FOOTBALL.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12805, 28 May 1910, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

' ""'" TO-DAY'S MATCHES 7 ' " The senior matches to be played at tho Park this afternoon are College v. Old Boys, and Nolson v. Waimea ; the Rivals will journey to Motueka by oil I launch to play Ivia Ora. Other games ito he played at the Park are Nelson v. Albion (juuior cup) and Rival v. Old Boys (second junior). The following officers for tlio sevon-a-side tournament to be held next Friday have boon appointed by the Rugby Union: — Call stewards :' Messrs J. I'russing, F. Kitching, A. Brown, W. Smith, Redmond, J. Emerson, W. Moyes ; time-keeper, Mr Shrimpton. The Albion v. Rival match last Saturday was stubbornly contested, and the result was in doubt almost to the call of time. Both teams played a hard, clean game, and the display by the forwards was the best seen this season. The Albions had a splendid set of forwards out, and they struggled gamely until tho last. The hookers, l'rewcck and Stobans, repeatedly beat bheir opponents for the ball, but the backs were unable to reap much benefit from tho advantage. Kiiizott, at half, was nippy and got the ball away, but Callaghan at five..ighths was tho weak link in the chain. Ho was too slow in passing the ball out, aud the Rival forwards {mothered him frequently. H. Bonar was in good form, and gave an excellent display. He was the mainstay of the backs, his kicking and fielding being particularly good. H. Pike, who generally plays threequarter iv the junior Albion team, was given a place in the forwards, and he .icquittcd himself well. His pace .^ave him great advantage in following iip. Manssen, although crippled, was always in tlie midst of tho play, and iie played a sterling game. At the present time lie is one of the best forwards in Nelson. Chapman was the star performer of the Rival backs, and his try was a .neritorious one. Running from outside the 2o yards line, lie dodged through the Albion backs in great style, and scored near tlie posts. IJtirnip showed an improvement, and McGaviu was, as usual, safe at full back. His place kicking was not up to the high standard ho has set himself, and several comparatively easy shots wore missed. Stapp made his reappearance at half for the Rivals, and his display showed that lie had not lost any of his cunning. A team is lucky to have a ..layer of Stapp's calibre to fall back •jn in case of emergency. Hannigau, who was reported to liave been wooed and won by the Northern League, was again promin>nt in tlie Rival forwards. Guy, Bunker, and Biown also put in solid ivork. Nelson put out a weak team against Old Boys, Hunter, Burridgo, Heffer, rressider, and Dickson being absentees. The Old Boys, with a bettor team tlian usual, put up a good fight, md an interesting game resulted. In the rearrangement of the fixtures published in this column last Monday aio ruing it will be noticed that the College team has been promoted to senior ranks. This was only to be expected, as the Collegians were far too good to be playing junior football, as their performance in putting up 85 and 94 points against the Hope and Rival teams respectively, clearly shows. _ With tho public the College team is always popular, and its abearance at tlie Park in first grade matches is sure to prove a big attraction. Tlie match College v. Old Boys should be interesting. Tlie Kia Ora players were disappointed at-the Rugby Union allowing the town teams to postpone their engagements with the Kia Ora Club at ifotueka, and rightly so for the Km Ons, wet or fi«<?_ invariably Heep *»*■"*• j iviMi the town teams in Nelson. It *s satisfactory to note that the Union lias now arranged tho fixtures so that the town teams will journey to Motueka before the Kia Oras play at the Park again. . . „ Playing for Hopo juniors last fcaturdav were soveral old-timers, who are .'ivin" the young players a helping hancC including T. Bird who was. a useful member of the Albion Club m the days gone by, and T. Bint, formerly of tlie Rival Club. ' The annual seveu-a-sidc tournament will take place at Trafalgar Park next Friday afternoon (King's birtlidav), when the senior and second junior competitions will take place. Teams from the local senior clubs have been entered, also a team from Golden Bay, so that some fast and interesting games may be expected. In tlie table showing the positions of the teams in the senior cup competition, published last Monday two matches were inadvertently omitto... which makes an alteration in the figures. The corrected table is as follows : — _

At a conference of delegates trom the Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast, and Buller Unions the rules governing the Seddon challenge shield were discussed, and tho following new rule was made, and approved at a recent meeting of the Nelson Rugby Union : No. 12. That nn Appeal Boartl V>e appointed to settle any disputes as to the amount of expenses to be paid to the challenging union, or as to any matter or question arising out of these regulations. Such board shall cousist of five, members, to sit in Nelson, and each union shall appoint one member. The said member*, to appoint a fifth to act as their chairman. If one visit of a New Zealand team } to these shores could create more interost than another, surely it will be ; the one about to be undertaken by the Dominion lads (says the Sydney "Whistle," a weokly journal devoted to football doings). During the past season" or two there has been an inclination on the part of the older players in the Land of the Moa to give up the game in the interests of the more youthful type of contestant. This determination brinps about the retirement of such sterling performers as Roberts, Hunter, Gillet, to say nothing of Wallace, who towered nbove them all. What this means to Dominion football* no man can say just now. What _fc weans fo thO-Sfr whft love tlie spectacular in football is all too apparent. It remains to be bo_*..i whether the best traditions of Rugby oversea will be able to stand the shock caused by the withdrawal of the Dreadnoughts. Those in the know are satisfied that all will bn well. How, then, are we on this sido of the stream to be expected to fare in the faco of our many and serious defections from the amateur ranks? Judged from the standard of past reputations things would be- anything but pleasant to ponder over, but from the standpoint of actual fact there is not so much amiss after all. A lot of dead wood has beon lopped from the Rucrby tree, r.nd the young shoots are giving worn iso of a more healthy growth. That is to say, the -outlook is- the most hopeful we have experienced for years nast in one rospect, although v*o are likely to suffer in another. W T hat has counted most in the past in tbis Stnf-? is the leaven of experience, and it now remains to be seen whether the few old players who will be included i.n tho representative side will be able to

rally tho younger mon at tho. psyche logical moment. If thoy succeed if tin's connection all will l.c well. (Roberts is in tlie New Zealand team.) At a meeting of the Otago Rugby Union on Monday inquiry was held into n report by a referee that Mitchell (Alhambra) had struck a University player in the match between these teams on Saturday week. .Mitchell admitted striking Dansey, of tho University team, and Danscy admitted striking Mitchell. Both wero suspended until tlie end of the first round, to complete whieli six matches have still to be played. Mitchell is a member of the New Zealand team for Australia. Rugby is New Zealand's, national game, and, played as it ought to bo played, it is a splendid and strenuous sport. But just as it is not a gamo for molly-coddles and weaklings, neither is it a gamo in wliich the elements of ruffianism should be encouraged. — Wanganui "Chronicle." A regrettable incident occurred on the football ground at tlie Hutt Park on tSaturday, says the "Post." . Shortly after the conclusion of the match between the Melrose and St. James's Clubs, Ryder, of St. James, was struck a violent blow by, it is alleged, a young man with whom he had had a difference of opinion earlier in the afternoon. Ryder fell backward, and his striking a wall, he was rendered unconscious. Mr Paul Peters administered first aid, and Ryder" was then taken to Mr James's shop, where .ho was attended to by Dr. Hector. As he was not well enough to be taken to his home at Kilbirnie, he was removed to Mr T. Daly's house in Bridgo stroet, where he is still staying. He will probably be ablo to come into town to-morrow. Ryder played for Melrose last season. The matter has been reported to the police, ancl it is j understood that it will also come before the Management Committee of the Wellington Rugby Union.

Pts. Pts dip Plavetl. W. L. D. for. a«. pts. Nelson 3 3 0 0 40 6 6 Rival 3 2 1 0 25 2G 4 Albion 4 2 2 0 38 26 4 Waimea 3 1 2 0 28 29 2 Kia Oro 1 1 0 0 24 fl 2 01clBovs4 0 4 0 14 73 0