FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 58

FOOTBALL.

HOTES BY FOIL BACK. ->*- n H ATason president of the CanJLy'inglyVniL, left Christchuxch £?Sek of his way to Sydney ; as 0n,.0f the New Zealand delegates to the Sydney ctfXnce of Rugby Unions »««*"« New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand for about three weeks. The news that Messrs Mason, Fache, and Dixon have left for Sydney to attend this conference, having for its object consideration of the proposed amendments to the rales of the Rugby game, must prove rather amusing reading to Otago and Auckland followers of the game. And for this reason: that these three gentlemen are going to attend a conference with the objects of which they ha,ve no sympathy whatever. The Otago, Auckland, and New South Wales Rugby officials .have recognised that one or two alterations in the rules of Rugby might be well introduced, and it was practically with the intention of making such alterations in. the law that the above conference was decided on. However. Messrs Mason, Fache —who, it may be remarked parenthetically, has not taken an active interest in football for the past two years —and Dixon were selected by the New Zealand Rugby Union to represent New Zealand' at the conference, and incidentally express the views of New Zealand footballers on the proposed amendments. This is precisely what they won't do, as they are against the amendments suggested. The views of Otago and Aucki land—these two provinces being in favour of the alterations —on the proposed amendments will, therefore, not be voiced, and so far as these provinces are concerned the conference reads something like a farce. An attempt was made to call a special meeting of the Otago Rugby Union to consider the question of the appointment of the above three, gentlemen, but it was thought that, it was hardly worth while at the present late juncture, seeing that the delegates had been decided on, and the meeting lapsed. Still, the last has not been heard of this little matter of the New Zealand Rugby Anion's represehta-t-'on at the conference of delegates from the Rugby Unions of Queensland, New South Wales, and New Zealand. According t<> a writer in the London Daily Mail, "Gilray is playing a wonderfully sound game. I think he is playing more finished football this season than he has yet done in England." In a match Monkstown v. an Oxford fifteen two brothers—E. C. and N. S. Deane —playing for Monkstcwn, were both injured, and had to leave the ground. The' ball was being dribbled towards the Oxford end, and two players were racing up to it at full speed. Just as Deane was in the act of kicking Bourne fell on it, with the result that Deano's shin struck Bourne on the shoulder, and the bone snapped with a report that could be heard all over thefield. Oddly enough, N. S. Deane did not realise that he also had been injured during the game, a/nd it was ony when he had left the field to attend his brother that he discovered his own collar-bone had been fractured. W© hear on good authority, but with great regret that 0. M. Gilray, the famous Oxford and Scottish international threequarter, will probably give up the game while his powers are still unimpaired. Gilray s present intention, so it is understood, is to make next Saturday's interUniversity his last match. If he adheres to this determination he will furnish Scotland with a melancholy coincidence, for last season K. G. Mackod announced the same intention, and, unhappily for the game which he adorned, ho has not played sinoe he helped Cambridge to draw with Oxford last year. Gilray may, of course, be persuaded to alter his mind —he may even do so of hie own accord, —but there can be no doubt as to his present inten-

tions. Of course, if Scotland, through accident or otherwise, were in dire need . of his services, the fact would probably j prompt at least one.other "last appearance." I Gilray, it may be stated, did not intend to play at all when he came to Oxford from New Zealand as a Rhodes scholar. Though his home is in New Zealand, he was born near Dundee, but went out to New Zealand with his family, when his father, an old Watsonian, a graduate of, and formerly an assistant professor at, Edinburgh University, was appointed to a "chair" in Dunedin University.—Sporting Life. Dr Charles Reid, whose death was recently announced, is considered to have been the most powerful and brilliant forward that ever played for Scotland. Exceptionally tall, heavy, and muscular, he possessed pace and tackling powers of an uncommon order. Ho flourished during- the eighties, first playing for Scotland when 17 years of age. He wore the Scottish thistle in 20 international matches, and also captained the side. He was one of the players in the famous match at Blaokheath in 1884 which led to the international dispute between England and Scot : land. As captain of the Edinburgh Academicals his presence always had an inspiring influence on his team, which under his leadership rarely suffered defeat. In the season of 1831 Reid played for Blackheath, and mad© many friends in the south. He was only 45 at his death. It -is understood that J. Mehaffey, of Invercangill, who has made quite a name for himself in Rugby football circles in London and elsewhere a 3 a forward, set out on his return journey to New Zealand last- week. As a rule colonials who visit Great Britain for educational purposes figure as backs on the Rugby field, and it is refreshing to find ono attaining prominence as a scrummer. Mehaffey has P>yed some very fine games in England, and should have no difficulty in adding to his . laurels should he wish to test his merits on his return. Footballers of the older school will regret to learn (says " Acteon, of the Auckland Star) of the death of Jack Heffernen, which occurred in Sydney on the 4th met. The deceased in Ills day was a member of the Ponsonby Clyb, and was a forward of the solid order, representing Auckland in 1888, 1889, and IR9O. About 20 years ago Hetfernen left for Sydney, where he joined the police, but it ie understood he had been on the invalid list some time prior to his death- . , , , A feature of the Scottish club season continues to be the remarkable scoring of the Watsonians, who have in sight matches against nominally first-class teams scored 229 points to 6. Poor place-kicking has lost them a handful of points, but on a recent Saturday M'Callum, the Scottish _ international forward, kicked seven goals in succession against Glasgow University, and 10 in a,H. .11 The football game of the season took place last November at the Stadium, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., between Yale and Harvard, and resulted in a win for Yale by 8 points to nothing—two field goals kicked by Captain Coy. Over 40,000 persons witnessed the match, which gave rise to extraordinary excitement and enthusiasm. For the past week the training and details of the work done by the teams were more eagerly discussed than the impending' war-with Nicaragua, the Sugar Trust frauds, or the discovery of the North Pole, not to mention the English Budget, the chances of a Jeffries-Johnson fight, or the Suffragette movement. Practices were carried out in private, coaches and doctors by the score were enlisted on each side-. Details of the game are unnecessary, and would not be understood; but the following headlines of a report »hould convey the result:—" Yale wins a great game and a heap of crimson coin; Harvard puts up most stubborn effort in her football history, but Eli's sons smother her by score of 8 to 0. It will be a cheerless Christmas # for Harvard." No one was seriously injured during the game, which fact is said to constitute another record. , During the American season which has now bracfcioallv closed, having lasted less than two months, 29 players were killed and 275 injured in football matches. -And yet Jeffries and Johnson can only find two States in Union in which they can settle their difference with four-ounce gloves. Mr G. H. Dixon, G. G. Faehe, and G. H. Mason, who will represent the New Zealand Ruspby Union at the football oon/ference at Sydney, left Wellington by the Ulimaroa on Friday.

SCOTLAND v. FRANCE. LONDON, January 23. - Playing the Rugby game, Scotland defeated France by 27 points to nil."