OTHER MATCHES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13983, 14 August 1909, Page 5

OTHER MATCHES.

August 14— Auckland v. Poverty Bay, at Auckland. August 21— Auckland v. Thames, at Southland v. Otago, at Augs *&orth Island v. South, at Augus^Auckland v , Marlborough, at Blenheim. . . , August 28— Wellington v. Auckland, at "Wellington; Otago University v. Sydney University, at Dunedin. August 31-Auckland v. Wanganui, at Wanganui. . September I— Otago representatives r: Sydney University, at Dunedin. Septembe74 - Wellington v Canterbury, at Chmtchurch ; New Zealand University v. Sydney Umversitv. at Dunedin. , September 8-Wefflngton r. Southland, September c i£ r Weilington v. Otago, at Dunedin ; Sydney University v. New Zealand University, at WelSeptember 15— Sydney University v. Auckland 'University College, at Auckland. . o .. September 16— Canterbury v. South Canterbury, at Timaru. September 18— Canterbury v. Otago, at Dunedin; Sydney University v. City Club, at Auckland. September 23 — Canterbury v. Southland, at Invercargill. The selectors of the North and South Island teams have been m**!**.** the New Zealand Rugby B*«n that the names of the teams must be handed in to the union not l»t*r .thaii Monday. It is to be hoped that the selectors will realise the primary idea of these matches, vi»« to bring outyoung players whose abilities in first-clisa football are an unknown Quantity, pc object or the fixture is defeated when prominent players whose ppweri, when in term, are cfcosen, to the exclusion of young players. „ . ._ , . , The Newtown Club (Sydney), defeated by Ponsonby on Wednesday, won the senior grade chawipHmahip of Bydney last season. At the time the kst mail to hand left Sydney it was only a point behind the leaden in this season's champiomhip, with several matches to go, and a good chance of again annexing the honours). A match is being played at Okaiawa to-day between a Wanganui Maori team and a team of Taranaki Maoris. The veteran Hughie Absolom, who will play for Hawke'i Bay against Taranaki on Wednesday next, is reported to be still playing finely. The Ponsonby record m the Auckland Club Championship for three years is as follows; Points. « M. W. L. D. For Agst. 1907 ... & 6 1 1 136 8 1908 ... 7 7 0 0 146 15 1909 ... 8 8 0 0 228 16 "Freddy" Roberts, who has been troubled this season with an injured leg, is definite in his announcement that he will retire from active Rugby at the end of the present season. Playing the man instead of the ball is too frequently seen in local matches (says a Wellington paper). One of the leading players is now carrying a rather ugly scar on his shin. ■ Referring to the matter, he says that ft is hard enough to stand down until the injury has healed, but it just "breaks him up" to know that at least three players boast of having intentionally kicked him. 11. D. ("Mona") Thomson, of All Black fame, was to have been married on Thursday to a young lady from Christchurch. "Mona" has the distinction of having represented more separate unions than any other player, past or present. On different occasions he nas takeu the field for Canterbury, Wellington, Taranaki, Wanganui, and Auckland. He has also represented both islands, as well as New Zealand. The New Zealand Rugby Union has adopted its Boundaries Sub-committee's recommendation that the following be the boundaries of the new South Auckland Union: — Northern boundary: From the west coast along the boundary line of Raglan County, thence northward along the eastern boundary line of the same county to the township of Whatawhata (the whole of which township shall be in the Auckland Union), thence in a direct line to the north-east, equidistant between Ngaruawahia and Hamilton, till such line reaches the P.ataroa Range, thence northward along the boundary line of Piako and Ohinefflari Counties, thence along the boundary line of Ohinemuri County to the coast. Southern boundary: The northern boundaries of the Taranaki, Wanganui and Hawke's Bay Unions, and the western boundary of the Poverty Bay Union. The new district includes Rotorua and Tauranga, together with several other places where there are strong clubs, and the new unio» should be able to put a very fair representative team in the field. It is very probable that a match with the South Auckland team may be arranged for the Taranaki representatives on their way to Auckland next month. Thus the Free Lance : — "A query for the Referees' Association to discuss at its next meeting :— Suppose in a passing rush, the ball bursts as the last man takes it, and the player goes on and scores, is the try a legitimate one? This Is not a fancy question, for such a thing did actually happen in a match in New South Wales the other day." A New Zealander was appointed referee in a Sydney match not long ago, and had to pass the usual teat under the Referees' Association. One question asked was: "Suppose a player kicked at goal, the ball burst and lodged on the cross bar, what would you give it?" "A bally miracle 1" "Supposing a man threw the ball in for a line-out and it went out on the opposite side of the field what woutfl you say?" "Dead easy; another miracle!" In the event of nothing coming from the English Union or the International Board in the direction of amending the .aws of Rugby Union football one hopes, in due course, to see a conference Itetween the New Zealand and Australian Unions for the purpose of making certain changes to apply to these colonies (says "The Cynic" in the Sydney Referee). I believe in restricting the teams to 14, with not more than seven in the scrummage, and not more than two in the front row; but this will never come about in Australasia, unless sanctioned by the. International Board, nml the <kWh nre. T niippose. 10.000 to 1 against that. Moreover, the law re-

lating to held ball and playing the bal on the ground after the tackle shoulc be simplified in terms and made mor< rigid ; the ball carried into touch shouh be regarded in the same light as a bal kicked into touch — that is, the throw out to belong to the opposing side ; n< player should be permitted to get ii front of the front row of his forward: until the ball is ont of the scrummage and all goals should count two points save the dropped goal from the field and that to count three points, th< same as a try. These alterations, together with the application of a five yards limit for the throw-out, would, 1 feel rare, give us a vastly improved Rugby, and yet not interfere with the strategy and tactics of the game, the absence of which — as far as we know it in Austrafia — is the black spot in the Northern Union game. In Yorkshire and Lancashire there may be strategy and tactics when the best teams are afield. Indeed there must be, seeing that the scoring in the, nig club fixtures is so small compared with the scoring in Australia*. Bnt so far little of these important elements have, as yet, beeh seen in Australia. That th<> Rugby game is spreading in America is shown by th? following from the San Francisco Chronicle:- | The initial move of the Rugby season will be made at a meeting of the Pacific Const Rugby Union r.n Monday evening. June 14, at the Olympic Cl:: The by-laws of the new organisation will be adopted at that time, and officers elected for the year. Should the English Rugby Union have changed the value of the scoring points at its annual meeting Burins the closing week of May, the local bodj, being affiliated with that union, will of u«cessity fall in line. The charoes ofthe value of a goal being minimised are, however, remote, as tn# criticism* against the alteration were strong and on the majority bide. The outlook of Rugby on the Coast is brighter than ever, as more schcols have adopted the rules played by the two 'varsities, and others are liable to follow before the season opens. In the South a Rugby wave has swept throughout Los Angeles, and aa a result this form of football will undoubtedly take the precedence this season. At the local union meeting representatives of all the members will take a hand in fbe proceedings, and invitations have been sent to most of the leading athletic institutions of San Francisco and neighbourhood to attend and co-operate with the organisation^ Amoag there expected to send delegates are the two universities, Rarbaiians, Olympio Club, Santa Clara College, Santa Clara High School, San Jose High School, University of the Pacific, St. Mary's Cogswell High School. Berkeley High School, LicT High School, Palo Alto Hieh School, Lowell High School, ard the Referees' .Union. The Barbarians and Olympic Qrlubs expect to take the field this year with a much stronger line-up than a year ago, as many of the excollege players have signified their intention of joining one or other of the local fifteens. The schedule commissioner of each of the clubs is olready at work, and dates have been arranged with the leading 'varsities. The San Joaquin Valley promises to cut quite »- figure ia the local Rugby world, as the experience gained in their two elementary seasons should blossom into something that resembles the real thine The Melbourne University authorities do not welcome the introduction of the Rugby game into the Victorian capital, aa the following extract from the Sydney Referee shows :— The Melbourne University Sports Union, Professor Spenser presiding, last week dealt with an application for affiliation from the Melbourne University .Rugby Football CUlt).' Tfc was deciUed to' enrol the club on condition' that the Union was not liable for any of the expenses, and that the club should not use the University Oval. The club's expenses will be earned by its' own subscriptions and by the money from matches on other Sounds. Objection was taken to the hnation of the club, it being, it is reported, contended that the inter-Uni-versity matches should be under Australian and not Rugby rules. Professor Spenser appears to have been ono -4>f the principal opponents to the new club. It seems strange to find a University professor, of all persons, holding views of sport so n«m-catholie. The Bogey Union game has two characteristics which ought to specially commend it to the University man. It is universal as are the sciences; it 4s the game of Oxford and Cambridge, and Of Edinburgh and Dublin Universities; <>t the Otago and other New Zealand Oniverwtw*;. it\ is.xiow the ga^ie of Stanford and the University -of California ; It has always been. the. game of Qydney University. And the Australian gime which Professor Spenser appears to champion is parochial. Besides, Rugby Union football alt the world over is marked by more thorough control in every way than the Australian game. University men should encourage, and stand for amateur sport — or none. Than the Rugby Union game of football there is no purer amateur sport; whereas the amateurism of Melbourne football is a subject for daily derision. It holds the crowd's enthusiasm, but beneath it is very far worse than legitimate professionalism, which, under proper control, is. not so objectionable. The rules of the Australian game provide for amateurism, so that men who are paid "under the rose are demeaned; the men who connive at their payment are demeaned. A system of that kind cannot very well produce many sportsmen, or men worthy of controlling a national game. That it does produce some men of that character merely proves that under happier conditions football in Victoria might be near the ideal. The scenes reported week after week from the footbdl fields of Melbourne are- a sad commentary on the rules and the management of Victorian 'football. Such scenes are practically •unknown in Rugby Union feetball of 1 similar class in Sydney. It is all a matter of control. The . opposition at the Melbourne- University will probably stir supporters of the Rugby game to "make a bigger effort than ever. If Oxford University is good enough for the Rhodes' Scholars of the Empire, surely the games at Oxford are good enough for the University of Melbourne. If a number of the students desire to play it, they should be entitled to the privileges held by other clubs. It is to be hojied that the experiences of those who are establishing Rugby at the Melbourne University will . not recoil on to the beads of the band of enthusiasts junr striving to plant the Australian' game m Sydney. If the Rugby Union should make a reprisal, the Australian game will be doomed, and no impartial enthusiast in sports desires to see that.