FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3034, 8 May 1912, Page 52

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY.

Notes by Full Back

The following table shows the position of tho respective Senior teams: —

Something of a surprise was created by the victory of Pirates over University on Saturday, but the honours were thoroughly well deserved, for on the day's play the Blacks were the better team. The .win of the toss influenced the result more materially than might be supposed, but nevertheless without the advantage of the wind Pirates showed superior form. Attack and defence were well exemplified during the game, but over all and aboye all was the solidity of the tackling. Pirates excelled in this department, and rarely has there been seen on the Caledonian Ground a match in which this class of defence reached such a high standard. Though University got a good share of the ball their attempts to open out the play with the backs was set at defiance by the celerity and certainty with which the Pirates forwards and five-eighths tackled their opponents. It was such tackling as 'Varsity has not known for some time, and while it did not actually stop their game it crippled it to such extent that there was no finality in their work. This is only another exemplification of the Rugby theory that a team plays just as well as the opposition allows it. ' Varsity have a nice, bright team, capable of giving a good inhibition of free and fearless Rugby—too fearless, perhaps, but that is a 'Varsity tradition, —and their game, whatever the result, is always worth watching. One noted with pleasure that both teams were out to play football, as-distinguished from the win, tie. or wrangle that too often distresses in certain senior matches. More of the spirit of the Pirates-University stylo of play would win back Rugby to its former popularity and establish a greater confidence in the game in these days of reforms, alteration of rules, and proposals of secession from the English-Rugby Union. Lomas, the Pirates full back, playing behind a strong defensive team, had not a, great deal to do, but tho little that came his way ho did with a certain amount of confidence. Lomas is not a spectacular player, but is reasonably safe, and he is better that way. Of the three-quaiter line R. M'Kellar, a younger brother of Gerald M'Kellar, the exWellington forward and Pirates captain, showed promise of developing into a good player. "Bristol" in the centre, who is by tho way of being an ex-Southlandcr, is an acquisition to the Pirates back division. He has a fine sense of requirements and the ability to carry out what he knows. Ho was in the majority of the passing rushes, taking the ball well and showing a good turn of speed'. Robert Black, at five-eighths, proved that he has lost none of the arts which brought him into favour last season. His game on Saturday was not by way of being the best that ho has shown us, but it was a good, intelligent display nevertheless. Black's pace still takes him away from the support. To make his openings more effectual and more likely to produce results there must bo reasonable anticipation, by his follow backs Fairbairn, the co-partner of Black, played a sterling defensive gome, going down to rushes fearlessly and tackling with certainty. On one occasion he received a nastv concussion through a tackle, but on recovery showed disdain for consequences. A clean and clever little player is de Lutour, the Pirates half. He certainly was more favoured than his vis-a-vis by playing behind a sterling pack of forwards, but his work was free and open without any waste effort, and he got the ball away on the occasions that it did come out on the Pirates side cf the scrum. Altogether de Latour's game was good to see. The Pirates have an excellent forward line, with as good a leader as they might desire in their captain, Gerald M'Kellar. La.?t .reason, when he came from Wellington, M'Kellar did not strike form until late in tho representative season, but lie has started oft well this year, and proved on Saturday that ho is one of the best allround forwards in, Dunedin. He was ably supported by Reg Black, Hunter, and T. Denniston, the latter a particularly promw-

ing young forward, whose tackling is modelled on the Alex M'Donald styleclean, hard, and low. Bennett, another young forward, showed great dash and rare pace, but strikes cne as being on the light side. Gordon Denniston is wasted as a wing forward, particularly as he is such a good forwa.rd in the pack, as lie proved a season or two ago. i This season's 'Varsity team, although bright and promising, does not appear to bo as good a side as last year's fifteen. The forwards are at present lacking combination, and losing a lot of their importance by playing too much to the backs. This tendency not only dulls the initiative of the vanguard collectively and individually, but gives the backs too much to do at times, when they are already over-crowded with the attentions of the opposition, as on J Saturday, for example. More reliance on j themselves to combat the influence of thenopponents' forwards will not only make for a stronger first lino of defence a.nd ati tack, but will relieve the backs and en- ' able the rear division to bettor carry out j a passing movement to the goal-line The tendency of 'Varsity forwards to pass out I in their own twenty-live is overdoing > a method of attack v.hich should only be indulged in or resorted to on special occasions, not as' a habit. . In Horn, the full back, 'Varsity have not got a Duthie or a Scannell, but they have a useful player who much belies his appearance, and who will save the Royal I Blues more times than he will let them ■ down, fie did not have a great deal of tackling to do, but his line-kicking wa3 true in direction, and invariably certain in its finding. There were three tried' players in the 'Varsity three-quarter line, but they suffered from the strenuous attentions of the Pirates tacklers, who rarely let them get far. Cockioft, at centre, played a serviceable game, and attempted to get his wings I " M'Rae " and Alexander —going, bwt they | were so well marked that little ground was gained from the passing rushes. Thompson played with fine dash at five-eighths, and running straight got through the first line of defence by sheer pace, but the next line invariably proved) unsurmountable. From the reports I had heard of Childa, the ex-Nelson (or is it Wellington College.') half back, I was keenly anxious to see him play. This opportunity was afforded on Saturday. Ohilds is an attacking player, and gets the ball away remarkably well from the scrum, fulfilling the first law of an attacking half. He does not, as too many of our half backs are inclined to do, monkey about for openings before getting the ball away, but sends it out in one movement without loss of time fiom the soioim and before the pack has broken up to realise what has happened. Some halves run up to their five-eighths and then give the pass, showing their hand at once. Childs sends it out or varies his play by going on his own, but not too frequently does he resort to the latter, and thereby he shows some sense of requirements of the position. He is a sturdy type of player, and looks as if he could stand any amount of attention from the opposition. Altogether Childa promises well. I have already written that the 'Varsity forwards are inclined' to belittle their importance by playing too much to the backs, but they have the material for better things. In Molloy 'Varsity has a particularly hard working type of forward, who revels in tho thick play, and the pity is that the others do not follow the excellent example set by him. Ellison is a useful forward who does not shun work, and Nelson is fine and free in the loose, but the whole pack must get into it when they meet with such strong opposition as Pirates put up against them on Saturday. 'Varsity will bo well advised advised to play their pack all in against Kaikorai on Saturday, for the Blue-and-blacks have a vanguard if anything a trifle more strenuous than even Pirates proved, and the Roval Blue backs will want all the protection a stout forward line can give. Southern p-oved too much of a proposition for Port Chalmers on Saturday in a game solidly contested to the finish. For some time Southern failed to find their game, but the note struck the Bladk-and-whites outmatched the Greens in nearly all departments of the game. Reidy, full back for Southern, played reasonably well, tackling solidly, but his kicking would have been of more value to his side if better directed. He is inclined fco misjudge the line. Of -an even three-quarter line C'liambers was the pick, playing a sound game throughout. Roche was a trifle variable, but showed a good turn of sj>eed when opportunity offered. j The Southern five-eighths pair—L. Irvine and Eckhold —played well together, having a fair uixlorstanding and a good sense of football valines. They showed some origin | nality that was refreshing in these days of stereotyped play. Eckhold made the j majority of the openings, and was well gap- ' ported by Irvine. In rush-gtopping Eoknold, wo know, is a master hand, and j Chenrie, the half back, also showed to adI vantage in this department. I The Southern forwards exhibited better combination than the previous Saturday, and there was an improvement in their fowr. all round. Graham, the ex-Ziimari forward, Douglas, Brown, and Shrchan were the pick of a useful lot on the day's play. i Though not brilliant. Kelly played a ' servioea.bk- game at full back for Port Chal- : mors. His kicking was a trifle weak, but his tackling was sure. The Port backs playing behind a beaten team of forwards liad little chance of showing up on attack, but had their defence thoroughly tested. M'Pherson stood 1 out for general play in the three-quarter line, while Driver and Dougherty did good service at five-eighths. The Port forwards have not yet settled down to their panic. Physically, they command respect, but their play is of such a nature as to suggest a lack of knowledge i of the finer points of Rugby. A few more ! games together and a little study of the ! subtleties will work wonders in improving the play. j First in tho field, and up to date, is tho ' Canterbury Rugby Union Annual or 1912, a copy of which I have received with the hon. secretary's compliments. The present number contains much information, and is a credit to the editor. E. E. Booth, the ex-Kaikorai, Otago, ami All Black footballer, Who was in town last week, has been resting at his home in Hampden. He returning to Sydnev at an early date, and playing for his old club, Newtown. The fact that an invitation has been issued for a New South Wales team to visit California may hasten his departure. i There was a ma.rked falling off in the attendance at the bier match on tho Caledonian Ground on Saturday, which con-

trasted unfavourably with other dlays. The counter-attraction was the trotting meeting at *or bury; but there was a time, such was the hold the game had on the public, that no attraction was strong enough to take them away from their beloved Rugby. A section of the English press, while reluctantly recognising the merits of the All Black team, never allow an opportunity to go by without having a quiet thrust at their sportsmanship j n the last issue or the Athletic News (Manchester), to hand, there is an item referring to the English Union's invitation to tho bouth Africans, and its acceptance. According to the Athletic News, tue Kugby game in England is going strongly and needs no fillip; " but, for all that the South Africaris ,> are welcome — good sportsmen always are." This is only another way of saying that the All Blacks were not good sportsmen. These veiled suggestions in the English press are not calcu'atedto benefit Rugby football in New Zealand'; but instead of suggestions being: made to secede from the English Rugby Union, efforts should bo made by the New Zealand Rugby Union to ascertain what foundation there is for the reports of unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of the All Blades. That the New Zealanders took a lot of money out of Great Britain was not th. 3 fault, of the New Zealanders, but tho arrangement under which they toured. The Britishers would not take the risk of financing the team, which they might have done with profit. This may be a sore point with the English authorities; but I cannot bring myself to believe that it had any bearing on the turning down of New Zealand in favour of the South Africans, although it is noted that the financial arrangements for the visit of the South Africans is in the hands of the English Rugby Union. Nor can it be that the sound thrashing administered to the leading teams of Britain is responsible for the strong prejudice against colonial football —though one believes that Scotland bears no love for New Zealand over the gate question. There is something beyond this that I have never yet seen explained satisfactorily—that is, the sportsmanship of the All Blacks. It is that side of the tour which is obscured, and 1 to which unsavoury references are continually being made by tho English oritics, and indirectly by the English authorities. It is a natural opinion to express that, given better football than tho South Africans were capable of with the good sportsmanship credited the South Africans, au invitation by the International Board for another AH Black team to vieit Great Britain would have followed. But while the All Blacks showed Rood football, they are alleged to have failed to show the read sportsmanship, according to British lights.

Thu Rugby authorities of Dunedin are 3IOW to acknowledge the abilities of certain footballers, but when those are transferred to other centres they are quickly singled out for appreciation. When Skinner, of the Dunedin Club, was transferred to Wellington a few weeks ago, I had in mind that he would not be long in the .Empire City before he would bo appreciated at his true worth; therefore the following from a Wellington critic (" Touch-line") occasions no surprise:—" In J. Skinner, the latest recruit from the Dunedin Club, the Orientals seem to have made a rare find, judging from his display last week. A fine fair player, full of dash, and quick on to the opposing backs, his wing forward work was the cleanest I have seen for many a day. Another Skinner (R of that ilk) and Townsend (tho latter from the Union Club) are two slashing forwards the Orientals have secured from Dunedin." In all the matches in which Skinner, of the Dunedin Club took part during the pest two seasons he never played a bad game, while his first-class exhibitions were many. He always played with such rare dash and energv, with such oelerity in getting on to the opposing backs, and was such a good all-round forward withal that I wondered why he was so long in catching the selector's eye. Time after time Skinner was ignored for players who were compairatively second-raters. To my mind Skinner at the top of his form was the beAt wing forward Otago produced since the days of Harry Porteous. In Wellington he i* likely to receive the recognition so long denied him in Otago. .... At the end of August, or the beginning of September, before the present Sydney football season is closed, it seems probable that a New South Wales Rugby Union team will sail for a tour of the West Coast of America. The invitation to send a team was embodied in a San Francisco cablegram received by Mr W. W. Hill, secretary of the New South Wales Rugby. Union, from Mr J. Hiokey, secretary of the California Rugby Union. The cable read: "California Union invites team San Francisco, October." The R.U. game has evidently made such strides along the West Coast that the California Union feel confident that the strongest team sent from New South Wales would have by no means an easy passage. "This will show a lot of people whether tho Rugby Union game is done with," said Mr Hill. "The amateur code is not dead yet by a long way. This tour wall be a great trip for the fellows chosen, and it is proposed, though nothing definite i 6 yet known, that 25 players should go, besides, or including a manager. The tour will last about fouir months, leaving just in time to eatoh the American season, and the team will see all the West Coast from Vancouver, in British Columbia, down to Los Angeles, in California. It was the N.S.W.R.U. which invited the combined American Universities' team here in 1910. so it is probable that the question of whether Queensland plaverfi shall or shall not be included will rest with the N.S.W. body. The team will play about 13 or 16 games, and will meet the 'Varsities of California, Leland-Stand-ford, and Nevada (all of which had representatives in the body that came here in 1910), besides tne colleges of Los Angeles, the San Francisco city clubs (Olympic and Balrbarians), the high schools of Santa Clara and St. Mary's, and the Vancouver and Victoria Rugby Unions (8.C.). All these bodies are joining in the work of getting a N.S.W. combination across, which will cost the combined American bodies about £2500. The N.S.W.R.U. will probably be at no expense at all. Guarantees from the various R.U. centres along the coast are coming in readily. The tour will probably include games with an AU-Oali-fornian team, besides three test matches with a combined American side." A. E. M'Oluskey, of the Permanent Force, wrote to the Wellington RugbyUnion asking if he could play Rugby in Wellington. He had played the Northern Union game at Devonport, because there were no senior or Junior Rugby team* there. Tho Managepwit Committee of tb»

amnion decided to reply that this was a matter for the New Zealand Rugby Union to deal with.

13 >> & 0 d a ■~ o i '3 J2 a o 'S a 1 Q Ph £ Q Kuikorai 2 2 _ 32 4 4 Southern 2 2 — — 39 15 4 Pirates 2 2 — — 24 6 4 Zingari-Rich-inond 2 1 — 1 20 9 3 University 2 1 1 — 16 16 2 Dunedin 2 — 2 9 9 2 Taiori Rovers .. 2 1 1 6 "17 1 Port Chalmers.. 2 — 2 _ — A'hatnbra 2 _ 2 — 7 31 — Union ... .. 2 2 6 31 —