NOTES BY FULL BACK

Otago Witness, Issue 2732, 18 July 1906, Page 58

NOTES BY FULL BACK-

The following table shows the positions of the various teams engaged in the First Grade contest : —

The Otago University Club anticipates receiving definite news concerning the visit of the Sydney University team by next week's mail. The second round of senior matches, on the form shown up to the present, promises to be productive of several keen contests, but tnere are practically only two teams in the running for the premiership. At _ present University holds the leading 1 position, but as this team is likely to be weakened by the absence of one or two of its leading players during the vacation, which is now on, the unexpected may happen. Should University succeed in winning the flag for the season of 1906, the honour will be very popular. The Otago University team will play the Inveroargill Club at Invercargill on Wednesday, 25th inst. _In order to interfere as little as possible with club football, it has been decided to dispense with a trial match before the representative match against Taranaki on the 28th inst. Mr Harris, the selector, will choose the team on club form. The task will not be an easy one, as there are j so many players whose qualifications entitle ■ them to consideration for representative ' honours. The backs should be a good all- ! round lot, strong alike on defence and j attack, while the forwards will be well i up to the standard of past representative teams. The Taranaki representative team on its southern tour will comprise 20 players. The team is due to arrive in Dunedin on the 26th inst., and will play Otago on Saturday, July 25. E. E. Booth, of the Kaikorai team, is very unsettled in Dunedin at present, and one would not be surprised to hoar of him taking his football abilities to other parte. The "All Black," however, is anxious to j remain until the end of the season if j circumstances permit. | Like one of many, I was under the impression, that the horoe-and-horae matches between Southland and Otago had been abandoned as from this season. It appears that such is not the case. There was » suggestion that those home-and-home matches should be cancelled this year, but in view of the fact that Southland was sending a representative team on tour this season, it was decided not to interfere with the existing arrangement this year, but to abandon the double fixture as from next season. The suggestion to hold a "country week" in Dunedin on similar lines to that in vogue in Sydney, gi% r en effect to at a recent meeting of the Rugby Union, is likely to be brought to a successful issue. The sub-committee appointed for the purpose has drafted a scheme, which it submitted io the various sub-unions and! goldfields districts for approval. Favourable replies have been received from the majority of the country clubs and subunions interested. A suggestion has been made that in addition to the winning country teams ylaying off. the los-ere should also play a match. The following is a rough draft of the proposed scheme : — A representative team from each of the North Otaso and South Otago Sub-unions and the Vincent and Maniototo Counties be sent to Dunedin late in August or early in -September. These teams to arrive in Dunedin on Friday evening. On Saturday, North Otago would pay Soutfi Otago and Vincent County would play Maniototo County, then on Wednesday the two winning teams of tihese matches would play to decide the leading team in the competition. On the. following Saturday a combined team t>icked from the former teams engaged in the competition, would play an Otago representative team. This arrangement of four matches would give the selector an opportunity of nidging the football merits of the pick of the country players, and would enahle him to judge whether any of these -olavers are worthy of inclusion in the Otago representative team. It would also se«-ve to show the capability of any country player much better playing with his own mon than would bo the case if he clayed in a trial match in Dunedin. Of course, if any player was considered worthy- ho would necessarily have to play in a trial match before he could be finally picked for the Otat?o representative team. The expenses of all the n'aveiN to Dunedin \vol7ld be borne by the O.R.F.U. as under : —Return railway and coach fare to all players engaged in the matches : hotel expenses to all players as ] lone as they were detained in town to keen j the various football engagements they were ! playing in. Thus, if a t>laver should bo in the winning team on the first Saturday, and also after playing in the final on Wednesday was picked for the combined teams on the following Saturday, his exr/pmes would be oaid riflrht through until the i

Monday morning after the last match ; and also any player in a losing team on the first Saturday might be picked for the combined team on the following Saturday, and so on. In the cease of players not engaged in the final on Wednesday, and not picked for the combined team, expenses would only be paid till the Monday morning after the first match.

Harrhy, the Alhambra threequarter, was ap absentee from his team's engagement against Kaikorai on Saturday. M'Kewen was brought up from full back to fill the vacancy on the wing of the threequarter line. There was no stopping for repairs in the match between those old-t ; me rivals Kaikorai and Alhambra, on Saturday. It was a strenuous contest for Rugby supremacy all the way, and either team, on the play might have secured a victory. It was a spirited game., full of interest and excitement. Tho ball travelled up and down the field at great psce, now on one side of the half-way flag and anon on the other. Both teams were, to use a sporting phrase, "all out" to win No quarter was given, and cone expected Every inch of ground was ftubbornly eonteste-L and made for a keen struggle. The high wind prevailing spoilt to a great extent the passing game, but what it lacked in this respect was amply compensated for in the excellent footwork by the forwards of both teams. This, indeed, was the principal feature of the game. Next to footwork, and equal in importance, was tho strenuous tackling of the players on both sides. The greasy state of the ball was against accurate handling, but despite this, the backs of both sides fielded well. Marsd-an, the Alhambra full back, had his hands full, but when in trouble ihe threequarter line dropped back to hts assistance. Bennet was the pick of the three-quarters, anc* played equally wel! on d-efence and attack. Bennet rarely failed to field the ball, and bis kicking waa well up to standard. M'Kewen, on the right wing, did not get many opportunities He made few mistakes in fielding the ball, and made good use of the touchline. Slatterly, on the left wing, was very much in the same position as M'Kewen. The, ball rarely came his w*y, and when it did, the pass did not come along too accurately. Of tho five-eighths, King was the pick. He has rarely played better than he did on Saturday lasc. King fielded the greasy ball with great accuracy, "securing several good marks in the teeth of a rush of the enemy's forwards. While everyone was conversant with King's fine defensive qualities, few realised until Saturday against Kaikorai, how strenuously he oould tackle. Knowlcs, the scrum half, put in some good bouts of defence punting, and- showed fine defensive qualities in rush-stopping. This player is still inclined to juggle with the ball before parting with it. The Alkambra forwards played well to a man. Their work in the open being particularly good. The footwork was excellent, the dribbling rushes being the best seen on the Caledonian Ground for some time. Amongst a good lot of forwards M'Kenzie, Harridge, and Given stood out conspicuously. The Kaikorai team is deserving of every credit for the magnificent stand they made in the first spell against the combined force* of Boreas and Alhambra. For fully 40 minutes Kaikorai fought the enemy in the teeth of a fierce gale before a score was registered against them. With only a goal to the bad, it was generally supposed -that in the eecond spell, with the wand in their favour, that Kaikorai would succeed in not only wiping off the deficit, but in obtaining a. lead. The efforts of the Kaikorai team in the first epell had evidently taken too much out of them, for although the Blue-and-blacka played with great dash, and were successful in crossing the Alhambra line, they "could not repeat the performance. The Kaikorai full back played fairly welt considering the conditions. Like his vis-a-vis, he had plenty to do, but the other backs 1 allied round him and saved the dangerous situations when imminent.

The three-quarter line was, if we except Dobson, not a great success. Armit was out of his -place at centre, and did not appear to be able to adapt himself to the new surroundings. Armit never plays what might be termed a bad game, but his place is teaiij jii the wing, when he can always be depended upon to show to ad\antage. Given opportunities, Armit would probably make a good centre, but i<, was hazardous to try the experiment in such an important engagement as against the Alhambra. The reason, of course, was that Coulter, having resumed his place behind the <=crum, Smith, who had played in that position during Coulter's temporary retirement, was played on the wing of the three-quarter line. This occasioned Armit going to the centre. A better arrangement of the Kaikorai back division might have bean the placing of Booth in t?ic centre and Smith inside fiveeighths. This by the way.

Dob3on put in a vast amount of work for Kaikorai, both on defence and attack. By defence I do not mean that Dobson thicw hinuelf down at rushes, or was very conspicuous in tackling, for we know that his defence is not of that type. In this respect the Kaikorai man is very much like Bush, of the Britsh team, in that his cleverness with his feet makes for a defence which, while not that of an ideal Rugby player, is at the same time almost equally effective. Speculating at a rolling ball is, however, a dangerous means of defence, no matter how expert the player may be. There is certain to come a time when failure to get the ball to the touch line will mean a score. Bush experienced this in the Cardiff-New Zealand match when he speculated and missed the ball instead of falling on it and forcing. Smith played fairly well on the wing. He did not have a. great deal of attacking work to do, but his defence was sound. Booth turned out again after his recent accident. His defence, as it has always been, was sound, but he was not so successful on attack.

The Kaikorai forwards played with great dash, and put in several good bouts of footwork, but there was a tendency to kick too hard at the psychological moment. On one occasion in the eecond spell a Kaikorai forward had but to nurse the leather for less than half a dozen yards to have scored a try almost under the posts. M'Dorvald, of the Kaikorai t«Bm, stood out conspicuously for good work all day. The dribbling of the Kaikorai captain was a feature of an almost ideal exhibition of forward play. Adameon in the open and Porteous in the heavy work were also proniinent throughout the- game. The tackling of the latter is very thorough. Talk about enthusiasm in Rugby football dying out* One only requires to attend

the country matches to find an answer to this. In a match played at Palmerston recently two players required to walk into the town — a distance of 14- miles^ — to obtain the necessary leave to play in the match on a Saturday. They had to walk back again, and then come into town on Saturday to play in the match. Three players in the St. Bathans team go one better, for in the recent match St. Bathans v. Naseby, played at Naseby, these players had to ride or drive 40 miles to play in the match. Such enthusiasm deserves some recognition at the hands of those in control of Rugby football. The championship flags presented to country clubs for compctiton are appreciated, but the members of the clubs are subjected to a great deal of expense in playing these matches through loss of time and their share of expenses for coach hire, etc., and referees' expenses, and while they do noi begrudge the former expenses, there is no doubt they should be met in some way with regard to the expanses of the referees in these matches. The interest in these matches is not onlj- confined to the players, but the residents of the district attend in large numbers, and in one match several drove in from over 30 miles distant to witness it.

The fortnightly meetings of the Otago Referees' Association for the purpose of discussing the rules and also any points arising during the progress of any game in which members acted, have been well attended, and have been much appreciated by the members.

The association has decided that players should always roll tho ball into the. scrum. A try can only be obtained by putting the hand on the ball ; the fact of a player falling on the ball docs not constitute it a try unless he touches the ball with his hand. If the ball comes out of the side of the scrum and a player kicks it into the scrum again, a free kick must be given against him. This infringement is very often overlooked.

An Auckland telegram states that in the interunion football matches on Saturday Auckland beat Waikato by 3 points to nil, and Thames by 6 ponts to 3. A Christchurch telegram states that footballers were favoured with an ideal day on Saturday afternoon. Nearly all interest in the Senior championship competition was centred in the match between Albion and Merivale, for if the former won or even made a drawn game of it they would win the championship, but in the event of Merivale winning the teams would have been equal, and a play-off would have been necessary. The game was most stubbornly contested throushoxit, aud there was no score during the opening spell, but halfway through the second torm Albion scored a goa.l from a mark, and, there being no further score, they won by 3 points to nil. Christchurch beat Sydenham by 5 points to 3 after an interesting game, and Linwood gained an easy victory over Canterbury College by 27 points to nil. These results make the points for the championship as follow: — Albion, 9; Merivale, 7; Ohristcliureh, 6: Linwood, 5; Svdenham, 3£ ; Old Boys, 2£; College, £; Kaiapoi, Vt the invitation of Mr Bert White tho Alhambra First Fifteen and a few of the officers of the club adjourned to the Caledonian Hotel after the match with the Kaikorai to celebrate the win. Mr W. Ross proposed the toast of Mr White, who has been a supporter of the Red-aud-blacks for many yeai's. Mr A. Hobson proposed thetoa=t of Mr and Mrs Blaney. to which Mr B^aney T^sponded. The captain of the team (Mr F. Given) proposed the health of the Kaikorai football foam, and in the course of his remarks said that, although tho Alhamb.-a had beaten the Kaifcorai that afternoon, it was ore of the hardest-Fought eames that the Rod-and-blacks had pWed for years. Three cheers were given for Mr Alex. iTDonald the captain of the Kaikorai team. Mr W. Roes responded on behalf of the Kaikorai team. The Kaikovai Football Club held a smoke concert on Saturday nieht at ita rsavilion. Mr W. Sinclair rarpeided, and there was an attendance ot about 50 members and friends, a moit enjoyable evening being spent. Amonsst those who contributed vocal items were Messrs R. Smith, E. Smith, W. Wilson Knox Dobson, Stranjr, B. Freeman, W. Burns, and Shennan, while Mes=Ts K. Smith. P. Johnson L. Johnson, and W. Johnson pave a haka in the most approved <.tv!e. and also dnncod a Highland reel. Mr Brown made an efficient accomnani«t on a piano kindly lent by the Dresden Company. Much of thi* success of the function was dw> to the efforts of Mr William Ray, an old-time five -eighths of the dub. Each of the Otago members of the " AH "Ftlaek " football team has received a quite. ®octed gift from a Maori lady supporter, now in Sydney. The presentation consists of a silver cigarette case, eilt lined, and with an inscription stating the name. of the recipient and the fact that he was a member of the now famous team, and ending with the words "From Ngawini." On the upper portion of the ca^ the Royal Standard is engraved, abso a fern leaf, and the words "^ke Ake Kia Kaha."

The Otago University team will play the Invercargill Club at Invercargill on Wednesday. 25th inst. The date" for the Southland team's northern tour have been fixed as follow: — Ota?o, 18th August: Wellington, 22nd; Auckland. 25th; Taranaki, at Hawera. 29th ; Canterbuary. l»t September. It was decided to suggest the 15th August for the first Otago match at Invercargill. Tho Wellington Rugby IXnion, which for some years past has been remarkably remiss in its management of the came. has at last been spurred into action in regard to hooliganism " by • the criticism of the local press on the action of the Melrose barrackers on Saturday last. The meeting of the union, at which it was decided to take action, was rather an amusing- one. Some of the committee deprecated the severity of the press criticism, and a general discussion that ensued showed, from the lips of committeemen themselves, that the state of matters prevailing is even woree than was reported. Inspector Ellison states that if any member of the Rugby Union or any two respectable witnesses will point out any man who has used offensive or indecent language on a football field the police will speedily prosecute.

Club. Tniversity Lihambra .. .. Caikorai )unedin . . . . iingariKichmond . . iouthern . . *ort Chalmers Jnion >irates .. .. T3 s> & 10 10 9 9 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 7 6 6 4 3 2 1 1 1 O 1 3 3 6 6 7 6 7 & c* M ft 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 14 o « o a< 83 58 89 66 49 35 67 46 21 ■3 2 * 3 •3 5 ?n Vh 27 19 32 16 31 12 50 12 54 8 53 7 92 5 81 4 94 3