FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17721, 4 September 1919, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

i RUGBY. By Void. Baok. FIXTURES. September 6—boott l>,m-iit Match (UniI vtra.iy v. Kttii oi I fckipiemour 10.—Otuf" v. .Southland, at i l>uiiuuin. September 20.—South Otago v. Uta-", at Dunedin. tiopu-mber 20.—South Island v. isionli liiland, ax vVeJbngfcon. ! '-I'he "goto" at the Kaikorai-Univerrity A I iiiatoli on Saturday amounted to aliout £i4b. J 'Ihis, at a oluirgu of sixpence (with ladies ! liec), represents an, attendance- of wull over uuftj people, 'l'lio "gate" was the sworid liighest in tho history of the loca-1 union j lor a, club match 1 . 'Ihe record gate is I taken iu 1912, when Southern lnut and beat I University on the Caledonian. Grouiid. j The art of potting goaia Ls distinctly on the up-grade in local football. Never iu my recollection has a goal been potted by a member of each of tho four teams playing on one ground on *' w aanio day. Inis occurred on Saturday. Hughes opened by potting a goal for West Taieri; Connor followed suit for Ravenaboumo, Perry did ditto for University A, and M'Uhie accomplished th-3 quartet by potting a goal f° r , , Kalk ?rai. Wliich was the- cleverest kick? Opinions will vary, but Hughos's was certainly tiic most difficult, his kick coming Ironj a 'ivido angle. Tho othor three kicks vyera propelled from straight in front of tho posts, Connor's was probably tho " snappiest" of tlio otlier throe. Hughes just missed another pot shot, tho ball going outside tho post. I iiave been asked e3veml times lately which I considered the bast jxidi in ]>uneam this year. Tho selection would be conhned to the vanguards of tho Southern, Kaikorai, and University toame. It is difficult to mako a definite selection, for the simple reason that whereas Southern and ICaikorai have had to rely chiefly on theirforwards to win their matches," tho Univorsity pack haa been assisted by one of tho finest back combinations, if not the very finest combinatiori, which havo ever played for their side. To arrive at something like a fair conclusion one would have to take the South-arn and Kaikorai ■ packs, give them the University backs, and transfer tho backs of tho Crsi>named two teams to tho University forwards. I am, on this argument, inclined to favour the Kaikorai pack as tho best of tho trio. v\ ith littlo assistance from their backs they well held the University pack on Saturday for the first 35 minutes by tiho process of bottling" up tho game. That style of 100-tball cannot, of courso, appeal to followers of tho game, but it is quite in accordance with the.rules. It may, on tho other hand, bo argued that Southern have a poorer sot of backs than Kaikorai, and liave consequently received less assistance from their backs than either Kaikorai or University. To show the divergence of opinion on tho question, after the match on Saturday threo members of tho Rugby Union wiohave «aoh held tho position of selectors of Otago teams gave their opinions on the point to "Full Back." One ex-seleotor plumped straight for tho University pack another for Southern, and the other for Kmkorai. I shall let tlio argument stand at that. University A wound up the Senior Grade competition on Saturday by administering a severe defeat to the runnors-up, Kaikorai, and going through tho season without a defeat. University havo played 14 matches (they did not meet their B team in the first round), and have scored 363 point? to 71 registered against them. In Saturday's match tho Kaikorai forwards started off with a rattle, and at onco drovo their opponents back. For well on iu the first half tho bustling t'.ictira; of the hill forwards kept University on the defence, but the determined play of tho Blue pack hold them off. With the initial onslaught of tho hill team easing off, Bogg (half back) commenced to got the ball out to his backs, and the first ."pell ended in University's favour by 7 points to a goal from a mark. Incidentally it may bo remarked that Kaikorai did not succeed in crossing their opponents' lino Commencing the second half, the Aaikorai hookers repeatedly got tho ball, but tho passing out was very poor, and the opposing bucks took advantage of this weakness Ihe University backs then commenced to throw tho ball about; and in the concluding stages of the game the Kaikorai wore a woll-beaten tsain. When the whistle went tho Blues had scored 31 points to 7 points.

Perry, outside five-eighth, and Valentine on. the wing, were responsible for daslriii" displays; and Begg (half back) stood up to tho rushes of the hill forwards in great style, getting the ball well away on several occasions. iViackereth was hajdly as brilliant as usual, a heavy tackle by a hill forward, which evoked a. chorus of hoots maybe causing him to slow down a little' Ho was keenly watched all afternoon! Nevertheless the University centre played a iine game for his side. Hutchison was responsible for one particularly fine run down the centre- of the held. He passed to Reay on tho line, the latter scoring. A nice dribble by Hutchison to Homer also enabled Greville to cross the Kaikorai line. Hutchison, however, did not handle the ball as cleanly as usual.

Strange as it may seem, Macky (full back) had about twico as much to do as the opposing full back (Homer). This is ac- ■ lounted for by the method adopted by the University backs of standing v/elj forward to the opposition, and thus leaving a gap between them and their last defence. Macky got through a heavy afternoon's work iii good stylo. Several times his line-kicking was loudly cheered. In his eagerness, however, he is at times inclined to overrun a ball coming to him on the ground. He did this once on Saturday, but quickly recovered himself, and gathered in, the ball. For his own safety Macky, when crowded by opposing forwards, should not put his head down and try to bore through. If tt player keeps his head up he does not run anything liko the same risk of being hurt. Macky's head-down habit is distinctly dangerous to himself.

All the University forwards played a hard, determined game, and I do not intend to particularise, save to say that Campbell dock) held his pack together in first-class style, and that Church's try was a really dashing effort. Homer, full back for Kaikqrai, played a fair game. He took Valentine in determined style in a straight-out tackle and kicked safely, but his fielding at times was not too certain. I have seon Homer play better games this season. Knight, first fiveeighth, is very fast —so fast, indeed, that ho repeatedly got away from his supports, and nullified his efforts. His punting to tho gaps was too hard, and caused his forwards a lot of unnecessary running about, as the opposing backs had plenty of time to get the ball and send it back, with interest, to tho line. M'Ghie played a good game on attack, but was not too sound on defence. Duncan again put up a sterling forward game for Kaikorai, and was going strong right to the finish. Woodrow, M'Mcekin, and Ritchie also worked hard in the scrums. M'Donald was seen to advantage in the loose work, and Herd (wing forward) put in several fine solo dribbles.

Bv winning their match against the unbeaten West Taicri team, Ravensbourne (whoso only defeat in the first round was by West Taieri) have drawn level with tlip country tram, and the play-off is set down for Scptomtar IS or 20. The match between the two teams on Saturday was played as a curtain-raiser to the UniversityKaikorai contest. West Taiori have many old players in their team, but they did not give a very good exhibition of systcmatised play—in fact, they have very little system of auy kind. Botbgato, an old player, was very sound on defence at half "back, but was too slow on attack. Hughes (fivc-eightb) is a good place and drop kick. His left-foot potted goal was a fine effort, as also was his second.'but unsuccessful, attempt. Had, however, Hughes passed out to the man next him instead of potting, a certain try was waiting, as the support had a clear run in. Anderson (wins three-quarter) also missed a clean run in. failing to field the ball. Mitchell (on the. other wing) ran and kicked well. Had West Taieri taken all tho chances that came their wav, they ■would havo finished up with a bigger score than 7 pointe. They did not, however, cross their opponents' line. Ravonsbournc cannot be complimented on their place-kicking. They secured five tries, two or three handy to the goal posts, and every fihot missed. - The seaside t-.-am has a skrhing sot of forwards, fast and clever in the loose. Brown is a ftno stamp of forward, and his two solo runs to score right through the opposing team from midliold were quite sensational. I understand tha: he played football with New Zealand teams in France. Tho taller M'Ewan Webber, aaid French also worked hard in tho pack. In Connor the Ravensbourne have a centre throo quarter in a class by himself I should imagine, in Second Grade football. He runs straight for the line, and is particularly strong on his legs. On Saturday it generally took four or fivo men to P" l ], h ' m <towri- When he pkvye in senior tootb-ill, I imagine he would shape bettor ■ I thn_wiag._ He would not brush aside tackles in senior srrado as he does in iraiioTho difficulty in getting him off hir. brought.beck recollection of tho same difficulty which used to be -scperienoad by men

who tackled the old University player Colin Gilray. Boswoll, on the right wing, is a fest three-quarter who goes straight for tho lino, and Grant, on the othor whig, has a nice swerve when being- tackled. I do not know who the Ravonsbourne man was who knoukod a West Tai-ori man out of the way when both wore racing for tho ball as it, rolled towards the goal lino. Jt wa rt .so barifn-o<l that tho Ravensbourno man must have quit,, "lost his head," as th<' saying pro.-s. Ho would have looked hail tho n feree awarded a try to West Taiori for obstruction instr-ad of giving a ;..:;iiall:y kick.

A number of old tnemliers of the- Ravonsbourne (,'lub were present to ace this team I»uy. Amongst them I noticed Mr W. Barker, who must have lxjen one of the original players in the team when it was formed in lrX6. Many honours have oomo o the ecasidu club sinco those days. It had ether honours, too, in its early days. Ihe chief, perhaps, was an undesirod one. J hat was the honour of never winning a match. "Full Back " knows. Ho played for Kavinsbourno in thoso days. Ravonsbourne in tho fate eighties and early nineties was, however, a rather unlucky team. They journeyed out to Tahuna lark ono Saturday, when ono could havo anost counted the number of houses round about the park on the fingers of ory? hand to rr.f el the redoubtable Pacific team. Ruho Richardson. Billy and Josh King, the Listens and Brady were some of the team which m-?t us that day. and Ravensbourne led tile score right up to tho call of timo, when from a loose rush ono of the Pacific men picked up the ball and potted a wonderfully lucky goal. Ravensbourno tfr-eat- ?",- to , P rotp st, because they asserted that , timn was overdue. Nothing, however was clono, and Ravensbourne had ono more win recorded against, it "Dear 'Full Hack. , —When I left England in 1914 it was the custom of the lino umpires oach to stand herido a goal post when a place kick wa«? being tak°n The referee stood behind tho baU. If tho hall passod mside the posts, one, or both, linesmen raised their, flags, and tho referee whistled to show it was a goal. With the linesmen standing beside the posts it was nlmost impossible for any mistake to occur 1 am, of course, thinking of tho recent Lniversity-Alhambrn match.—H 0 F "—The rocosmieod nilo,in Dnnedin is that'neither ump.re raises h« flag, unless the referee is undecided and asks whether, in their opinion tho ball has passed over the bar and between tho posts. THE UNIVERSITY TEAM. I am indebted to " Varsity" for the fohowing interesting particulars concerning the iuturo prospects of the University team:— ' Dear "Full Back."—The following may be of interest to you in view of this season s results and as a, guide to the future seasons.

Ihe men of the Cambridge Blue (not Koyal Blue, which is the Oxford colour* will lor some years, it is certain, maintain tile standard of Rugby shown in the second nait ot last Saturday's game! Thomson (front ranker; was injured in tho Alhambra match, and lias finished his football in consequence. Tod (first support) was also injured in tho Alhambra match, but will be able to resume his football. These two wero replaced by M'Kenzie and Lake, both of. tho B team (tho last-named was injured early in the season when ho was skipper of the A team). Luke played wing on Saturday, Fairmaid going mto the serum. GreviUe replaced IXOonnor, who underwent an operation on Saturday morning. (O'Connor had a knee carUlago displaced at InvercargiU) Valentine (injuro-1 on Saturday) will not bo available next Saturday. University will have a very powerful sido next year. Of tho present team they will lose the following, who shouk graduate in medicine next February — -Ihomson, Campbell, Tod. Luke Beg" Hutchison. Of the remainder of the °\ team Macky will be available for fcur years; Mackereth. ■Greville. Perry, and Reay available for threo years; Church and Gray for two years; Harty for four year&and Valentine for ono year (all medical students). Fainnaid (Mining) for two years; M'Kenzie (Divinity) for two years. iaking theso facts into consideration, together with all the men of the B team (except Clark, who finishes this year) and the usual additional men that come along, it will be easily seen that University shoufd have some capital teams for years to come.

NEW ZEALAND TEAM IN SOUTH AFRICA. Bt A New Zealaxder Abeoad. CAPETOWN, July 27. The "All Blacks" have played two games here, one against a combined country team (whose language, by the way, is Dutch) and ono against a combined town tudrn. As one who hasjseen a tew good llagby matches against Dunedin teams 1 was disappointed in the New Zealauders' play in their first match here, and I heard a.ll around such remarks from the Dutch action of the spectators as " Wait until *ur University team meets them; thev v.-ill beat them (the All Blacks) all end's up, etc." The New Zc;danders as they marched on to the field made a good impression on the vast audience >(used to seeing fine specimens of manhood) by their splendid physique., and our men averaged probably 151b heavier than their opponents, but some of this w;is flesh they could very well have done without. Everyone who'spoko to me of the match said: '• If your country men don't put up a better game than against the country team they will go down 20 to nil against the teams of some of the provinces." In the first half of tho match they out-played the country team; in the second half they could not stay the pace, and the whole collapse can be sui>med up in the want of condition. Two days after this they played their second match, this timo against a combined town team, and their opponents included some oi the old "Springboks" who toured England in 1912. Tlie match resulted in a draw —New Zealand, 1 try; Town, 1 try. The account of the match was in tho Evening Argus two hours after the game, but does not give any idea of the strenuousness of tho game, and I can see no mention of that great player, Singe (wing forward), who undoubtedly on this occasion was tin outstanding player on the field. His lightning quickness and sureness ia picking up the ball made the spectators at times fairly gasp with astonishment. Many admit that this second match was the hardest contested they have seen on a Capetown football field, and had it. not been for a huge Dutch forward (R. Morkel) the town team must have gone down by a fair margin of points. This player is one of the "Springboks' , referred to who toured England in 1912, and is a host in himself. Time and again, when a pack was round the ball, he plunged amongst them, soattcrinr: them like a great Newfoundland would scatter his smaller canine species, relieving his side from many awkv,\u'(I positions, lint he did not get it all his own way, for the low tacklir.t of our men was deadly, and in this point they have proved themselves much the suDcrior of the local men. In this second game the All Blacks had in proved 50 per cent, on their ruevious form, and at the end were pressing their opponents.

'1 he town no doubt seeing , the weakest point in the New Zealanders in the first match was lack of condition, pliyed themselves to the last ounce, but our men stayed the full course. In weight the teams were about equal. We were, however, deprived oi the services, through previous injuries, of fitohr and O'Brien: otherwise the result might have been different. One thing, if skmth Africa goes down it will not bo for want of condition. The Dutch players especially are tho most temclass of sportsmen in tho world, and play a very hard game. Again, a touring team travelling lon~ distances by rail, as obtains in this vast subcontinent, and in a country famed for its hospitality, is at s disadvantage in keeping- regular hours and regular training. One thing, they will givo a great impetus to Rngby football in \hi3 country, and it is on the cards that a Sooth African team will visit New Zealand in the near future. Tho attendance at this second match was 14.000. Putting the average at bs per head, you can get some idea of the ve.liic of the g?te. Tlie .South African team which toared Untain in 1906-7 ;ilayod 28 matches, won 25. lost 2, and drew 1. The 1912 team pL-iyrd 27 matches, won 24, and lost 5.