FOOTBALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9303, 1 August 1908, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

ON THE LINE AND OFF.

(By " MUDDIED OAF.")

Judging by the form of tho last two weeks, Burns, Weston and Gray play far better for their provinco than for tlheir club.

Brooke, who played half-back fotr the Old Boys' team, has returned from Melbourne, and may assist the team in the remaining games. Tho President's Cap match between Boys' High School and Christ's College is to be played' on the College ground on Wednesday next

A. Henry, the Albion full-back, has been showing fine form all the season, and h'lß work against Linwood was quite up to his best. I hear on good auiiliiority tliat en© of the present vice-presidents of the Canterbury Rugby Union does not intend to seek re-election next season.

Tha Boys' High School team will play the Waitaki High School at Lancaster Park on August 14, and will meet Nelson College at Nelson on August 27.

The British team scored in every match played except tho last three games. They had forty-three points scored against them in the last three matches.

'Whatever interest Temained' in. tihe Senior fixtures has now gone by the defeat of Sydenham last Saturday. The championship is now a certainty for the Albion team.

There is a great difference in the prosont form shown by the Old Boys' team and that of the aid© that so severely beat Merivale earlier in the season. If the two teams were to meet again this year it is pretty certain, that Merivale would prove the winners.

In conversation with members of the Wairarapa team, wlio went north last evening, I learned that they had. a most enjoyable tour in tiie south, although only successful in one game. They speak very? highly of the play of the forwards of the Otago team.

Although the 'Linwood forwards kept Albion busy all the first spell, they did not impress me with th© possibility of winning. The Linwood backs appear to have become bo accustomed to defensive work that they have forgotten how even to attempt to score.

The Junior Flag competition, too, is almost a certainty for the Merivale Junior team, ; which somehow seems to have a mortgage on tho trophy. The competition w«6 mfcablished. 'in 1890, and this is 'the tenth occasion that the Meriyale JunioTs have succeeded in winning it.

I lam told by those who saw the last test game that the play of Roberte, the New Zealand half-back, was almost without fault, and amongst a crowd of champion backs he was the best. Cuningham'e play proved that the burly Auckland forward is far ffronTa "back, number." >

I congratulate tho South Canterbury team on its first win on its northern tour. The Southern Union team is a really fine one in tho forward department, and I much regret that th© local Union could not arrange a srame in Christchurch for the team. I think the South Canterbury team is one of the very best that has ever represented the Union. *:

There is at present a proposal in New South Wales and Victoria for a conference with a view to the establishment of a game which shall include the best features of the Rugby and Victorian games, but it is doubtful if it will 'be universally adopted. Ruprby is too firmly established in New South Wales, and the Victorian game is the only one played in Victoria.

The Eilesmere Rugby Union, is sending its team on tour. It will play the Peninsula Sub-union team at Lincoln on Tuesday next, August 4, and on the following Thursday it will meet the Ashbuton County team at Ashburton. Thence it will journey to llangiora on, Saturday, August 8, playing the North Canterbury team, and a match against the North Otago team will follow at Oamaru on August 13.

Local players axe delighted at the success of Beans in, the last test game. According to newspaper reports tho Old Boya 5 player was quite at his best, but this was no surprise, as his game on the previous Saturday led many to expect that he would give a good account of himself at Auckland. It is to bo hoped he will retain his best form for the remaining Canterbury representative games, and that it will be many years before we shall see the last of him on the field.

Now that the tour of the British team is over, as far as New Zealand is concerned, the plain fact should be brought home to all pLayara in this land that the team taught at leaet on© lesson — and an importnat one — namely, how to secure the ball in tho scrummage. New Zealand players are quick to learn any new points in the game, but I havo not seen any teams bo far attempt the British formation of the scrummage, with the object of securing possession of the ball. Possibly next season there will be several imitators. The win of Merivale over Sydenham was quite sensational. Sydenham had four points on the board, but were being hard pressed in the last ten minutes of the game. Finally, one of the Sydenham backs considerately kicked' the ball into the arms of Shanks, who had only to run over to score, and although? the angle was not an easy one, Puller kicked a good goal and gave his side the victory by ono point. It was & good game all through, though somewhat spoilt by the referee allowing obstruction to go unpenalised.

I «vm told that the President's Cup game between Boys' High School and Merival© was a spirited contest, in v/hich a lot of good football was seen. It is not often that in a drawn game each side scores sixteen points. Just at present there is more interest in the President's Cup final round than in either the Senior or Junior contests. . I should like to see some of the most important gomes played at Lancaster Park, ana so enable the contestants to have a. clear fi^ld for the game, as the " spectator nuisance " is most pronavyicod © a ' fcho «?p«a groun-ds, •vrhVxe

tho Junior and President's Cup games are played. Tho New South Wales professional Rugby team that will tour England this season has arranged forty-five games. The New Zealand professional team played thirty-four matches. Included in the New South Wales team are Messenger, who went with the New Zealand "pro." team to England, Ardezark, Hennessy, Burdan and Lutge, who w&re members of New South Wales teams that have toured New Zealand, W. Hardeastle, the old Wellington player, who was a member of the New Zealand team that toured Australia in 1897, and W. Davies, an ex-New Zoalander, who played for Australia against the-. Rev Muilineaux's British team in Sydney in 1899.

The meeting called last week for the purpose of forming a league to play under Northern Union rules did not turn out quite as the promoters anticipated. There were present several who were strongly opposed to the professional oloment being introduced, and although the promoters assured the meeting: that it waa not intended to establish a body for the payment of players, the statements were not accepted, and finally a more dignified course was adopted. If the agitation does nothing ehe than show the governing bodies that there are a fair proportion of players who are not satisfied with the present state of affairs it will have achieved something.