OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume XXXIX, Issue 48, 2 August 1919, Page 10

OUT DOOR SPORTS

[By Juvenis-]

OFFICE CHATTER.

THE New Zealand League team, that lias pursued a weary route through Australia, has not much, to be thankful for. It was a good team; but it was not good enough; and it was not the right team. I think that its tour will surely prove a lesson learned. The Australians openly say:—"Well, we expected to be licked ; New Zealand's name over here was good, and we can't understand how we won." It\s no exaggeration. Now, it only remains for the New Zealand Divisional Rugby team to stir up the Australian porridge pot. Our chaps have had a great time in France and England with that team —they have been compared to the famous All Blacks' Fift<nm of 1905, but they admit that the Ihigby Aussies are also good ; the games at Homo showed that. Head what the "Referee" writes:—"lt i.s iine that Australia ran still produce Rugby Union forwards of their class, who are able to combine so finely. Their captain is to be complimented on having turned out such a pack. They are of International quality, and with a, set of tlie finest League backs behind them would give some glorious exhibitions of Rugby. These men have a high degree of combination allied with physical strength, scrummaging solidity, dash, and tackling powers, for which wo sighed in vain as the Blue* and the Blades in the Kugby IT'iiion played five years ago on the same ground. They are superior in combination and ruggedness to anything seen in the recent New South Wales v. New Zealand Rugby League matches hei-e. * * *

"When the New Zealand Service team comes to Sydney later in the season, it is to be hoped we shall see a match between them and the A.1.F., reinforced by some of the Home backs. If all football followers were brought to realise what such a game might produce they would fill the ground, despite the fact that the old game of Rugger lias lost so much of its glamour for them. But as the new game this season has not produced anything like the forward play shown by the A.1.F., every football enthusiast should make a point of seeing this pack in action."

The Australians hope to get a good game—well, I hope our chaps will give them one, and—beat themtoo!

I was looking up an old file the other day and came across this clipping from "The Outlook" of June, 1914:—"Active preparations for the 1916 Olympic Games, to. be held in Berlin, are now well under way. In the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Denmark, Norway, to name some of the countries most prominent in athletics, plans ai-e fast being formulated. Li Germany, for instance, a complete plan has already been adoptedand is now being worked out in de--tail. A few months ago the German Olympic Committee, backed enthusiastically by the Imperial Government, sent Carl Diem, Secretary, General of the 1916 Olympic Games, at' the head of a commission to tkis country to make a detailed inquiry into the reasons for our success in athletic contests. Acting on his suggestion, they have engaged the great athlete Kraenzlein as head of the German movement to prepare for the coining Olympiad,"

It was funny reading that. I thanked the powers that bo that Herlin didn't get the chance to have the games. And as for the Kaiser's jubilee—well, I ask you?

I received a very re-assuring letter on Monday from the secretary of the young Te Aroha Boxing Association. "The game's going big up here," he writes; "and I have hopes of a big programme nt n oarnival next month."

Incidentally, there's going to be a professional bout—a big one, too, at that turn out.

An Australian who is well known in Auckland sends a letter on the big match in France. .Head it: — "1 went out to Twickenham to the New Zealand Forces -v. France, and enjoyed the game thoroughly. The King, his four sons, and Sir Douglas Haig were seated in an improvised box about 6ft. from my seat, and being so close I was able to note the keen interest and enjoyment they took in the game. H.R.H. especially followed each movement with keen relish, and whenever the N.. Zeds, put in any of their tricky stunts on the line the smile of the man who knows would light up his face, and he would turn to Sir Douglas Haig with what appeared to be the query, 'Well, what do you think of that?' Sir Douglas does not talk much. His keen, cameolike face and piercing eyes keep his thoughts well hidden. The Prince of Wales and his brothers entered into the sport thoroughly. The two oldest boys smoked cigarettes in their father's presence, which proved that the parental chain was not tight. There were a great number of red-braided officers, with innumerable service ribbons, sitting round the lioyiil box.

"The N. Zeds., in the same old black togs (somewhat out of repair), were first to appear, followed by the Frenehies, whose royal-blue jerseys, white knickers, and red .socks were spotless and well-fitting. If appearances counted, the evenly-built, athletic-looking representatives of France had it all over the rugged, careless, bald-headed (in three instance*) men from down under. For a time France had all the better of matters, heeling out in cleanest style, and getting the ball to the halves as straight as the proverbial shot. And they scored first. Then the New Zealand boys woke up, and young Siege, who plays a scrupulously fair wing-forward game, and is always on the ball, evened up with a good try. At half-time the spores were even—B ajl,

After half-time the N. Zeds, made it willing, and France never had a look-in. Had the Blacks cared they might have made it 20 to 3. The French play the old game, of passing across the field, but do not work with any cohesion, and as soon as N.Z. got in some of their short passing and cut-in, proppy sprints, the Froggies (as the American soldiers call them) were left standing still."

"League Supporter" writes: — It is unfortunate that the New-ton-Ponsonby match was not drawn to be played on No. 1 ground, which is fenced oft" from the public. After _ Saturday's experience the League * officials will probably take every precaution to prevent the objectionable barracker, who is not a sportsman, from interfering with a game. It is bad enough for decent followers and supporters of the game to have to listen to the raucous voiced and 'one-eyed" barracker, who loudly airs his partisanship, and incidentally betrays his lack of the sporting spirit, but interference with a game is a proceeding which calls for prompt and drastic action!

I. have been asked by several keen Rugby enthusiasts this question:— "Should a selector of rep. teams bo placed in charge of important senior matches instead of viewing the games from the stand, thereby getting a bettor sight of the players?" To which I must reply, "Quien Sain , : , " Ask the Referees' Association ! ® ® # ' 'Rugby writes: — ''Humour hath it that one of Auckland's prominent Rugby senior referees is likely to be seen in action with the rival code before the season ends. By those who know, this was not unexpected for when football clubs "freeze oxit" a referee because he conscientiously does his duty, the unfairness and lack of sportsmanship in their action must be brought home to them." (Every sport will agree with the writer. Football without rules is useless. Let the players swallow their notions and play the game.—Ed.).

To say Jack Dempsey knew he would smack up the big Willard person would be rather far fetched; but, anyway, here's what Jack himself says:—"l'll lick Jess Willard on July 4, and it won't take me many rounds to do it. I'll lick him because I never yet saw a man I couldn't hurt, and because I have never yet hurt a man as much as I could. I have been called a heavy puncher, but I have never yet hit with all my might. I haven't had to. Now, when I go up against this big Willard I will be giving away forty or fifty pounds, may be more, and I know I shall have to put everything I've got behind my blows. Well, after I have slammed a few good wallops into big Jess I think he will get ready for the finishing punch.

"I know I can hurt any man when I hit him, and I know I can hit him harder than he can hit me. Therefore, I expect to start right in and work on the big fellow till I bring him down to my size. I'm not foolish about this, for I know that Willard is a great fighter. He's a Avorld's champion, and that means something. But he's just a man, and not much bigger than Fred Fulton at that. Fulton was one of the easiest men I ever beat, and say, maybe he don't know it. Yes, I'll beat Willard, and I shouldn't wonder if it would only take me ten rounds to do it. Old Fitz beat Corbett in 14 rounds, and I think I can do nearly as much fighting in an hour as Fitz could. I'm not afraid of any man, and I thing everybody knows it."

The professional billiards championship, which was smacked off at the Amateur Sports' Club last week, afforded Big Bill Stephengon a obance

to show Auckland how the ball game should be played. Crossan was good ;■ very good—but Bill was too good. Points: .Bill won by 2,049,