MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. 1930.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21135, 19 September 1930, Page 9

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. 1930.

tion. It was as a five-eighth, however, that- he achieved fame. His generalship alone has won many games for, his club and' the province. Dave Torrance, who captained the club and -the province on a number of' occasions, was a fine forward. Other prominent players were J. Torrance, R.' Adamson, R. Baxter, and Ernie Booth, who, toured • with.. .the 1905 Ail Blacks. .One of the club’s finest players was " Barney ” Armit, a great wing threequarter, who represented New Zealand and who met his death as the result of an injury received in the Otago-Taranaki match in 1899. C. Davie, D. Claffey, T. King, Alexander a fine centre and an adept, at potting goals, “Duffy” M'Laren, A. Miller, J. MTntyre, J. Ronald, W. Sinclair,, and “Tommy” Wood were great players of the ’nineties and the early part of the present century. Then came Alexander M'Donald, a dashing forward, who was one of the most prominent players in the 1005 All Blacks. He. captained the team which went to California and is still, a member of the Rugby Union and a New Zealand selector. . Billy” Duncan was another fine forward who represented New Zealand; Others who have been prominent are G. R. Dickinson, A. Dobson, R. Johnston, B. Murphy, D. M'Meeking, H. Porteoiis, S. Ballantyne, C, Sonata**, J. Turnbull, J. Spiers, L, Williams, and T. Woodrow. . ALHAMBRA. . The Alhambra Club was also formed in 18S4 t and, like Kaikorai, it started in the junior grades and quickly worked its way into the senior competition, which it first won in 1891. From this time there has always been great rivalry between Alhambra and Kaikorai. The club has always had a strong hand of workers, and a number of its earliest members still take a prominent part in its affairs. When the chib first started it numbered among its players J. Baker, a fine forward,"W. Johnston, and “Gus” Restieaux, probably the best place-kick the province has had. Alex. Downes was one of the best centres the province has seen, and other prominent men were “ Chummy ” Noel, " Oaie ” Crawford, a clever half-back; J. M'Cleary, who captained the team for several seasons; Aff. Esquilant, Donald, M'Donald, D. MTCewen, D. and G. M'Laren, and W. Ross. a fine , full-back. Later came “ Billy ” Wallace, of the 1905 All . Blacks, B. Edwards, • P. Given, and R. Bennet, now president of the club, J. King, a member .of the. Rugby Union, J. Knowles, P. and F. Williams, G. (“Seobie”) McKenzie, J. Richardson, a 1906 All Black, W. Russell, J. Sutherland, and “ Toby ” Hobson, who captained both the club and Otago. The club was fortunate in having the services of Andrew Spende as coach for a number of years. He did his work so thoroughly that he used to work out schemes.on a blackboard for his team to follow in its matches, . .. SOUTHERN. The Southern Club, which was formed by the amalgamation of Caversham and Pacific, has provided its shalp of good players. Probably the most outstanding was S. Casey, the 1905 All Black, who represented Otago on 57 occasions V. G. Cavanagh has been associated with the club from its inception, and has been a great worker for the game. W. Bindley was an excellent full-back, and A. Eokhold was a particularly clever halfback.' Other prominent plajws were Alex. Chambers, W. Casey, W Baily (who died as the result of tniunes received in a match against Southlands VV. Brown. J. Douglas, L. Edwards. T. Goodman (a fine captain), and J. Graham (who went to California with the New Zealand team). P. Sheehan was another fine player, and a very popular figure, ZINGARI-RICHMOND. The Zingari-Richmond Club was formed in 1877. Among its most prominent players have been R. Abbott, F. Frodnck. 8 Bolt. Bert Collie, C. and J. Davidson, Alf. Esquilant (who later joined Alhambra), A. Fordyce, L. Heazlewoocl, WHobbs, Alf. Low, A. M'Farlane, Sandy Paterson (one of the outstanding forwards of recent years), T. C. Rallmsbaw. George Smith (a secretary of the Rugby Union). W. Smith, R. Spiers .(a fine front row man), C. Stewart. A. Symonds, W Tanaey, H. Treseder. E. Watson, W. Webb, and E Whittaker. W. Brown and R. Procter are Zingari men who are present members of the Rugby Union. UNIVERSITY. Though University men were prominent in Rugby in earlier years, their club was not formed until 1888. In its earlier years it was not particularly prominent, but at the beginning of the present century its play began to improve, aud since 1906 it baa won the premiership on, no fewer than 12 occasions. Among its earliest players were J. R. Montgomery, F. H. Campbell, J. B. and J. G. M‘Donai>l, “Barney” O’Shea,. W Fell (a dashing 'three-quarter), W. M‘Ara, W. J. Crau, and C. G. White. Later there came Alan Adams, Colin Gilray, and D. MThersun (who formed a New Zealand three-quarter ine), R. Dansey, Wi Repa, H. L. Withers. P, Scannell, and George Thomson. Among iter players there have been W. Alexnder, H. Childs, E. Cockroft, D. Dickson, I. J. Dunne, “ Billy ” Tea, Fred. Perry. J (array. C. Gregg, R. Harris, H. Harty r. Hindenach, A. W. Holden, R. Johnson, D. Lindsay (who went to South tfrica with the All Blacks), R. B. Lusk, V. Moyete. W. 6. 11‘Clymont, A. N. I‘Donald, C. Nicholson, N. Owen, I, K. loss, R. 6. B. Sinclair, Don. Stevenson, 'u. G. Townsend, T. Valentine, F, Ward, i* and B. Webb.

he went into the school and came out again with his football hoots and sweater on, and_ he must have taken them to the school intending to referee.” It was n young club, and a very good one, too, and the O.E.F.JJ. did not deal very severely with them, but I doubt if the captain ever forgave me for my drastic action. For some six or seven years until 1901 I acted as referee in the annual match between Otago and Southland, at the express desire of the Southland Union, and I always considered that a very high compliment, especially as, after 1 had refereed in the Otago and Auckland match, and the Otago and Canterbury match in 1895, at, the request, in both cases, of the visiting team, my name was broadcast through New Zealand as that of an unfair referee. The Otago v. Auckland match was played first, and I threatened at one time to send the captain of the Auckalnd team off the Held for incessant talking and questioning my decisions. He kept quiet after that, but naturally he was very displeased about it. When the Canterbury officials came to the school and asked me to referee, 1 said: “You know what Auckland said about me?” “Yes," they replied. “And you still want me to referee?” “Yes.” “Very well,” 1 said, “I shall be very pleased to act.” My refereeing in that match was the cause of a great deal of unpleasantness for many years, but 1 am pleased to say that I have for-a long time been on most friendly terms with some of the Canterbury players who took part in that game, and only recently, when one of them was discussing it with me, he said: “I thought at the time you were an unfair referee. Knowing you as I do now, I don’t think you were; but all the same I still think that you were a very poor referee.” Truly the lot of a referee in those days was a very hard one, but I made many friendships during my active connection with the O.R.F.U. and the Referees’ Association, and those friendships, I am pleased to say, are still preserved. . \ It may not be out of place here to say something about the wing-forward. He was introduced from the North Island many years ago, and the Otago Union was forced to play a wing-forward in selfdefence, though not without making a serious effort to have him abolished. On one occasion we had three photographs taken at Carisbrook, tho first showing the wing-forward putting the ball in the serum, the second obstructing the opposing wing from coming round on his halfback, and the third showing him on his opponents’ side of the scrum trying to get at the ball. These photographs were sent Home to the English Rugby Union, which was asked to bring in a rule making such obstruction illegal, but the English Union said that it could do nothing, It knew nothing, it said, about wingforwards. In England they themselves had two men on each side whom they called “wingers,” who played on the back of the scrum, and broke away as soon as the ball came out of the scrum to the opposing half-hack. They were’to find out to their coat all about wiug-forwards when the 190’S All Black team went Home. I have always been of opinion that the two wing-forwards should be put on the touchline, and allowed to fight it out while the game goes on unhampered. They are nothing but “spoilers,” and never hnVe been anything else, because their only effect is to spoil good back play. ‘ . . I am not in agreement with those who say that the English' team showed a good sporting spirit in offering to change their colours and play in white. I admit that the only thing the New Zealand Union could do was to give way gracefully, but the English Union knew perfectly well that the New Zealand colours are black, and it did not require a great deal of perspicuity to realise that one team could not play in blue and the other in black. Why should not the English team have played in red, white, and blue, as other English teams in New Zealand did, and as we all had expected the last team to do also ? It is to be hoped, too, that, when the dominions get representation on the International Board, as I believe they shortly will, they will try to obtain the abolition of that quixotic rule not to replace an injured player. I cannot for the life of me see that it is true sportsmanship to ask 15 men to play 14, as was the case in the second test in Christchurch, although I do think there should be a definite time after which no replacement should be allowed—say 10 minutes after the beginning of the second spell. It is not fair to place the onus on the captain of deciding at what stage in the game an injured player should not be replaced. And one last word. 1 maintain that the referee should always put the ball in the scrum. The English Union says he shall not put it in unless when play is close to the goal. Why? Surely, because it_ is most essential that it should be put in straight I say that it is always most essential that this should be done, and, if the referee happens to put the ball in so that it goes to either side before the players touch it, be can blow his whistle and put it in again. It is only natural that the player putting the ball in the scrum should lean, if even ever so little, to his own side, and the temptation should be put out of his way. The English team showed us. I think, that there is really no need to introduce rules to speed up the game, and it is to be hoped that the New Zealand Union will see that next season there is no attempt made in this direction to conflict with the rules as laid down by the English Union.

to play football. But I continued to take ®n active interest in the game, and from “h® High School rectory and from the - i Kcho °l came many of the best players of later years. During the eighties four of my brothers-in-law. the Taieri Allans, were prominent exponents of the game, and all of them played at one period in the Otago first fifteen. Dick, who still byes near Hamilton, played full-back; Jim, known as the Taieri giant, and who is still living at Hawera, and his brother Aleck, were forwards; _ while Will (the u Allan, of Mosgiel) was a famous half-back. But the outstanding playeif of that period was Jack Taiaroa, eldest son of the chief Taiaroa of the Otago Kainga. He was one of my rectory boys, and was a very fast and heavy three-quarter back. When the first New Zealand team to go outside of these islands visited Sydney, he walked over the New South Wales players, who were then comparatively new to the game. Taiaroa was the hero of the team and a great favourite with the crowd, who called him the steamer Taiaroa, mixing him up with the vesfeel, which had been named after his father’s family. At a banquet given to the team in Sydney his health was drunk with great enthusiasm, and an insistent demand was made chat he should respond in Maori, Jack knew almost no Maori, but the call was so great that at last he rose and gave them a short speech, which was received with immense applause. When he sat down he whispered to Jim Allan, who sat next him at table, “I gave them the only Maori I know; I repeated the Lord's Prayer,” 1 .give the story as it was told me. My own interest in the game remained active till 1893, when I hecamb permanently lame as the result of a gun accident received II years previously. During these intervening years a number of exHigh School pupils met one night in cbe rectory and founded a new football club, which, at my suggestion, adopted the name of the Pirates, and the' skull and crossbones emblamatic dfr that title. Most of the early members of that club, of which I remained president for several years, were quick, smart young fellows, who played a lively game. They had not the weight, especially in the forward pack, of the. heavy men of the Kaikorai and Alhambra teams, hut they introduced a very fast and attractive .game, and gradually worked themselves into the front rank. My youngest son was a member of the first fifteen of the Pirates in the memorable season of 1914. When war was declared he volunteered for active service, joined the first contingent whion went from New Zealand, and finished uis work after three years and a-half in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France. All my sons played in the High School,and later with Otago University. Dr Malcolm Thomson played Rugby football in .Mandalay, when he was fort surgeon at that station, Allan captainea the St. John’s College team in Oxford, and also played in the first fifteen of the University and also of the London ScotUsh And now my grandsons have taken to the game, and kept up the family tradition. But football to my mind has become too much of a business and an obsession. Wo played it for the exercise and the pleasure, and I have always held that when properly played and supervised, it forma part of the best training a young fellow can have. School football has an excellent moral effect. It teaches a lad to work for his side, not for individual c display; he learns to take knocks and kicks without a murmur; it gives him confidence and self-control. Anyone who lacks these characteristics should not play Rugby football. But no game should ever be made the serious business of life, and when anyone finds that it is engrossing too much of his time and attention, he should draw out of it and start to grow cabbages, and study the life and habits of the industrious worm or the engaging and ever-present aphis.