FOOTBALL

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144669, 1 May 1915, Page 8

FOOTBALL

(By “Goal-post.”' , GENERAL NOTES. The inter-regnum between King Cricket and King Football is slowly but surely being narrowed, and a commencement should soon be made with our national winter sport. Competitions have already started in the principal centres, but it is a matter for regret that the result of the half-holiday poll op Wednesday is likely to add further to the troubles of the local Rugby authorities.

Mr. W. W. Hill (Sydney) has received from the New . Zealand R.D. a communication indicating that that body, is in absolute agreement with the suggestion of the Now South Wales R.D. regarding the cancellation of the tour, of New Zealand and all big matches. W. Johnston, the ex-AU Black -forward and retired Northern Union player, is seeking exercise and recreation this season in practice with the Soccer game. For the past two Saturdays he has played in goal for Northern, but finds that he requires considerably more agility to stop the shooter than he required to lead a dribbling rush in tho Rugby code. Another old-time player whom it is good to write about these days is P. Sheehan, the old Southern forward and Otago representative, who. since his return to Dunedin from Fiji, has departed for Auckland, where he is reported to have thrown in his Rugby abilities and his Irish humour with the Marist Bros.’ team. The genial Paddy will certainly be an acquisition to Marist Bros. The New Zealand representative halfback, H. M. Taylor, who made his name and fame with the Now Zealand team in Sydney last year, evidently does not intend to lag superfluous on the field. Taylor has .announced his retirement, although a bright career was before him, the zenith of which he might easily have attained. Mr. A. E, T. Devore, who was. reelected president of the Auckland, Rugby Union on Friday last, enters upon his twenty-sixth year of office, which must constitute a Dominion record. Mr. Devore was a keen supporter of the game long before he was elected to the high office ho now holds, and his close connection with Rugby must extend over many years. May he live long to occupy the chair, is the wish of all followers of the ganie. Mr. C. V. Langsford. who is to again, act as secretary and treasurer to the Auckland Rugby Union, is getting on towards the veteran stage as an official, it being just IS years since he joined the managing body, and the greater .part of this time he has filled the onerous position of secretary and treasurer. Mr. D. Gallagher is to select the Rugby

representatives again this season, if any are required. IN CHRISTCHURCH. The curtain was rung up on the Christchurch Rugby season at Lancaster Park on Saturday in what one might term historic .circumstances. Many a familiar face wits missing from the ranks of the teams, owing to so many players engaged in a more strenuous game than that of chasing leather. The many caps were filled by colts, who were playing in the President’s Cup contest last season, and in the majority of cases the youngsters performed exceedingly well. What they lacked in a knowledge of the finer points of the game they made up for in keenness, and after watching senior football for several years a southern writer says he has never seen such good “following up” in the first grade than that winch he witnessed on Saturday. Altogether the indications are very bright for a successful season.

Another Christchurch scribe says:— Clubs that have made the greatest sacrifices will probably suffer most in the season’s competitions, but position on the list of football honours-for 1915 will be a mere passing thought compared with a satisfactory reply to the question, “What part did your club play when the Empire called for service in its hour of need?” Anyone of spirit would rather be the least important unit in the whole of the Expeditionary Force than tho finest footballer in New /jealand football this year. Many players are bound to remain,on account of ties that cannot be easily broken, but many remain for other and less satisfactory reasons. For both classes much sympathy is needed and for both much is given. To one class, right in' heart but hound by circumstances, comes the harder part of being misjudged by the unthinking and the unknowing. For them, the heart knoweth its own bitterness. But tha others, whose beards turn to water at the thought of personal risk of life and limb, will : find shame bearing,, compound interest in the years to come. , Better a millstone were round one’s neck than to live with the abiding possession that one, played the poitroon when England called for aid in her hour of , trial.

IN WELLINGTON. The most successful seven-aside, tournament yet held by the Wellington Rugby Union took .place at Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon. Usually the seven-aside competitions have been, poorly patronised, but this year’s attracted several thousand people. A good number of the more experienced hands donned the jersey for the day, and it' is clear that while the war depletes the ranks the older members are going to stand by their clubs. Among those who took part in the games were A. Wilson, James Ryan, J. Cunninghame and G. Murray, every one of whom has many years of big Rugby behind him —and appears to have a good deal before him. The proceeds of the competitions will be devoted to the players’ insurance fund.

Eight teams competed in the fifthclass competition. Petone and Wellington College fought out the final, which was strenuous and ended in favour of the College boys by 5 points to nil. Porter scored for College, and converted the try, for which his .youthful friends on the bank “chaired” him. The senior competition, for which sixteen teams entered, produced some very good fotball, and here again the Petone Chib was found to have a representative in the final. _ Athletic A', Selwyn, Petone A, and University worked their way into the semi-finals, and the deciding game found the two old rivals —Athletic and Petone—fighting out the finish. Both teams were in good condition, and had endured the hard afternoon’s work well. Athletic scored early in the first spell, A. Cunninghame getting over, and S- Wilson converting. Late in the second spell Heley scored for Athletic, and R. Raton converted, so Athletic won by 10 jio.hts to nil. , ALEX. MCDONALD RETIRES. Commenting on the depleted ranks of Rugby teams in Otago, a Dunedin writer says;—“Most of alt will Kaikorai miss its captain and sterling. for- • ward, Alex. M'Donakl, who has definitely signified his intention of retiring after a long and an honourable career. .M ‘Donald is one of the last of the famous AH Blacks, who retained his form in a marvellous manner to the end of last season. Others, fittingly enough, were also Otago men—S. Casey and E. E. Booth,—but M'Dbnald has proved the tvonder of that famous team which took Great Britain by surprise in 1905. M'Donakl played bis first representative game for Otago against Southland in 1904, and the foUowing.year was chosen to represent Now Zealand with the All Blacks. During' that tour he ‘was in rare form; but, it was probably on his return, in the season of 1906, that he reached his zenith, retaining it in wonderful manner for the three following seasons. He retired in 1910 for business reasons, but came out again, and such was his worth as a ■ player ’ and leader that he was chosen to captain the New Zealand team on its successful tour of America. To top olf his career M’Donnld led Kaikorai to victory through the strenuous contests of last season, and had the pleasure of seeing his team winners of the premiership for 1914—an honour Kaikorai had not won for 13 years. M'Donakl captained the 'Otago team on many occasions, and always, by precept and example, led the way. He was a good man to follow in a rush, and never did anyone have to carry more than his own burden when the sturdy captain was about, for he did the lion’s share, - and frequently that of the whole menagerie. His was no parlour game, and the man whom be tackled was not allowed to get far; but withal it was fleam hard tackling, without any semblance of viciousness. By some M‘Donald was called i' rough player—rough in the sense of a hard player he was. but rough for the sake of mere brutality never. He rejoiced in a magnificent physique and strength above the average, and this, combined with his keenness and natural ability as a footballer, made him the player and terror lie was. None knew this .bettor than some of the British footballers who visited New Zealand in the season of 190 S, and it is not difficult to. conjure up scenes in the first test match on the Ca'risbrook Ground in which the retired Kaikorai captain figured so prominently. This does not pretend to be a sketch of M'Donald’s career as a footballer, but an imperfect outline on the announcement of bis definitely retiring from the game.”