OUR NATIONAL FIELD GAME

NZ Truth, Issue 985, 11 October 1924, Page 11

OUR NATIONAL FIELD GAME

The Ail Blacks At Home

STILL THEY WIN

Small, Then a Big Majority,

When the scores for the Newport I match came to hand last week the pessimists started to shake their heads, and moan about the future. The optimists ■ sat back and played safety. The three-point victory was certainly a 'bit of a surprise, but to the writer the main thing was that it was another win. Whether the team wins by twenty points or two points, the indisputable fact remains that it's another win 1 on the ladder. That is all we ask the team to do — to win. However, those who were doing their darndest to convince the world after the Newport game that the present team was only a mug combination received something m the nature of a knockout when the result of the Leicester match arrived at the weekend. ■ ■ ' By winning by 27' points to nil, the team got within one point of the 1905 win. According to the cabled reports the Leicester team was- raked fore and aft by the silver fern men. ' Mark Nicholls is getting well up m the points ladder, and he seems destined to take the mantle of Billy Wallace. It is fitting that such should be the case, for Billy spent a whole heap of time coaching the Petone lad. Jack Steel was again m the fray, and he is reported to "have made one of his most formidable efforts." Get that, ye croakers, who had the nerve to say Steel was not worthy of his place. I am sorry to see that Abe Munro had to retire injured. The .'Varsity man is as solid a grafter as ever donned a jersey, but he is always liable to go out. On Wednesday last the team met North Midlands. This game was not m the itinerary of the 1905 team, so for price the crowd that delights m making comparisons will have no "mother to guide it." To-day, Cheshire will be' the encounter. In the 1905 game it is said that the AH Black's war cry put the breeze up the Cheshire full-back, and, as a result, ten tries were gained, two of which we're converted. It is all very weir to say that the full-back had the' wind up and allowed ten tries, but what were the other fourteen men doing? The 1905 score was 34 points to nil. It is. quite on the cards that to-day's score will be just as big. Cheshire is not a big noise m the Rugby world of England. . Three weeks from to-day the team will be called on to play its first International. By that time the selection committee should have its test team well sorted out. At the. present time it is experimenting enough, and one hopes that they are gaining knowledge from the many manipulations. The question raised m this column a couple of weeks back about a record number of potted goals intone ' match has caused quite a lot of discussion, but one letter that arrived i this week should settle all argument. If the information printed below does not satisfy all that it is a record, some people will be hard to please. Here's the letter: — " Old Old Timer" writes: "I was greatly interested m reading your correspondents' records for potted goals. I. think I can give youil readers a record that will be hard to beat. Many years ago, I think it was ISB6 or 18S7, in' a match played at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, Merivale played East Christchurch. (senior match). Teddy Francis, one of the best m his day, potted three goals and H. Hassall potted two goals for East Christchurch. For Merivale, Charley Crowe (I think) potted a goal. East Christchurch won by 20 to 4, all potted goals. This is quite correct as I played for East Christchurch at the time." Carisbrook ground, on which all the big Rugby fixtures m Dunedin are played, is held en lease by the .Otago Rugby Union from the Presbyterian Church Board, and it has been discovered that "the playing area encloses portion of a public road which, were it opened, would run right through the centre of the ground. About sixty years ago this particular strip of land was dedicated as a public road and was actually used as a thoroughfare, but m the early 'eighties the land was enclosed and the road was forgotten. There has been a threat m some quarters to take action to 'test the legal status of the O.R.F.TJ. m the matter, but thex-e is absolutely no need for the opening of the road, and public opinion would have something to say to any attempt to cut up this fine sports ground. Last Saturday, at Wellington, "Truth's" Rugby team was arrayed with ( all due impressiveness and ceremony against the chosen fifteen of Kodak house. From the commencement the game waxed fast and furious and "Truth" was oh the point of going to press several times, but the Kodaks always managed, by concealing the ball, m the dark room, to focus the "Truth" group and, keep their shutters intact. "Truth" 'gained first J points through a Kodak man carelessly getting on the wrong side of the camera. Riggs got the goalposts m a half-pro-file and scored with a fine kick. Early m the second spell "Truth" were m trouble through one of the comps. "pieing" the scrum, an*. Gillespie being much taken with the light and shade effects of the crtissbar, unwound a kick from his spool that sent 'the ball straight . and true for a good three points. "Truth" supporters on the sideline hereupon registered emotion and the Kodak barrackers gave a spirited study-, of Carnival of Venice scenes. From then on the game was very much half-tone for some : time, "Truth's" scrum seeming to be short of "copy," and Kodak backs immersed m a solution of Pyro and sulphite of soda. "Truth," however; was not to be denied,' and Guy caught the Kodaks out of focus when he made a dash for the line. Referee Downey declared his try an undoubted positive, and Riggs, with a carefully timed exposure, developed "Truth's" six points into eight. Before the Kodaks could bring their acid-fixing baths into action, the timekeeper discovered that the last plate had been used and "Truth" retired victorious by eight points to thz*ee.