FOOTBALL NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4407, 13 July 1901, Page 7 (Supplement)

FOOTBALL NOTES

RUGBY. (By “Touch.”) Wellington and Poneke, for the second time this season, played a drawn game on Saturday last. By a coincidence the scores in each match were similar—a try to e ach team, unconverted. The result of last Saturday’s game leaves the Wellington team practically sure of the senior championship. It is possible that the team may be beaten by Melrose or Orientals, but not at all probable. Should this occur, and should Poneko win against Athletic, Petone and Old Boys, the result would be an equality in match points between Wellington and Poneke. In Saturday’s game the defence of either sid e was sound and stubborn. Row, in particular, demonstrated his usefulness in this respect, and Roberts likewise was sure. The Poneke forwards showed great at collaring, and finally wore Burr down to a tremor. This player, nevertheless, did masterly work, and th 0 manner in which he was shepherded was a compliment to his footballing ability. Meredith and Gage shone as opposing halves. Gage was cool, resource* ful and ready; Meredith brilliantly aggressive and quick to calculate pcsi* tions. His try was obtained by a rapid reasoning and reckoning up of chances that bordered on genius. The try gained by Poneke was the result of fine work by Gage, Wallace and Slattery—the first two showing “heady” play and the last-named an allout dash that achieved success. The respective “gees” of Meredith and Gage are now arguing which of the two is the better man to fill the position of half-back in l the Wellington representative team. Some assert that Meredith must give way; others are just as positive that the old-timer has no chance whatever. The present writer would pick Meredith for th e position if forced to make a choice. But not being so forced, I make a suggestion instead. Let the selection committe 0 adopt the three-halves game and so give all Wellington’s excellent backs a chance to do battle for the city. Consider this back division : Full-back, Spencer, Hales, or Wrigley; three-quarters. Burr, Wallace and Gerrard; halves, Wood, Gage and Meredith. It’s a likely-looking lot. with pace, head and combination pre-domin-ant.

Of the forwards Longton, Wilson, Manson, Kember and McLaughan were most prominent on Wellington side, while McAnally, Mann, and Wilson showed up best for Poneke. Manson, McLau"hlan and Poneke Wilson, however, should study the rule relating to off-side.

The prevention of play in Dunpdm by snow last Saturday had itg parallel in Bathurst, New South Wales, a fortnight previously. Snow in Dunedin does not seem out of place, but in Bathurst the situation is different. There in summer the mercury mounts to 106 and 107 in the shade, and the townsmen wander round as scantily clad as the average Wellington forward is after a particu* larly hard match. A suggestion has been seriously put forward in Sydney that the scrummage be abolished from Rugby football. Geelong and Fitzroy teams had a ‘will-ing-go” a fortnight back; which is _ reminiscent of old Rugby days in Wellington, when the Referees’ Association was unborn and the bulkiest bruiser was the man best valued. The final stage of thg match (Victorian. Association rules), is thus described by a Melbourne writer: “When the last term commenced -the Pivotonians were 16 points to the good, and had been playing much _ the better game in the third Fitzroy, true to their reputation, went into th e game like tigers, and within seven minutes of time got a point ahead. It was now neck or nothing, and the teams met each other manfully, neither asking nor giving quarter. It was woe to the man with the narrowest chest. Two men of the Geelong team—Henry Young and Joe McShane —forced their way through the Fitzroy ranks, and a point was the outcome. There was five minutes still to go, and the fight became, if possible, fiercer. Charge and countercharge was the order, and Geelong once again prevailed, scoring another point, and winning by the barest possible margin on the post. Several men on each side were injured.” Complaint is made that the team to tour New Zealand in September is being picked too soon. “The Cynic” thus writes on the matter: —“The Intercolonial selectors have, I nnderstnd, chosen a few members for the New Zeau land team with a view to affording them every chance of obtaining the necessary leave of absence. It seems, to me to he too early to make selections for a team that will not leave Sydney until late in August. We all know wnat failure attended the early selection of the team that played in the return matches with Queensland last season. Had that selection been delayed a couple of weeks or so quits a different team must, have been chosen on form, for some of the best players at that time in the colony were not even asked to go to Queensland. There are, however, a few men, such as Beaumont, Challinor. White,- O’Donnell, Blaney, and McKenzie (full back), who if able to get away, might be regarded by everyone as certainties. With the exception of McKenzie, they are all players of great experience. The danger comes in chiefly when young players are chosen, many weeks in advance of the match; their form is often quite too variable to be relied on.” The Canterbury Rugby Union made a profit of £3O on th a match between Nelson and Canterbury representative teams.

“An Englishman” writes as follows to the Sydney “Referee” on the subject of th e visit to England of a colonial team of Rugby footballers:—“With respect to the English trip, and there being nochance of good gates, I can’t credit it. England v. Scotland v. Ireland v. Wales average about 15,000 people at big prices, and I feel absolutely certain that fifteen good men from hero could go Some, playing North, South, Midlands, Wales, Scotland. Ireland, England twice each, United Kingdom three times, and §aeh counties as Lancashire. Devon, Durham. Cumberland, Gloucester, and Yorkshire twice each, Richmond, Harlequins, and the ’Varsities once each-. Other fixtures would make, say, 40 games. They would win at least half, if not more, with average gates of £3OO to £SOO. with a probability, if they beat the counties, of a tremendous gate at the test games against the United Kingdom. And I know that th e Association patrons would not miss the opportunity of seeing Australia play any game where there was a football used.Another thing, I consider cost of trip GOuld not exceed, say, at outside £3500 £4OOO. Andi if it were necessary to allow players loss of salary, it could be easily done. As an Englishman., and a keen follower of British matches, I

think I would have a great private spec, cn if I had Australia’s best fifteen to visit the United Kingdom with, and to pay each man £3 per week for personal expenses, over and above cost of hotel and travelling.” A player named Martin has been “sent up” by the Canterbury Rugby Union for having thumped Charlie Bush, the old captain of the local Oriental club, as Charlie was lying on the ground. A second charge against another player, that he held down Bush while Martin punched him, was dismissed, it being found that the player was trying to make peace and not assisting in the assault. ASSOCIATION. (By “Line Umpire.’’) At last week’s meeting of the Association correspondence was receievd from the Auckland Football Association asking that the Wellington team should play Auckland on August 24th. This date being considered too early, it was decided to play on August 81st. As, however, there" is a Rugby fixture in Auckland on this date, it seems probable that the match will be arranged for the date suggested by the Auckland Football Association. Various suggestions are being brought forth as to the ways and means of financing the team, and it seems likely that the necessary money will be raised in time.

Last week’s matches were played in a gale of wind, prevented'any at. tempt at good football. At one time it seemed highly probable that the matches would he postponed altogether, a fact which would account for several players not putting in an appearance. At th e same time, these players should find out for certain whether there is any, postponement before'“slipping their team up.” Those who did not turn up on Saturday last should be “bumped” right out. The senior fixture at Miramar between Swifts and Diamonds was an uninteresting game of football, being spoilt by the wind, which "blew right across the ground. This caused a groat amount of line play on the road side of the ground, and rendered scoring almost impossible. The Diamonds were weakened by the absence of Taylor and Barclay, Hathaway and Groves filling their places. _ Martin was absent from the Swifts’ team, Duff filling his place. There was no score on either side, but each team at least lost one easy chance of scoring. Wells and Mouat were the best of the Diamonds’ forwards. Hathaway got cn several good rushes. Collins worked hard, hut Sinnett was_ not a success, missing an easy chance in front of goal. Swain was shifted up to centrei-half, his place at back being filled by Groves, who shaped very well. Martin and O'Connor, the winct halves, worked hard. Burns, in the Diamonds’ goal, was in good form, stopping a couple of hard shots in tine'style. He was, however, penalised on one occasion for carrying the ball.

Keys in the opposite goal was evidently nervous, and on several occasions failed to clear as quickly as could bo desired. White and Macdonald require two, fences to keep them apart; they crowd on to one another far too much, and also on to their half-backs, never giving the latter a chance of recovering when they make a mistake. Mao gets very excited at times.

Sicilian was easily the best back on the ground. His kicking and tackling were neat and cool, while his feeding of his forwards was excellently done. Ho seems every match, and .must reach the reps, this year. Hawkins was not quite aß ' good as usual. The wind spoilt most of his work. Duff, the other wing half, shaped very well for his first senior game, and is likely to find a permanent place in the team. Phillips and Smellie, the two insides, were (although both indisposed) the best of the forwards. Hale and Williams, on the wings, worked hard. Johnson, in the centre, worked very hard, but must learn to pass better. A grand shot from Sloman in the second spell against the wind nearly opened a score for Swifts, but Burns brought off a good safe. The other senior fixture, Red Cross and Petone, did not eventuate, both teams having only about four men each. All the junior teams, with the exception of Swifts, were playing short, and were in addition playing third-class men. Queen’s Park beat Rovers bv 2 goals to 1. The game was very even, the Parks just winning in the last few minutes.

Swifts beat Diamonds by 7 goals to 1. The Diamonds only had'seven men, and it is to their credit that they tackled the maroons with four men short.

Swifts’ 3rd beat .tted Cross by 2 goals to 1.

Queens’ Park 3rd won by default against Royers. This week’s senior match between Swifts and Rovers is causing a more than usual amount of interest. Both teams are tie with 10 points, while the Diamonds are a point behind. ‘Whichever team (Swifts or Rovers) wins will win the championship, but in the ca S 6 of a drawn game three teams will be tie, assuming, of course, that Diamonds beat Red Cross, which seems a certainty.

The junior fixture between the Swifts A and B will decide which of the maroon’s teams is to win the junior championship. Last time the two teams drew, but as the A’s will have Lawson, Staples, Ellis, and Hay this time, it seems they have the best chance. Those wretched appeals from fourthclass Clubs still comp, in, and I venture to suggest to the Wellington Football Association the desirableness of appointing an appeal committee to decide these protests. Last week a protest was received fro™ the Rovers’ fourth-class team, who appealed on three grounds against the win of the Marist BrothersThey lost the protest, and I think they should have lost the protest deposit, as the protest was a very frivolous one. In order to prevent these appeals coming in as they do, Mr Salmon has moved—- “ That no protest be received from junior third-class or fourth-class teams unless reeeied through the club’s senior secretary.” ‘ Another matter which requires attention is the number of unregistered men being played bv various clubs. The Association should take immediate steps to prevent a recurrence of the matter. Mr Roberts proposed a motion on the subject, but as his motion deals also with the registration of players, it has been decided to leave it over until the next annual meeting. Experience has shown us that a fairly heavy team must be sent north, and where there is anv doubt between two players the weighty man should he selected. It is not the slightest use sending any light players against hacks noted for heavy charging, asWrieht and Sawbridge. I hone this point will not be overlooked when the team is being selected.

Some of our fourth-class players know a thing or two,*as is shown hr the following remark, made by a fourth-class player recently. “The fourth-class players require good referees, because they (the players) do not know th e rules. The seniors do not require such good officials, because they know the rules.” And the fourth-class player got angry' because everyone laughed.