FOOTBALL NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 15, 3 October 1929, Page 3

FOOTBALL NOTES.

TROUNCING OF WELLINGTON. s Many bombshells have lauded in the Rugby camp this season, says the Hastings “Ihulnme’’ Rugby gdribe, but one of the greatest, if not the greatest stirs, was made when Haw--,ke’si /Bay Itronnoed 'Wellington a,t McLean Park, Napier. Granted that Wellington w'ere not at full strength, but nor ’jtvere the Bay. Wellington had 'a great record for ‘the season and were recognised ns perhaps the strongest provincial side in the Dominion this' season —Auckland (2216), Otago (18-12), and Southland (37-7)

had all been beaten—yet on Saturday they were never in the picture, and Hawke’s Bay romped home to the time of 31 points to 12. Mhy r Ask the Bay fonvards!

The Star Performers. There were three people on the ground who were the star performpi's of the game. Tho All Black Skippers were two and the third was Referee George Maddiscn. The situation was most certainly interesting. -Referee George was alive to all the tricks of these two Rugby masters and he made them step a lively tune. He restricted their activities to the very letter ol the rides, but even then one could well understand the reasons for the Britishers ablmrence of the wing-forward. 01 the two Porter was master. He was tho hero of the day. Morrie Biovule night be ths greatest forward of the day, but -.as -a wing forward he has to hand the laurels to Cliff. The 192-1 skipper sot a wonderful example •but it is to be feared, not ttP »is comraclss. Here, there and everywhere, lie was the true rover and helped his side out of innumerable difficulties. His display was the most outstanding of the day.

Improved Bay Backs, Perhaps tho most pleasing aspect of the play to -the local fains was the decided improvement of the Bay rearguard. There had been a reshuffle,, but this did not affect the working adversely, rather, it Eh' 0 the rearguard a better combination. It was a treat to see the whole line swing into-‘action, and not mull passes or do other little antics that have so marred theiw play of late. Rnnn was a great success in the five-eighth line and appeared to enjoy himself intensely. did all lie tv as asked to do and was, at times, quite brilliant. Botherway certainly deserved his place as did the M.A.C-. lad, Hapi, who was in great form. ‘Hajpi made amends for his previous misdemeanours and struck his best form of the season. He made' several clashing runs down the sidelino, and also made a. good showing on defence. Bert Greuside, gave one of his bst displays (to daite. His was i charactertistio of him. Lambie a s half and Evans as the last line of defence did not fail their team cnee.

notes FROM ALL -PARTS. An interested spectator at the match between Auckland the Welling- ' ton was Mr. F. T. Evans, an expresident of the New Zealand and j Canterbury Rugby Unions and a j well-known referee about twenty-five years ago (says the Auckland ‘Herald’)- Mr. Evans is considered dne of the ‘best referees the Dominion has produced. He officiated in the match between Now Zealand and D. R- - Bedell -Sevright's (British team played at Wellington in August. 1904. It was the only test match played during that tour, and wa-s won by Now Zealand by 9 -points to- 3. # -5C- * * After leading Southland to victory in its quest for the Raiifurly Shield, Ray Bell had the ignominy of being ordered off the field in the club final between Star and Pirates, old-time rivals. Bell and ijShaw (Star) and . Falconer (Pirates) all received their, marching orders, the ‘Southland News’ stating that “some torrid encounters ensued near midfield, dm ing which Bell and Falconer were ordered to leave the field by the referee, apparently for fighting. No , sooner had the game restarted thaai Shaw was noticing leaving the field at the referee’s request’ . It seems most regrettable that such incidents should have occurred, as Bell, who has had ten years of club, inter provincial!, and international 'football, ; .'had signified his intention of giving the game. best at the end of the season. The match was won by Pirates by .17 .-points to 3, both teams no being -at the top of the table with 21 championship points each. * * *• * J. Steel, popular wing "three-quart- 1 er, has decided again to retire, from Rugby. He came out' of ‘retirement in the early part of the present season,. to 'help the Albion Club again, .and he finished up the season by getting into the -Canterbury representative team for the first time since, 1927, when he played in seven matches for this province, J. Steel was a. West Coast representative when he won fame in the New Zealand teams of 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1921, Steel has been one of the jgjrcat wing ffhree-qhv'teikst of -postwar Rugby in New Zealand (says il Christchurch writer). ** » * Goal-kicking is \a tricky business (says the Auckland ‘Sun’). Ramson, : who gained 16 points with kicks for Wellington against Canterbury, and who has run, up over 100 points for Victoria University College this season per medium of his kicking boot, hqd an off day aganst Auckland', aud most of the kicking had to lie done by Hea/lewood. On the other hand, Bush, the Auckland centre, who lots not been kicking too well of late, came hack to form and kicked remarkably well. ** * * One of the finest wing- forwards displays seen on Eden Park for several sea-son? was that given by Porter (says the- Aivcklad ‘Sun’, in res ferriug to the Wellington-Aucklaml match). Not over-scrupulous in re-

gard!, to the off-side rule, Porter was treacling on the toes of the Auckland insides all tlio afternoon, and showed keen and very accurate sense of anticipation. > * -x * « The recent match was the first occasion .since 1920 that Wellington has beaten Aucklain.d on the Auckland •ground (says an exchange). The 1920 match was a Ranfurly Shield game, and Wellington won, by 23 to 20. Auckland has won, twenty-three: games and ('Wellington twenty-Ame, three being drawn. To date Auckland has scored 470 points and Wellington 455. * -x- -x * (I 'diversity teams were successful in. winning the club championships in Dunedin and Wellington this year, but in Christchurch the students did not do so well. Old Boys being the premiers. That great club team, Ponsonby, carried off the honours in Auckland, University being defeated in the final by 16 points to 3, Last year the students wore successful in •all four centres.