RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11226, 3 June 1922, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL

TO-DAY’S CHAMPIONSHIPS CAN PONEKE BEAT PETONE'? A new departure altogether has happened in connection with to-day's matches, the fact that it is the King’s Birthday causing the Rugby Union to set down, the greater portion of the matches to be played in the morning. This course will leave the big majority of the players free to attend. Athletio Park, -where the Poneke and Petone teams will meet for the first time this season. There are a lot of people, apart from those who are the supporters of either of these clubs, who would glady hail the victory of the Poneke team, provided, of course, that University, in turn, defeated them the following Saturday. It is contended by many that for the ultimate good of the game it would not be amiss if Poneke and Petone teams could only take a back seat; the victory of University, therefore, would be hailed with a lot of delight. It is not, of course, expected that the supporters of either the Poneke or Petone dubs will subscribe to this statement! Giving ail this in, however, there is a maeic in the association of these two names in Rugby football, and there is perhaps something in the complaint of the Football Association fellows that it was unfair to them to schedule such an interesting game on the day when the Australian touring team is playing Wellington on the Basin Reserve. There are some who say that in the interests of good sport it would have looked much nicer if the Rugby Union ha 4 set down for decision this afternoon a match which would not have aroused such a lot of interest. PONEKE NOT AT FULL STRENGTH. The issue of the game between Petone and Poneke is a matter of doubt—all j football matches are—but from various ! causes the Poneke team will not be at j full strength. McArthur, Brooker, on,l Parsloe are not available, and J. Shearer | is doubtful. I The constitution of the fifteen will 'probably be a 6 follows; —Full-baok, B. | Algar; three-quarters, Tunnington, ! Qhristopherson, and D. Algar; five- , eighths, J. T. and F. Tilyard; half, C. Tilyard; wing-forward, King; for- ! wards, S. Shearer, Calcinai, J. Shearer !or J. Spencer, McDonald, Kennedy, ; Slater, and Tynam. I The reappearance of J. Spencer on the I Rugby field would be something to write j about, and there is a possibility in this | direction. He has been ooaohing the Poneke forward team this year, and does j not feel inclined to let them take the I field a lot under strength. Spencer first represented Wellington in 1897, was a; member of the 1907 and 1910 New Zealand teams, and has since those dorse played the Rugby League game. TtTns I year he was reinstated, and has taken a I great interest in the younger player* of ! the Poneke Club. | THE PETONE h-cIAM. I The Petone team has been selected as | follows, with all players availf/iile:—Fullback, Cowie; Thomas, Harold Niehplle, Corner; five-eighths, M. Nicholls, Tidy; half. Havry Nicholls; wing'-forwarcl. Fitzgerald s forwards, Pole, Wylie, Price, Love, Ashton, Griffin, and; i Parker. There are one or two. experiments here, probably not in the best interests of the team in an important game. "Doe” Nicholls, as centre three-quarter, and Corner, on the ’wing, in the place of Hamilton, are not too convincing.' The last-named is a better scoring man than Corner, and should not have been dropped. a> ORIENTAL v. MARIST. There ought to be a. good gathering of enthusiasms at Kilbirnie Park at 10.30, •where the Oriental and Marist match -will be .played. Both fifteens are now s/t the top of their form, and their meeting should provide an interesting and entertaining game of football. OTHER MATCHES. Old Boys and University are set down to meet at Petone, and fine Berhampom and Wellington teams at Duppa street, at the 'same time—lo.3o. The Athletic and Selwyn matoh will be played aa a curtain-raiser to thq Po-neke-Petone game, commencing at 1.80. A GOOD IDEA. , After last Saturday’s experience, when the match was finished in semi-darkness, the Poneke-Petone match will be com. menced at a quarter to three, and until further notice that will he lie starting hour for the principal game each week. Considering the fact that most people leave their, employment by 12 o’clock on Saturday, there is no reason why the games should not commence at this hour right through the year. THE KNOCK-ON RULE. * In this afternoon’s matches the new interpretation of the knock-on rule will operate. It is to the effect that as long as a player, after knocking-on the ball, catohee it before it reaches the ground, the pl&v should not he stopped. Many times the whistle is blown for an accidental occurrence of this nature, when the breach of the rule is so small as to hardly matter. This interpretation is to obviate that, and the hope is that it will help to speed up the play. But these tinkering® with the laws of thb game, even if they are 'by way of interpretations, are not viewed with favour in many pliaoes, and the writer is one of those who prefers to see the rules strictly adhered to, even if by so doing the wishes of the spectators are not considered as much as the men in charge of the turnstiles would like them to be. The players ought to 'be taught to take the ball cleanly at the first attempt; If they don’t thev should suffer for their lapse from good Rugby, and special provision ought not to he necessary to get over a difficulty that should not arise if the players were as expert as they should he.