RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12068, 25 July 1917, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON. [Fhom Our Coeeest'ondent.] July 24

Owin" mainly to the dictum of the: superintendent of city resorves-or which more anon—the only matches that wore played last Saturday wen, those set down lor the Athletic lark and the Petone Recreation (.round. Tlie conditions overhead wore pleasing, hut the grounds wore very heavy and wet, mud predominating. Dejpito those drawbacks, the game between Prmek?. and Wellington Co - leor, plaverl on the principal ground, of the Athletic Park, w.is a- dchghUul example of how Rugby should '>e played, bv players- in the pink of condition. Tlie game, was finely eontcsfen, victory going the way of the College team because they were more expert in running and nippier in passing the ball, amongst the backs. Forward tlioVr-i was little to choose between the two sides. Poneko being, if anything, cxp.--.rter in the loose rushes. But tho College, boys rosf superior to the conditions, which inclined one to the view that the forward game would have been the profitable ona to play. When the. opportunity came they passed the hall in rare style. One try was a real beauty. From hand 1 to hand the bail went, each man in tliA rush--both back and forward—handling the ball capitally, the final dash over tho line by a forward being good enough to make tho welkin, ring with the cries of the enthusiasts.

The final scores of the ga-me were:— Wellington College 17 (two .tries by Scott, tries by Pope, Nieo! and Vile); Poneko 6 (try by "Ward, penalty £oal by Christopherson).

Tho Athletic and Oriental players galloped about on the No. 3 ground at the Athletic Park for two spells of forty minutes each, but with little: result as far as actual Rugby was concerned. The game ended in a draw, which was a fair comparison of tho merits of the two teams. Rule scored a try for Athletic and Caddick one for Oriental. Petone suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday. Old Boys doing the deed on the Petone Recreation. Ground by ;j points (try by M'lvenssio, converted by Marris) to 3 (try by Hamilton). The game was solid and interesting, with honours fairly divided between the teams.

Tlio result of this game leaves open, tlio question, as to which team will bo the, champion of the year. Petone and Wellington College are leading, with Old Boys next in order. The College hoys will withdraw from the competition at the end of next month, when they go into vacation, and the Rugby Union .should see to it that they are matched against Petone before then. The suburban team bent the College boys in the first round, after a fine tussle, and the second meeting of tho pair should bo well worth seeing. Emerson, son of Sergeant Emerson, of the Lamhton Quay police station, is the shining light in the Wellington College forward division. Ho is equally brilliant on the line-out, anyhere in tho open, and will be a ton-notiohor directly. In the play that Jed up to Vilo's try Emerson took a big part, and could bare scored the try himself if he had persisted. But he preferred to make a certainty of it, and handed tho ball on to Vile, who was in a better paction than he was at the critical moment.

Apropos of last tveek's note. The Victoria College fellows tell me that one of their main troubles is the failure of the players to attend gymnasium practice. One of the reasons for this j.s the lack of time owing to "swatting'*' for oxanimations. There is plenty of Rugby ability in the side if it is fully brought out, and this is what I wcfcild like to see happen.

1 have, nothing to add tliis week to what I said last, as regards the Poneke. team. They had a hit of bad lurk- in having to take the field without Baker, ono of their best forwards, who had the misfortune to cut his hand on Saturday morning:.

The old names are coming hack into Rugby. Tn the Oriental team last Saturday the full-back was named Irvine, the eldest son of Bob Irvine, and he is the old-time Athletic Club and Wellington representative front-ranker. George Lusk, ex-New South "Wales and Wellington pent re three-quarter, has a hoy in Ihp University team -who is developing on good lines- he has the pace necessary for the making of a good throe-quarter. Sid Xicholls, Poneke captain and champion of the, past, has one, boy halfhack for Petone and another fiveeighths in the College team, and yet another in the Collegp sixth class fifteen. This Rugby virus runs in tho blood all right. The inter-college tournament is to be played in Christehurch this season, the dates for which are as follows:—Augush 25, Christ's College v. Wellington; August 27, Wanganuii v. Wellington; August 'JO. Christ's College; v. Waiiganui. The Wellington College team i.s a, good one this season, and will take a lot of beating. Mr T. Brodie, who has been tho Rugby coach at the College for a number of years, goes into camp in September, and is leaving no stone unturned to get his boys thoroughly fit for what are the games of tho year as far as tho Wellington College are concerned. And wins in both matches would bo a fitting climax to his coaching for the time being. Th,v City Council reserves are proving a bit of a nuisance in that the officials are never sure whether they wilt bo available for play or no*.. Tlu- superintendent of reserves has the last word to say_on the, matter, and with that official the reserves themselves are the, first consideration. The City Council chargfi a good rent- £o for the season --■ for each ground placed at the disposal oTthe sporting authorities, and it seems to me that tho latter should have a say as to the suitability or oherwiso of the playing areas. A joint committoo of Rugby, Association football, and members of .tire Reserves Committee .should adjudicate, on this matter, and tho sporting people should insist on their rights in this connection before leasing tho grounds next season. jhis paragraph is mainly prompted by a conversation I had wi.th A. Williams, the, secretary of tho Wellington Football Association. Mis main complaint was the late hour at which the notice was given that the oiity reserves worn not available, for matches. The. custodians must have come to a determination early in tho. morning, and J •agree with him that 'they could have told the governing bodies what tho decision was much earlier than they did. The whole matter, to my mind, wants putting on a better footing, and it is up to the bodies governing the various •winter sports to take up a definite stand regarding the use of tho city reserves.

I Nod Perry, the old Oriental Club and ! Wellington representative forward, has ian interesting display in his tobacconist's window in Manners Street. George Owles, a fellow Oriental pia.yer, has sent him some interesting souvenirs of the match played in Paris between the .New Zealand and French soldiers. First, there is the ball used during the game, secured by Owles in a neat way. Judging by the time play had been oping on —he was playing wing three-quarter —ho worded Ifche timekeeper, asking if time was nearly up. The official obligingly told him that the next time the ball went out of play the whistle would go for "no side." Just then the ball came Owles's way, and he promptly ran into touch with it. At the dinner given to tto teama that evening the ball was passed round the dining table, and every person who was present attached ius autograph to it. Therefore, it is an interesting souvenir of a memorable match.

•I'ho appeal by the Ru§by Union for

funds to help them out of their financial difficulties is meeting with a fair response. It is accepted that these times are not the best to make the appeal, but needs must, and the feeling is that the Rugby enthusiasts, Rugby champions of the past, and the present-day players will dip in their pockots to save the Rugby Union from giving Tip the good work of keeping alive the Rugby garnld in "Wellington. Thcro is a deal of enthusiasm being ahown in many quarters, and if it meets with the just reward the financial hurdle will bo knocked over. I hope so, at any into.