FOOTBALDL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1894, 22 May 1890, Page 28

FOOTBALDL.

NOTES BY FORWARD. The chief attraction on Saturday was the match between the Kaikorai and Pirates Clubs, many people thinking from the gallant fight the latter made against the Alhambra that they would et&nd a very good show against the crack club of last season. They certainly did make a very creditable stand, and with wing three quarter backs strong in attack they would prove formidable rivals of any of our teams. The forwards were in no respect, except tight scrummaging, inferior to the Kaikorai, but the latter club's backs won the game for them. The passing that they indulged in was fre quently of a high order and the way in which they backed each other, up was most praiseworthy. Among the Pirates backs there was very little of this passing, although the opportunities that offered were quite »b numerous as they were with the Kaikorai team. On the winning side Keogh was a host in himself behind the scrum. The many wrinkles and dodges which he brings into use are most perplexing to the opposing players, and he was as "tricky" on Saturday as he has been in any matoh since his return from Great Britain, He is not above loafing off side until the ball comes in his direction, which is a fault that can certainly be urged against him but this was not nearly so noticeable as it was in the matcb between his club and the Alhambra. Laurenaon was next to Keogh the best of the backs on his side. He invariably took the ball well and got his kick in the nick of time, his goal being very smartly dropped, while his passing and running were both admirable. Claffey put in some big kicks, and to M'lntyre belonged the distinction of starting many of the passing runs. The other backs did good service in one way or another. _ In the forward division, Duncan was most noticeable, but unless thiß player makes up hia mind to do more Bcrum work and to play ,off side less he is hardly likely to retain the position in the intarprovinoial team which he gained last year, Davie, who took Hurrell's place, bids fair to be of more use as a forward than as a back ; and Wingfield ia an improving player. The others per'ormed well, although I notice that Sonntag stioks to bis fault of picking up the ball ocoasionally when he should dribble it. For the Pirates, excellent games were played by Lang and Cran among the backs. To the latter I think the distinction is due of having played the best back gt»me on his side, for although Lang was very smart and clever, getting in soaie of those dodgy little runß of Mb and kicking well, yet he made mistakes, whereas Oran seemed on eaoh occasion that he got the ball to do the best that was possible under the circumstances. He was as smart as a cat in getting round the scrum, and his allround play was most commendable. Atkinson's dibut was a promising one, He was also smartly round on his men, and he taokled grandly, while he waß very sharp in cutting off passes. Orbell, who took Macdonald's place at three-quartSr back, waß the beßt of the others, but he had a good slice of luck in having his speculative kioka come off so well as they did. At the head of the forwards mußt be placed Crosby Morris, who played a really good gama from first to last. He did his full share of the hard work, but was to be seen in the forefront of the loose play as well. Beck was, I fanoy, the next best, and then I feel inclined to place W. Farquharson and A. W. Morriß. The match between the Union and Taieri brought both of these clubs out for their first interolub game this year. The forward teams on both sides were believed to be strong, and it turned out that they were not unevenly matched. On the Union side a good hard game was played all through by those forming the forward division. There were one or two faults, however, which they will do well to reotify. One very noticeable shortcoming was their slowness in coming round to pack the scrum. The importance of seeing to this must be self-evident. If any forward does not recognise the need of it let him ask his half backs, and they will tell him. The Union forwards were slow in lining out from the touch line, and in their tackling they were too fond of going for their opponents' necks instead of following the golden rule of "collar low." The half backs played well together, but were handicapped by the negleot of their forwards to heel out to them. Of the three-quarter backs M'Lennan and Harris showed best form, the former playing a hard game throughout. Pollock collared in good style, and stopped rushes well, but he is rather slow in getting his kick. Of the Taieri forwards, the Allan brothers and Mann were the pick, and Anderson also Bet a good example to his men, .whom, by the way, ho says he ia going to lead to the premiership thiß year. The half backs did well, Stevenson's dodgy runs being very troublesome to the opposing team, while Elder at three-quarter back showed that he retains his former skill, the rare style in which he out off passes eliciting the warm admiration of the spectators. At full back Pram exhibited very good kicking powers, but he Bhowed a fumbling disposition that if not mended may yet cost his aide dear. The University Football Olub on Saturday afternoon sported a new banner, which had earlier in the day been presented to the captain for the First Fifteen by the lady students. The " baptism of fire " which the colours received was hardly a favourable one, inasmuch as the club received a defeat from the Dunedin Club to the extent of four goals and four tries (16 points) to nil, This is a littlo more severe than the defeat which the 'Varsity sustained from the Blues last year, the score on that occasion being four goals and four tries (16 points) to a goal (three points). Some excuse must always be made for any defects in the play ef the University team at such an early period of the season, inasmuch as the majority of the players do not assemble in Dunedin until the beginning of May. Still, however, the display made by the team compared unfavourably with that made by the University players at the beginning of each of the three previous seasons during which the club has existed aa a senior team. Combination was very much wanting, although some of the individual players exhibited good form, and without combination no team can be expected to be successful nowadays. Had the backs, however, been at all strong the forwards might have struggled through, but, with the exception of M'llroy aud Anderson, the players behind the scrum were considerably at ssa. M'llroy tackled in splendid style, and if be koeps up his form throughout the season will prove a not unworthy successor to Reid, who, moreover, was not so smart as M'llroy ig. Anderson was the only other back who performed well. He nofc merely tackled the men who camo through ou his own side, but also had to run across the field and undertake a good share of the tackliug on the opposite i wing, passing through the ordeal in a creditable style. Mend ?I' on was handicapped through getting a knock early in the game, while Menziea, who is, I presume, Bimply keeping the place at half back warm for Cook, v,aa ouo ot forra. The other back 3 only played passably. On tho Bluea' side the for .yards played exceedingly well together. Hunter, who is not scrummaging bo much as he used to, waii one

of the most prominent, and Isaaos and Beck both lent admirable assistance, the former working very hard and the latter being always i to the fore in the short passing rushes which were a feature of the play. Turton also showed to advantage in this respect, and R. Martin did a lot of work: on the line out. Of the backs, Taiaroa and Austin were the most noticeable for their play. The former kicked admirably at three-quarter back, and maintained a pretty constant attack on the University goal with his pot shots. Austin was a host in himself at half back, while Harvey performed efficiently as full back. Ross, who re-appeared in his old place as three-quarter Lack, is not yet in form, but he evidenced that he still retains his knack of slipping through the opposing players. Upon paper the Zingari-Richmond team which was picked to do duty against the Alhambra was a strong one, but in the field the fifteen turned out to be far from a match for the north-end olub, whose victory of 11 points to one was thoroughly well earned. Among the baoks on the winning side Crawford was, in the absence of Downes, the moat profioient, and received fraquent rounds of applause for hia running and passing. Fitohett, playing at threequarter back— a place for which he has a greater liking than full back — exhibited fine form, and Restieaux and Noel .both played a good game, while Baker fumbled as on the previous Saturday. The whole of the forwards played well, but if the palm could be given to any two it would certainly be M'Cleary and Johnston who were entitled to it Their efforts were well seconded by Brigga, M'Kenzie, and Ternent. For the Zingari-Riohinond, M'Farlane played the best game, his tackling being admirable, while Wintrop, Proctor, and M'Arthur showed up well. In the forward division, Rallinshaw, who playod a hard game throughout, was much snperior to any of his men. With the view to teaching the young idea how to play, and of bringing to light any promising youths who may be on the rolls of the local schools, a tournament has been started among .the Dunedin and suburban publio schools. The following 10 teams have entered :— Mornington, George street, Arthur street, Albany street, Union street, High street, High School Juniora, Oaversham, Kaikorai, and Macandrew road. The arrangements are being conducted under the supervision of a committee consisting of Messrs T. H. Gill (Oaversham), J. P. Malcolm (Mornington), J. W. Smith (High street), and A. M'Lean (GeoTge street), with Mr J. H. Chapman (Arthur street) as hon. secretary. Eaoh team will, according to the conditions, play each other that is competing. The object of the tournament is an excellent one and deserves every encouragement. The committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union had under consideration last week a complaint made by Mr Hawkes, the referee, in a match between the Cambridge and Linwood clubs, against the former club for hooting him at the close of the game, and against one member of their te^m who used obscene languagei towards him. The evidence showing that the conduct of the player was very reprehensible,' be was suspended till June 20, and the club was' cautioned against such conduct. The dispute arose over a try which the Cambridge objected, to, but which the umpire and the referee both allowed. The Auckland correspondent of the Daily Times supplies the following particulars of the death of j Denis Conroy, who died of injuries he received in a recent football match at Auckland. He was ; only 23 years of age, the sole support of his poor mother, and a steady, hard working young fellow. He was proficient in most athletic exercises, besides being a good footballer. He was a a fine swimmer, and the winner of several long distance races at the Thames. Conroy was a member of the Grafton Football Club, and generally played for the second fifteen. On last Saturday week he was chosen with the first to play against .Gordon, and in the match he fell in a very cramped position. Two other players fell on top of him, and he got a hard crush. For a few moments he lay still and felt some pain, but did not think it worth notice, and continued his game. On the Monday did not feel very well, but was anxious not to stay away from his work, and with that plucky spirit which sometimes affects athletics to their hurt, continued working all the week at his trade of a blacksmith. On the follawing Saturday he felt so bad that he had to take to his bed. An examination proved that Oonroy's kidneys had been severely injured. He became delirious on the Monday, but he had blight intervals of quiet during the week, when his thoughts were chiefly directed to the loss his mother would sustain through the injury to himself. On Tuesday he became much worse, but nothing could be done, and next morning he passed away. The Auckland Herald says :— •• The football season for 1890, which has only run over two Saturdays, has been singularly disastrous to players, and more serious accidents have occurred than has been the case within a much longer term during the past 10 years. The accident by which \oung Carlaw, of the Native Rose team, had his leg broken on the 3rd inst. was serious enough ; but the next week was worse, as Madigan and Lecky had their collarbones broken, Kilfoyle fractured his arm, while Okey, a new player in the Gordon team against Auckland, is dangerously ill from iujuries to his kidneys — the accident being similar to that from which Dennis Conroy died. He is employed in the National Bank, and lately arrived from Taranaki. Last* Saturday he played for Gordon against Auckland, and it is said he received the injuries during the match." The Graftons did not play in the matches on Saturday out of respect to the memory of their deceased comrade Conroy.