HOCKEY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22258, 10 May 1934, Page 4

HOCKEY

By Centke-half. ROUGH PLAY Dear “ Centre-half,” —Although only two rounds of senior matches have as yet been 'played, they have sufficed to show that neither the concept of sportsmanship nor the quality of the refereeing has improved compared with last season. . The amount of shoving, shepherding, obstruction, and dangerous play that is indulged in. by some players and allowed to go unchallenged by the referees is really surprising. 1 think you will agree that hockey is a sport which can very readily, deteriorate into a dangerous game, and the indiscriminate recklessness of some players can easily bring about, this change. It is perhaps unjust to lay the blame upon the referees, but if the players themselves lack common sense, arid wilfully infringe the rules, they should be penalised, The referee who closes his eyes to such infringements is equally as guilty as the offender himself. Especially do I think the practice of under-cutting despicable. There are at least two fullbacks in senior teams who habitually clear the ball in the face of forward rushes by deliberately lifting it as tar off the ground as they can. buch tactics are merely dangerous, and quite unworthy of the game.' They rob the game of half its pleasure; no forward can cheerfully tackle a back when he knows the ball will {if he is lucky) whistle past him within an inch or two of Ins ear. Dunedin grounds are so soft that the ball can easily be made to rise quite sharply. I would defend judicious scooping and shots at goal which rise; but the displays of some players are really nauseating. —l am, etc., Epaole. THE AUSTRALIANS’ TOUR The Australian Hockey Association advised a recent meetihg of the New Zealand Association’s Management Committee that there was every prospect of tins year’s visiting team being a fully representative side and much stronger than the previous teams which have toured New Zealand. Matches are to be sold outright on the following scale:—£7s for 'a fully representative test match; £OS for a minor association’s test match; £55 for a Saturday match; £35 for a midweek match. Under the system decided upon by the New Zealand Association of selling matches against the Australians to all associations it will depend entirely (says a writer in the Evening Post) upon the efforts of individual bodies whether the financial result is satisfactory or Otherwise. The pooling system adopted in the past was inclined to penalise those associations who were willing to work to make their matches successful. Some associations were so placed that their returns were small in comparison with those of other centres, and when the totals were pooled there was often dissatisfaction among those associations which had had successful fixtures. It is expected that the Australian team, which is to arrive in New Zealand early in August, will be stronger than any of its predecessors. Thirteen associations had applied for matches up to the time of the annual meeting of the New Zealand Hockey Association. Eight were for Saturday matches and five for mid-week matches. So far the Otago Association is the only one which has applied to the New Zealand Association for a teat match, although there has been a somewhat indefinite request from the Wanganui Association, which does not seem to be particular whether its match is a test or an ordinary provincial game. The Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury Associations seem reluctant to take a test at the price asked —viz., £75. Otago has already written to the New Zealand Association with the object of having allotted for the test here a date which will not clash with any big football fixture. For this reason it . will be necessary to have the match played either in August or September, when Carisbrook will not be in use, as it will be on that ground that there will be the best chance of drawing a good crowd. With the object of financing the game, the association has already in mind several schemes for the raising of funds, and when these are put into operation all players and supporters who have the good of the game, at heart should do, their best to help,' as a test match should undoubtedly have, the effect of fostering, public interest in: hockey in Otago. ALTERATIONS TO RULES A number of alterations in the rules issued by the International Hockey Board have been approved by the New Zealand Association. In regard to obstruction the rule now reads: "A player shall not obstruct by running in between an opponent and-the ball, nor shall he interpose himself or his stick in any'way as an obstruction to ah opponent, nor attack from. an opponent’s left unless he touches the ball before he touches the stick or person of his opponent.” The effect is that a player’s stick may obstruct an opponent’s stick but not his person. The offside rule has been reconstructed, and it is provided that no player can in any circumstances be offside when in his own half of the ground. Thus a player can run back into his own half and so_be put onside. The fact of the ball having merely glanced off an opponent’s stick, or person does not put a player onside; the opponent must have definitely played the ball. The roll-in rule stipulates that the roller-in shall stand outride the field of play—that is to say, he must have both feet on the ground. In connection with the penalty bullv it is provided that for an intentional breach by the defender of the, rule covering the bully a goal shall be awarded to the opposing team. Previously the word “defenders” was used, but this was a misprint. THE SOLE SELECTOR ' In connection with the letter that appeared in this column last week, concerning the election of the sole selector, Mr W. M’Queen, who was chairman of the meeting referred to, states that his action in giving his casting vote in favour of Mr Sew Hoy was prompted by the fact that earlier in the day Mr Woodfield, the other nominee, had definitely notified the secretary of the association that be would not be a candidate for the office. Mr Woodfield was present at the meeting. however, and after some hesitation allowed himself to be nominated as sole selector. When the voting became equal, Mr M’Queen, although aware of the custom in the circumstances of favouring the existing holder of the position, gave his casting- vote in favour of Mr Sew Hoy in view of Mr Woodfield’s expressed reluctance to accept the office. THE WOMEN'S GAMES It was most unfortunate for everyone that the weather prevented play last Saturday for last year’s leaders were drawn to play and a good game would have resulted by the meeting of Otago and University. Usually this match provides hockey of jthe fast, clean, and open type, and the result is usually in doubt right up to the final whistle. King’s were drawn to meet the School team, and Momona should have played Dunedin. All would have been good matches, as the competition this year is likely to prove a very close one. Owing to vacations, at the time of writing, it seems as though this interesting round will have to be abandoned, meantime-. Momona, King’s, and School seem to be the teams most likely to improve and should do well once they settle down. Next Saturday’s matches will be confined to King’s and University and Otago and Dunedin. These should both be very interesting games, as each of the four concerned will be anxious to improve their position. It is pleasing to read that the South Otago hockey enthusiasts have again decided to stick to the Otago Association. No doubt there are benefits to be gained by this decision, but it is not altogether on the part of South Otago. Our icpresentatives of last year included no fewer than eight players from the south, and each one was a • decided asset to the tourists. In the forwards were Misses S, Vidal, R. Kreft, K. Scott, G. Vidal. and M. Scott. The half-back was Miss L. Vidal and the full-backs Misses Z. Morris and V. Scott. With players such as these to assist the Otago team, an interesting question arises: Would Otago have gained the coveted trophy without the South Otago players? With eight South Otago players in the team one. could almost definitely say, “ No.” It is to be hoped for Otago’s sake that the Southern Association can again produce players equally as good as, if not better, than last year’s representatives. They formed more than half the number of the tourists and did their share in placing Otago's name on the “K.” Cup.

APPOINTMENT OF SELECTOR A correspondent writes as follows: Once again the Rugby, Soccer, and Men’s Hockey Associations have given the Women’s Hockey Association the lead. All have chosen their selector or selectors. I think they are very wise. Year after year our association leaves it until near the end of June before it thinks of making an appointment, with the result that the selector or selectors have to rush about . seeking possible representatives, watching one then another game for a few minutes at a time, which is neither fair to the selector nor the players. With due respect to our representative team of last year, and to its selector, it was after all a hurried preparation for so important a mission as the “ K.” Cup tournament. I think our association should get on the job, appoint its selector or Selection Committee, and give them a chance. — Enthusiast. ALL-INDIA TEAM Copies of correspondence which had passed between the Australian Hockey Association and the Bengal Hockey Association and the Indian Hockey Federation were tabled at a recent meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Hockey Association. The committee waa asked by the Australian Association whether New Zealand would bo interested in a proposal to extend the tour to include New Zealand during the 1935 season. It was decided to advise Australia that the Dorainjon would welcome an opportunity of joining in an invitation for an All-India team to tour both countries in 1035, and that New Zealand would be pleased to exchange views with Australia regarding terms and conditions. RULINGS REQUIRED A South Otago correspondent asks: Is a goal scored when an attacker, from outside circle, hits the ball, which strikes the goalie’s stick and passes between the goal posts? The answer is in the negative. A goal cannot be scored from outside the circle. The correspondent also asks: Is there any replacement rule in women’s hockey? There is nothing laid down in the rules permitting the replacement of players, but it is generally recognised that, with the consent of the .captains, players may be replaced.