General Gossip.

NZ Truth, Issue 103, 8 June 1907, Page 3

General Gossip.

In W. G-. Talbot, the Wellington Rugby. Union appears to have secured a worthy substitute to Joe A very . There were ten applicants after the billet, and the filial issue was narrowed -down to the appointee and treasurer Burton, of the Cricket Association. Talbot has done good work as secretary of the local Amateur Athletic Clkb. , Joe Young, the Stratford forward, is claimed to be a better player this season than O'Sullivan. . Dave Galiagher is reported to have expressed the opinion that Jack Spencer is a bit. of a pointer, and a shirker of toil. Well, we know; quite well that Davie could do his share of both when the time came. '-'An old dog for a hard road," and one will always find m Rugby the world over that it is the raw recruit who lays himse.f out- to do the graft, whilst, the old stager cqllars the kudos. The victory. of the North Islanders over the Southern combination ,^without the assistance of the Auckland section was hailed with great delight by local Ruaby ikes, '"^he <Auckl&rwiers reckoned '-dead^sure''^ on,;the.. Southernersv getting the scalps of 'their opponents owing to "Smitlue," Seeling, Gillett and others from their province staying at home. ; Some of 'the Melrose forwards are earning first-class reputations for pointing and off-side.^ It is hardly fair, though, <to work the oracle a- ( gainst new chums of tiro St. 'James type. They say that Stan Brown Was a lovely iphanoigiraph for the New Zealand Rugby Union, when Baskdville's case .came up fbr xeview by the Wellington Rugby. Union, and his tune on that occasion was strongly reminiscent of that -good old ditty, ''Stick to your mother, Tom." -Kaikorai- suffered what must have been the biggest licking on record for the hillmen m their match against University a fortnight ago.. Harry Portetous, who represented Otago on thirty-tbwo occasions, has retiret'Jrom the; game. He was a keen, hustling forward, who rendered great service bo'fch toi his province and his club (the K&ikorai). He was a member of the New Zealand team m 1903,' and played twice for the South Island. He also captained Otago for fQur seasons. Harry played some good club games here before transfer to the southern city. Somehow, he always fell into hot water when playing ifor Otago against Wei-ling-ton on the local ground. Barney Fanning? got a great reception when he turned out to play for Linwood against Cnristchurch, and at) half-time the spectators gave him three cheers, which somewhat disconcerted the bturly forward. It was wonderful to notice what effect has presence ihad on the team, and further remarkable how, m such a fast forward game, he managed to keep up witih it. Otoot the local critics is convinced that after another game "The Village Blacksmith" would be OfUite m his best form. It is also unr derutood that has services will teat the disposal of his club whenever wanted.- Panning, m my opinion, was one -of the best lock forwards that ever wore the silver fern leaf 1 jersey, and degrees above the much-vaunted Cunningham. When the men met m the 1903 Inter-Island match at Auckland, the Southerner played all over the Aucklander. H. A. Wilson, ex-Auckland and Tararnaki rep. forward, donned the jersey for Patea the other day, and played a good game. Dissatisfaction is said to exist among sonut- of the Sandon footballers at the action of other players m making overtures to the Manawatu Union, asking that body to accept the nomination of a combined team of Awahu'ri and Sandon players, the new team to be known as the Hui Mai. Tine remaining players strongly resented this proposal, and at a meeting called to con<Midei' the question, it was decided to play m the Foxtoa sub^Union, as hitherto. The dissenting members, infciud'jftg' the captain and vice-captain., said they preferred to play With AW&Mlri, and handed m their resignationi'; which were accepted, McNde, the North Island front-rahjeer, was the skipper of the old combination afflft leader m tho fevolutienary forces.The Wairarapa Rugby Union has a balance m the bank to date of about £.1.15, and there is a credit of £39 to the insusanee fWßids. .The e©ttn<try

Union's finances : axe seemingly getting much healthier undei: the new. man- i agement. ....... If referees, -would <mly Keep (their ! lamps well trimmed they would spot plenty of ' illegal ■ play /which goes on m the • loose, and flourishes to some extent on. -the line-out. In three or four of tKe ibdg matches played lately I hove noticed glaring, cases of obstruction,, which, by 1 some means, escaped the notice of the controller of the game, ihow, I can't think. , The man who .waits -bo -get.. io a sly and nasty- one should be put out of Rugby court for all time. In Auckland they, ore complaining of the element of , roughness which has crept into the senior contests of late. ■ Auckland Rugby Union has suggested July 20 for the Gtoldfields match and the Saturday following for the Thames contest, both at Auckland. A member of the Otago Rugby Union, m discussing, the question of competently of referees, said that even the y best referees beha/d played under haid averaged a dozen mistakes per match. If the same individual came to. Wellington he would be well within the. mark. if he just, doubled, or even trebled, that number. On one Saturday afternoon the writer calculated 29 mistakes made by one of the fraternity; who is looked upon as one of the most efficient m its ranks. Now that Meredith is returning to Wellington, he has the chance of lioking. the Wellingiton seniors into some* thing like shape. He was responsible, so it is ' said,' for an impirovement m the Dunedin Pirates' play. "Merry" lias a fairly stiff contract ahead of him when he takes his old club's representatives m hand. In Paris and Bordeaux; there are very fine Rugby Clubs, with beautiftil grounds and quarters of their own. The club matches of the "Frenchies" attract five thousand to seven thousand people.