FOOTBALL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17756, 17 September 1927, Page 16

FOOTBALL

(By “Crossbar.”)

South Canterbury Otago at 'J'unani to-dnv. Next Saturday will see the close of tile Rugby season in South Canterbury. “Comment on "Brownlie, Fitilayson or Eon Stewart would be superfluous. .Despite their aggregate of -Id stone, they are playing magnificently again this season.’’ “Polity” in the Christchurch “Star.” North Otago last week deleated the Otago team which is to meet South Canterbury to-day. .If the scores 9-8, can be taken as any criterion of the merits of the teams, to-day's game should be an interesting one. Has Hawke's Ear the “Indian sign” on Canterbury? Suae 1909 the South Islanders have not been able to win a solitary game against the Bay players. 1 hough' Canterbury lias had a strong team for the past tour years, and have given Hawke’s .Bay some stirring battles for the shield, the Magpie fifteen always managed to end up a few points to the good. Once a power in big "Rugby. "Wanganui appears late'y ;o have faded from ilie piteuro. Auckland still remembers the desperate < ha llonge of Wanganui in 1907. when, the home side retained the shield by the narrow margin of one point—G to 5 was the score. Near the c’ose of the game a 'Wanganui College boy named Hitchings had an easy chance at goal, from a penalty, but. lie was paralysed by .nervousness, and the ball rolled along the ground. Tt might appear that the Otago team which will be seen in action in Timaru to-day is a B team, the e’ect of the southern province being oil tour. Strictly speaking this is the case, but there wei'e some leading Otago players wlio were unable to make the northern trip, and they will strengthen _ the Blue combination this afternoon. South Canterbury last year defeated Otago at Carisbroolc, and there is every prospect of another win coming the way of the green and blacks this year. The visit of the New Zealand team to South Africa is creating great interest in the land of the diamond mines. Reuter’s people are now obtaining particulars from each of the New Zealand unions ol the playing ability of those men who are likely to be selected, 'lhese particulars will lie posted to South Africa, so that whoa ihe cablegram announcing the personnel of the team is received' the South Atricau papers will be able to give the details ol the playing records of each mail. The selectors who are to pick the New Zealand learn for South Africa arc: —W. A. Guv (Taranaki), N. A. M’Kenzie (Hawke's Bay). K. M'lvenz.ie (Wairavapa, representing the N.Z.R. I.'’. U. as chairman of the Selection Committee), Tom Mil’iken (Canterbury). A. J. Ceddes (Southland) and A. A. Adams (West Coast). The first three choose North Island fifteens, while the second irio unearth- South Island talent. Finally, alter attending the games from September 27 to October 5, the Big Six pick the internationals for the South Atricau tour.

A’thougli the South Canlerbury leani did not oiler much resistance to Canterbury on Wednesday, three of the local representatives A. Strang (Old Boys), "D. Stewart (Wailii) ..id Y\ . McKenna (Temuka) succeeded in gaining places in the trial game to be played at Dunedin on September 24. Ron Stewart is not available for this game, but will he availab'e for the South Island ’possibles and probables. "It was a caie ot the South Canterbury hacks feeding the Canterbury backs,” said a prominent local Rugby enthusiast when commenting on Wednesday's match against Canterbury. “Time and again R. Stewart mado openings lor them, but they would either drop the ball or kick it right into the hands of the Canterbury lour guard, who made very Iciv r.israkes. The who’e trouble was that South CY liter bury were too slow.' 1 Canterbury’s turn to hold the Ranl'urly Shield lias come at last. .1 lie Southerners, as getiera'ly anticipated, wrested the trophy from Manawfienua on ’Wednesday Just, and it will be in their keeping until next year at least. Never before have Canterbury hold the Rnnfurly Shield, but on quite a number of occasions they have gone very close to success witii their challenges, and most I’olJowors ot the game will agree that Canterbury’s success has not been before its time. The hope is that in the Southerners’ possession the shield will serve as an additional stimulus to the game in the South, and that the change of air will e iminate those germs which have caused unpleasantness in some matches of recent, times, (food luck to Canterbury.—Wellington “Rost.” There appears to be a good deal ol dissatisfaction in Hawke's Bay regarding the manner in which the Dominion's Rugby affairs arc being controlled. Suggestions that there is need of change in the personnel of the N.ZR.U. management will not carry much weight, Tile contro lers of the gallic are to be commended for tbc stand taken in connection with recent events, and in addition to the approval ot their actions expressed by most unions of the Dominion, it is likely (says "Dropkick” in the Wellington Rost) that the show of confidence in the contro’ling body will be every bit 11s great : s it has been at the last two annual meetings of tho N.Z.R.U. An idea of Tnvko’s Pay's feeling was given in a recent statement by Mr J. W. Norrie, the Bay chairman. Another is furnished in the following extract from notes written by “Scrum” iu the Napier Daily Telegraph:—“Students of the game will no doubt be inquiring before the next annual meeting of delegates if seme drastic changes in the constitution of the executive body in New Zealand are not highly desirable. Certainly the recent record of the Management Committee has done nothing-to inspire the Rugby follower with .confidence. In the past two months the Manag, illicit Committee of tii.e New Zealand Rugby Union has succeeded iu antagonising Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, ami Manawhtmu .'by autocratic commands as to the length of training camps, a policy matter on which tlie country unions so vitally concerned were 1 entit'ed to voice their' opinions. : lii the yneautiaic Ihe Now Zealand Union has pacified Wairarapa in a. measure- with J a step that is, on the admission-of one of its members, ab'trary. Mr S.; S; Dean has led his comates in.YVehingtoir.into some blunders lately, and to regard him as a Rugby Mussolini would he far too great a flattery.”

The Pleasant Point seven-a-side last week., as was anticipated, turned out to be a success. The senior guide attracted only live entries, but some good games were witnessed. Lust year’s winners. Power Board went through to tlie final again this voar, but were beaten in this game bv Old Boys rather easily. 'There were .some strenuous and prolonged games in the lower grades, particularly the junior, and the public were provided with a day’s good sport.

The Rugby match between Canterbury and Southland recently was the thirtieth meeting of the two provinces. Canterbury has won twentythree games, lost six, and drawn one, the drawn game being in 1896. From 1904 until 1914 inclusive Canterbury had an unbroken series of successes, and it is interesting to note the improvement that the southern province has shown since the war. There were no matches between 1914 and 1920, but it is since 1920 that Southland has scored four of its total of six successes, and in the'eight games played since the war each province has won four, Southland being victorious in 1920-21-22-24. “What’s wrong.with our backs?’’ was the question asked by a Wellington critic. Tlio hope that Wellington had come back to front, rank form this season was sustained by the victories against Taranaki and South Canterbury. but the showing made by Wellington against Southland on Wednesday last left much to be desired. Whereas against South Canterbury the combination was good enough to send the wing-three-quarters over for four trios, not once against Southland were the wingers given a chance to score. The handling by the Wellington backs was faulty, and tlleir judgment worse. The. insido backs cut in when they should have passed, raid passed when thov s.liou’d have gone on. Sevevnrl tunes Grenfell, who played a bright game at centre-three-quarter, got well away only to find that no one was up with him. The jubilee dinner of the Christchurch Football Club, to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the foundation of the club, was held at the Winter Garden. Christchurch, and was an entire success from every point of view. There was a large attendance, members representative of all periods in (he club’s history being present. Mr John Anderson, who is one of the oldest members, and is known as “the father of the club,” presided. Apologies for absence were received from his Honor Mr Justice Stringer, Messrs M. Lewln, Harry Frost, Robin Harper, D. Rice, G. Potts, Leicester Matson. R. C. Kingby and J. J. Collins. Letters conveying; fraternal greetings and congratulations were received from the Pirates (Dunedin), Wellington, Old Boys and Albion Clubs. There were nn iy speakers, each having something to say about a cycle in the club’s life

The three Wc&arapa AH Blacks, A. E. W. R, Irvine, and Q. Donald, have' notifiel that they' wall 1 not •bo avai'ablo for tVSouth"African tbiir next year. The ynyards can be rep'aced all right, bt- there is only one Cooke in New Zuland. It ’is understood that MarliNicholls (Wellington)' also is unable o make the trip. “Both Canterbury ; wingers ’. played well on attack,” «iysthe Christchurch “Star” in referring : t> the match between Hawke’s Bay iYid Canterbury. “J. Steel, however, ajowed a fancied grievance with B. Grp.side to concern him more than till game, and the play of both these abi tlireequarters suffered accordingly'.” The Wellington Rugtr representative, L. J. South, who is said to be a promising centre threequarter, is a. Hawke’s Bay product. Ie played for High School and Old Bo;s in Napier and represented Hawke’s Bay against Auckland in 192 b. Soith played brilliantly against Cantu'bury iasl week, and proved a worth' match for Robil.’iard. “Here’s a. beauty states the Wanganui ‘Chronicle.” “In a ncent. local mai'li a man got off-side just as a ream kicked the ball. The ball burst just as our official blew for of-side and no other ball being available and time not being up the referee madethe other side kick the deflated ball. This kick was promptly ‘marked’ by tie opponents who declined to kick the windless bag so. the referee promptly cilled for half-time (5 minutes still had to go) and this was taken. The game went on m 15 minutes after a new pall had been secured and an awkward atuation was saved. In such cases —wlich are fortunately, rare —the bursting of the ball should automatically stop, play and where no breach has;been committed rhe game should restart at flye spot where the ball would have la ml 4].” During the past two or Three seasons, Wellington lias shown signs of going down grade, so far as Bjigby is concerned. This year they' bare taken on a new lease of life, and up to the present have won every representative game played, six in all. While a high standard has been maintained bv Auckland since the Shield was wrested from them as far back as 19.13, when Taranaki were victorious, the northern province, has not until this season enjoyed the success Tt did during the perod 1905 to 1913. This season, like Wellington, they have an unbeaten record, and the meeting of the two provinces in Auckland to-day will be the outstanding event of this season. Both teams have great back divisions, and tlm forwards are said to be above the average, so there should be a battle royal this afternoon. According to a well-known 'Dunedin doctor, those players who are likey to be selected to go to South Africa next year should take the precaution to have their teeth examined and attended to at once where necessary. They sliouTd also have their tonsils examined and an ’inspection made to discover whether they are suffering from adenoids. According to the Dunedin doctor, these are points which require careful attention by players who are to tour abroad. The medical examination of those who are .selected will be more rigorous this time than on any previous occasion, and it behoves players to run no risk of being rejected -through lack of attention to these important aspects of health. The New Zealand Union has not so far indicated when the team will lie selected —whether it will bo at tlie conclusion of tho trial matches this year or early next year. Probably, however, the team w'ill be picked this year to enable the men to have plenty of time to make arrangements to get away.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.