LAND AND WATER

Otago Witness, Volume 26, Issue 1705, 26 July 1884, Page 21

LAND AND WATER

FOOTBALL.

Then strip, lads, and to it, though sharp be the weather, And if by miiichar.ee you should happen to fa'!. There ui'o worse things in life ttun a tumble on heather, And life is itself but a game at football.

NOTES BY FORWARD.

FIXTURES. July 26, — Dunedin v. Zingari, Caledonian Ground. July 26.— l'nion v. Green Island, at Burnnide July 2(i — Montecilio v Pirates, Asylum Ground. July ?o.— Uunedin Second y. Union Second, Union Ground. July '26.- Plratea Second v. Monteeillo Second, at McnteciUo. July 29.— Ziugari Second v. Port Chalmers Fiqpt, at Poit Chalmers.

The Union v. Dunedin match, which was played on the Caledonian Ground on Saturday, ended, as I predicted, in a win for the wearers of the daik blue, who owed their victory principally to the exertions of Murray and Taiaroa. The latter, greatly to the surprise of everybody — for it was understood he had given up football — played once more with the Dunedin Club. Mr Taiaroa, the popular chief, having arrived in town the day preceding the match, he was waited on by several members of the D.F.C., and graciously consented to allow hia son to play. Jack of course had no objections, but though he did some good work and gained a couple of tries, he was evidently not in his best form, and want of training told in the second spell. Murray, who got the other try, was in grand fettle, and if he keeps up his form he will give the Canterbury men some trouble in the Intorprovincial match this season. The reßult of the match was a win for Dunedin Club by a goal and two tries to nil. The tries were all obtained in the first spell, the Union holding their own in a surpising manner during the second spell. Hud they played a looser game and trusted more to their backs they might at all events have managed to score. But it was no use trying to gain much ground in the scrummages against the splendid forward team the Dunedin Club put in the field. Robertson, Mills, Burnu, and the other heavy weights "were far too strong for their lightor opponents, though the latter frequently gained a good deal of ground by loose scrummaging. Some of the Dunedin team have gaiued a reputation for passing forward in some of their matches this season, and

an infringement in this direction, which should bo always guarded against in Rugby football, certainly took place on several occasions on Saturday. The umpires, however, were very watchful, and invariably called the ball back, so that no material advantage was gained in this respect. , The game was played in a friendly spirit throughout, so that the referee's duties amounted to nil. The umpires used whistles or some kind of instruments which they dignified wifch the name of whistles. The "whistle," however, was generally of a very faint description, and though the backs and the spectators heard 'it occasionally, the forwards hardly ever did. The only other match of any importance was the return between the Zingari and Pirates Clubs. It was played on the Montecilio ground and ended in a decisive victory for the Pirates by two goals and a try to nothing. Black got two tries and Strong one, Borrows kicking the two goals. The Zingari men attribute their defeat principally to the bad play of their backs.

In two of the first fifteen matches to-day there should be very little difficulty in Bpotting the winners. Dunedin should beat Zingari easily, and the Union ought to defeat the Green Island Cktb. I expect to Bee a good tussle between the Pirates and Montecilio Clubs, ending either in a draw 6t in favour of the Pirates ; may the best men win.

I have to apologise to my readers for the rather meagre nature of my notes for the past week or two, but the fact of the matter is that " it's election times," and football comes in for very little space either in the daily or weekly papers. I notice by the files from the north that East Christchurch had four fifteens in the field the other Saturday, and succeeded in pulling off three out of the four matches. The great mateh — that between the Christchurch and North Canterbury Clvb — (writes "Hornet") was witnessed by a large number of spectators, but, contrary to general expectations, the game ended in a draw. Owing to the rough condition of the ground, the game was not nearly bo fast as it would have been had it been played on a better ground, consequently the Christchurch men were unable to make those dashing rushes which are such a feature of their play, while North Canterbury were enabled to keep up their slower and less brilliant kind of game throughout the whole ninety minutes. Grigg (Christchurch) and C. D'Auvergne (North Canterbury) showed excellent form, and it is to be hoped that they will be able to represent Canterbury against Otago. Chapman also played well, and ia evidently a ?jreatly improved player. Christchurch felt the oss of Benwick, who this season is one of the bast forwards in Canterbury. His weight and strength would have been a great help to his Club against the heavy N.C. men. East Christchurch beat Chiist's College last Saturday by four goals and four tries to nil. The passing of the senior club was the feature of the match. Haskell, besides kicking two goals from the field, made some dashing runs, and gained one of the tries.

Chiistchurch easily beat Merrivale by four tries to nil ; Kaipr.i secured their first win this season against Richmond j while North Canterbury beat Sydenham by two tiies to nil. O'Donnell played for Walleroo against Balmain on June 28, and according to accounts of the match, did some splendid work. He scored a try a few minutos after kick off, and throughout the game played with great dash. The Walleroos won by 17 points to nil. O'Donnell was one of thoso chosen to represent New South Wales against Queensland. While a match was being played recently at BiiibaHe between two of the strongest Rugby Clubs the spectators sadly interfered with the game, and one of the plnyers when careering along at top speed came iuto collision with one of the onlookers, who had his collar-bone broken. It is a pity the Dunedin players could not break a few collar-bones in a similar manner. There would, I' fancy, be then less difficulty in keeping some of the grounds clear.