FOOTBALL,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18350, 14 September 1921, Page 6

FOOTBALL,

By Full Back. FIXTURES. Third test, at Wellington.—September 17. OTAGO'S NORTHERN TOUR. Against Wairarapa.—September 14. Against Taranaki—September 17. Against Hawke's Bay.—September 21. Against Wellington.—September 24. Mr J. Dunne, one of the managers of the Otago team now on tour, sent a telegram to Mr H. Hams, president of the Otago Rugby Union, yesterday, stating that Bain had now recovered from the injury he received to his leg in the Ranfurly Shield match at Invercargill, and asking permission to play him against Wellington on Saturday week. Bain was not selected as a member of the Otago touring team, but travelled wu'th them, as ho had secured

employment in the North Island. Mr Dunne also stated that there was talk that Wellington would agree to the match with Otago being for the Ranfurly Shield, and that Fea was practically a certainty for inclusion in the New Zealand team for the third tost game against the Springboks. The Otago Union will probably send one or two men to Wellington to strengthen the Otago team for the match on September 24. One of the greatest matches in the history of New Zealand football will be played at' Athletic Park on Saturday, when the third test between New Zealand and South Africa will take place. The meet-, ing between the two teams has excited the greatest interest amongst followers of the game in New Zealand, and the result will be awaited in South Africa with just as keen anxiety. In Australia and England, too. the result of the rubber will be read with interest. New Zealand won the first test by 13 points to S, and lost the second by 9 points to 5, so the third test wall bo the deciding factor regarding the football supremacy of New Zealand or S'outh Africa. The New Zealand selectors have now seen all the best football in the dominion, and they should consequently be qble to put a stronger foam into the field than in either of the two previous tests. The All Blacks should also be in good form after their 1G days’ training at Day’s Bay, and should have combination. The match is bound to be vigorously contested, and. given fine weather, will be witnessed by an enormous crowd of spectators. Wellington now holds the Ranfurly Shield for the third time. First of all they beat Auckland for it in 1905. Auckland got it hack in 1905. and Taranaki got possession in 3913. In 1914 Wellington beat Taranaki by 12 points to 5. From 1914 Wellington wore unbeaten until the end of last season, when Southland triumphed at Invercargill by 17 points to 6. after a solid forward game. Otago play Wellington on Sentern her 24, but it will not be a Ranfurly Shield fixture.

Nothing definite is to be expected of the conference on September IS between representatives of New Zealand, New South Wales, and South Africa on the question of playing amended rules. The South Africans are wholly against a change, unless it is the abolition of the wing forward bv the “ imaginary line ” through the back of the scrum amendment. They make so much use of the line that they are not likely to surrender the advantage in favour of the Auckland rule. On the question of adequate representation on the English Rugby Union and the International Board greater unanimity, should prevail, and in this direction great good may be achieved. Dear “ Full Back,”—ln reference to your hints on seven a-sidc tournaments. Would

you kindly go a little further and state how the spells work out. Each side plays seven minutes each way. At the end of seven minutes the timekeeper rings his bell. Does the referee immediately stop play or does he wait until the ball goes out of play? In the event of playing off three minute spells what wou'd you consider a defending side? On a windy day a lucky kick may put ihe ball into touch near the goal lino or even into touch in goal, and so place perhaps the strongest side at a disadvantage. The ball may be thrown out from touch, and a defending player get it and kick, and the wind carries it right back and into touch, and naturally his side would be penalised.—l remain, etc., Enquirer. —(As regards your first question the ruling is purely a matter ‘of arrangement—there are no hard and fast rules for seven a-side tournaments. As regards

question two, the player should not kick the ball into the wind; it could not then bo blown hack over his own line.] The Wellington Post thus refers to the match between a Wellington representative team and New South W 7 ales, played at Wellington last Wednesday:—“The New South Wales touring Rugby team suffered their first defeat when Wellington won a fast game by 16 points to 8. This loss of a game, however, was a minor matter when compared with the fact that the day’s play spoilt the visitors’ right to

be classed among the cleanest players who have yet visited the dominion. In all their previous matches they have played clean, bright football, but yesterday, at Athletic Park, to the amazement of everyone, their play—-or, more correctly, the play of some of them—was of such a type as to call forth, first, the disapproval of a thoroughly impartial orojvd, and, finally, a serious warning from" the referee,, Mr Simpson. The incidents wore unfortunate in every way. In the first place there seemed a determination to deal with Roberts, the clever .half, in such a way as to make his work thoroughly ineffective. The intention was excellent, but the tactics adopted quite unwarranted. There was pot even the questionable excuse of the members of a hitherto unbeaten team losing their heads in the face of defeat, for the thing started in the first half with the scores even. Roberts, with the ball nowhere near him, was caught by a forward, raised chest high, and .thrown heavily. Yet again a blow yiras aimed at him. Other incidents in

which Roberts figured particularly occurred in the second half. On one occasion, while waiting to take a ball still high in the air, he was heavily charged and temporarily incapacitated. On this occ-ason a penalty followed. On‘yet another occasion he was similarly charged after having kicked the ball. This latter is an unfortunate mistake which may occur at times, but, taken in conjunction with the other attacks, it was rather more than unfortunate. The breach which led to a caution being given by the referee occurred in a scrummage, when S. Shearer seemed to suffer a series of upper cuts. During the cautioning, the manager of the team also went on to the field, and added his warnings to those of the referee. With the reputation which the team have won for themselves the episodes of the day were as incomprehensible os they were regrettable. . . . King added to his fine goal-kicking record by piloting the ball successfully on three occasions. They

were three brilliant goals—one from several yards on his own side of half-way, another from a yard inside the touch-line (high and clean between the uprights), A and the other from well out near the touch-line. It is doubtful if any other player in New Zealand has a goal-kicking record in interprovincial matches this season to equal that standing to King’s credit.” The first match played by the combined Waihemo football team took place at Waikouaiti on Saturday against the ZingariRichmond Second Grade. The afternoon was fine, and a good crowd gathered to see the game, over £9 being taken at the gate. A fast and even game resulted in a win for the Dunedin team by 11 to 9. The next fixture is against Maniototo at Palmerston on Saturday next. The South Africans appear to be a little sore about the mismanagement of the Nel-

son trip (says the Wellington correspondent of the Southland Times). They cons'der they were put to a quite unnecessary amount of trouble and fatigue, and' their manager (Mr Bennett) is of opinion that protest was fully justified. It appears, however, that the Springboks had a grievance about another matter before they reached Nelson. The other matter waa

the match against the Maoris at Nnoier. 'the visitors come from a country where the colour line is drawn very clearly, and their acquaintance with New Zealand has not been sufficiently lorm- for them to understand the status of the Maoris in this country. It is a pity that such a point should have to be raised by the South Africans, who are indicating their opinion* in no uncertain terms. They did not want to nlay the Maoris, and they did not like the game when they got into it.

FOOTBALL IN AUCKLAND. The progress made by the Auckland Rugby Union in recent years has boon remarkable. To briefly instance this, the gate takings (admission fid) in a' few seasons have advanced from approximately £6 10s to ns much as £4OO. The average attendances have been better than those recorded at Athletic Park, the centre of Rugby’s stronghold in New Zealand, and total from six toeight thousand spectators. For Charity Cup matches the gates are

about £2OO, but far in excess of this for the big secondary school fixtures—the big draw in Auckland. There has been a big increase in players, many of whom havecome over from the League game, and throughout the district there is now a total of five or six thousand. A few years ago the Auckland Union had no finances; to-day all its overdraft has gono. ' In short, the season has been the most successful experienced for many a day. This is all due, it is ! stated, to the change in the game. It has been brightened up, and helped along

by enthusiastic supporters, who have devoted much work, tune, and money to keep a purely amateur game alive. Spectators and players have shown their appreciation; and without interference of existing conditions the Auckland Union will continue to make headway. Special atention is paid to the schools, there being 60 schools playing Rugby, with a total of about 4000 players wittiin a five or six-mile radius. In a recent tourney 46 teams took part. The boys are provided with jerseys and footballs, and are encouraged in every way. A change to old rules would mean a severe loss to Rugby in New Zealand. To revert would mean a huge gain to the other game; in fact, the writer was reliably informed that at least two senior clubs had decided to go over if the new rules were not permitted. Rugby cannot afford to lose such a strong following as that which has now been regained in Auckland.

Under the amended rules a player is permitted to kick the ball into touch on the fly from within his own twenty-five. Between the two twenty-fives, however, if the ball is kicked out on the fly it is brought back, and a throw-in takes place parallel to the spot 'where the kick took place. A penalty may be sent out on the full at any spot. The two other amended rules read: —No charge is made by the opposing side when a penalty kick has been awarded, a mark allowed, or when kicking for a goal from a try. Not in the scrummage, advances beyond a line drawn through’ the back line of his own players in such scrummage and parallel with the goal lines while the ball is in such scrummage.

THE GOLDFIELDS TOUR. OTAGO UNION CRITICISED.

Dear Full Back, —I read with interest the remarks of Mr Nelson, the manager of the Dunedin team—l cannot call it an Otago team—which travelled through the goldfields. The whole can be summed up in the last-lines: “I would like to suggest that in future tours of the Central a strong pack and a good fast set of backs bo sent. It is our duty to send a team that can give a good exhibition of back play.” It is a pity the officials of the 0.8.F.U. did not think of that before. I am afraid the city folks are inclined to look down on their country cousins in the matter of football. I, with others connected with the game, consider that the O.R.F.U. is not doing its best to encourage the game in the country districts. If it would consider the disabili-

ties under which football is carried on up this way I am sure it would try and do a little better than the last effort. In the district included under the Maniototo Subunion the nearest anv two clubs arc to each other is 10 or 11 miles—Patearoa-Ranfurly or Ranfurly-Naseby,—and the distances between the others vary from that up to something like 75-80—Matakanui-Middlomarch. These teams all play home-and-homo matches, and players have often to travel 12 or 15 miles before they join up with the other members of the team- to start on their

journey. Dunedin players are apt to growl if they are asked to play at Mosgiel or Port Chalmers on their half-holiday. _ while teams up here must leave very early in the morning, and as often as not _ don’t get back till next day, with an occasional snowstorm thrown in. The expenses coming out of the players’ pockets amount ut) to a fair item during the season. The O.R.F.U. encourages them by sending along a scratch team to show them how to improve their

play. The game has a fairly strong hold up this way, but it will take only one or two performances like the one at Ranfurly recently between Dunedin and Maniototo for the sub-union to look elsewhere than to the parent body for encouragement. It is a. wonder the Otago Union official ears were not tingling at the comments made over the recent dour. Hoping they will try and do something better in the future.—l am, etc., Enthusiast. Central Otago, September 9.

ALL BLACKS v. WELLINGTON B.

PRACTICE MATCH AT ATHLETIC PARK.

That interest in the final test match 5« already keen was shown on Saturday, when an unusually largo crowd assembled early at Athletic Park to. see in action some of the men who will represent New Zealand. As a preliminary to the Ranfurly Shield game, a combination of the All Blacks, now in training at Day’s Bay, played two short spells with a Wellington B representative team. The All Blacks were represented by:—Full back, Kingston: threequarters:—Ford. Ifwerson, Siddells; fiveeighths. B. Algar and Fea; half back, .Roberts; forwards—Donald (wing), Fogarty, Duncan, Moffitt, West, M’Lean, Fletchev. and Turnbull. The following comprised the Wellington team: —Three-quarters. Riggs. M'Cabs, M‘Arthur; five-eighths, Burt (a junior player), and Christopherson; half back. Mathieson; forwards—Gair (wing), Muir, Thomas. Malin. Love, King (Oriental), Brown, and Troy. The Wellington team .commenced operations with 11 players, but were afterwards reinforced, although they played throughout without the services of a full back. Algar retired soon after the game had commenced, suffering from a slight ankle sprain, and Fletcher filled the breach in the five-eighths line. It was evident from the commencement that several of the All Blacks were not prepared to take too many risks, but there were notable exceptions. The most outstanding of these was the display given by Fea, of Otago, on whose play attention was .most closely riveted, and there is no doubt in the minds of the spectators that, if fit and well, he will be- found among the fifteen elect on Saturday next. It was noticeable, too, that he and Roberts combined very well. The inclusion of Siddells as wing three-quarter in the All Block side was a welcome surprise to those ‘ who think that this player would do better in the three-quarter line than at full back. _ His display on Saturday holds out interesting possibilities, and the try he scored was the result of a clever and sensational run. Upon retiring at halftime, to prepare for the shield match, he was given a. flattering reception by the crowd. Ifwerson, Ford, and Algar were not overworked, but did all that was required of them well. The one really sensational incident of the match was Fletcher’s try. Picking up the leather about mjd-field, he ran straight for the touchline, fending off several would-be tacklers with his hands. Besides being an excellent forward, he showed that he could ably fill the position of second five-eighth. MT.ean was outstanding among a pack of forwards who all showed fine' form. Of the Wellington team, Troy, Gair, and Brown shone among the vanguard, while M'Arthur, Christopherson, and Mathieson played w r ell in the backs. Fea, Fletcher, Moffitt, Siddells. M‘Lean (2), Fogarty, and Ifwerson scored tried for the All Slacks, while Duncan (2), West, and M‘Lean converted tries. Troy, Christophorson, Ritfgs, and M'Arthur secured tries for Wellington, two of which were converted. The final score was: All Blacks, 32; Wellington. 16. Mr J. Moffitt refereed.

SCHOOLS’ RUGBY. The schools’ B Grade competition was brought to a close last week. St. Clair, with two draws, met and defeated by B—o the Macandrew Road team, hitherto unbeaten. This necessitated a play-off with Macandrew Road, the result of which was

again in favour of St. Clair by 11—0. St. Clair team is to be congratulated on its performance, and much credit is due to the coach of the team. The games were fast, and exciting, and, although defeated, Macandrew Road played exceedingly well. The A Grade matches are practically finished, the only game to be played being Arthur Street and Macandrew Road. Last week Arthur Street met Forbury in a good even struggle, .Forbury scoring in the lust few minutes of the game the points necessary to make a win. The Arthur Street forwards more than held their own. and taking the game all round, the hill team had the better of the play. The staying power of the Forbury team, however,

enabled them to change what appeared a defeat to a win by 12—9. Tho remaining A Grade game will be played after the school term holidays, and a good exhibition of football is assured. A' most successful seven-a-side tournament was commenced on Saturday. On account of heavy rain in the morning the B

Grade tournament was abandoned. The sudden change in the weather, however, enabled those in charge to run the A Grade tournament as far as the final. This event, too, will bo played after the schools resume duties. . . Conlrarv to expectation, tho invincible Macandrew Road team suffered defeat in the first round at the hands of the Mosgiel team. True it is that the town team played short, but Mosgiel are to be congratulated on the excellent form shown. The Normal team was somewhat weak, and naturally succumbed early to the superior Musselburgh force. Tho match Forbury v. Kensington was quite an interesting exhibition. The latter team, however, was quite a strong combination, and eventually wore their op-

ponents down. Arthur Street and Albany Street was an even game during the first spell, but the Hill team dominated the whole position in the second spell. Mosgiel and Musselburgh proved quite a good game, the Mosgiel boys finishing the second spell in pood stylo. The most exciting game of the day was the semi-final between Mosgiel and Arthur Street. There being no score at the end of 14 minutes’ fi’ay it was necessary to play on till one side scored, the new spells

being of throe minutes’ duration. F: ;i y shifted up and clown the field, no side scoring, until after 15 minutes’ extra playing. Arthur Street scored after a brilliant piece of play. On account of the strenuous game played it was considered advisable to hold over the playing of the final between Arthur Street and Kensington till after the term holidays.