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Otago Witness, Issue 2373, 24 August 1899, Page 42

The' special correspondent of the Weekly £ress, who accompanied the Canterbury Team, is impressed with the desirability ur .Canterbury dropping wing forwards and (adopting the Otago three half-back system. Respecting the Canterbury-Otago match he says : — Otago played the three-half system, and Canterbury the wing-forward game, and it was fully demonstrated on Saturday that TCanterbury will have to play Otago's game if >they wieh to beat them. It is all very well to work a thing out in a training room when the wings can get the ball out to the fiveVeighth (practically speaking) as quick as a ball can be passed, but he cannot pass if that centrepiece of the opposing backs be smart dn his work, and taken for granted that he gets there just as he passes, there are then three to two backs, and such was the case on Saturday, and that is the secret of Otago's Buccess. It will behove the clubs of Canterbury to seriously take up the matter of wing forwards, and adopt the three-half system." P. Ward is expected back from Sydney in lime to play for Southland in the return In at eh against Otago. The Southland Rugby Union proposes next pear to send its representative team as far north as Auckland. The Otago Union has been exceptionally favoured in respect to weather for this year's interprovinoial matches. The weather could hardly have been bettei than was experienced for all three of the matches that have co far been played here. It is too much to hope that the matches against Taranaki end Auckland will be played under equally favourable conditions. Wanted, a place kick ; apply to the O.R.F.U. Match Committee. Nine tries have been obtained by the Otago representatives this season and not one of them has been converted." And yet. suoceseful placekicking is only a matter of practice. In the football match, Auckland representatives y. the Thames, the Thames team scored a deceive victory, obtaining 12 points to Auckland's 3. This is the third consecutive win for the Thames. The Southland team was too weak in the forward division to be any match for the Utago representatives last Saturday. Veterans like Jenkins, Anthony, and Anderson tound themselves associated with light and comparatively inexperienced players and opposed by a team that is becoming a fine combination. Where the Otago forwards were beaten by Southland was in a point in which it was hoped they would be the superior The Otago forwards had obtained the ball in the scrummage from Canterbury and as Canterbury had obtained it from Southland it was reasonable to anticipate that Otago would eecure it from Southland, but as things turned out the Southland forwards obtained it more frequently. The bulk of the play was however in the Southland quarters, the Otago forwards playing with a cohesion in the loose work that in view of future engagements was very pleasant to see, and driving their opponents before them, and the backs profiting by the criticism to which the previous Saturday's play had exposed them, using the touchline with excellent judgment. On the occasions ♦rhon the Southland backs were able to put their passing tactioß into execution they Bhowed that they could handle the ball as successfully as their opponents but they were met by resolute tackling, and it was only on rare occasions that they made much headway. .The play of the Otago backs on the whole Bhowed a vast improvement upon the form exhibited in the match against Canterbury. Wi Repa was still somewhat shaky in fielding the ball, but his kicking was good, and at the only time he had to tackle a man he was not found wanting. Stephenson played a very useful game, the merit of which was, however, discounted by the grossly unfair act of obstruction by which, iv company with Given, he blocked Bain's progress once in the lecond spell. Armit was, however,, still the pick of the backs. O'Shea was patchy at

centre three-quarter back, and his unreliability in defensive work has probably as much as his uncertainty in taking a pass led to his being given a rest this Saturday. The three half-backs all played well, but Macdont-ld must learn to restrain himself in his eagerness to secure the ball out of scrummages in the enemy's quarters. Barring Rodgers who must have played greatly below his form, the Southland backs gave a good exhibition and proved themselves to be a thoroughly sound combination. The want of stronger forwards in front of them must have prevented them from doing full justice to themselves but as it was they inspired their opponents with ir.arked respect for them. Footballers will be interested in knowing (says a Tauranga correspondent) that at -a recent contest between two Maori teamsj the defeated' team attributed their defeat to the influence of witchcraft. The Rangiwaea and Tauranga Maori footballers recently played against the Te Puke Maori team, and were defeated. The play took place on the Te Puke ground, and the visitors allege that as they went on to the ground a wise man, or tohunga, cast upon each of their party an evil eye, or, in other words, bewitched or makutued them. They now say that they will never play on that ground again, to be so inhospitably treated, but will play only on Crown land, or on some land under the pakeha control. A most enjoyable function was held on the evening of the 16th at the Coffee Palace, when the Otago Football Association entertained at dinner the team from H.M.S Ringdove which tried conclusions with a picked local eleven. After ample justice had been done to the good things provided by Host Meyer, the Chairman (Mr J. Wilson) opened the toast list by proposing "The Queen." Other toasts drunk during the evening were " The Officers of H.M.S. Ringdove," proposed by Mr Wilson ; " The Ringdove Football Team," proposed by Mr Sligo, and responded to by C.P.O. Lammerton ; " The Otago Football Association, " proposed by Mr Sharkey, *nd responded to by Mr J. Wilson (vicepresident). Between the toasts a programme of songs and recitations was gone through, in the various items of which the bluejackets displayed marked ability — especially so the nuggety centre forward," Blundell, who was enthusiastically encored. The jolly Jack tar songsters were Messrs Blundell, Bray, Maning, Thomas, Mason, May, and Webbter; while the musical reputation of the Otago Football Association was upheld by Messrs Sligo, Dodd, W. Dobson, D. M'Millan, and A. Dobson, recitations being given by Messrs W. Dob Eon, Young, and Stables. The executive of the O.F.A. are certainly to be complimented upon the success of their venture ; but they would have felt a great deal more gratified had there been just a few more Association players present. Our Auckland correspondent wires : — The Auckland team for the southern football tour has been chosen, and, taken all round, it may bs said to be a Bound, good lot, the backs being.speedy, strong in attack, and sound in defence, and the forwards weighty, sound grafters in the pack, and dashy in the open. The full back, Gillett, is a magnificent kick, and invariably finds the touchline, but is perhaps a trifle slow. Absolum, M'Pike, and Harrison, who form the three-quarter line, are about as speedy a trio as could be got together — all strong attacking players, while M'Pike and Pnrri?on in particular are sure tacklere, and Absolum when on his mettle is not the worst stopper in the world. M'Gregor, the extra three-quarter, is not as fleet of foot as the three above mentioned, but is a rare tackier and awkward to stop when near the line. O'Reilly and Phelan the five-eighths, are both clever "at making openings foi 1 their three-quarters, and as it is more than likely that the Aucklanderd will meet Otago at their own game — the three half-backs, with the extra man in the pack — the first named, with Young, the scrum half, will form the three-half line for the northern men. Young is a last year's second junior, and makes his first appearance in senior ranks. A nice little half-back, quick at getting the ball away, and as full of pluck as an egg is full of meat he reminds one more of Humphries, of Taranaki, than any man I have seen for some time, though it would have been better had he had a little more experience and weight when it comes to a question of representative play. The wingers — J. Laing and A. Wilson — must average about thirteen Btone, and besides sheltering their half-backs well, , both are clever with their feet and often head good dribbling rushes. Laing in particular j is a man who often makes nice openings for his baclt3. The forwards will be led by experi ienced men such as Murray, J. Gillett, Jock I M'Gregor, and Dave Gallagher all of whom ; are too well known to interprovincial players I throughout the colony to call for a recapilui lation of their qualifications ; while Irvine, , Scott, Cunningham, Wilson, and Tyler are I grafters, and though not perhaps particularly I brilliant in many points of the game, they keep going from end to end. The average weight of the front division should be quite j thirteen stone.