AN APPRECIATION OF THE VARSITY TEAM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 61

AN APPRECIATION OF THE VARSITY TEAM.

By Pbo Pateia.

I As a football enthusiast and a regular follower of th* game, permit me to say a few words in appreciation of this year's 'Varsity team. It is a long time since we had a club, or for that matter an interprovincial team, that has shown the publio how the game should be played. Years ago, when the Alhambra team was at its best, when the game was played scientifically, not only amongst the hacks, but the forwards, when th« tight scrumming gave way to the fast open work of the loose, and when the game became worth watching, we thought we had made ourselves masters of it; and to ' a certain extent we were right, for there were very few teams in the length and 1 breadth of New Zealand who could compare with the Alhambra and Kaikorai teams of those days. But with the decline of the Alhambra team the game once more reverted to the old style of play, and the dribbling, brilliant passing-, and all that goes to make the game interesting to tho spectators, were conspicuous by their absence. The change was gradual and consequently unnoticed by the majority of the spectators and the players themselves, and it was only when our representative teams met the brilMant exponents of the game in the North Island that we realised that the art of playing scientific football was lost to us. For many years Otago relied solely on the services' of one man, and when it •' happened that circumstances prevented him from playing, the exhibition given by our ■ representatives was anything but satisfactory. , , B*ut the old order of things has changed. This year a new star, or, should I say, a combination of stars, has appeared in the firmament, and Otago is the gainer to a considerable extent by it. By constant practice and hard training, the 'Varsity haye demonstrated to both the public and clubs how a team may improve when it goes the right way to work. The accurate pass- ■ ing determined running, and splendid Unekioking of the backs, combined with the dexterous footwork and line-out play ot Ihe forwards, go far to make the game ! interesting to the spectators, and thesym- ■ pathies of the latter are always with the I team that shows the best football. Never since the day of Downes, Crawfurd, Restieaux, etc., has a club team had i such a splendid lot of backs as those possessed by the University of this year, and I am inclined to think that the rearguard of this year as a combination are streets i ahead of the best tea.™ of backs that Otago i has placed in the field for the last ,lo or 12 years. From scrum half to full back it is hard to find a weak link m the chain There- is one serious fault amongst the f orwa-rds-a fault that only requires, pointing out to have it remedied. It is this : Alter the 'Varsity hookers have secured the ball, the back rank do not get it out of the j swum quickly, but allow it to hang about their feet, thus allowing the opposing foiwards ample time to come rouncT and prevent the scrum half from sending the ball out to the five-eighth. This was particularly noticeable last Saturday against the Southern, and on several occasions what might have meant scoring chances were Ihrown away. As I said this defect only requires to be pointed out to have it altered, and I am .sure the Varsity team will take this criticism in good part *nd accept it in the spirit in which it is offered. „ There is one thing that agreeably appeals to the spectators, and that is the absence of rough play. This is as it should be and proves conclusively that though a game may be "hard," it need not necessarily >U rousrh The game last Saturday was an example of this." Both the Southern and the 'Varsity played what is oalled a 'haid game and though it was played very determinedly, there was not a single instance, as far as I saw, of anything that could be called rough, and both teams are to be congratulated on the determined and manly way in which it was fought, and the entire absence of anything pertaining to rough or unsportsmanlike play; and may it be always The thaniks of the publio are due to the popular medico wiio has taken the team vi hand and is instrumental in bringing it to its present state of efficiency, and it is to be hoped that the present high, standard which the team has reached may long continue, and that other teams in Dunedin may follow in its footsteps, and so raise the game to a position from which it may never depart. In » few d*ys the 'Varsity will leave for 1 Sydney to play the local University, *nd I need not say that our boy* will carry with them the football publics wishes for their success. Their doings will be watched with the keenett interest, and I am sure I am only expressing the wishes of their many supporters when I hope they may § safe pjußftgfc.

[May they return crowned with the laurels of victory.

OTAGO RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION The ordinary weekly meeting of the O R.F.U. was held on Monday; presentMessrs F. H. Campbell (president), V. Cavanagh, G. M'Laren, H. Harris, G. Dunn, A. Dey, H. Sincock, P. J. Priest, J. Hutchison, G. W. Macdonald, A. C. Hanlon, and Drs Crawford and Hunter. The Secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Union wrote stating that at a meeting of the union held on Juno 15 tho committee, in view of the fact that it would be quite impossible to arrange later dates than July 8, 12, and 15 for matches in Sydney, and that this would land the team back in _ Wellington on July 19, considered it advisable to fill in tirno prior to the departure of tho team for England on July 29 or 30 by playing matches in the four centres, find the following programme was decided on : — Play Auckland July 1, and leave for Sydney same day, arriving there on July 6; return to Wellington, and go on to Dunedin, playing there on the 22nd, at Christchurch on tho 27th, and at Wellington on the 29th, leaving by the Rimutaka on the 30th *or England. The Secretary requested the Otago Union to arrange for the players selected for Sydney from the Otago district (E. Booth. S. "Casey, A.M'Donald, and W. Johnston) to arrive in Wellington on Wednesday, June 28, and to advance to them sufficient funds to pay their travelling expenses as far as Wellington only. It was also stated that the entire arrangements for the match in Otago were left" with the local union. — The President said he noticed that nothing was mentioned in tlie correspondence as to what charge should bs made for the us© of the ground. He knew the matter he referred to was a tender subject, but he hoped it waa not the intention of the governing body that the whole of the proceeds of the match should go to the funds of the tour. It did not suggest itself to him that because the Otago Union held grounds that it should get nothing for their use. — After discussion, it was resolved en the motion of Mr Harris — " That the New Zealand Union be informed that the rent of the ground for the match in Otago be 20 per cent, of the net takings." — During the discussion it was pointed out that the terms offered were muoh better than in other centres, which, except in the case of Auckland, were 33 1-3 per cent. — The committee decided that the players for Otago in the team be asked to meet the committee on Monday evening next. Mr F. Foster, referee in the match Port Chalmers First v. Kaikorai Second, reported that he had to order off the field F. Smith, of the Port Chalmers Club, foi; rough play; also F. Fraser, of the Kaikorai Club, for the same reason. — Resolved, that the player Smith be severely cautioned by letter from the secretary, and that F. Fraser be disqualified up to the end of the present season. The Referee (T. Boyle) wrote, with regard to an appeal against a. try scored by an Alhambra player against "West Taieri, that the try was scoi-ed within 2ft of the outline, and the player was not pushed into touch-in-goal until after he . had grounded the ball.— The Hou. Secretary of the West Taieri Club also wrote on the, same subject, and asked if J. Coulter, whose name was in the Alhambra First Fifteen in the Annual, and who had been, playing this year for tho First, had received his transfer to the Second Fifteen ; if not, the West Taieri Club olaimed the match, as the player mentioned was playing for Alhambra Second on Saturday. — The appeal was dismissed. The Hon. Secretary of the Union Football Club wrote stating that the spectator whom Clarke (Dunedin) accused of having struck him was a lad named Holford, who denied having done so. The Secretary stated that the officials to be appointed would see that the ground was kept clear in future when matches were being played. — Consideration adjourned till following meeting Permission was granted to the Otago High School Football Club to hold practice games at Bishopscourt for the ensuing few weeks. In response to a request from the Vincent and Maniototo County Clubs, it was decided to give a banner to each county. Tho Hon. Secretary of the Naseby Football Club wrote, with regard to the suggestion that the disqualification should be removed from Joseph Hore, that the club made the request on account of the difficulty in obtaining players. — Resolved, that the committee could not see its way to remove the disqualification. A complaint from the Dunedin Club that a delay of .half an hour was caused in a match through Mr Beadle (referee) not putting in an appearance was referred <4o the Referees' Association. CANTERBURY RUGBY UNION. CHRISTCHURCH, Juno 13. At a meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union a telegram was received from the secretory of the New Zealand Union asking whether the union would accept July 27 as the date for a probable match against the New Zealand team in Christchurch. The Chairman said he did not like the manner adopted by the New Zealand Union towards the Canterbury Union. The telegram had been received the day before, and there had been ample time for the secretary to write instead of telegraphing. Members agreed ihat the method of the New Zealand Union's secretary was not, perhaps, quite what it should be. It was resolved to accept the date and ask for further particulars.