FOOTBALL

Southland Times, Issue 17482, 24 July 1915, Page 10

FOOTBALL

The return inter-provincial Rugby fixture, Otago v. Southland, will be played in Dunedin on Saturday, August 7.

I’aptnin Basil Maclc-ar, tlie famous Irish Rugby footballer, was killed, it is reported, hy shrapnel while loading an attacking party witli hand grenades. The financial statement of the Liverpool F.F. (Northern Union) recently disclosed tlie fact that the income was £10,017 and the expenditure £10,87.7. A dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, was declared.

B. .Vixon, who was a member of the Merivale senior team, of Christchurch, last -season, writing to his sister from the Dardanelles on May 3, wished to he remembered to all of his club - mates who were still left in New Zealand. He went on to say that as so many member had gone to the front, probably the old clubs would lie feeling a shortage of funds, and lie asked his -sister to forward three guineas as a tritle to help make up any deficiency. Among the faithful few who have not deserted football is A. E. White, the old Canterbury representative, and Mrs White, who, by the way, says the Canterbury Times), knows more about the game than most men. The old Canterbury captain rarely talks of the game he is watching, but there is still the alertness and keenness of eye that made him one of the greatest leaders that his dull and the Canterbury team have ever had. On Saturday last he ami his wife were absent from football, meeting their son, Private A. JO. White, who returned invalided by the AVillocbra. The many friends of the old Canterbury representative will join in wishing his son a speedy and permanent recovery from Bus wound received while fighting at the Dardanelles. White, it may be explained for tile benefit of local readers, ranks as one of the best five-eighths ever produced in Canterbury. He was one of the pioneers of the modern live-eighth game and some of the skill gained by Sonthlander Peter Ward resulted from a study of the tactics of the great Merivale F.O. player referred to. 1 am not giving anything away (says a Wellington writer) when f say that there are likely to lie two matches played this year between tlie representatives teams of Wellington and Auckland. Mr V. .1. Ohlson, a member of the management committee of the Auckland Rugby T’nioii, is at present iu ’Wellington attending an educational conference, and lie has been empowered' by his union to approach tlie Wellington people regarding playing home and home matches and broiiably lias done so by this time. The removal of the soldiers from Trentham camp will lilt the game of Rugby football in Wellington very hard (says a northern writer). It will reduce the number of teams playing for the senior championship by three—those three (tlie fifteens from Trentham camp) being tlie ones in which the spectators took the greatest interest. These fifteens included some of tlie finest Rugby players in Mew Zealand, and Wellington was peculiarly privileged in seeing them in action Saturday after Saturday. The needs of the Empire, and the well being of the men themselves, is more to he considered than tlie playing of Rugby football, and therefore those of us who keenly love watching the better class of players in action must accept the present position philosophically.

The accounts of the Sheffield fruited Cricket and Football (soccer) Club were issued recently, and show on the whole account a loss of £2050. On football alone, the loss is £9OO, and on the cricket ground the expenses come to the large sum of £334 9. including repairs £194 1, rates £330, wages £403, secretary's salary £250. The football accounts on the expenditure side show wages £5287, bonuses for Gup victory £305, travelling £344, refreshments £2G3, transfer account balance £1 443, gatemen and police £509. War and League Relief Funds £307. The income includes gate receipts £9273, F. A. C<ip proportion received from Association less returned to League £l3B. The cricket expenditure includes wages £272 and income received from Yorkshire Club in percentage £324. The local gate receipts were £l7!*. The actual loss on the year is £1491, swollen to £2050 by Interest.

.Speaking at the annual meeting of the Widnes Club (Eng.), Mr J. H. Smith, the chairman of the Northern Union Committee, said that personally he did not believe any hardship would be suffered if football were suspended for the duration of the war. In fact, big centres like Leeds and Manchester would not suffer at all. The whole question would be seriously considered by the Northern Union Committee at their meeting on the Bth hist., and, although he spoke entirely for himself, he rather thought that would he the attitude adopted. They in Widnes had to consider the necessities of their own club, and hje—and in this (lie committee were witli him —was not prepared to spend the balance they had in hand and for whicli they worked so hard without very serious consideration. They would need their balance vein- badly when the war concluded. It might be that some scheme could be formulated by which amateur football could be played, but that would be a difficult matter, because they could not prevent clubs paying surreptitiously. A notice in a Christchurch paper of July 21 reads: —A memorial service in honour of fallen footballers will be held at Lancaster Park at 3 p.m. next Sunday, and will be attended by both Rugby Unionists and Leagueltos." Members of clubs will meet in Latimer square at 2.15 p.m. and march to the Park, headed by the Woolston Band.

The final Galbraith Shield game of the current season will be played at Rugby Park on Wednesday next be - tween Star and Invercargill. As the proceeds are to be devoted to the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund it is unfortunate that the match will clash with an interesting race meeting at Riverton.

The keenness of the South landers opposed to Otago on Wednesday last was very marked, every man being on the ball to the last ounce of strength and pace. The forwards all played well in their respective departments and in every instance quite surprised their friends. Winger Stobo was splendidly backed up by “S’ Baird, who knows something of the forward game outside the scrum by reason of bis position with the Star team, and it lias to he remarked that the dribbling of both was a revelation to the visitors, as the pair used their brain in conjunction with their feet and Stobo was always on the alert to lift the hall with bis bands or Join in again after setting bis backs in motion for a transferring effort. Disdaining obstructionist tactics, Stobo essayed to play the winger game according to the standard established by many great players who have represented Maoriland and be was particularly happy in his attempts to demonstrate the fact that “attack is the best defence.” Of course, it is not sought to establish tile claim that the Invercargill Club player is the equal of the very best of bygone performers, but he is certainly on the right track and it is io be hoped for the sake of Southland’s future Rugby knowledge that be will Improve and perfect bis effective style of procedure. One of the surprises of the home pack was .1. Koche, who held up the scrum in brilliant fashion and was never far away when there was any following up to be done, while, equally with his supporting comrades to a man, he gave a fine exhibition on the line-out. In the front row Winter and Lindsay did good work, while both were prominent in the open, the former always tackling well.

but Lindsay was inclined to get off side at times—in the visitor’s quarters. Muir also proved a tour of strength in tight and loose. In the event of Stobo, Baird, Roche and others reproducing their form % of Wednesday in Dunedin next month the Maroon side can be depended upon to give a good'account of themselves. Had anyone claimed that the Southland backs would play a bright attacking game in opposition to Otago he would have been disbelieved prior to Wednesday, but it must now be admitted that they rose to the occasion and this in the face of a slippery ball and a wet clogging turf. The home rearguard certainly threw away a number of excellent openings by reason of faulty passing and handling, but on the whole their display was of a very satisfactory character. They infused dash into their work, followed up well, and tackled and kicked unerringly. When playing with the wind the Maroons used their advantage very cleverly and Henderson in particular kicked in a manner which was of the utmost value to his side. The I.F.Cc half-back appeared to be at the top of bis form and studied the requirements of his supports very nicely. Considering that lie must have had some trouble in letting his backs know what he intended doing on occasions, owing to the fact that the men were playing together for the first time, he brought off some pleasing movements. Kavanagh was very safe and consistent in tlie five-eighths line and the heavy going and greasy ball did not trouble him unduly, while bis defence was a feature of the match. McLeod did fairly well, and Mills proved quite a success at centre and gave the impression that we have yet to see the best of him. Both wing ill roe-quarters did well. T. Baird has never been seen to better advantage, while Gregory upheld his already high reputation in a striking manner. lie is a cool, resourceful Rugby* ite and must be classed as .easily the best three-quarter on the field. A noticeable tiling about T. Baird’s showing was his pace and the alert manner rn which he seized upon the openings which presented themselves. All round the South landers played to the whistle in approved style and every man gave Of the best that was in him, which is more than can be said of a large proportion of the players who have represented the province during recent years. There is not a great deal to be said in relation to the deeds of the Otago fifteen as the men were apparently pushed off their Rugby balance at an early stage of the contest and it was not until the second spell had been some time in progress that they developed the initiative necessary to permit of their taking up an aggressive attitude. At the same time, this does not infer that they did not play a very solid game from the outset. In Atkinson, Graham, Duncan and McLaren the northerners produced a bunch of hard-working forwards, who at times broke away in nice dribbling combinations, hut they had not the speed of the Maroon packmen and failed to exhibit the same determination. The Otago men also failed to grapple with the scrum problem as far as securing the ball cleanly went. They tried to send it out on the side at times, but as often as not when they succeeded, the fast following Southlanders, Stobo and Baird for choice, were first upon the scene and then ensued a movie chase act with the two long-drawn out speedy Tn vercurgillites streaking away in front with the leather. It can thus Vie seen that the Dark Blue half. Cameron, was very seriously handicaplied and very little opportunity presented itself for him to he seen thoroughly tested. Vi vc-eigli ths Whittaker played well and is the makings of a good Player, while wing three-quarter Watson accomplished several neat runs and made openings which would surely have borne rich fruit but for the deadly tackling of the local brigade. In Deuchrass the Otago side had at call a sure, steady and excellent full back. Me was always to be depended upon and if a choice were asked for the writer would say that he shaded Lilley, the man at the extreme rear of the southerners. When all the circumstances are closely considered, it may be wise to treat the form of Otago with cautious respect and stand prepared to witness an improvement on Aug. 7 when they will be tried out on the Dunedin convincing ground. On the homeward journey after Wednesday's contest and on several occasions since it has been the experience of the writer to hear people who should know better decrying the match. These persons seem to have lost sight of the fact that the ground was very bad In many places which slowed the game down for short periods. Otherwise, it was a good battle, as representative fixtures go, and afforded quite a number of thrills from a gallery view point. It may be found that the majority of these uncharitable and short-sighted critics visited Rugby Park prepared to experience a setback and are not loath to accept the verdict placed in their range of view.