FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12995, 9 June 1904, Page 10

FOOTBALL.

BT Fun, HACK. TO CORRESPONDENT. Footballer.—There are eight international players in the British Rugby team, captained by D. R. Bedoll-Sivright, which is now on its way out to Australia-and New Zealand. OTAGO REPRESENTATIVE HATCHES. APPROVED DATES. August 10—Against British team, at Duncdin. August 17—Against Southland, at Invercargill. August 20—Against Canterbury, nt Christchurch. August 23—Against Hawke's Bay, at Napier. August 27—Against Auckland, at Auckland. August 31—Against Wairarapa, at Mastcrton. September 3—Against Wellington, at Wellington. September 10—Against Southland (return), at Duncdin. BRITISH RUGBY TEAM IN NEW ZEALAND. August 6—Against Canterbury, Westland, and South Canterbury, at Christchurch. August 10—Against Otago and Southland, at Dunedin. August 13—Against New Zealand, at Wellington. August 17—Against Tsranaki, Wanganui, and 'Manawatu, at New Plymouth. August 20—Against Auckland and Poverty Bay, at Auckland. BRITISH TEAM IN AUSTRALIA. The programme of tho English team at present stands thus:— June 18—New South Wa'ies, at Sydney. Juno 22—Western Union, at Bathurst. June 23—New South Wales, at Sydney. June 23—Metropolitan Union, at Sydney. July 2—Australia, at Sydney. •July &—Northern Union, at Newcastle. Visit to Queensland. July 27—Northern Border Unions, at Armidalc. July 30—Australia,'at Sydney. Visit to New Zealand. August 27—Combined Country, at Sydney. August 31—Metropolitan Union. September 3—New South Wales, at Sydney.

That the fortune of winning the .toss does not often 'aoine the. way of the Kaikorai Fifteen is evidenced by tlio fact that for the first timo ibis season tho ICaikorai captain won the spin of the coin in the match against Dunedin last Saturday. Tho question of replacing an injured player arising oii'ti of tho incident in tho Zingari v. Kaikorai match has already teen discussed in these columns, but as the matter was' brought up at the last meeting of the Otago Kugby Union Committee it might not be . out of place to refer to it again. Tho circumstances of the- caso arc so well known that they need not be set out here. Ignorance of the rule cannot be put forward as an exouso'by_ either the Zingari or the ICaikorai captain. Both 'wore fully aware that tho English Hugby Union's ruling on the point ciuno into operation last season, and 1 had beon carried out by referees and players up to the timo of tho incident at present under discussion. Only tho previous Saturday, in (to match Dunedin v. Alhainbra, the former club had two men disabled, but no new players wo allov.-ed' to replace lliem, and Dunedin foujlit out the gamp with 13 men. As it has been frequently stated in these -ol'imus, Lam not in sympathy with tho E.ll.V.'s ruling that injured players must not l;o replaced, for, to my mind, it encourages rough play (tho English Union the rule has the opposite- effeot) and diseoui-iges that .feeling of sportsmanship and fair play which has always been tho noblest trait in tlio oharacter of the Britisher. No doubt it was this feeling that prompted tho Kaikorai captain to acquiesce in the replacing of another man in lieu of the incapacitated Zingari player. That being admitted, it comes with something of a shock to find a prominent member of the E.U. Committee moving in the direction of suspending the Zingari captain till tho end of the season and 'the Kaikorai captain till the end of 1905. What crimo wero these two men guilty of that such a penalty should have been suggested? Not of rough or foul play—the most heinous offence in football or any other game, and for which tlni laws provide ,1 penalty according to the enormity of tho crime. For what, ithon? Simply becauso they had broken ono of iho laws of the game, and by so doing had disregarded the instructions of iiho controlling bodjr of Rugby football! Had'a case similar in all rcspcets to the opn under discussion como beforo tho English Union, I do not believe that any member of that committee would hayo been bold enough to suggest a penalty, anything appraaclrug tho severity of that which a member of the Otago Union was willing to indict at lost meeting. While Kugby football is to be played according to-certain rules, lui those rule? be strictly carried out, and if a 'much does occur, and it is necessary to penalise for the offence, do so, by all that is iigh.r, and just l , iu eveiy instanco making the punishment, fit tho crime. Mr George M'Larcn, as one of the vicepresidents of the Nwv Zealand I'nion, was voted to the chair at tho meeting of the N.Z.R.U. Committee in Wellington last week to decido iho programme of- matcbei for the British Kugby team's New Zealand touf.

Piilon, tlu> Duncilin goal-kickcr, lias a fine retard this season. Of tlio 33 ]A>iuU seorcd by Ilk club, Paton is responsible for 23. 'i'lio British' llugby team {or Australia and Now Zealand is due at Adelaide on Monday next, .Tmio IS. They mil travel overland to Sydney, playing their first mutch against New South Wales 011 June 18. Tho New Zealand correspondent of a Sydney papor is responsible for t!io statement that, live players who took part in the Australian toin- last year have been notified by tho New Zealand Union that unless certain arrows in connection with the tour are wiped off tlicv will be suspended. The To Auto Native tea'ii, if beaten a; football, do not intend to lie outdone in the entertaining lino while in Sydney. The boys have bean practising poi dancc.% war danccs, physical and military drill, part songs (Maori and pakeha), and other, spare things; 'also Maori cooking, basket-making, and ancient tiro-making. "In fact," says Ronaro Tomoana, "tho boys aro making preparations for a good exhibition of Maori life, past, present, and future." Tho spootaclo of the Maoris after a hard day's gruolling in tiw football field going through physical drill

and war dances, part songs ami baskot-mak-ing-, concluding with an exhibition oE kumara rooking,-will bo ono of the sights of tlm tour. The Rugliy Union football championships were continued on Saturday afternoon (wires my Anckland.corrcipondont), when rain fell almost, continuously, and tho ball was' so greasy as to make accurate handling impossible. Newtown beat Grafton. 5 jwints (a, goal) to nil, after a keen contest. North Shore and Ponsonby fought out a close game, tile first-namei] winning by 5 points (a goal) to 3, (a try), Suburbs v. Pavnoll played a. drawn game, neither sido scoring. Football is almost as popular in Bnrmah as it ig in this country, 'l'ho natives play the game unshod, and kick and shoot goals with baro feet. Reminds me that one oi tho members of the New Zealand Native team scorned footwear when, playing football, and was an adept at punting with the sido of his fool. Also old timers on the North ground will remember an individual rejoicing in the pseudonym of "John Bull," who jilaj'cd _ regularly in bare feet. As hard as nails, this worthy would go through tho toughest game .with no more concern for his safety than if he were padded on nil points like an American footballer. I have seon him pinning down tho lino with three men clinging to him liko leech:*, and though staggering under the' weight, get his kick in with a strong bare foot. A Sydney, enthusiast at present in London, writing to a friend, states that the British Ritgby loam now on its way out to tho colonies is superior in attack to the previous English team (Rev. MuUineux). They expect to win all tho Australian, matches, but are doubtful as to New Zealand.

A big New Zcalander in J. Thompson, who hails from , the Thames, is playing in the vanguard for the Glebe (Sydney) Senior Fifteen. He is an aggressive forward, playing at 13st. Tho famou; English three-quarterback, Gwynn Nieholls, who toured Australia in IHS9, had a rib fractured in a recent match. Nicholls has been so unfortunuto in football lately that it is probable he may not turn out again next season. O'Brien and M'livedy, tho two New Zealanders coming out to the colonics with the British Rugby team, played for Kent-against Durham in tho match deciding tho English County Rugby Championship, which Kent won after a desperately hard struggle A -Sydney writer states that Ecdell-Siv-wright, the capltin of the British Rugby team, will play full back for i hat combination. Not at all likely unless somothing violent happens. Bedeli-Sivwright will lead his men from tho centre of" the pack, leaving Stangcr-Jjcatlies to defend tho English goal. Mason, -tho ex-Otago representative, now in Christchurch, whero ho has been playing for Linwood, is unlikely to play again for the remainder ot the season.

Reported tli.it Kiernan ; tlio Now Zealand representative half back, is playing :n tho throe-quarter lino for on Auckland club. Kiornan was going to rotiro this season, but the approaching visit of the British team lias probably induced him to change his mind. Tho programme of matches as 'finally arranged by tho New Zealand Union for the -]3ritish team's New Zealand tour should givo general satisfaction, as far as it is possible to .give satisfaction on such a Hying, visit. The present arrangement was net arrived at in any indecent luste. Possibly fho strong representation made by Olago, together with tho knowledge tint it had been decided to send a New Zealand team to England next season, weighed ivith tho committee in tho allocation of the British matches. Anyway, what matter? A tenr has boen arranged winch will give all unions a chance of representation against the distinguished visitors... The matches should l;o more interfiling on this account, for they will partak.i of a more representative character than would be tho case if jjiayod against purely tlio three .1% pvovi&ial teams.— | Wellington has been dropped out in order that tho New Zealand matoh against the British tc-am may Ire played in Wellington.] —Weatlunrt and South Cantcrbtsy, combining with Canterbury, will mako this match lr.ora interesting o;i account of its ropre--eoutativß character, together with tho fact that it will nlFoi'd an opportunity of bring;ing to Jighfc players might otherwise nutbo heard of. The same remarks apply to Oiago-Soutbland, Taranaki-Maamtu-Mfaa-ganui, and Auckland-Poverty Bay fixtures. Sinoo the tour 'has been mapped out, Wanganui has decided not to take part in the match against tho British team. That is their funoral.