FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16810, 7 August 1920, Page 11

FOOTBALL.

REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. RESULTS TO DATE. Following aro the results of representative matches,played to date for the present season;— Taranaki (11), Wanganui 8. Wellington (20), Taranaki (0). Taranaki (6), Wanganui (0). Taranaki (Oj, South Auckland (0). Auckland (9), Taranaki (3). Hawke’s Bay (8), Taranaki (6). Taranaki (14), Manawatu (9). ’ FUTURE FIXTURES. /The following fixtures have yet to be played:— August 11: Hawke’s Bay, at Hastings. August 14: Wairurapa, at Carterton. August, 18; Manawatu, at Palmerston North. August 21; Wellington, at Wellington. Sept. 2: Auckland, at New Plymouth. Taranaki has now played seven representative matches tills season and of these tho province has won three, drawn one, and lost three. Five mure fixtures remain to be played, four of which are set down for tho team which commences a' tour on Monday next, during tho course of which they will moot Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Manawatu, and Wellington, 'and the last is a homo match with Auckland, which is set down to be played at tho Recreation Ground, New Plymouth, on September 2. . THE TOURING TEAM. Tho team might well bo called a South Taranaki loam, in which the Hawera Club strongly 'predominates. There aro only three northern men in the team, two of them being from .Stratford and one from Clifton; Hawera has six representatives in out of the totiZ and Waimate four. No doubt the selectors have an unenviable task iiW deciding upon the team to represent 1 tho province, and the inability of some i players to get away for the tour docs [not make their work any easier. Northfont players, however, are saying, and not without cause, apparently, that the southern men have been given undue prominence in tho selection. Tho team which goes on tour on .Monday is soxnej what different from that which played at the beginning of the season and which made the northern tour. While | some of the veterans arc in there are some who are quite now to representative football, and in a district whore players aro so scattered, and therefore cannot get much practice together, so many changes in tho representative fifteen during the season, unless absolutely essential, is not likely to put great Heart into those who have to uphold j the honour of tho province or those j who aro trying to develop tho sport. Tho. forwards look a likely lot and most of them have boon well tried out, hut tho backs do not look quite so safe on paper ns the forwards. However, they will have a good chance during the tour of proving their right to retain the coveted cap. THE MANAWATU MATCH. Last Thursday’s match at Stratford against Manawatu was not a particularly brilliant exhibition of Rugby, and the play could not have been of much assistance to flic selectors in tlieir task of picking a team for the tour, excepting perhaps in showing who should be left cut, if other men were available, j The hacks were a disappointing lot. Of I the four tries scored three were notched by forwards and the one that Robert--1 sou scored was after the forwards had taken the hall right up to the opponents’ line. There was an entire absence of open play by the backs, notwithstanding that the forwards were : much superior to the. Manawatu pack ; and got tho ball practically every time. iVhetlier it was that the wings did not get the chances they wanted, or for , soma other reason,-but neither Wilkin- ; son nor Hooker wore up to tho form ! they showed at Palea on the previous ' Saturday. Robertson tried hard at centre to “get a move on” several j times, but tho backs seemed as though : they could not move. Hickey is plainly i not a five-eighths and he was quite out I of place in the game. Anderson had little to do, hut lie'was badly beaten by • tho Manawatu flyer Ferguson on two. occasions. Walsh and Lynskoy played good defensive games, but somehow the Taranaki half was not feeding his hacks ■as should have hccji done. To the forwards may ho given credit for winning the match, all of them taking promi- : ncut parts at some stago of tlie game, j They showed, however, a tendency too , much to get offsido and there, were : , many penalties against them, from one 1 1 of which Manawatu opened their scor- i ! mg account. i j The visitors were in the main a very ■ young team, and considering tho i j Manawatu Union has only a very small ! j area from which to draw players, they j ' may well feel satisfied with tho per- j I forraanee of their representatives in j i giving Taranaki a good “go,” the re- ; I suit not being beyond the realm of ■ | anxiety until tho closing stages of tho j : game. Their forwards were too light i for tho locaLpack, hut their backs, if j they had got the ball more, would have, i \ shown tho spectators and the Taranaki j ; players some pretty work. On one or j i two occasions when they did get tho ! I leather it passed from the half to five-1 ! eighths and tho two three-quarters j with lightning rapidity. Maire (half), j Ryan and Ingham (five-eighths), and ' i Ferguson (thrce-quantor), worn tho ' most prominent, the latter doing, some

brilliant foot-work and being very fleet. Ho outdistanced the whole Taranaki side on two occasions. Stewart at fullback played well, and though he got in soifie good kicks, it was evidently not “his day out.” „ Mr. Roch proved an efficient referee, and gave entire satisfaction to both sides. Tho South African correspondent of the Weekly Press writes; St o'er, the famous “All Black” centre three-quar-ter and full-back, who was so conspicuously successful in the South African tour of the New Zealand Service* team last year, arrived at Johannesburg on Wednesday, June 16, from New Zealand, looking very fit and well. He is bent on a few season’ play in tho Golden City. It may be mentioned that the rulo with regard to residence will prevent Stohr’s i appearance in Rand matches for a fortnight, and he will not be available for tho wbole of tho Currie Cup competition, for which a month’s residence is necessary. Ho may possibly bo available for the last match of tho competition. ALL BLACKS. TO HELP THE OLD GAME. Mr. H. Y. Braddon, * M.L.C., presided over a very Targe gathering at the Hotel Australia yesterday to welcome tho New Zealand Ruguy Onion footballers (says the Sydney Morning Herald of Friday Just). * Mr. Braddon said that hc_ remembered witli pleasure the welcome given in Sydney to the New Zealand team in 1684, of which ho was a member. The New Zealanders bad come to New Soutli Wales at a time when the R-tigby Onion game was peculiarly interesting, because the code was being severely tested. Lor some years lir»t-class union games were unthought of. Tho giants of the game—or ( .3U per cent, of them — were away playing the only game that mis better than old “Rugger.” (Applause.) He would say nothing against the professional athlete—the man who admitted that ho was a professional—- ■ but be could not tolerate tho hybrid. Thb toast of the .visitors was supported by Messrs. Oakes and Arnold. In replv, the manager of the team, Captain T r . H. Jones, said ho hoped that tho games would bo played in the fine sporting spirit that had obtained in the past. Lino kicking, ns far as the New Zealanders were concerned, would only be used in defence. Tho team was the best that had left Now Zealand for many years. They were in Sydney to give a helping hand to try to bring the ■game back into its own. In New Zealand Rugby Union had the full support of the public, and be hoped that their visit would bo the, turning point in the road to renewed popularity in Australia. (Applause.) With regard to the future of tho game. Captain Jones remarked that they bad an agreement from South Africa with regard to certain amendments in the rules. Ho was sure that tho battle cry of the Rugby councils in the future would not bo “Australia will be there,” or “New Zealand will be there,” but “Australasia will be. there.” (Hear, bear.) Mr. J. P. Tilyard (captain) also responded. A “haka” by the visitors was enjoyed. INTER-SCHOOLS MATCH, Interest is growing in the interschools match between New Plymouth Boys’ High School and Auckland Grammar School, which takes place in New Plymouth on August 28. Last year the local boys defeated Grammar on their own ground and hopes are entertained that they may retain the supremacy by winning when the Aucklanders visit here. Tli** northern boys will be billeted among tho local boys and entertained by the school during their stay in Now Plymouth.