FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5312, 25 June 1904, Page 15

FOOTBALL

RUGBY. , (By "Touch.”) The decisive victory of the English team over New South Wales last Saturday gives added point to tho soundness of tho proposal previously made in this column that tho New Zealand Rugby Union should endeavour to get together iis colonial representative team at least one. week before tho match against England comes on for decision. There will be no light contest awaiting the team, judging by last Saturday’s game in Sydney. An excellent proof of what combination will do for a team is provided 1 1 \ the experience of tho last Now Zo .land team, which was defeated at AA rollington in its initial and then went through Australia without sustaining a single reverse. The N.Z.Ri.U. should certainly endeavour to have at least one practice match against some strong team provided for the Now Zealand representatives, so that they may take the field against England with something of tho combination essential to success. A sub-union, comprising all the existing Oiunaru clubs, has been formed for North Otago. All matches at Oamaru will for the future be played under* tho management and subject to the control of the sub-union. Mr St. John Buckley has been elected patron, and the following a Committee of Management:—Mr H Newton, president; Messrs A. Potter and D. Miller, vice-presidents; Mr W. Irving, hon. secretary; Mr Veitch, hon. treasurer; aiid Messrs Sumpter, Ogilvie, Doig, J. Miller, Glass and Aynsl<.y members of committee. THE ASSOCIATION GAME (By “Line Umpire.”) Tho following are tho fixtures for the New South AA’ales team, which is due at Auckland on Monday:— June 29—v. North Island, at Auckland. July 2—v. Auckland, at Auckland. July 9—v. AA’ellington. July 14—v. Canterbury, at Christchurch. July 16—v. Otago, at Dunedin. July 21—v. Southland, at Invercargill. July 23—v. New Zealand, at Dunedin. July 20—v. New Zealand, at AVellington. H. Renai (Petone) and O. Hathaway (Diamonds) are the two AVellingtou representatives chosen to play for North Island team against the visitork in Auckland next AVodncsday. Renai, I understand, will play left half, while Hathaway will be at left outside.

This will be Hathaway's second appearance ii> representative games, the first occasion being in 1902, when he represented Wellington against Otago at' Dunedin. Morrison was then the wing man, Hathaway playing inside left.

llenai is not by any means new to rep. honours. He has represented Wellington every year since 1900.

Messrs B. L. Salmon and L. White have accepted the position of Canterbury delegates on the New Zealand F. A. council.

Last Saturday was the first occasion this season on which it lias been necessary to postpone the various fixtures. The postponement committee were a long time in coming to their decision, but the afternoon proved to bo uo fitone for football.

One wonders when the football season will end if we got any more wet Saturdays. Even now it will be October before the final for tho Charity Cup can be played. A game has been arranged between tho Swifts Club and a team from H.M.S. Tauranga, to bo played at- Miramar to-day. Despite last week’s bad weather several members of tlio boys’ team turned up and were keenly disappointed because the games were postponed. Such enthusiasm is very welcome, coming, as it does, from tho latest recruits to tho game. The* New Zealand Football Association was formed in 1891, and is, therefore one year older than the New Zealand Rugby Union. Diamonds got through the first round of the Senior League contests without losing a single point. They hare scored 14 league points, St. John’s arc second with 10, Queen’s Park third with 9, and Swifts fourth with 10. Will tho Diamonds survive tho second round without any losses? If they do it will bo very hard to pick the final winners, as the next teams are all very much on a par with one another. Thcro will be some new players in some of tho teams in tho second-round, and their presence may have some effect. For instance, looking at the goal averages of St. John’s (20 for 8 against). Queen’s Park (14 —8). Swifts (IX —G), it will bo seen that the defence of the Queen’s Park and Swifts is quite as strong as that- of St, John’s, hub the attack is much inferior, and it is goals that win matches. Tho Queen’s Park have a new centre named Stewart, who will bo a very useful centre when ho gets into form. Swifts are trying a new forward. Pearce, who may turn out to be the scoring man they require. Y.M.C.A/s improved form against Diamonds with D. Wilson and Hall in their team is only an instance of what may happen later op. Pearls have also got one or two new players.

Mr Roberts’ lecture last week was unfortunately postponed, owing to the vagaries of the weather. The lecturer had prepared a fine set of diagrams. The following is the position of the Junior League;—

Although Diamonds are leading, as seen by the above table, Swifts have played a match loss. They have yot to play Swifts B, Y.M.C.A. A and Ramblers B, all throe matches seeming to be victories for the maroons. Diamonds have two hard games to play, against Kaiwarra and Ramblers, and it is hard to foretell the result of cither of these feames. To-day’s game, Diamonds v. Kaiwarra, will, at any rate decide who is going to be runner-up this season. The W.F.A. intends to be very severe on any teams in the Boys’ League Competition playing boys over the ago of sixteen, so the various secretaries are warned not to take any risks.

_2 | Lost. h e* « £ Diamonds (i 1 0 12 Swifts A 5 0 i n .Kanvarra 5 t i ii Swifts B 3 2 2 8 Ramblers A... 3 2 i 7 Pearls 3 4 0 0 St. John’s ... 2 4 1 5 Y.M.O.A. A.., : i 0 1 3 Y.M.C.A. B... i 4 1 3 Ramblers B... ...0 6 0 0