FOOTBALL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18622, 18 July 1930, Page 13

FOOTBALL.

DR. ADAMS’S BLUNDER. WHAT HE TOLD THE REPORTERS. By Telegraph—Press Association WANGANUI, July 17. In a Press message. Mr Dean states that iflrAdams informed him that he (Dr. Adams) had informed the representatives of the Wanganui papers that his remarks were not for publication—that he made it clear to the representatives of the Wanganui Press present that his remarks were confidential, but they got into the Auckland Press, via Taihape, through an outside reporter, who had been sitting *at the back of the hall. As far as can be ascertained no reporters in Wanganui, one being absent on holidays, know of any such request as alleged. Only one Wanganui reporter was present at the time, and his published remarks of Dr. Adams are: “He was telling those present, so that they, in Wanganui, would know just what did happen at Timaru.” Dr. Adams, however, did tell a “Herald” reporter yesterday morning over the ’phone that he did not intend his remarks for publication.

“ROOT OF THE TROUBLE.” OAMARU PLAYER'S STORY. (Special to the “Herald.”) INVERCARGILL, July 17. “The root of the trouble in regard to the rough play in the Combined Unions and Britain match at Timaru lay with the referee.” states an Oamaru player who took part in the game. “Had the referee exercised his authority in the first ten minutes of the game, there would have been no call for any comment,” he says. Undoubtedly both sides were to blame, but as to which started it I am of the opinion that Prentice was more to blame than anyone. The example set by the British captain was not very impressive, and one can hardly blame the other members for their behaviour throughout the game. If the referee had stopped the squealing and appealing of the British team, he would have had a very much easier game to control. There was no doubt that fists and elbows were used freely by both teams in the scrums, but on the occasion when Rew deliberately struck a Green forward there could be no excuse for him, as the incident happened in a line-out in front of the grandstand, and at the time, no one had touched Rew. The idea that he was illegally tackled is absurd. I am quite convinced that had the whole thing been reversed, the referee would have ordered the Green forward off the field. The try over which so /nuch comment has been made was certainly a fair one, and even Bassett admitted as much. The referee on this occasion was at least 25 yards away. There was no mention of rough play at the dinner. Dr. Adams seemed to be more thasi ; : pleased with the home team’s showing. There were several occasions where British players were guilty of shepherding, and had the referee been able to keep up with the game the Combined team would have got several free kicks—one occasion in particular when a British wing-three-quarter deliberately ran in front of his opponent when a try looked certain.*

ILLEGAL BUT NOT ROUGH. By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, July 17. Allegations that a rough type of Rugby football has been developed in New Zealand was denied this morning by men who have been prominently connected with the game for many years. At the same time a charge of weakness was made against referees in allowing players to indulge far too much in illegal tactics.

“SAILING CLOSE TO WIND.” BRITISH FORWARDS AND ILLEGAL TACTICS. CHRISTCHURCH, July 17. Mr F. T. Evans, a former New Zealand selector, and at one time recognised as the leading referee in Christchurch, interviewed regarding the rough play controversy, said:— “The game at Timaru between the British and the Combined team revealed faults on both sides. In the line-outs there was a great deal of obstruction, and in view of this the game became rather an exhilarating affair. Men were tackled when not in possession of the ball, and very often were prevented from getting up after they had been brought to the ground. All these breaches escaped the referee to a more than noticeable degree. The British team play a fine game, and they are easily the best side that have visited New Zealand within forty years, but there are a few of their forwards who sail very close ,to the wind. They can rightly be accused of using illegal tactics. “Mr Baxter, when he first came to New Zealand, gave it out that he had brought his team to New Zealand to teach us the right spirit in which the game should be played, but, as I have said, there are some members of the team who have not lived up to that. If we have learned anything from the British it is that some of them are Just as ready to get away with illegal points as our fellows. I am not exonerating New Zealand. Within the last few years unfair tactics have crept into football in this country. It is the fault of the referees. The present-day referee does not exercise the strict discipline of a few years ago.

THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. SKINNER CUP FINAL TO-MORROW. Possession of the Skinner Cup for the year, and the honour of winning the senior championship, depends on the result of the game to be played at Fraser Park to-morrow between Temuka and Old Boys. The position of the teams Is such that the game will bring about a decisive result. Temuka have 16 premiership points to their credit, and Old Boys 15, so that a win or a draw will make Temuka’s position secure. Old Boys require a win to gain the championship. The game should be one of the best of the season, and is exciting considerable public Interest. The game on No. 2 ground will be played between Celtic and Zingari, and the preliminary matches are to be contested by High School and Star fourth-graders, and "Star A. and B. Juniors.

TWICE ROUND THE CLOCK. WAITING TO BOOK FOR TEST. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, July 17. A queue commenced to form at the Athletic Park early this morning for seats for the Fourth Test, which will be issued at 9 a.m. to-morrow. Most of those in the queue are unemployed, who have been engaged to buy the four tickets limit to each person. Many are unemployed returned soldiers, who are receiving 30/for the vigil. The Returned Soldiers’ Association is supplying them with tea, coffee and pies. To-night the Rugby Union has arranged for them to be accommodated in the corridors of the stand rather than put them to the inconvenience of waiting out in the open.

STEWART FIT FOR TEST. (Special to the "Herald.”) CHRISTCHURCH. July 17. it has been announced that Finlayson and R. Stewart, two of the eighteen men from which the Third Test team will be selected, are to be medically examined to ascertain if they are physically fit. Messages have come from the North Island which state that there is a big chance of Finlayson being unable to play. Stewart suffered a leg injury when he bumped against Beamish in the Canterbury game, but since then he has undergone treatment, and his medical adviser does not think that there is anything physically that will debar him from the Third Test. Stewart should no doubt be a certainty with a clean medical sheet.

TEAMS FOR SATURDAY. OLD BOYS. Seniors (v. Temuka, Fraser Park No. 1. 2.4s)—Bassett, Black. Lewis, Aitken, Graham. J. Berry. G. Berry, Simmers, Grey, Palmer, Neutze, Mahan. Trotter, Fleming. A. Lawson. Emergencies — King, McPherson. Juniors (v. Pleasant Point, Caledonian Ground. 2.45) —Healey, Bell, Malcolm, I. McDonald, Gray. Black, Tayjor, Ellis, McAuliffe. G. McDonald, Stowell, Robertson, Wilson, Renton. McCuish. Third Grade (v. Pareora, School Park No. 2, 2.30) —Abraham. Young. Maze, Lamb, Hutton, Tweedale, Pateman, Cameron, Boal, Marshall, Purdom, Smith, Mathews, Reegan, McFarlane, Nelson.

CELTIC. Seniors (v. Zingari, Fraser Park No. 2, 2.4s)—O’Sullivan (2), M. McAteer, Chalker, Daly, Baxter, Henwood, Kelly. Roper (2), Stephens, Mason,' Dwan, Delury, Fairbrother, Dickel. Juniors (v. Temuka, Anzac Square, 2.45) —Cox, Gowans, Dunne, Hall, Guy, Codings, Schabb. O'Leary, Cremins, Henery, Daly, Wallace. Hannifin, Hancock, Lynch, Mangos, Mullahy, Rooney.

ZINGARI. Seniors (v. Celtic, Fraser Park NO. 2, 2.45)—5010m0n, Sullivan, Browne, Munro-, Judge, Gibb, Lancaster, Davey, Underwood, Roddick, Guthrie, Wilkinson, McAteer, Hill, Caird, Black, Gibson. STAR. Seniors (v. Waihi, Winchester, 2.45) —A. Meikle, E. Wilkes, J. Boys, A. Brown, H. Taylor, G. Murray, J. Murray, A. Hall, W. Ramage, N. McVey, J. Newman, W. Currie, G. Adkins, F. Shewan, W. Bennett. (Cars leave Westport 1.25 sharp.) Junior A. (v. Junior B.) —K. Webber, T. Knowles, A. Gellett, J. Miller, T. Forrester, J. Smithers, Sullivan, Cox, Moore, McConnell, Youdale, Watt, Provan, Gordon, Hislop, A. Jones. Junior B. (v. Junior A.) —Taylor, Rodgers, Grant, Magan (3), Tyson, McKay, Parker, McNab, Underhill, Jones, Budgin, Falconer, Button, Morrison. Third Grade (v. Waihi, Ashbury Park, 2.4s)—Gunn, Currie, Burtenshaw, Ede, Kaye, King, Alexander (2), Abraham, Faith, Wells, Dewar, Greyburn, Hartly, Reid, Shannon, Tapper, Killouh.

Fourth Grade A. (v. High School A., Fraser Park, I.3o)—Jefferson, Young, Milliken, Gabites, Provan, Newman, Coates, Latimer, Kemp, Donaldson, Barbour, Brown, Verdon, Duncan, Hilton, Mclntosh, Cundau. Fourth Grade B. (v. School 8., School Park No. 2, I.3o)—Ritchie, Allen (2), Johnston, Cummings, Barker, Shaw, Currie, Whitley (2), Depree, Finnie, Jager, Hurdley, Barkley, Kennedy, Cordiner, Dreaver. Fifth Grade (v. Pareora, Pareora, 2.45) —McLeay, Callahan, Levy, Murray, Allan, Shewan, Darby, Ede, Ford, Bracefleld, Williamson, Arnold, Bennett, Hughes, Paterson, Register. (Car leaves Wetport corner 1.30.) TEMUKA. Seniors (v. Old Boys, Fraser Park No. 1, 2.45)—T. Columb, W. Manning, J. Connolly, J. Orton, W. Duke, G. Phillips, B. Fergusson, P. Columb, A. Elder, T. Pemberton, K. Blyth, A. Strang, R. Arnold, J. Spillane, N. Preddy, W. Scott, L. Connolly. Juniors (v. Celtic, Anzac Square, 2.45) —White, Small, Gale, Green, McCully, Hlginbottom, Topham, Leathern (2), Horgan, Kelland (2), McKenzie, Goodson, Patrick, Cranford. WAIHI. Seniors (v. Star, Winchester, 2.45) Higinbottom, F. Sherratt, Andrews, G. South, Quirke, Polhill, Earl, Callanan, Watson, W. South, Stewart, Taylor, D. Callanan, Palmer, L. Neutze. Emergencies: Pemberton, Wood. Third Grade (v. Star, Ashbury Park, 2.45) —Scott, Johnson, Payne, Thomson, Miller, Townley, Palmer, Moore, O’Neill (2), Stapleton, Henderson, Hewson, Earl, Patrick, Maitland. (‘Bus leaves Winchester at 1.30.) PLEASANT POINT. Juniors (v. Old Boys, Caledonian Grounds, 2.4s)—Dossett, Russell, Halstead, Smith, Munro (3), Cartwright, Cliff, Saunders, Trapsky, Rapley, Kappley, Gliddon, Keane, Kellj.her, Waugh, Wooffindin, Hawke, Probert. (Conveyance leaves at 2 p.m.)