FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 32

FOOTBALL.

NOTES BY FORWARD. The heavy fall of snow on Friday night caused all the inter-club matches to be abandoned. The programme fcr the football tour of the New Zealand Rugby Union as previously arranged has been agreed to by the other colonies, but the secretary of the New Zealand Union has written askiog for two other matches to be arranged, as there will be 22 men. It is intended to play three matches per week if possible. The Warehousemen held a practice match on Saturday despite the inclement weather, when some 30 members took part. Sides were chosen by Wood and Hutchison, and after a very exciting and interesting game, considering the state of the ground, it resulted in a draw, each side scoring 5 points. Tries were obtained by Wood and Kinvi^ for their respective sides, Wood and Hutchison converting. The match between Matakanui and Alexandra, played in a perfect gale, resulted in a win for Matakanui by 2 points to nothing. The score was secured by Kobertson just beiore the call of time. A rather unusual incident occurred on Thursday afternoon last at Temuka in the football match Temuka v. Tirnaru. One of the Timaru backa got away with the ball and was making straight for the goal posts, when he heard a whistle, and thinking it came from the referee returned to the centre of the field without scozing, but when he arrived he found, much to his disgus 1 -, that the referee had not blown the whistle. ;^The gross gate receipts in the final tie for the English Association Cup amounted to £2539. This is a record, the nearest being £1753 at the Oval 12 months previously. The central union are evidently not sanguine 'as to the gentlemanliness of the team they are sending to Australia. They have made it a recommendation to the Management Committee to at once suspend and return to New Zealand any member of the team who misconducts himself. Mowlen, the Hanawatu representative, who has obtained a place in Mr Hoben's union's team to visit Australia, is dt s :iibed as " a fast athletic forward of the flying school." What sort of a forward is that ? Mr W. Laidlaw, the country vice-president of the 0.R.F.U., was in Dunedin for a couple of days last week. He tells me that the Matakanui Club, in which he is particularly interested, is much stronger this ye.tr than it was last. Oae of tho most prominent of Eogluh forwards is DoDald Jowetfc, of Heckmondwike, who tips the beam at 17.5 and yet p!ays withths activity of a kitten and the vigour if a, youth. There weie many Yorkshiremen who held the opinion that a big mistake was made when Jowebt) was not chosen for the England v. Scotland match, where (the Athletic News says) his weight and skittle playing would have been extremely useful. The heaviest forward who has donned the jersey in New Zealand is, if I mistake not, J. Thomson, a Welling' on representative some 12 years or so ago. His weight was 16.12. " Tab." Wjnyard, one of the backs selected to visit Australia with the New Zealand Rugby Union team, is unable to secure the necessary leave, and it has been decided that Mowlen, of Palmerston North, one of the emergency forwards, will take his place in the team. AVynyard was one of the two whose nairn s were not disclosed when the selection was published, "Baby" Wilson the ex-Canterbury full back being the other. The Wellington representative team, including those chosen to go to Australia, will play a match against the New Zealand Rugby Union team the day before the Utter leaves the colony. The Thursday afternoon fhg competition, inaugurated by the Canterbury Rugby Union, was opened las'o week, when six teams took part. Ab a meeting of the pomrnittee of the East Christchurch Football Club ifc was resolved to scud the following telegram to Mr Hoben, secretary of the New Zealand Hugby Union:— "East Christ burch Football Club wish New Zealand team every success in their Australian tour." The East Christcburch Club has always been unsound on the subject of the New Zealand Union and has thus tak*n the opportunity of parading its sympathy with Mr Hoben's organisation. Of course, theie are no persons in New Zealand who do not hope to see the team successful=~even though it is a piece of the most bra/en-faced irnpudenca to assert that it is representative of the colony— but I fancy that, unless football on the other side is played in the old, unscientific style, the visiting team will not return home without a defeat against them. It is proposed that Wellington shall play Auckland on the roturn of tha so-called New Zealand team to the latter place, a sufficient number of players being sent up from Wellington to make up, with those returning from Australia, a team to represent their union. Fred Hobb3, who played such a splendid full back game for Canterbury against Otago on the Caledonian ground last year, has removed to Timaru. The Canterbury Union will probably discontinue their matches with South Canterbury, ] now that Mr Hoben's union has applied the boy- j cott to unions not affiliated with it. An excepr tion has of course been made in favour of South Canterbury, whose if present *tive.3 are permitted to play against teams which are beyond the jurisdiction of the cential uuicn, but the cbjtet of that is plain, leiug to make simply a e.i^spaw of the Canterbury Union by permitting South Canteibury to play North Canterbury because they could not get any other matches. The aunual match between South Canterbury aud, Noith Otago will also fall through in consequf nee of the former's allegiance to Mr Hoben's union. Lust week I pointed out thit the Selection Commilteo of Mr Hoban's union had given places ia thtir representative team to men of whom they knew nothing, the oVject obvioubly being to btretghten the ties between the central union and the smaller and weaker affi.iated todies. Northern writers are, I find, expressing themselves to a similar effect. Even " Half Back," of the New Zealand Mail, tho advocate through thick-and-thin of the new union, complains that players who are, in his opinion, good enough for any Ntsw Zealand team, "are Itft out in order that some of the smaller unions shou'd be represented by reputation men." The backs, he thinks, "if all tho men se'ecled get away, are a fine lob, and it is difficult to see how they could be improved. The same cannot be truthfully said of the forwards." From the Ttfanavtati distueb also a complaint is voiced ngaiust the yersonuel of the team selected to visit Australia. Says the Standard : " Surprise bas been expressed at so many Aucklanders being selected after taking into af count the crushing defeat Auckland sustained at the hands o? Cmterbury last jear. Jt is qni*e evident that several men have been picked solely on their reputation." Reviewing the past football season in Eng. land, the correspondent of the Sydney Mail writes ;— " Under the Rugby code of rules Eng.

land had a decidedly disappointing season, especially after the triumphs of the previous year, and the great contests were chieflj interesting from the experiments tried in playing four three-quarter backs and eight forwards instead of the orthodox system of three threequarters) and nine forwards. In Wales the practice, haviog besn followed for somo years, had been brought to a high pitch of perfection, and the triumph of the Welshmen in the international matches led to a somewhat unreasoning claim that the superiority of the three three-quarter plan had been conclusively demonstrated. People who urged this contention forgot that 12 months ago Walei, following the same system, and trying, to a considerable extent, the same men, lost all three international matches, and that the triumphs of this winter were largely due to the strict training followed by the Welshmen as contrasted with the ordinary mode of life pursued by the i representatives of the other countries. At the same time the four three-quarter system in the hands of men who have practised it for some time has, no doubt, much to recommend it, and only a very bigoted Rugby plaj er would rt-f use to entertain a trial of the new distribution of the fifteen " At the Association game Englishmen have had a triumphant season. Following victories over Ireland by six goals to one, and over Waldte by six goals to none, the English representatives achieved that crowning glory— a victory ] over Scotland. The game v.&3 played at Richmond in summer-lilw weather, and proved wonderfully exciting. England prefs=.d hard during the fhsb 20 minutes, but on3y scored once, and, tiring somewhat, the Scotchmen were enabled not only to get c n terms, but to take the lead early in the second half. Half an hour from the finish, the Scotchmen appeared to have so completely got the measure of their opponents that the result seemed assured, but then the English team playrd up in such brill'ant style that they actually scored four goals within 20 minutfS, and thus Scotland suffered defeat — their third in succession from England — by five goals to two. The progress nude at the Association game in England of late years has indeed been most gratifying. So superior at this kind of foothill were the Scotchmen that in the first 11 engagements between the two countries Ergland suffered seven defeats, and gained only two victories. Since then, however, England have won four matches and lost four, whilst in the last 11 encounters the Englishmen have scored 25 goals to 17. Furthermore, it may be noted that, while EcotUnd have not once since 1882 beaten England by more than a single point, England's successes include victories by fivegcais to none, four goals to one, at>d five goals to two. It is curious an 3 suggestive that tbe improvement in English Association football dates from the year when the Association Cup was first c vrried off by a Lancashire c!ub. A wsc-k after the International match at Richnoid, teancs rej.resentative of the English and (Scottish lesgues met at Glasgow, and in that instance also the Englishmen proved successful, though somewhat luckily, and only by the bare margin of four goals to three. I regret to learn that Mr W. Laidlaw, the president of the Matakanui Club and vice-presi-dent of the O.R.F*U., met with an accident while riding homewards from Roxburgh on Saturday last. Hte horse fell at Gorge creek and came down on Mi* Laidlaw, who has suffered the fracture of a leg. Little did I think three weeks ago, when I penned some notes relative to the greed of clubs in demanding gate money at matches in, which they were engaged, that a crisis in the matter was so imminent. Last week it was recorded that an application by the Alharnbra and Kaikorai Cluba for the use of the Caledonian ground for their first match, which was to have taken place last Saturday, had been conditionally granted by the Rugby UnioD. It was not recorded, though, that the clubs in question had also applied for 25 per cent, each of the gate takings on the occasion, and that this cool request had been very properly declined by the committee of the 0.R.F.U., which includes the president of the Kaikorai and the president of the Alhambra Club, both of these gentlemen, moreover, being present at the meeting that dealt with the application. It will be seen, therefore, that it was not sufficient for the two clubs mentioned that the Rugby Union should do them the favour of turning the Dunedin Club off the Caledonian ground for the day aud bidding the latter play the Pirates on the Carisbrook ground, which was to have been occupied with a junior match — they desired this and they desired also to be paid (for that is really what it comes to) for condescending to play on the Caledonian ground. There is no use picking one's words in a matter of this kind. The subsequent conduct of those in authority in the Alhambra and Kaikorai Clubs is significant. Upon learning the decision of the Rugby Union, they complain of what they term that body's "grab-all" policy, and enter into negotiations for the use of Tahuna Patk for the Saturday afternoon, so that they may hold their match there and annex all the gite money. It is a despicable sight, that of football clubs plotting to secure the possession of large amounts of money which may be expended in all sort 3of illegitimate ways. The project to secure Tahuna Park was successful, and I have no doubt that the executives of the two clubs congratulated themselves upon their smartness iv getting the better of the Rugby Union. On Saturday the wfather was go bad as to prevn.b any football, and ihe suggestion then was made that tbe match between the Alhambra and Kaikcrai clubs should bo merely postponed for a week. Each club had of course an engagement for the following Saturday, but that was not to be allowed to stand in the way. Their respective opponents would be asked to meet each other and thus it would be possible to bring off the match between the Alhambra and Kaikorai. It is bard to believe that such a suggestion should be entertained for a moment, but it undoubtedly was, and over lures were opened up for an arrangement on the. lines I have indicated. I have reason to baiieve that sow. c of tbose who would necessarily have had to be consulted on the subject would have declined to have fallen in with a proposal of such colossal impudence as that several fixtures should be disarranged to permit of two clubs meeting one another ; but the negotiations, I understand, fell to the grouad before they were carried to the point at which that refusal would have stopped them. The Kaikorai, in short, have resolved to bide their time, for they have another fixtuie -with the Alhambra. Tho latter's supporters declare that the former are "fm>king v it. Such an assertion is not calculated to promote a friendly spirit between the two clubs. H. Wilson, formerly of Christchurch, bas obtained leave of absence to enable him to form one of the so-called representative team that is to visit Australia. The weekly meeting of the committee of the Otatfo Rugby Football Union on Tuesday was attended by Messrs Chisholm (presiding), Montgomery, Stilling, Chapman, Chalmer, Martin, and Home. The Secretary reported that permission had bien given to the Clutha Club to play matches with the Port Molyr.eux Club. The application of the University Club for the use of the Caledonian Ground on Ist July,

for the annual match with Canterbury College was granted, subject to arrangements being made for the match Dunediu v. Zingari-Richmond on the same date, the University Club to get half the gate up to £25. The hon. secretary South Canterbury Union wrote expressing his appreciation of the Otago "Annual," and convoying his good wishes for the success of the Otago Rugby Football Union. The following letter was received from Mr R. Galbraith, hon. secretary of tho Southland Union : — At a meeting of the Southland Rugby Football Union, held here last night, the following resolution was passed :— "That this committee have read the correspondence published in the Evenirg Star of the sth May, and express the opinion that they see nothing underhand in the letters of the Otago Rugby Football Union as published in the paper referred to." I have to thank you for the copies of your " Annual," and wish the O.R.F.U. every success. Some discussion took place at the meeting of tho O.R F.U. committee this week as to the advisability of forming a referees' association similar to that in existence in New South i Wales, and Mr Chapman promised to lay some information in connection with the matter befote next meeting, Ab a meeting of the Kaikorai Club Cun> mifc ea held on Tuesday evening the following motion, proposed by Mr Farley and secended by Mr W. Wilkinson, was carried : — " That this club adhere to the fix tines as printed in the 'Annual' unless all senior club matches are put back one Saturday." A motion to the effect " That the Alhambra match b9 played next Saturday" lapsed for want of a seconder. A Wellington telegram states that the Poverty Bay Union has applied for affiliation to the New Zealand Rugby Union. SOUTHLAND NOTES. Last Wednesday the union's new ground was o -tned by the Star and Invercargill, who met for the first time this season. The ground, which is situated between East Invercargill and Richmond Grove, was in capital order, and so was tbe weather. There was a large attendance of the public, and the Garrison r.nd City Bands were present, but, unlike at sports, races, and regattas, the bandsmen find it impossible to play at football matches, so that beyond two selections from the Garrison before the match and one from the City at half time, (hey were silent. Oldham captained the Invercargill, and Cuff the Star. The former won the to3S and decide,! to play with his back to the suu, which being low down placed the Star afc a disadvantage which the Blues did not have to experience when they turned round, it having then gone down. Ovri'.g to the late hour as which the game started, it was plajed in 40min spells instead of the usual 45min. The first ypell was principally characterised by dribbling rushes by the Blues' forwards and passing rußhes by the Star's backs, the most prominent feature of the dribbling being off- side play, and of the passing forward balk which sometimes terminated them and sometimes did not. At the commencement of the sptll Russell obtained a mark for the Blues, but in doing so was temporarily disabled, and therefore handed the ball to a colleague, who proceeded to place it, but was surprised to find it snapped irom his hands by D. M'Robie. Explanations T/cre demanded and made, and a fccrum followed. Perhaps most teams would have done as they did in the matter under the circumstances, but it would have been more generous to have allowed the kick. During the progress of the spell D. M'Robie scored between the posts, but Knucky failed .to raise the ball, and soon after, from a free kick allowed to the Blues near the halfway flag, Greafe'l almost succeeded in placing a goal, the ball striking the post, and while the Star backs stood with their mouths open — no doubt in admiration of the fine kick— a Blue forward followed up and secured the ball and crossed the line, but was quickly thrown back again, and for some time the Star's line was menaced. The defence sefc up by them was, however, too good, and they soon succeeded iv placing themselves out of danger, after which the whistle blew for half time, when the score fttood— Star 2 points, Invercargill nil. As soon as the second spell started, the Star began with more determination to assert their superiority, and during the greater part of the spell, the ball was in the Blues' territory. S'-on after the commencement Grenfel made a mark just on the Star's side of the half-way flag, and Watson made a splendid attempt at the goal, the bill falling jast a yard or two short oi the bar. The Star then invaded the Bouts' quarters, and Donaldson, getting possession, cleverly dropped it across the bar. Shortly after that G. Ramsay scored, Donaldson's kick failing to improve the score, and then J. Ramsay crossed the line and Knucky registered a goal. Soon after that time was called, when the darkness made it difficult to distinguish the players in the centre of the field. The score then stood — Star 13 points, Invercargill nil. Mr R. Galbraith acted as reftree, and Messrs Jinkens and Martin as line umpires. Tbe luvercargill played well — even better than their most ardent admirers expected — from the beginning of the game. Although the first spell was rather evenly contested, there was no doubt that the Star was the superior team and that the secret of thtir superiority lay in their combination, which was almost perfection. It is probably a good many years si ace the Im ercargill backs pHyed with such admirable defence, and although they made one or two fair attempts at passing they are rather backward in ttsat branch of the game, in which the Star excels. Murphy played the best forward game for the victors ; in fact he played the best forward game on the ground, but beyond that, with perhaps the exception of G. Ramsay, it would be difficult to mention aay of the others, their combination was so complete. Cuff and M'Robie were both in capital form, especially the former, j A good many were of the opinion at the begin- j ning of the season that Cuff's day was done, but they were mistaken, for he is bttter this year than ever he was. Although Knucky was not guilty of anything serious in the centre, he failed several times to take advantages that came in his way. While the opposing threequarters were devoting all their attention to the wing men he had several opportunities of feinting to them and running on instead of passiDg, but he did not lake them, nor did he take the ball as well as he might h*ve done, which may be said of all the Star backs. This refers to taking the bill from a kick only. Donaldson and Bain were both well watched, particularly the latter, but they were too clever for their opponents, buth playing very well. Cockrofb did riot play up to his usual form, failing to lake the ball several limes and to [ stop one or two rushes. It is not often he has those charges laid against him, being as a rule veiy safe. Mucpherson, Ashcroft, atd Roachford \me the btsb of the Invercargill forwards, ' the last-named being very good on the line out. Neave, perhaps, did a? much for his Bide as anyone, but his off-side play was intolerable, and was such as any honest man ought to be thoroughly ashamed of, and the referee dealt far too leniently with him, and would do well

to look up by-law 11 and take particular notice of clause H. Oldham was the best of the halves, and did a lot of hard work for his side. Harraway showed a decided improvement on hi» previous play, and though not a rough player, is rather quick-tempered. Grenfell was the best of the three-quarters, but did not play so well in the second Rpell as in the first, though ho gave another exhibition of hh long placekicking powers. Hendersoa did some useful kicking, and was vtry smart, as ho usually is, at making marks. Although Russell has still room for improvement, he played his best game this season. Tommy Watson was very safe at full back, but he has a habit of running too far with the ball, which will yet get him hibo trouble if he does not break it. On the same day that the Firsts played, the Invercargill and Star Seconds and Thirds Iritd their powers, when the Star Second won thoir maboh by 15 points bo nothing, and the Third won theirs by U points to 1, the 4 being scored by accident from a speculator. There should ba a law specifying the number of points for such a kick, for it is certainly not worth the same as a potted goal or one from a mark. One of tho Second's tries was scored when an appeal had been made and every one was waiting for the whistle except one who had an eye for business. The practice of stopping when appeals are made is not uncommon among firsb fifteen players. MrN. M'Robie acted as referee for the Th'irJs, and Mr J. E. Taylor for the Seconds. Porteous has taken up his residence at Thornbury. There are two clubs, Riverton and Outouta, within six miles of him, but which he will play for, if any, has not yet transpired. Last Saturday the Awarua met and defeated Winton, at Invercargill, by 7 to 4 (one goal and a try to two triet). There was aboub l£in or snow on top of a considerable amount of raud, and anyone who has seen a rush of pigs in a slaughteryard ab meal bime will have an idea of what ib was like. C. Powley had his kneecap split. Mr H. Cameron acted as referee. CIiOSSBAR.