HOCKEY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8740, 23 May 1914, Page 13

HOCKEY

(By “Bully.”) j The action of the powers that hej in calling out the ladies to play hoc-, key on a day like last- Saturday is nne that calls for the most severe con-, demnation. It has been said by one writer that the ladies did not object to being called upon to don their placing jerseys. It will probably be said so again. It is well known, however, that girls rush in where angels fear to tread, and therefore, although tbe girls were presumably willing to play last Saturday, if the be known, it was but a grudging allegiance to the committee’s call. Mon have a great horror of being deemed in any way unsportsmanlike, and the same may be said of athletes of the gentler _sexFor fear of gaining this opprobrium, many of the lady players put a good facc’upon the matter aud risked a nasty touch of “flu.” Girls have not castiron constitutions, no matter how they love to protest to the contrary, and although they may strive to emulate the feats of manhood, their strength, it’ put to any sudden test, may fail. This little circumstance has apparently been overlooked by the postponement committee. The latter is deserving of commendation in its endeavour to keep to its schedule, but it must learn that this must not be at the risk of the players’ health.

THE ENGLISH TEAM,

News continues to dribble through from the other end of the world about the All-England Women’s hockey team, which is to tour Now Zealand. A cable; received from London this week, stat-j ed that the team left London last Monday for Sydney. Before the players come on to the Dominion they will participate in the inter-State tournament, to be held there. The cable also stated that the Home Association has agreed to the terms and programme suggested by the N gw Zealand body. Nineteen matches, including three teste, have therefore been agreed to. It is anticipated that the first match will probably he played on August Ist. SODDEN KARORI. Players had a most unenviable time of it last Saturday. Sodden fields and sodden conditions were their, unpleasant lot. As for the wind, the less said about it the better. It was a cruelly playful wind; a breath from the Antarctic. Taking the conditions into consideration, however, the games that followed the referee’- opening overture oil the whistle must he described as really excellent efforts. There was no loafing; every man was on the ball, and the games were in consequence of the open, spectacular order. ' United wore seen out for the first time, and must he considered a very hot proposition. They demonstrated themselves to be an eleven of brilliant individuals, and. what is rather strange in a team o f brilliant “individualists,” that they had also learned well -the science of combination.

Mymi, frcni the initial bully, never had a look in, although' they' gave a display which was an improvement on their first effort. They are a team which is rapidly coming on. Mymi went down by 9 goals to nil, but as they are novices and as United is a team of past-masters, their defeat was by no means a disgrace. KEEN RIVALRY. ' Metropolitan and Wellington had a real “ding-dong go.” Rivalry between these two clubs is very keen, and as each had won the initial match, there was a determined battle to keep up the good work. “Mets.” eventually won with a goal to spare, and upon the whole deserved the win, Griffiths and Sheeran strove hard on the attack on their respective sides, and put in some good work in the circle; Metropolitan relied mainly on forays by tlicir hacks, hut they had a very caoable defensive pair to contend with in'Haigh and Pullyn. The former was probably playing his last game, though he may be seen out again today. He is leaving for Christchurch tonight. Haigh will be a very severe loss to Wellington, and his jilace will be hard to fill. He is undoubtedly on© of the soundest and most promising defensive players in the competition. Taplin, Keys and Leggo were also prominent last Saturday. • FULL 01' INCIDENT.

Prolific scoring was the chief characteristic of the University-Karori clash, won by the former by 7 goals io 3. The game was full of incident, and if the day had been fine, it would have attracted a lot of attention,

Brooker, on Karori’s right _ wing, played a sound game. Karori’s first score, due to ins heady work, was one of the prettiest- goals of the day. Karori held the greens well enough, till late in the second spell, when they suddenly collapsed, goals being scored against them in quick succession. For ’Varsity, I noticed the three Strack brothers, Hostiok (who has proved a most valuable acquisition to the team), and Salek, putting in good work. And for Karon, Loader, Davis; and Lewis did well. Smith, an ex-Wellington inner forward, has +J irown in his lot with Ponsonby (Auckland), and should strengthen the attack.