HOCKEY

Southland Times, Issue 25306, 8 June 1935, Page 14

HOCKEY

WOMEN’S NOTES.

(By

“Half-Back.”)

Fixture Ahead. Next Saturday: Southland v. Eastern women’s representative match at 1.15 p.m. to be played at Rugby Park as a curtain-raiser to the Southland—All India representative fixture. Keen interest will be taken in the match between Union and Collegiate at the Park this afternoon. When these old rivals met in their first competition tussle earlier in the season Union proved victorious by six goals to three. In the Collegiate ranks on that occasion, however, were some promoted juniors whose work since that match has naturally improved under the coaching of Mr Kidd. Union, too, in charge of Mr Davies, will doubtlessly have become a stronger combination,, so a bright and interesting exhibition of hockey should be provided. Both sides will be right out to wrest a victory and the game should be well worth witnessing. The Southern Sub-Association has pencilled in its annual seven-a-side tournament for July 6.. Owing to financial reasons and an inability on the part of several of the players to secure the necessary leave from work in the morning, no town clubs were represented at this fixture last season. It is hoped, however, that this year every effort will be made by the Invercargill Clubs to send teams to the tournament and so support, in a practical manner, a fixture which has always proved popular. The Management Committee of the Southland Association, at the last meeting, made it clear that they would favourably consider the postponement of the local competition matches should any Town teams wish to atend the tournament.

Interest in the All India-Southland men’s match and the Southland-Eas-tern women’s curtain-raiser at Rugby Park next Saturday is rapidly mounting and a hockey feast should be in store for the thousands who will witness the big game. It is to be hoped that the weather and ground conditions are ideal, for, on those considerations, will depend whether the curtain raiser will eventuate or not. The Men’s Association, one has no doubt, will do their utmost to have the curtain-raiser played so long as the ground conditions permit; general disappointment will be felt if it has to be cancelled but well-wishers of the women’s branch of the sport will appreciate the position of the Men’s Executive if, through bad weather, they, unfortunately, find themselves forced to cancel the fixture. The Management Committee will soon be regarded as a wandering tribe. ■Owing to City Council by-laws, they find they cannot continue to use the Pavilion at Queen’s Park for their fortnightly meetings so they have had to gather up their appurtenances and, like the Arabs, steal away to new headquarters. Mr Davies has kindly placed his business office at the disposal of the controlling body for meetings and Mr Holmes, in his characteristic way, has generously come forward with the fuel for the cold evenings.

The Southland team to play Eastern next Saturday will assemble In Invercargill on Friday and arrangements are to be made to .billet, if necessary, any Southern girls included. Full particulars regarding the place and time of assembly will be notified when the team is announced. The Management Committee considered that by gathering in Invercargill a day before the match, the Maroons would be able to become better acquainted and a general team talk could take place, probably in the evening. Detail matters with reference to uniforms and numbers have also to be arranged by Mrs P. Bell (the team’s chaperone) and it would be impossible -to do this were the team to first assemble at the Park just bpfore the match, especially as it is to start as early as 1.15 p.m. Many backs seem to foster the idea that their sole function is to get rid of the ball by resorting to strong, yet often wild, clearing hits. How rarely indeed does one see a half, for instance, when hard pressed by her opponents, pass the ball back to a handy fullback or another of her halves more favourably situated than herself? Such play has everything in its favour. Similarly, when a wing sends across a centre, an inner, for example, should never attempt to pick up the ball if she can see it would be more advantageous to let it go on to another member of the vanguard either not so closely marked or else in a better position to bring the movement to a successful conclusion. A back with a strong clearing hit ceases to be regarded as a reliable defensive player when she indulges in wild speculation without having regard \ to where she is clearing. A Representative Programme. An endeavour is to be made to arrange representative matches at Invercargill later in the year between South Otago and Northern, while a return game against Eastern may _ also be played. Last season a Southland team journeyed to Dipton to play the first representative game with Northern for several years and it is to be hoped that the Northerners will return the match. Should a South Otago team come south the players could doubtlessly_ be billeted with local enthusiasts during their stay in Invercargill During the past four or five years, the Southland representative players have had little, if any, opportunity of playing together as a team before their departure north to attend the Dominion tournament. This fact has been due, in the main, to the country girls being unable to come in both at night and on two or three Saturday afternoons available after the team has been announced in the past. If the representative matches as sought above—namely, against South Otago, Northern and Eastern—are arranged, they should prove of advantage both to the coach and the selector, for, in each instance, the Southland team,, which would probably be the combination — subject, of course, to certain alterations in the personnel if deemed necessary—to eventually represent the province at the tournament, would be provided with excellent opportunities for developing that combination so essentially desirable if the Maroons are to achieve success. An early assembly of the Southland team for training purposes would be an ideal solution of the difficulty. That, however, would seem practically impracticable, hence representative matches at home during the season would seem to be the next best thing. Down Southern Way. Though, unfortunately, the number of teams in the Southern District has declined this season—difficulties as. regards the'Transport Board’s regulations are the main cause for that—a very live interest on the part of well-wish-ers is being, taken in the sport out that wav. Kapuka seems to be a stronghold of the game judging by the large attendance of side-liners at the Kapuka —Tokanui match last Saturday. In fact, the number of spectators and the degree of their enthusiastic barracking compared almost as favourably with the position in Town when the draw is an interesting one here. Certainly there are some, promising young players in that district and, as the season advances still further, a more reliable guide to their potentialities will be obtained. As Southland s first representative fixture next week is against, the champion team of the Dominion, players with experience will, other things being equal, probably have the soundest claims to inclusion in the Southland team. No girl, . however. - should be discouraged by being passed over at this somewhat early stage, for it would not be at all surprising to find that the teams later chosen for the home representative matches and also to represent the province at the Dominion tournament will undergo considerable alteration. With the additional line on the work of the players that the selector must necessarily obtain during the next two or three months several of the Younger Brigade might well get their chance.

The New Zealand Team.

Hearty congratulations to Mrs H. Reid, Mrs A. O’Connor and Misses Margaret Sanson and Alice McDonald, all of Eastern Southland, on having gained their New Zealand representative caps. To Mrs Reid comes the further distinction of having been appointed skipper of the first New Zealand team to embark upon a tour away from these shores. , , The selectors (Mrs H. A. Poulter and Messrs G. C. Hamilton and J. C. Cusack) must have had a formidable task confronting them in endeavouring to choose, first, 30 players in the running, and, then, the fortunate 15. With so many aspirants for inclusion in the team, considerable sifting of the available material must have had to be undertaken, and no doubt the selectors themselves could point to another half dozen or so players who might well have been included in the ranks of the touring team. For instance, the play of Mary Mclntyre, M. White and K. Bond—to mention but three from here —would, in each case, well measure up to the merits of that of anv of the other inside forwards more fortunate in having been selected. Keen disappointment will be felt—not only in the south but in other districts where followers of the game are well aware of her capabilities—at the fact that Miss Mclntyre, in particular, has not been selected in the team. She has had a brilliant hockey career, having represented at different times, four provinces (Eastern, of course, being regarded for this purpose as an entity)— Southland, Eastern Southland, Wellington and Marlborough. She first gained Southland representative honours in 1925 when the Maroons captured the K Cup at Gisborne and, except for two seasons when she did not play hockey; she has always prominently figured in the annual Dominion fixture. She has taken part in three K Cup victories and twice represented the South Island and once the North Island. As she can play centre-forward, left-inner and left wing with equal ease she would have proved a very valuable forward in the New Zealand team. It would appear that Miss Mclntyre, •as no doubt is the case with others, has been sacrified on the altar of Dominion interests. The Rectors could not have been criticized had additional Eastern nominees been included in the team; in the writer’s opinion they would have deserved the honour It matters not whether the whole New Zealand team came from one province if each girl m that team be definitely superior to her rival elsewhere. The fact that Miss Me Intyre has not found favour in the eyes of the selectors is to be regretted not because Southland has thus no representative from these parts in the team but solely because a player fully’ worthy of New Zealand ranking has failed to gain -that high honour.

And Why Not? The matter of catering for some of the younger players by , arranging second grade curtain-raisers to representative matches played during the season is one which the Management Committee might well decide to favourably consider. There are some girls showing distinct promise but their chances of inclusion in the Southland senior team are prejudiced solely because an elder and more experienced girl is definitely better in the particular position. The young player may become somewhat disheartened, as she realizes her prospects of gaining a Southland Cap will not be bright until the particular rival mentioned either gives up the game or definitely “goes off.” That, however, may mean two or three years—or more. Now, if when Southland plays Northern in Invercargill, for instance, a junior Town representative match against, say, a Southern junior team could be arranged as a curtain-raiser, such a game should give a direct encouragement to the younger girls. Or a Southland junior team could cross sticks with Northern juniors. The matter is not one to be lightly dismissed if the Management Committee genuinely desires to stimulate interest in the game among the young players and to foster the sport as a whole. Gore Seven-a-side. Tlie feature of the day’s play at the annual Eastern Associations seven-a-side tournament last Monday was the success of the Waikaia A and B teams which won the respective Main and Consolation competitions. By annexing the main competition, the A team recorded its sixth successive win at this fixture —a fine achievement. Three teams under the jurisdiction of the Southland Association competed at the tourney—Union, Collegiate and Kapuka. Union put up a good showing by defeating Waikaka 5-nil in the qualifying round and then Riversdale A by 2-nil. They succumbed, however, to Waikaia A in the third round, after a hard game, by one goal to nil. Collegiate were disappointing in their first match—against Mataura B—and were defeated by two goals to one. Entering the Consolation competition, they gained two good wins over Wyndham and Heriot respectively and were in the final. Clever individual play on the part of the Waikaia B team - Collegiate’s opponents—time . and again put the country players in a good position in the first spell ana, early, H. McKinnell and F. McDonald found the net. Collegiate battled hard in an endeavour to open their scoring account but there was no alteration in the score after half time. Kapuka had a stern struggle against Heriot in the qualifying round and ran out winners by half a point; against Mataura A, however, who fought out the final of the Main Competition with Waikaia A, they lost by a goal to nil. The Dominion Tournament. At the meeting of the Management Committee last Tuesday night, advice was received from the New Zealand Association that so far Marlborough had been the only association to apply for the 1935 Dominion tournament. The writer understands that since then Poverty Bav (Gisborne) has sought the fixture, and, further, that another North Island Association also intends applying for the tournament. MEN’S "HOCKEY (By “Bully.”) • Fixtures Ahead. j une 12.—Eastern-Northern v. All India team at Gore. June 15— Southland v. all-India team at Invercargill. The draw for the senior competition to-day is as follows:—High School v. Civil Service A, at. Doon street (145 p.m.); Collegiate v. Civil Service 1, at Queen’s Park No. 3 (1.45 p.m.); Central v. Collegiate 1, at Queen’s Park No. 4, (1.45 p.m.). SOUTHLAND’S FIRST VICTORY. SOME COMMENTS ON THE GAME. For the first time since the commencement of the provincial games between Southland and Otago the local eleven have been successful in defeating their opponents. 'Twice previously Southland have drawn with Otago, but in both cases, it must be admitted, the match was played in Invercargill, the visiting eleven being at a decided disadvantage. In view of the forthcoming match against the allIndia team this victory should prove an incentive to local players. After many defeats a Southland team have scored a well-deserved victory over their rivals on the latter’s own ground. The victory is all the more pleasing in that it shows that hockey in Southland is not at such a low ebb as some pessimists would have us believe. Only one change was made in the personnel of the team during the game, but Otago found it advisable to change three players at half-time. The game was more in the nature of a trial than anything else, the idea. being to give the selectors an opportunity of seeing different players in action against strong • opposition. The game was keenly contested throughout, but Southland proved a better balanced combination and thoroughly deserved their first victory over Otago. The pace was fast, the stick-work, at times, bright and nippy and the positional play, in general, good. The score was even at half-time, but Southland forged ahead in the second spell and held their lead until the end. The Red forwards exceeded all expectations; their _ passing was short and crisp and their positional play excellent. Rennick played better than in former games and centred accurately and cleanly. Although he combined well with Hughes the combination might have been eVen more effective if the winger had at times, made greater use of the short push shot; especially when the ball was carried in towards the back-line. Hughes and Paterson combined excellently and indulged in quick, short passing rushes which frequently had the opposing full-backs at sixes and sevens. Shields, who often plays disappointingly, showed that he is capable of good combined play when he is well served with the ball and _ in a strong f irward line. Fast following in by this player resulted in him scoring a fine goal. A tendency to pick the ball up and play it in the air often causes Shields to over-run a ball which, if deflected neatly by a wristy push shot, would otherwise remain in his side’s possession. SouneSs showed signs of nervousness in the first spell and did not hit his centres as cleanly as usually. Apart from this he played excellently; his run down the line, in the second half and his centre, which Hughes picked up so delightfully, was one of the highlights of the match. At long last the forward line adopted, the tactics that should have been insisted upon years ago. Barraclough, who played in the first spell, was not perfectly fit, but he marked his wing closely and gave Dey, the New Zealand representative few chances. Pankhurst replaced him at half-time, but although his defence was good, proved less versatile than the younger contestant for representative honours. Semmens gave a fine display as right-half. His anticipation was good and he pased with a nice discrimination. The tendency he has shown, at times, to move in on his centre half when the attack happened to be hottest in that portion of the field was not in evidence on Monday. He was not afraid to pass to his. other half or even to his full-back, if the occasion warranted it. His natural ability will take him far. Dakin at,

times showed glimpses of that lackadaisical spirit which he can never completely stifle, but was generally sound. He was loath to surrender his push shot even whein hard pressed in the circle—a policy that might have caused some trouble if the opposing forwards had adopted the right tactics. Jenkins and Brown proved a formidable pair, the opposing forwards finding it extremely difficult to find an unmarked player to pass to. Jenkins played well up on his inside forward and so did Brown—tactics that caused disorganization among a forward line which was never very happy. Taylor started poorly, but made ample atonement for his two early misses in the second spell when he cleared with fine judgment and determination. A temporary lapse against seemingly simple shots is not uncommon amongst first class goalkeepers. _ ; The Otago team, in the writer s opinion, were not well balanced and displayed a lack of cohesion that prevented them from holding their less experienced opponents. Pickup was unable to stop the Southland forwards from scoring five goals, but his vision at times must have been clouded by his full-backs who crowded around the goal-mouth and at least two of the goals scored would have beaten any normal goal-keeper. The full-backs were not impressive and the quick passing methods adopted by the Southland forwards troubled them repeatedly. The Otago halves were a much more formidable combination. Ward fed his forwards judiciously and anticipated the trend of play as well as he always does. Densen used his push shot effectively and showed more promise than Roberts, who ' worked hard and long m an endeavour to stop Shields and Souness. The forwards were changed about at half time, but Rennick, Martin and Botti.ng vzere the three most prominent with Dey showing up well in patches. Despite the fact that he was closely marked by Semmens and Jenkins, Botting proved very troublesome. His stick work was excellent, but he received little support from either Mayston or Cawkwell. Rennick was always dangerous, but did not seem to be able to combine with his inside forwards. Martin showed ‘a penchant for hitting the ball in the air—lndian fashion—and scored the best goal of the day when he smashed a hard centre by Dey, head high into the net. His work was sometimes very good and sometimes far from good—forward with “possibilities that should be developed. Varia.

The second annual fixture between a local representative team and EasternNorthern was played at Gore last Saturday. Last year the Town team were only able to draw with the Country players, the score being two—all. A spectacular display by Hanning and the adoption of wrong tactics by the local forvzards was, in the main, the reason for their failure to win. This year the forwards kept the ball close to them and the result was never really in doubt. The visitors were hospitably entertained by the Eastern-Northern delegates and thoroughly enjoyed their visit. The Eastern-Northern players still rely too much on hard hitting and fast following-up—tactics that will have to be abandoned if any real progress is to be made. The team selected to represent Southland against the Indians is practically the same team that defeated Otago last Monday. It can be honestly stated that every player included has earned his place on his own merits. It behoves players to practise assiduously in view of the forthcoming match against the Indians. Although they were beaten by ten goals to one, the Wellington hockey representatives fully extended the touring Indian team at Athletic Park last Saturday. It was no game for individual play, and the Wellington combination being badly upset by the anticipation and deadly tackling of the Indians, solo efforts by the local forwards were foredoomed to failure. The positional play of the Indians was remarkable. Much was made possible by the accuracy of the passes, but it was seldom that an Indian was not in position to receive the ball and pass it to the best advantage. - Hockey of a standard never previously seen in Christchurch delighted a crowd of 14,000 at Lancaster Park last Monday afternoon, when India, tha holder of the world’s championship, defeated Canterbury by five goals to two. The match was the tenth in New Zealand of the tour of the Indian side, and was the first to be played in the South Island. The smooth team-work of the visitors, their almost uncanny stickwork, their masterly and their greater fitness carried the day against a young, eager Canterbury team, which combined in stem defence, speed, determination, and strength. It was not until the last 15 minutes of a match played at terrific speed that the Indians placed the issue beyond doubt. Great credit must be given to the young Canterbury side that made the game so well contested and enjoyable. For the first time on the present tour the visitors were fully extended. Of course there was no comparison between the methods employed by the two teams. Beside the grace and perfect understanding of the Indian players the play of the Canterbury men appeared rather clumsy and ill-directed. Where Canterbury drove home attacks with the broad sword, India used the rapier. Like lightning, thrusts were forced home and like lightning the defence was rallied to meet counter thrusts. Canterbury lacked mobility on defence and their hard-hitting tactics compared poorly with the deft flicks or push-passes which India used in all attacks. The positional play of the visitors was astonishing. Once only in the game did an Indian send a pass to a gap in the defence where no Indian player waited to receive it! The Indians introduced two tricks not exploited in New Zealand hockey, and the possibilities of each they clearly demonstrated. They were the reverse pass and the back pass.