PLAYERS and the GAME

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12199, 25 July 1925, Page 17

PLAYERS and the GAME

but the cup fighting experience of the Triangles told in their favour. However good Orr may be in the “O” team, h© was rarely in the picture on Saturday. It waS rather a pity that Eton was put on the bank. He could hardly have done less. And did Logan find looking on more interesting than playing for Thistle against Institute y

Both Falkiner and MoCbnachy were delighted with th« conditions under which • their big match m Wellington was played. McConacby knew the table. It was the one on which He made his record break of 1182. Aftor the game both players declared that they had never played on a better table, and it would be hard to find a better if they travelled the world over, —a great tribute to a New Zealand made table.

“Baby” Tilyard is showing a fin© turn of speed nowadays, and with • a really useful backline would mould into a fin© player, His tackling and kicking are sound and he is auick oS the mark. *** . *

It- was a forward fight in every sens© of the word when Poneke met Oriental. In the first spell play was hard but . clean: in the second spell more than on© Poneke man showed bad blood. There- were several incidents which would have resulted in the red and blacks playing short if the referee had'seen them. Kicking a man when he is down, does net make for friendly feeling, and the plea of provocation (if there.. was any) cannot excuse such an offence..

Bitten by a dog just when he was striking! his form an English golf player had to retire from the British open championship at Troon. It is. a curious characteristic of Scottish sightseers that they bring their dogs to golf courses, as if the places were' fair grounds. While playing recently, Miss Wethered had a short shot over - a bunker spoilt by a yapping puppy dashing behind her as She made the stroke, While on another occasion, she had to wait to play on to the green while a dog there was chased- away. ...» ,* * *

“They are a fine side, hut they simply do not; know how to Bcore.”- Those words were printed on this page after the Oriental-Varsity game. And again on Saturday the black- and whit© forwards showed their ability to smother

their opponents, but could not cross the PoneSe line. * * * *, ' Archery still is a pastime in Scotland, and small wonder! The King’s Bodyguard in Scotland ib composed of a company of Royal Archers, with its brigadiers, its adjutant, and itb president of council. And very picturesque too, do the old gentlemen look in their mediaeval tunics of green, and their bonnets and 'feathers. Every now and again the archers practice at the butts, and when they visit the town of Mont, rose, the council is bound to supply them with as muoh claret as fills a sieve, which means claret ad lib. *.» * * Sidet is game. He was an injured man during most of the Oriental-Po-neke epoounter, but though he could not run for the ball “Ones’ " fullback did some heroic rush-stopping. There was one headlong dive into the mud which checked a really dangerous forward advance. * * * * Athletic has a promising young forward in Fraser, a last year’s junior, who did a lot of hard. work in Saturday’s match against Selwyn. • * • * If ever the Australian Soccer players grow expert at the game, and feel their heads swelling, they, will have available a cheap and sovereign remedy. They lyill be able to recall that day in 1025 when Australia's best met the Englishmen, and the Englishmen tried not to score.

1 - .Jerry Patterson will have to pull J himself, together if ..he, is to improve I the look of Australia’s Davis Oup ‘ chances. Anderson’s lapse has made j it imperative that Patterson should be at top form, and though he owns the I Longwood Bowl, who will argue that | Harada would force either of America’s Bills to five sets? Fortunately j the Australians’ doubles strength seems as good as ever. - i * * * *

1 , There would have been a nice little harvest from the new grandstand on Saturday at the. Basin had the public been allowed to use it. The crowd must have been from three to. four thousand, and quite a lot would gladly have paid for tne «xtra comfort. The same applies to the preceding'Saturday. Why not allow it to be used? | The City Council has, a’share of the (gate. '"--"A"" *"

Swain, who played so well for Athletic that he gained a place in the Wellington repretentativee, and nearly wjm an All Black jersey, hgs' returned to Napier. Just how strong they are in forwards up in Hawke’s Bay is indicated by the fact that Swain played for the Bay’s B Team last -Saturday.

They are rafher keen’ on cricket .n Western AuslnaTia. Recently cricketers from Derby jc/uneyed to Broome for a match . Some went in a motor-lorry, 120 miles over bad bush track—a journey of eight hours. Others wept by steamer and two by airplane. * •• •.*■- * . When watching Poneke have a good look at one of the -nippiest forwards in Wellington. Smith has brains and pace; and is always dangerous near the line. Some day a Poneke supporter. will count the number of triea scored from ruok and rush by their forwards’ skill, and he will find Smith very honourably mentioned. * * * *

Helen the young Californian tennis star, has a very high opinion of Suzanne Lenglen. “Perhaps I snail, beat her when she grows old,’ said_ “Little Miss Poker-face.” wnen ' discussing plana to meet “Six-love Sue”. . .next y« ar - . ■ * . *

New Zealand’s Rugby League team now ip Australia consists of 23 players, and fifteen of them are Aucklanders. Of the others, five play in,Christchurch, one plays in Dunedin, one in GreymoUth. and one (E. J. Carroll, Newtown ClUbl in Wellington. !

Mansfield, of the Old. Bojys fifteen, played the best tackling gam© on the Petone ground on Saturday. Time after time in the second spell, when the position looked extremely dangerous for the wearers of the white, he grassed 1 man after man, and seemed tp be everywhere just whenever required.

That old organiser and founder, Jock Blair, of the WaterSjde Football Club, is starting a junior • section of tho Athletic Sports Club. There is a chance, here for any boy between the age of ten and eighteen to be coached and trained as he hae got together quite a lot of .trainers to look after them. Names and addresses of intending members will be received by the caretaker of the Central Park.

Halley and Malmanche shone m Athletic'S three-quarter line on Saturday. Malmanche, playing on the wing, was conspicuous for his speed, and the way in Which he opened up the game. Hallev’s two tries were first rate, although it must be admitted that tho opposition was weak. Cookson, at ful’.~ back, was sound on defence, but r<>ihaps because he had so little defending to do, showed a tendency to iget up amopg tho backs. The Nepia touch tan be overdone. Who was tho Rotarian who left the .luncheon last week and walked along Lambton quay with liis badge on? It cost him a “bob” at the luncheon on Tuesday. It goes into the boys’ work fund.

Playing in Montreal, Claude Falkiner made a break of 367. Not th© score, but the time, was remarkable. He took rllmin 58sec. It is believed to be a record in. fast billiards. * * * *

The sensational allegations against the Finnish flyers, Nurmi and Ititola, and Nurmi’s manager, Yuist, have been disproved. The special committee of A.A.A. appointed to go. into the case, said they were satisfied that neither Nurmi nor Ritola had received a “rake-off,” either directly or indirectly The “New York Tribune,” however, weighs in with this combative comment; —“There is a settled belief in the minds of many thousands that Nurmi and Ritola have received far more than their mere expenses. There was.no need for Nurmi’s wild dash from place to Slace, where frequently he could not o himself justice. It was this fact which made so many inclined to believe that some substantial reward must have been involved, else he wouldn’t have punished himself as he . did.”

v ** * * There is a tale of a new member whr joined the Miramar Golf Club six weeks ago’ and is wondering whether two days’ golf is worth it. * * ,* *

They say that th© only sportsmen in Wellington who never have approached the City Fathers for a grant or assistance are the yachtsmen.

It has happened. Someone has been hurt at the Berhampore municipal links and all th© golfers have chorused: “Wonder it didn’t happen before.” To call the state of affairs out there on Saturday a disgrace is to use mild language. It is more than a disgrace, it is almost conniving at manslaughter. On holiday afternoons, you may see some 20 or 30 couples picking their way through the valley en route to the first