FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 119, 28 September 1907, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

(By "Pakeha.")'

The Otago Rugby Union evidently considers it possesses a special dis' pensation, not only to rule over its own affairs, but also over the affairs of everyone under the sun. The Dunidiu "Star" published a sketch m its sporting, edition bearing on the Auck-land-Otago match, to which "Barney" Campbell and "The Macdonald" took exception, with the result that ,the chairman of the Union inferred that; it might ultimately be found expedient to warn the press off all grounds, and finally a deputation (Messrs A. Dey and V. G. Cavanagh) (were appointed to interview the editor of the "Star" and t ask that a similar sketch should not appear again. Fancy the presumption of a lot of "nobodies" (even m the football world "Barney" Campbell would be unheard of anywhere but m Dunedin) m endeavoring to tell the proprietary of the "Star" how to run its own paper. And the cheek of the chairman m his inference re the press is unbounded. Probably the members of the Otago Union will see to it that "Mr Chairman" is warned off the chair for life, as without the press the grand old game would fizzle out. As it is the game has quite a number of enemies within its own ranks, viz., players who are guilty of shady tactics, officials whose actions are not above board, and it is to the press the public look to weed out these delinquents . E- J- Beard, the Queensland repre-

sentative at the conference of >Rugbyites, received a bad bump, the eifects of which are still giving him "gyp." Beard was a candidate for Bananaland representation on the Board of Control for cricket. He had the Rugby conference postponed for a day to see the result of the election for the cricket representatives. Fortunately for Rugby he was defeated, as he had been credited with saying that if the cricket and Rugby conferences met on the same day he would leave the football for the cricket" meeting. A nice representative !

Isaac Jenkins, the .veteran Southland footballer, completed his seventysecond representative match Wednesday week, and his twenty-first season as a representative player. Of the thir-ty-five matches played between Southland and Otago he has only missed one, and that was owing to his being absent m the north taking part m the inter-Island match.

A smoke concert and presentation were tendered to Dan Udy by old members and supporters of the Greytown United Club on the occasion of his departure for Southland.

In case the same thing should crop up m Wellington, the local Union might note the fact that the Otago Union has granted a rep. cap to J. Watson, who replaced, an injured player m a match Wellington v. Otago several years ago. Harry Harris had given Watson to understand that he was not entitled to a rep cap m the circumstances, and what this declaration meant to the player may be imagined when it is stated that the refusal barred him from a pass to the enclosure, and also attending gatherings of ex-representative players. The Otago Union has been a long time making up its mind to give Watson Ms just dues, but its tardy action is more satisfactory than refusing to give heed to what, after all, was only a fair and legitimate request. Apropos of the system of selecting Otago representative teams, those who pretend to know, and who attempt to forecast the future, state that there will be a reversion from the "sole selector" system which has prevailed m Dunedin for a few seasons past to the old system of three selectors.

"Rebound," m the "Sydney Sportsman," pipes the following tune :— "New South Wales footballers undoubtedly made great strides m the game during the season, and if a good team is not together to go to England, and they work into anything like the combination ; which they showed against New Zealand, they should comeback with a great number of victories to their credit. The forwards especially have shown great improvement, and a far superior pack was put into ttte field m 1907 than m 190 G. The improvement amongst the backs has not been quite so marked, but still there has been some, and they proved a much better combination. . . . When the New South Wales team came out a third time against them (All Blacks), not as the representatives of the State, but wearing the colors of Australia, to do battle m the third test game, the improvement m our representative, team was again marked. In the first spell of this match the home team certainly had the best of the game right through the spell. The same may be said of greater part, of the second half, as New Zealand did not look like winners at any portion of the game until after Mitchinson scored the try. What a lucky try it was ! New Zealanders do not agree with this ; they say it was excellent play. Well, so it was, as far as Mitchinson was concerned. He had followed up his own kick, and got possession again after it had been mulled, and scored. The luck of it was that Dix and Burge had made such a mess of the taking of the ball. Of course, one cannot blame Dix. as there is little doubt had he not been jostled by Burge, New Zealand would never have scored that try. The game ended m a draw, and lam still satisfied that New Zealand were a lucky team to make it such."

The Welsh sub-committee inquiring into professionalism have held meetings, but nothing has been given m the way of an official report of the proceedings. In fact, it may. be assumed that there will be no report from this committee until September. There seems to be an idea gaining ground, by the way, that the Welsh Union should formulate a scale of expenses which shall be binding on all clubs, and that these expenses shall be fully recognised and paid openly.

Before leaving Auckland for Wellington Scobie McKenzie was presented by the members of the Grafton Club with a gold albert and pendant, a similar presentation being made to H. Kiernan, who is retiring from the game.

The South African Rugby Board last month resolved to invite a British team to visit South Africa m 1909.' In commenting on this fact, the "Athletic News" remarks : "It is a pity we have not a Colonial team coming over next year, when the Olympic games take place m London. France are sure to send a team, and Wales, with a diffidence entirely characteristic have decided to fall into line." But a Continental team from the land of the Golden Fleece will ie m England m 1.908." Extract from the "Southland News' 1 on the Wellington-Southland game last Wednesday week :— "lt was by no means a perfect display of Rugby ; the forward play was of a uniformly high standard throughout,, but the back play of Southland was poor, while the Wellington rearguard, although much superior to their opponents, all round were only occasionally brilliant. In the first spell the Southland forwards overwhelmed the visitors, time and again fighting down to the line, but the backs, when asked to put on the finishing touch, were unable to rise to the occasion. . . . Of the Wellington backs Green and Mitchinson put m great individual work, which several times just failed to bring a score. In the second spell the breeze, which before had assisted

the Southlan'ders, now. worked liavoc with the home backs. It seemed a physical impossibility for them to find the line, while the visitors (Ryan and Evenson m particular) kicked superbly. The home forwards were run off their feet, and only when the breeze fell, towards the close of the game, were "they able to make any headway against the opposing pack. In this spell the passing game of the Wellington backs improved greatly, and a bout, from which Anderson scored, was a brilliant piece of play. Summed up, the Southland forwards were slightly superior to the Wellington pack, but the visiting backs were very much cleverer and faster than the local backs."

The Thames members of the Auckland touring team of foptballers deny the allegations of rough play laid against the Northerners, They admit that the forwards played a hard game, as they have had to do all the season, but state that there was no attempt at scragging or rough play. In the case when the men were ordered off, the decisions of the referee were undoubtedly severe on the men and there appears to be a consensus of opinion that this was particularly so with regard to McCormack, who was running hard to» tackle a man and the latter slung the ball at the last moment. McCormack, who was goin^ at top speed, could not • stop himself, and for colliding he was ordered off the field. The same thing would happen, they say, if the team were playing ping-pong ? When the New Zealand professionals touched at Fremantle, they were interviewed by the local press. The "Daily News'"' is funny m its report of a chat with Mr Palmer, the manager, who said :— "When we get a bit of system going I think we shall be stronger than any team that has left New Zealand. We have not played together much t<v acquire much system, but the Northern Unions have generously made provision on the programme so that we play the weakest teams first. This gives us a chance to get some sort of a system." "You mortally offend the amateurs of Australia ?" "It is not the Australian we chiefly offend. Rather it is the hidebound laws formulated by the English amateur unions that we violate," replied Mr Palmer. ''The amateurs don't even seem inclined to play against you ?" "No. the amateur just sets his teeth and says metaphorically, 'Get off the earth. You're ostracised for ever. 5 We resent this attitude. The English amateur and professional cricketers play and tour together, and why shouldn't the Rugby footballers exhibit the same bon camaraderie ?"

"Acteon" (Auckland "Star") on the "Canterbury Times' " article dealing with the Aucklanders' alleged barbarism m the Canterbury-Auck-land contest : "Had Auckland done all the things charged against them m this fiery outburst, it is hardly likely that one of the Canterbury team would have escaped alive, much less, as the whole fifteen were able to play and defeat the strong Wellington team on the following Saturday. It seems to me that the unexpected beating was none too vjcll taken. And the Canterbury team took all that was dealt out to them without the slightest attempt .at retaliation, were led like lambs to the slaughter all through the ninety minutes. I did not see the match, my Southern confrere did ; but I think that he asks one to swallow just a little too much."

A Brisbane friend drops me a line to say that the opinion was universally held m Rugby circles m Queensland's metropolis that the New Zealand team which recently visited Australia was not thoroughly representative of "Dominion Rugger." By the same mail, an ex-New Zealancler m Sydney wrote that although* the Welshmen downed the All Blacks once and drew with them on another occasion, they (the light blues) were not a tip-top team ;in fact, on the season's play they were not one whit better than the Queenslanders. He says Rugby m cither State will not reach the stage of proficiency until a real live body of Rugbyites, who know and understand the game, are selected to the various positions on the executive and managing committees. My correspondent also alludes to the tremendous "gut" that one of the party attached to the New Zealand team was putting on m Sydney, and people were under the impression that he was a person of great consequence m the Dominion until the truth was driven home to them of his humble clerkship calling.

An Otago comment on the individual form of the Wellingtonians last Saturday '— "N. Ryan, the full-back, was safe, and, with the exception of one mistake (which proved fatal) played a sound game. Mitchinson, the crach centre three-quarter, hardly played up to the expectations of the onlookers, but on occasions gave a glimpse of his form, and proved to be a dangerous man .with the ball. Anderson, on the right wing, was weak on defence, but was fast, . fielded well, and kicked with judgment. On the opposite wing, Evenson played sounder football. Of the fiveeighths J. Ryan was the best, Cleary not playing his usual game. The bad passing of both players lost several good chances of scoring for Wellington. Green's game at half-back was nippy, and he usually made good use of the ball with a good opening. Dewar was the best forward, followed m order of merit by Wilson, King (wing), Rush and Bell."

Which is the champion team this season ? To be mathematical correct, Taranaki is entitled to the distinction.

The whirligig of Time brings its revenges. It is not so many years since Wellington teams were held up by their Otago friends as the most blood-thirsty mob of toeballers that ever invaded the South Island. Who is likely to forget the way m which "Off-Side's" crowd of 1*897 were execrated by the biggest section of Dunedin Ruggers ? Auckland, however, is now the bete noir of our Dunedin friends, and the fuss they have made over the incidents of a few weeks ago is absolutely funny m view of what the Wellington players had to undergo ten years ago. Didn't the Otago Union "roosters," notably "Barney" Campbell and that parsonical-looking gent, Macdonald, get to work with the "blarney" that the Wellingtonians were amone; the cleanest playing ruggers m the Dominion ? And the referee, not to be beaten by this pair of flatterers, pronounced the game to be one of the cleanest he had ever known. It might have been true, but

those who are acquainted with Campbell and Macdonald know quite well that it was "their troubles on Wellington." Their objective was Auckland, whom they now hate like poison. Campbell, like many other Dunedin Ruggers, detests everything and everybody pretty well, m all places north of. his beloved Otago. How long would Campbell and Macdonald reign m the North Island ?, Not five minutes,

The conference of the Amateur Rugby Unions, which was held m Sydney recently, resulted m a fizzle. The New Zealand representatives pressed for a share of the gate takings while their future teams were on tour m Australia, but the New South Wales and Queensland representatives would not agree to this proposal. The matter now is being dealt with by correspondence. No fresh agreement with reference to future Australian teams has been drawn up so it is reported.

At the annual meeting of the Welsh Rugby Football Union the accounts showed a balance of £3546. The receipts at the South African match were £2879, English match £791, Irish match £1985. The expenses for the South African match, allowing for half-gate to tlie "Springboks," was £1956, of the English match at Swansea £281 17s lid. of the Scotch match at Edinburgh £161, and the Irish match at Cardiff £318. During the year £1300 had been made m making grants to clubs who did not benefit through the South Africans' visit, £300 had been given to charities, £100 to the London Welsh Club, £175 to the Welsh Schools Union, and £75 each to Glamorgan and Monmouthshire Cricket Clubs. We m New Zealand are anxiously waiting to see what the New Zealand Union is going to do with its larpe credit balance.

This is how the Dunedin "Star" sums up the individual showing of the Wellington men against Otago last week :— "Ryan, Wellington full-back.-filled the position well. He kicked strongly and accurately. The three-quarter line are a fast lot, and always dangerous. Mitchinson, at centre, is a very , tricky player, and adept at maMng openings. He gave a lot of trouble, and had to be very closely watched. In the first spell, against the wind, he put m some perfect, fielding and kicking. Evenson, wing three-quarter, is a dashing player, who will be heard of m the near future. His try was a real "beauty." He took a pass cleverly, and dashed over m an instant. Anderson, on the other wing is also a fast man; He, however, was not too keen on rush-stopping. Ryan, at five-eighth, played with his head, and was ably assisted by Cleary. another young and promising player. The diminutive scrum-half (Clem Green) is a mere boy- He is a plucky little player, up to all points of the game. Of an fiven set of forwards. Reedy, King, Dewar, and Wilson were about the best.