FOOTBALL.

Timaru Herald, Issue 170298, 17 August 1920, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By "Touchline.")

S.C. REP. FIXTURES.

Aug. 26—Wairarapa v. S.C. (Timaru). Sept 2—Wanganui v. S.C. (Timaru). Sept! 9—Wellington v. S.C. (Timaru). Sept. 18—Otago v. S.C. (Dunedvn) . Sept. 22—Southland v. S.C. (Invereargill)

Zingari's win over Star las't Thursday makes them winners of the junior flag. . * ■ j.iie Wairarapa representatives are due next week, after ~nn interval of seven years. Now that the game has taken root : in Waimate, something should be done to keep the ground there clear of spectators, who invade the field at both sides and ends to the detriment of the play.. . totorey with lour tries top-scored in the match New Zealand v. Northern Rivers at Taree. Sydaey writers state that the wing three-quarters, Storey and Steele, are up to the highest dominion standard, and the "Referee 1 ' gives preference to Storey as being more proficient in making his own opportunities. **" T. Lynch came down from Mesopotamia the ether day, and efforts are being made to induce him to tram out for Celtic. He looks in good condition, and his maimed shoulder is a good deal improved, but it is not likely that. ic will ever be supple ; enough to enable him to regain his I best form.

A letter received in C'hristchurch a week or two back stated that the New Zealanders were more concerned about making a game of it in Sydney than in running up scores, and the writer, an old international player, predicted that tlhe team no.w returning would be the last Ttngby Union com'oination from the dominion to visit Australia. The result of the final match of the tour suggests that he knew whjat he was writing about. The jaunt to Taree, odd points were scored, was about on a. par with a game between a New Zealand team and Mackenzie Country, but the Metropolitan Union to all'intents is New South Wales, and for its representatives to he routed by SO points makes the outlook for the old : game in Australia pretty gloomy. The attendances were so small- that it is possible a loss may be made on the trip. Two of the leading teams, Celtic and Temuka, will finish their second round fixtures this week. St: r, the other possible winners of the premiership, will have ait outstanding game with Hiwiroa, to be played in. Thnnru. It looks unlikely that any_ definite conclusion will be reached this week, though one of the leaders may ho put out of the running. If Temuka and Ctltic should both happen to taste defeat, Star would have an ea?y road to premier honours, and if Celtic and Old Boys prove victorious the Celts will win outright. Otherwise* the position is pretty complicated._ Popular opinion inclines to the view that Temuka. and Celtic will ©merge, victors this week, and tie W th-> Cnr>.

and in support of this it is- advanced that 'lVm:;ka have the. advantage of

playing at home, and 'anything like a wet ground will give Celtic a pull over Star.' There is~~ reason in these con-

tentions, but it is hazardous work predicting the outcome of games which promise to be so close as this week's contf-sts seem likely to '&&. The weather was threatening and windy, hub fortunately rain held off i for the Temuka-Zingari game on Thursday. Temuka brought in a . fairly strong side, hut their fifteen is never the same two weeks in succession, and they cannot hope to have much combination under these circumstances.. There was never much doubt however, of their superiority, and with most of the Zingari backs having a, day off the country team got one step nearer the Skinner Cup. The play was inclined to be ragged, no great amount of combination being exhibited by either team, but the winners played better football both 'oack and forward. Larcem.be. appeared at full, and gave a sound exhibition, and at centre Horgan. did well all that he was given to do. Aupi'nall played his best game this year, find may yet fulfil the great promise he gave at the beginning of last season. -Crannitch wp.s lvcV in t'T> five-eighths lino, and with Spillane did a. lot of work, but there was not much understanding in attacking movements'. FeotT- did not kick wit i iiis usual brilliancy, but played another good game. Bennett. Fisher, M-oßride and xireen wen; prominent in a pretty useful pack. McWhirter had an off day at full for Zingari, rind Harold was below form, Taylor and .Francis being the only ones ,ti' uppear to raucii advantage. The latter is doing much better in the Zirgari ranks than be did for Star. Taylor got a knock early in the game which 'must have shaken him up. An Id was bright at wing forward, hut the pack generally was too light for the opposition. Ward was an absentee, and Fairbrothor was about the pick of those playing. Celtic disposed of the idea that' therewas something about the Waimate ground that .put visiting_ teams at a disadvantage. The playing field was j greasy, and showers made matters unpleasant generally, but tbe heavygoing favoured the weightier team, who were always the controlling factor in! the proceedings. Hiwiroa were near scoring on two or three occasions, 'out Celtic's ultimate victory, was fairly obvious after the first few minutes. In the first half the home team were '■■ seldom out of their 25. Tip till half i time the Celtic hookers did the better work, but in the second spell the Waimate pair obtained possession, from. the majority of the scrums. P. Houlihan, at full, was equal to all demands, and if he had a stone or two more weight could not be kept out of the rep team. The conditions suited M. Houlihan also, and he was about the best back of the side, but Joyce, J. Kane, and Angland all played well, and there was no ,good reason apparent for shifting , the last-named to wing three-quarter after half-time. Taken all round, the Green backs were better than their adversaries, who had to draw on a couple of juniors to »fill. Direen and Shea played fine forward games, and O'Leary was back in his- place and showing good form. Burns was good as custodian for Waimate, and Anderson and Cameron put in some smart. work a.t intervals, but the best Hiwiroa ! back was Dewar, who defended solidly all through, and offered the strongest' opposition to the big Celtic forwards.. Of , the Waimate . forwards the best was Freeman, Eathorne "Chamberlain being the most conspicuous of, the othe'ps. An unplea'sing feature of the da.y. wag tbe .-.. unsportsmanlike behaviour of. a secfion of the spectators-,' which sei out to oiitbairrack a 'handful of Celtic enthusiasts, and_ hav- ■ ing succeeded in this turned' their attention ■ to the. referee with such _ unfairness that Hiwiroa playersvput in a protest. Local patriotism is the life ,pf sport, lmt Waiouito wjU become. ■ mi.

popular with visitors -unless spectators learn to accept defeat in a better spirit. The correspondent who "squeaked" (to use his own term) about some actions of the Management Committee was not very well informed. The Athletic Grounds may present the les-i ser of two evils on a west, day; it is ' a choice between a very wet ground and a muddy and more slippery one, and personally I prefer the latter as toeing less unpleasant for the players. But there are other things to consider. There is no shelter for onlookers at the Athletic Grounds, and no embankments from which to view the play, and until improvements are made the central ground will never be a good one for spectators. The suggestion that the Caledonian Ground was preferred because of grand stand revenue is not convincing. The charge for admission to the stand was sixpence for men and nothing for ladies. The complaint that insufficient bath accommodation was provided for the South Canterbury players would be a just one if it could be shown where better facilities can be procured, and half a loaf is better than no bread. Had tho old custom of providing no such accommodation at all been followed no critieism would have been offered. Tha other complaint, that the best match of the year was not allotted to Band Day savours of looking a gift horse in tho mouth. ' The Union has often given gate proceeds to deserving causes, but it is just open to question whether it is not exoeeding its duty in spending money on anything not connected with the fostering of Rugby. ProTiably the Band ig not dissatisfied ■nith a donation of £3O or so, and if every sports body does a 9 well for it it will have reason to_ be delighted. The first duty of the Union is to Rugby j football, and from its point of view it i* more important that teams sliould be sent on tour than that the Band should go to Ballarat, a trip towards which everybdy is •well disposed. The Union has given away nearly £SO so far his season, and though nil its decisions may not linve been the wisest possible, it is hardly fair to suggest ill at it was niggardly towards tho Band.

THE PREMIERSHIP. ■ -s .i tn bfl pn •2 <i . . e, a -g ■ s a | & te .3 £ £ <3 Temuka ... 9 Celtic . , , . 9 Star . '. . . S Old Boys . . S Zingari - .9 Hiwiroa ... 9 6 6 5 4 4 1 3 3 3 4 5 S 73 47 101 33 81 90 61 89 105 114 49 90 ]2 12 10 S S 9