FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 120, 5 October 1907, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

There is another slashing ch'aßce for "Cally" to nose-up some more Rugby scandal. Many of the spectators at last week's match, WairaraDa Thursday reps. v. Marlborough, were treated to the undignified spectacle of two intoxicated members of the country combination spending most of the first spell sprawling all over the field, and generally making consummate "hasses" of themselves. The matter wants investigating by the Rugby Union authorities m the Wairarapa, and if they don't care about tackling the job, the New Zealand Union should get to graft and straighten out-- things. What has the Otago and Canterbury people got to say to this effusive testimonial to the "kid-elovc" tactics of the much-abused Auckland Rugby representatives ? Mr Thos. Buchanan, chairman of the Taranaki Rugby Union, who was manager of the team which played against Auolcland at Alexandra Park a fortnight ago, stated that the match m question was one of the finest his team had ever pa"ticipated m, and there was an entire absence of anything approaching rough play, while foul play was as extinct as the Moa. Though the game was hard, yet it was like a game between two college teams, so friendly was the spirit shown on both pides. The crowd, too, was most impartial, the Taranaki team being lm*dly applauded every time it showed good fcotbail.

The undermentioned Aucklanders are not likely to be flatterri. by "Full Back" ("Otago Witness") characterising them as old-timers '.— George Tvler, C. Seelins. A. Francis. G. Gillett, H. Kiernan, W. Cun-nii'-j'iam, nnd G. Nicholson. Evidently the Dunedin scribe viewed the late inter-union struggle at Carisbrook with a pair of specs of his own manufacture, the effects of which so befogged his brain that his sense of perspective is entirely lost.

A Dunedin writer mentions that Jimmy Duncan coached the Otago team for the match aprainst Wellington, and .H. Thompson acted as trainer to the members of both teams. If Thompson's , services were really enlisted on behalf of the visitors, it is a bit rough , on Mick Hogan, who • accompanied the latter, or was generally supposed to, for the special purpose of giving them the benefit of his expert counsels. It would be as well to know the truth or otherwise of the Dunedin writer's statement.

An instance of pluck on the part of the skipper of a Blenheim team a week or two ago deserves publication. On the morning of an important club match, he had the misfortune, while opening a case, to run a couple of nails into his left wrist-joint. With the injured member bound tightly up. he played m the afternoon, although suffering the torme*"'s of— we will say purgatory— and by the time the tussle was over, his hand was about three times its normal proportions.

It is a good many years now since Mr Harry Kivell, of Stratford, represented his province m the Ru<rby arena, and took part m a notable match against Auckland m 1887. After the match he telegraphed to Mrs Kivell, then resident at Hawera, "Taranaki won by one try to nil. Boys all well.'-' It might be mentioned that at this time Ms son, Bert, now a representative footballer, was an infant m arms. Rather singularly, just before the recent Taranaki v. Auckland at New Plymouth, m turning out some old papers, the telegram above alluded to was discovered by Mr Kivell. On the next day, his son. Bert, was m the Taranaki representative team for the first time against the same movince, Auckland. On Saturday last another of Mr Kivell's sons, Ted. was also included m the team, and on this occasion the Kivell family was represented by two members of / th.? family. Another singular fact m connection with the Kivells father and sons, is that m each instance the first time that either of them played for their province against another province, the province played against was the same, viz. Auckland. In this connection it oup-hi to be mentioned that Percy Kiveli, Mr Kivell's second son, who is now m the Permanent Artillery, Wellington, represented the Wednesday division of that province atrain-it Wairarapa two seasons a»*o. Mr Harry Kivell is now the senior referee m Taranaki, having acted m that capacity from 1888 (when he was referee m the match, England v. Taranaki, at Hawera) to the present season. This, I. should imagine, goes a long way towards a football record for one family m New Zealand even with Udys, Baylevs, Welchs. Goods, etc.. thrown m.

Seventeen tries were scored by the Auckland teams m the four interprovincial matches played at P. lexandra Park this season, but as showing the deplorable state into which the art of place-kicking has fallen, not one try was converted m any of the four games, . .

The AH Black toeballers played a match against the Ceylon chappies whilst en route for #ie Old Dart, and wiped the warriors of the famous tea suburb out by 33 points to 6. We never knew they played the gentle game m Ceylon—always connected the place with snake-charmers, thugs, sunstroke, and people eating curry-un-rice and selling chutney. "Full-back" on Mick Ryan's performance against Otago :—"Wellington had a reliable full-back m Ryan, whose long, powerful kicks gained rtretclr of grourd for his s-de, m addition to racing Otago forwards off their feet, Ryan fielded the ball very accurately, and kicked with excellent judgment. I was favorably impressed wi'h the young Wellington back, and on his play preferred him to

Spencer, also of Wellington.'* While there has been a wonderful improvement m the form and general play of New South Wales (writes "Rebound" m ths Sydney "Sportsman"), I feel quite certain that the amateur All Black team, which has not left our shores very many weeks, were not equal to the team which carried all before them m 1903, and which opened on July 18 m that year against New South Wales, and led by that fine old veteran skipper, Jimmy Duncan. The attendance at that match was 32,000, and at the opening match of the last team's tour the attendance was exactly 20,000 more than on that date. That team contained the cream of New Zealand, and were solid from the commencement of the tour till the end.

The medals presented to the Hasterton Football Club by Messrs A. Henderson and J. Cochrane, for the best back and._forward m the senior team have been allotted to J. O'Leary and R. Spackman respectively. This is the fourth year m succession that O'Leary and Spackman have won the medals for the best back and forward respectively, m the Masterton senior team.

Mr Buchanan, chairman of the Taranaki Union, gave the opinion while m Auckland that Morse, who is now m the Waikato, would make a New Zealand rep. five-eighths. "He's a real good one," remarked Mr Buchanan, "and I'm sorry he has left our district. We can find room for lots like him,"

A report has been m circulation to the effect that Jimmy Hunter does not intend to play football again, he having bought a farm m the Wanganui district, where he intends to establish his permanent headquarters. O'Sullivan, the Taranaki and New Zealand forward, has also, says Dame Rumor, played his last game. It does not appear, according to a Taranaki writer, that Hunter himself has said anything about retiring and there is still some hope of seeing him out once more next season. His career (says the same scribe) has been very brilliant m the last few years, and yet it has been a mixed career, taken on the whole. A few years ago the selection of New Zealand teams was disgraceful. Taranaki was one of the provinces that suffered most. In 1904, with a remarkably fine team of forwards, one representative—the worst, I think, of the vanguard— was given us m the team against t l^ Englishmen. To anyone who was up-to-date m football matters at the time the mistake m overlooking Glasgow, O'Sullivan and others, was easily apparent and the absurdity of including Glenn obvious. After the match m New Plymouth on August 17 of that year, the captain of the British team remarked upon the fact that only one Taranaki play-* er had been met m Wellington m the previous match against New Zealand, and expressed his surprise at the fact. That yrar Hunter was taken to Wellington as emergency back to the New Zealanders to meet the Englishmen. He hurt his knee m training and was unfit to play if needed. Four days lc + ~r he played a remarkably fine game for Taranaki and West Coast against the Britishers. Next year h~ jumped right into prominence. He was selcr f --] as one of the famous All Blrck team and was made captain of the All Blacks on their Australian tour. It is generally stated that he had the first refusal of the captaincy of the team on its English tour (This is quite an erroneous idea.—"Pakeha"), m fact that he need never have relinquished the captaincy entrusted to him on the tour of Australia. He declined the honor, however, and though it has never transpired why he did, it may be surmised that it was m the nature of a protest against a coach being sent with the team. For several years he was buffeted about, m representative football m various positions, generally m the three-quarter line. Then the idea of playing him five-eighth was conceived. But it was rarely m his true post at half-back that he was seen. As a half Hunter would have proved himself a greater wonder than even at five-eighth, but he was ono of those very useful players, good m any position, and consequently was for some time moved about at the convenience of the selectors. . Hunter was at his best before he became an All Black— when the keenness was untarnished and an overdose of the game had begun to leave its mark. As an individual player, as a heady man m combination, and as a fine general, Hunter will be always remembered, but perhaps his fame will live longer as Hunter, of Hunter and Mvnott, the wonderful five-eighth combination.

Considerably over £200 was taken at the match Otago v. Wellington m Dunedin recently. The Otago Union comes out of the season with a bulging banking account.