came news that the New Zealand cross-country championship is to be postponed until September 21. Consequently, the Auckland title will not be decided until September 7.

Funds are urgently required in order t-o send a representative team to Duncdin. A plan of the championship course indicates an exceptionally hard run, start ing and finishing at the Wingatui racecourse, but covering six miles of scrub, bogs and hills in between.

RUGBY SCRUMMAGING.

THE PLACING OF THE BALL.

REFEREE THE RIGHT PERSON. There is a good deal of controversy in Rilgby circles at the present time regarding the placing of the ball in the scrums. After witnessing the match between Wairarapa aud Auckland at Carterton last. Saturday most followers ought to bo firmly convinced that the referee is tho right person to perform the duty. In club football in Auckland the official in charge always puts the ball in the scrums find the decision in placing the onus ou tho referee was a step in the improvement of the game. Tho matter ot giving tho official in charge this privilego i;i representative matches is one for tho immediate attention of the New Zealand Rugby Union. If such a rule were in vogue there would not have been the extremely poor scrummaging seen in tho last Ranfurly Shield match. It will be freely admitted the referee is in a position to put an end to any illegal tactics regarding placing the ball in . tho scrum by any wing-fonvard, but at the samo time the official, if standing on the opposite side of the scrum, can make mistakes.

It would be much fairer to both tides if the responsibility were placod on the referee, and it is quite certain i? such were the case scrummaging in New Zealand would improve iinmeuselv At the present time there is far too much leniency given in regard to packing. If one side gets down quickly and has to wait unnecessarily for 0110 or two ot the other hookers tlio game should not be held up and the advantage rule could bo reasonably applied.

The more one sees of Ncv Zealand scrummaging tho moro one becomes convinced tho referee should place the ball in the scrum It would soon end the necessity, as has becomo more op less a general rule outside Auckland, of a wingforward being called upon to place the ball in two, three, four and evcu five times while the packs aro down.

SCORING IN RUGBY

VALUE OF GOAL KICKING. A correspondent, "Logical Scoring," forwards a further letter on the subject of points scoring in Rugby football. Ho says:—"Tho match at Carterton last Saturday between Auckland and Mi Fuller provides yet another instance of the curious results of Rugby scoring values A team that ha 3 scored four tries to its opponents' one will go down t(. history as tho inferior team

"Most peoplo call this bad luck, and I hero they leave it.; but what is there in goal-kicking .that wo should allow it to remain so important a factor v It is (be only thing in tho game that requires skill only, and after all it is not more admirablo a typo of skill (ban that called for in (ho gamo of 'cocoanut shy or Aunt Sally. Why permit it to dominate an essentially team-gamo like Rugby ? "Tho value of tho game is (bat it. dnvelops physique, stamina, cool-headcdness, quick thinking, courage, unselfishness and esprit do corps (to none ot whicn docs goal-kicking make any contribution), and the object of every match is to decide which fifteen lias those attributes, plus skill in the greater degree. That object is frequently defeated by tho presence on ono sido ot an individual (perhaps a poor exponent of the game), wli.i merely swings his with peculiai accuracy (or luck) "It will be. said it is idle to suggost a change in the rules to the august bodies that control tho game. If it involved' a change in tho play it would no doubt bo simply beating the air to agitate for if, but a mere alteration in the method of scoring should not bo so painful to contemplate. "The points attributed to goal-kicking aro meroly a survival of ancient Rugby when the try was only important as giving the goal-kicker an opportunity of amassing points. I fancy the try counted one in those days, and the goal four. Tho rulers ot (he game have changed that, but unfortunately they did not go tar enough."