FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143782, 4 May 1912, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

(By “Rugger.”)

The football season for club matches opened on Thursday, only one senior match, however, coming off. Inglewood at the last moment withdrew its team from the contests. The weather, after a very stormy spell, was all that could be desired, and although a slight shower fell, it was not sufficient to wet the ball, and the wind had dropped down, so the conditions could scarcely have been more favourable.

Football must be at a very low ebb at Inglewood this season, or the local chib would not have forfeited their first match of the season, which was to have been played on their own ground on Thursday. For several years past they have fought the seasons through with dogged determination, and with small hope of success for the most part, and their failure to got a start this year will meet with the sympathy of all those clubs which are situated in more fortunate positions.

Thursday’s match at Stratford does not call for a great deal of comment, for it could not by anv stretch of imagination have been called a brilliant exhibition of football. To have expected it to have been would perhaps, under the circumstances (it being the opening game of the season), have been unreasonable, especially as neither team had had an opportunity of playing a trial match to get themselves together. At times the Stratford back division got going, and the ball went from one to another of the players with fair precision, but in very few cases when this came about was a great deni of ground gained, for the combination only resulted in transferring tho piny from one side of the field to the other, which is a waste of energy. Stratford had many openings on Thursday, which were nullified in this manner, when by straight running and short passing a lot of ground could have been gained, and strength conserved. Anderson was out hv himself in the three-quarter line, and did some smart work, but his halfhack did not feed hirft enough. The forwards lacked combination, but, of course, it is always hard for a lighter lot of forwards to keep their combination when opposed to a heavier pack. Whittington played a good game, and was very keen, following up and tackling well, Fearon, T. Cameron and Y’ohng also doing good work. The Clifton hookers had matters pretty much their own way, and seemed to get the ball whenever they liked. They have the makings of a very fine forward side, and were all good grafters, Cain and Loveridge being about the host of a good lot on Thursday, Crowley gave his backs plenty of chances, but they did not take good advantage of some* of tho openings, which looker! as if they were going to spell disaster to their opponents. Something always went wrong just at the critical moment. Goodwin made some- good runs, and just before the final whistle went looked as if he were going to break through. On the day’s play there was not a great deal between tho teams, and a draw would have better represented tho difference between tho two sids.

In an interesting article in the London Times, which deals chiefly with scrummage formation and strategy, the writer says that “the advisability of a thorough revision of the rules of Rugby football is generally recognised at the present moment, the occasional obscurities in the existing code being responsible for n perplexing variety in Hie methods of referees.” This is good hearing, and if true will _be specially welcome out here, at a time when the Knglish union are being approached with the suggestion that the alteration of some rules will find favour on this side of the globe. lam not, however, inclined to place much confidence in this ‘‘generally recognised” feeling having penet rated the wall of prejudice which the Knglish Rugby I'nion have for so long sheltered themselves behind. The union was first I.united in lb"I. and iwenty-four years later, owing to a dispute regarding rules as u> pro. , ssioiialism, the hulk of the rlnli.s in the north of F.ngland detached themselves from the union, and in 1901 formed the X'ntherii League. During the intervening years between their

secoaiou and ihe formation of the new leagii'*, numerous, ami at time strenuous. el’fnris *weiv made to get the Rugby Union io modify the uncompromising stand which they took up on the various questions which were in dispute. The question was not only one of professionalism but one of the revision of the existing rules, which at that time were sadly in want of alteration, far more so than they are at the present time. Those were the days of the maul in goal, when a man who had got over the line could be forcibly carried out again if he had not touched the ball clown, even if two or three men were hanging on to him. Were this done now a five yards scrum would be awarded., but at the time I am speaking of a wrestling match, often of some minutes’ duration, was the result. I am mentioning this just to prove what urgent need there was for revision, and this being refused by the union, led, I believe, more than anything else to the breaking away of the clubs which then formed a Northern League. At the time when the All Blacks wont Home to England, Rugby football was at a very low ebb, and the life which our men infused into the clubs during that memorable trip gave Rugby Union a fresh lease of life at Home. It is to be hoped that they will bear this in mind, and give the antipodean proposals a fair hearing, lest another and more virile branch be lopped from the parent stem. I nave to acknowledge the receipt of complimentary tickets from tbo Okato and Clifton Clubs.