Sport and Sportsmen

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17526, 1 May 1925, Page 3

Sport and Sportsmen

NEWS, GOSSIP AND COMMENT jjjj

BY

“ONLCOKER."

Christchurch may find it hard to Btp.rc off Linwood io-morrow. Condition will tcII over the last furlong. It has now been decided that no All j Blacks teaifi shall tour South Africa before 1925. There was a proposal once that it should be next year. Ninetv thousand people watched the English' Cup Soccer final at Wembley • last Saturdav. The All Blacks' record crowd was 50,000 for the Twickenham international. Two Rugby men were arguing about the date of a certain match: “ Yes,” said A, it was on the oval, 8.C.” “8.C.!” queried K. “How do you mean 8.C.?” •• You know, 8.C., before crosswords." In the cause of cleaner football, let •very referee make up his mind to be doubly firm on the forward who has & habit of charging in line-outs. The flags will fly at Monica Park tomorrow for the opening of the Canterbury Rugby League champion ship. The ground is in splendid order, and a good game is anticipated between the Malists and Hornby teams. The Chris+church Sports Club has arranged a contest between Eddie Parker. the Dominion champion light heavy-weight, and Laurie (adman, of Auckland, for June 3. This should prove a great fight. Merivale arc a doubtful quantity for tlieir match against ’Varsity to-mor-row. lleg Evans has to go full-back, because of the painful absence of anyone who looks like being a regular custodian. Ciles is out of the forwards witli a twisted knee, and Carnegie will go in the scrum, leaving Blazey winger. One of the three-quarters is It. Hart, a speedy youth who turned out for North Canterbury last year. Plaving Albion to-monow. Old Boys will have D. Nixon full-back, with Hobday. Fleming, and It. J. Carlcton in the three-quarter line. Fleming played last year in the under twenty grade. Hay will be first five-eighth, Harris second five-eight, and Dailey half. Dew, a third grade player last year, will take Parker’s place, as the latter is busy up country. Burns, an emergency last year, is in the forwards. Sid Carleton lias not recovered from injury tu his mouth received a fortnight ago, and will not be out for two or three weeks. He has tonsilitis. Hastings Rugby critics pick Jack Blake to ‘‘walk” into a place as threequarter in the New Zealand team lor Australia. J. Brodie, captain of 'Varsity seniors, has hurt an ankle, so will not lead against Merivale to-morrow. Mills, exsenior B, takes over the half-back job. Alexander is first five-eighths, and James replaces Shaw as second fiveeighths. Te Awarua is out of the three-quarter line—Simmers goes in as wing. (He was five-eighths for senior B a fortnight ago.) C. A. Kershaw, who, with TV. J. A. Davies, is accounte est half-backs produced by England in modern years. Kershaw and Davies played together lor the Navy, for the United Services, and from 1920 to 1924 for England. Last season both of them dropped' out of first-class football. Kershaw being then thirty years of age, but he came back for a game against the All Blacks when the New Zealanders played the United Services and showed the Englishmen some of his best. G. S. Strack. the well-known ex- ." Wellington representative hockey plaver, has decided to turn out as centre forward for ’Varsity to-morrow. « The English Rugbv U nion made j £21.000 out of the All Blacks tour, and all New Zealand gets is a bill for £740 cost of assembling and outfitting the team before it left. These facts came out at the council meeting of the Dominion Rugby T *-ion last evening. The senior interclub tennis competi- j tion begins to-morrow week. Probable > men players are: Opawa—Ollivier, Patterson, Collins, Robinson. St Albans—W. Somerville, Tait, West, White. Linwood—Goss, Borrows, Field, - Denton. | A von side-—Glanville, Dobie and two others. Cashmere—Browning. Hale, Uamil- [ tun and one other. Has Sydney another Grimmett? O. TV Asher, the slow bowler who plays f«_>r the Central Club, bagged 61 wickets in i 924-25, 75 in 1923-24, and 63 in 1919-20. but except for a brief trial in Sheffield Shield matches a couple of years ago, the rep. selectors ha»e passid him over.

J O. Anderson, champion tennis I player of Australia, can be firm where j terms are discussed. The Lawn Tennis 1 Association of Victoria decided last 1 week not to hold the proposed exhij bition matches at Melbourne on May j 2 in aid of the fund to send a fourth player with the Davis Cup team. This decision was reached because of the wet weather, and the terms icquired by .T. O. Anderson—his expenses from Sydney to be guaranteed, and a percentage of the takings towards iiis extra expenses to Wimbledon. AV. Stewart, the crack League back, '"'ill bo in the Hornby rearguard tomorrow, The speedy three-quarter, it is stated, bad overtures made to leave his club this season to join the Rugby Union code. \\ . Sergison, ex-Canterbu,y rep forward. has done no Rugby training this year so far, but lie is on the list to play tor Merivale senior B’s to-morrow. Later on he is likely to go into the A pack. A football writer in the Sydney “ Bulletin ” denies the report that Otto Nothling, the Xew South Wales fulflback, is to play the League game in Brisbane this season. According to the secretary of the N.S.W. Rugby Union Association, Otto is remaining at the Sydney University, and will play for his old club again. When a certain important tennis match was played in Christchurch recently, one rally lasted so long that the ball crossed the net 107 time?. The players were women. Several wealthy North Island Maoris proposed to send Home a native team independent of the New Zealand Union. They apparepth r overlook the f_*ct that the chance of arranging matches in England for such a side would be absolutely nil. The idea is said to have originated in Katana’s camp. Lancaster Park this season will see at least lour representative interprovincial games : —Canterbury versus Otago, Southland, Wangauui, and South Canterbury. In addition, the Sydney University team will play two matches ou tbe Oval, one against Canterbury College, and a test against New Zealand ’Varsity. It is also probable that- the North, v. South Island match will be played in Christchurch. On tour. Canterbury \vill play Auckland and Wellington and one other North Island team. \N . W. Wakefield, the English Rugby captain, has now equalled the great record of C. N. Lowe, the great Black heath wing three-quarter, by international cap. Lowe’s service for England covered a period of ten j years, from 1913 1 to 1923 inclusive. ; He was thirty-two when he played his last game for England. Wakefield, who has represented England since 1920, is twenty-seven rears of age, so he has quite a. iot of football m front of him yet. O-ireu, the great W elsh half, had thirty-five international caps, a record that should stand for some time. It is interesting to note that the Aeu' Zealand Rugby Union at its annual meeting last evening carried the Auckland motion that in future rein stated ex-League players should be eligible for any New Zealand team. Auckland’s particular interest in tlm subject arose from the fact that K. ftwerson, one of their leading players, was barred from a chance of proving his right to inclusion in the All Black team by reason of tbe fact that he was a reinstated player. The Aucklanders bad logic on their side, as a plaver who is reinstated should be entitled to the full privileges of the union. 1 here is marked difference of opinion on the question of challenges for the Ranfurly Shield. At tbe annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union last evening, the aw fee’s Bay delegate moved: “The union holding the Ran--lurly Shield shall have the option of accepting a challenge in connection with matches to be played by tha. union’s team whilst on tour.” After discussion the matter was held over lor a year. At present, challenges have to .be in by July 1. and approved by the New Zealand Union. “Onlooker” I does not believe in leaving the option Ay itli the holders—they might side-step For Scotland (24 points) against Males (14 points) the three-quarter line was as follows:—A. C. Wallace, G. G. Aitken, G. P. S. Macpherson’, and J. S. Smith (all of Oxford Unij versity). The same three-quarter line played against Ireland. Young Kennedy, the ex-Otago Soccer representative who last year played in the High School Old Boys’ halfback line, is making good in Auckland football. Playing at inside-left for Ponsonby against Xorthcotc m the opening match of the season he was acclaimed the hero oi the team, scoring three goals out of the seven registered by his club to their opponents’ five.

Edgar M«yno is stressing the point that. it a Mew Zealand side were sent , to England they would do well, because the grounds there are more in keeping with local conditions than those in Australia (says a Sydney “liefi&'ree* writer). li. is my opinion that such a tour would be inadvisable in every way, more particularly from the financial standpoint. It is a long way to send a side on the problematical chance of their doing well on the field, and with the certainty that the matches would excite no attention in England, and would result in financial failures. Three points for Referees : - 1. Don’t whistle immediately a law has been infringed without waitingto see who gains the advantage of the infringement. 2. Don’t whistle at all when the non-offending side gains the advantage. but see that an advantage inone h not sufficient. 3. Don’t whistle when a man is tackled unless he infringes Law 71. B. C. D. or unless continuation of piay would be dangerous. There is a proposal to liuld Lhc New Zealand hockey tournament in Wellington this yetu- during Winter Slio-.v week. Football clubs at Home have a fur bigger programme of matches than ail . •New Zealand club. The Newport Club alone played forty-two matches in one season, whereas clubs in New Zealand rarely have played more than tourteen or fifteen. Miss Howett, an English tennis girl, has been causing a stir in the North Island because of repeated successes over prominent New Zealand players. Exactly what her status is at florae one cannot say, but she has now beaten Miss Macfarlane. of Auckland, three times out of four in championship finals. Miss IJowetl is a tali, pleas-

ant-faced girl, whose deportment, on the court is the essence of imperturbable serenity. Rarely 'does slit, break from a walk, anticipation of the coming shot being undoubtedly a great secret of her success. iWa list I.eagre senior will miss the of K. Moot*ham, their front forward of last season when they line out to-morrow. Tin- husky hooker was one of the most improved forwards seen out last year. % The veteran Hilly Mitchell is coaching \\ n im» iri League seniors tlii-: season. 'I ho ex-Xcw Zealand representative is now in business in J’apanui: local supporters have great confidence iu W. J. M.

Two tough Otago forwards who aim at going to Australia with the New Zealand team. ‘ Full-back “ says tin's in the “Otago Daiiy 1 imes In conversation with All Black Munro, I asked him what had caused Dailey, the All Black halfback. to be dropped for Mill, when the reports coming to New Zealand referred to the fine games the (,'anterburv man was playing. 1 was rather interested in Dailey's football career, as. alter seeing him play at Invercargill last year in the Otago-Southland-Can-terbury-South Canterbury mtach [ wrote of him as a very promising halfback'. The information given bv Munro cleared up the matter. Dailey was badly hurt in the ribs in the Irish match, and had to be stood down. I gather that there was very little difference in the football ability of Dailey and Mill. The J a titer is now claimed to be a genius on the blind side, and Dailey's rush-stopping is also very highly spoken of. They have both improved wonderfully. The Trojan of the All Blacks’ tour? The sturdy Canterbury lock, Masters. By the transfer of Dr M’Killop, superintendent of the Seacliff Mental Hospital, to Christchurch. “ soccer ’ ’in Canterbury secures a very keen supporter of the game. Svdney University lost four stalwarts in the sporting line when the final fnedical results were made known a few days ago. Alec Mayes and George Hal k'day, who helped the cricket XT. to go through the season unbeaten, and also played for Combined ’Varsities wthe Stamford University tennis team : Keith Kirkland, who was a swimming rep. at the Olympic Games in 1020. and Roy Hoskins, a football and rowing blue, who has played with the New South Wales fifteen against Maoriland, • re now entitled ♦<• write MB after their names.

j Mr John Lewis, who. with Mr Mark } Frowde as his first lieutenant, is manj aging the team of English footballers J which is to tour Australia, has earned the sobriquet of “ Honest John.”. I Born at Market Drayton, in Shrop- ■ shire, on March 30, 1885,. he was edu- * cated at the local Grammar School, and I went to Blackburn in Lanes in 186 S 1 to learn the business of a coachbuilder. j In 1873-74 he founded the Blackburn 1 Rovers, a club which became famous by three consecutive triumphs in the English Cup competition in 1884-85-86, I supplemented by two other victories in IS9O and 1891. j Mrs Chalken, Riccarton. defeated Mrs ! Spicer, Paparoa, a few days ago. 02, ;• . 6-1, for the third place on the Suburban I tennis ranking list. [ The Suburban tournament advanced ; another stage last week, and will be ■ j concluded to-morrow at Wilding Park. . i Two of the championship matches have been decided, and the finals and semii finals reached in the others. Miss Muirson won the ladies’ championship • singles from Mrs Page, 6-2, u-5. This score gives no indication of the play. In the first set Mrs Page did not get going quickly, but in the second her game was brilliant, and there -was very , little between the pair at any stage of it. However, Miss Muirson has that j little bit of something extra that makes a champion. In the men’s singles, Sulli1* van won from J. Mercer, after quite an even game, and Tillman defeated Times 9-5. The final will be played on Saturday. The men’s doubles went to I Sullivan and Shirley, 6-2. 6-i. This ' pair would have been unfortunate to I lose, as they play a fine attacking game. A popular win. The position of the combined doubles championship is now:—Miss Muirson and ,T. Mercer play the winner of the Miss Guy and Shirley and Mrs Ballin and Pierce match; and Miss Greig and Sullivan play the winner of Miss M’Meekham and Dickson and Mrs Page and A. Mercer. The position in the men’s handicap doubles is:- Pierce and O'Malley play Smail

and ( lark-; and Hollobon and Ye sty play the winner of Chapman and Haines and Hamilton and Dickson. In the ladies’ doubles the semi-finalists are .'liss Greig and Miss Guy. Miss Muirson and Mrs Page. Mrs Ballin and Miss Leighton, Miss Wenmouth and Miss King. In the combined doubles handicap there is a long way to go. Of the Suburban tennis placers put not of the tournament, some have shown greatly improved form as compared with last year's display. T. Mercer has raised his game all round, and is showing more attack. A cramped arm action, however, leads to many cr rurs. D. JLnnes, who reached the semihnals. would have gone further but for lack of practice. His placing is at ’■mes brilliant, and his volteying heady. In the semi-final he quickly tired. Jefccate and Hamilton, the Riccanon pair,who were runners-up for the men’s aoubles, were probably considered the outsiders of the held at the start. In all their matches, however, they never looked like getting beaten tiil the final. Applications for matches against the Australian hockey team are rolling in. There «are likely to be more applications than matches. Hockey is booming in Wellington, and there is an increase of ten teams this season. The absence of Bas. Morris and 11. Bell will be a handicap to the Selwyn Hockey leant to-morrow. Sid Holland, ex-president of the Canterbury Hockey Association, has forsaken the chair for the stick, and will be seen on the field with Sydenham this season. The adoption of Wednesday half-holi-day at Kaiapoi compelled the local club to withdraw its junior hockey team. D. Pahi, the Maori League half-back, who showed every promise last season of developing into a good player, and that consistent forward, Ray Lynskey, will be playing for Waimairi at Monica Park to-morrow. R. Henry, an English representative League forward, will lead Hornby this season. The supporters of the black .jersey ed team have great hopes of success, tu commence to-morrow. A\ ith the election of an. official timekeeper. the Rugby League has decreed that the games at Monica Park shall commence and finish sharp to schedule time— <*a wise policy. Eddie Parker boxes Hughie. Dwyer, flic Australian crack, at Is a pier sliortL ■ I lifts contest should provide Hawke’s Bay boxing enthusiasts with a fine bout. Another • compliment from the French. The teams which contested the important match between the Racing Club de France and the Stade Francaise played under the two New Zealand rules regarding kicking into touch outside the twentvfive, and lining out ten yards from the touchlinc. And iu.vv the French Rugby Union has decided to adopt these tiles.

I The best sprinter that lias ever ivoni the light blue of Cambridge. H. JNI. Abrahams, is now getting lit again after spelling from exertions of the last Olvmpic Games. At Colon! bes bis success in the TOO metres was acclaimed as a triumph for England over * the speed kings of America. Abrahams. however, still runs with too much of a lurching movement, according to good judges of track events.

ISu\v that the hard court tennis season is in lull suing in Christchurch a lew words from Miss Kitty M’Kaue. chanipion of England, may be of interest : “On hard courts you always get a high-bounc-ing bail, and Ibis extra resiliency G. very much better from tlie point of view of practising. The game thus played is naturally much faster than that played on a grass court, because. as well as bouncing higher, the ball comes off the surface more quickly. The consequence <?l : this is that the players find it necessary to be exceptionally <m tlie alert, and to move faster if they wish to be in the position to receive efficiently and to return the shots made by their opponents.” “MY DRIVER. •’ ]YIy driver lias a cringing soul ill suited, to the tee-shot: To spoil the start of every hole Apnears to be his earthly coal ; His maker ought to be shot. NO PHOTOGRAPHS. TENNIS RESTRICTIONS. LADY PLAYERS’ OPINIONS. LONDON, April 23. “.Frankly. some of the photographs ot .Miss Colycr, who is the most snapshotted tennis star alter Suzanne Lenglen, ought not to have been taken, let alone published,” says Mrs Lycett, commenting cm the banning of the photographs of lady tennis players. “Miss Colyer and I, like most gills, play a vigorous game, taking many shots off the ground, but why should the photographer kneel to take the picturesP The majority certainly have improved tremendously lately. They

no longer lie down to locus their lenses. Nevertheless, distasteful reevanng pictures often appear. I prefer a skirt to shorts, as it gives greater freedom. With suitable underclothing there is nothing to shock the severest maiden aunt.” Miss CoJyer says: “Action pictures are merely stupid, being taken at impossible angles. Whether they should be considered objectionable depends on the tvpe of mind of the reader.” The Lawn Tennis Association explains that the ban applies to action pictures only. “ ATHLETIC BEAUTY.” The manager of the London Sport and General Photographic Agency, Mr Hall, replying to Mrs Lvcett's comments on the publication of photos of lady tennis players, says: “Before Mdlle. Lenglen arrived here tennis did not interest cameramen, but now every girl wears a short skirt and plays like a man. The newspapers won t have dull, posed pictures. The public demand action photographs. “Sometimes a camera-man lies at. full length on the ground to gel a sensational picture, and always kneels so that he will not obstruct the view of spectators behind him. Mdlle. Lenglen revolutionised tennis clothes and scrapped the listless, pat-ball methods. Everybody nowadays knows what girls wear. The Victorian era pruderies have gone. “Not a single player has complain- I ed of these photographs. The protests ; have always come from \he killjoys and hypocrites. “An instantaneous snapshot of a tennis effort is the perfection - f athletic

CAN CANTERBURY ? ! - I • North Island Rugby writers have j been devoting a good deal of space recently to Canterbury's Rugby j [ strength.- Here is what “Fiveeighth” says in the Wellington “Do- ‘ The only province which appears to have a sporting chance of taking the Ran lurly Shield away from Hawke's Bay this season is , Canterbury. The southern union has for the past few seasons been building up a tery hue side, in which youth lias predominated. . ' • hi W. C. Dailey (half), X. P. M 'Gregor (live-eighths), A. C. Robil--lia rd (w in g three-qu arte r), J . H. Parker (wing forward), and R. R. Masters (forward). they possess a quintet of as brilliant exponents of the game as New Zealand possesses at the present time. Th'e advantage the majority of these able players possessis youth. Robilliard is 21. M’Gregor and Dalle> 2.1. and Masters 24. The tour with the All Blacks should have ripened their experience wonderfully, and. as nil their Rugbv is in front of them. ■ thev should each and all serve New Zealand well for rnanv vears to come. In J. H. Parker, who is 2S years of age. New Zealand possesses a rover who has no compeer in any | country. Probably the fastest man on the, footbali field in the world to-day. he has Rugby brains, and is -quick to get into position either for attack or defence. •But Canterbury's strength is by no mentis confined to her All Black sextot. We have omitted to mention B V. M/Cleary, who also made the trip with the All Blacks, and played in seven matches on the tour. Like Parker, be is 23 years of age. and may bo good for a few more years, even if' he did not altogether satisfy the selectors on the grand tour. Canterbury possesses a number of speedv backs.'and fast, dashing, forwards, and should l>e ahle to field a side which I should nut Hawke s Bay. hard to if to retain the Rugby supremacy of the Dominion. May ‘Vive-Eierhths’ be there to witness the clash.” HERO WORSHIP. It was intermission. A small boy pushed his way up to the teacher's desk and held out a small grey ball of something. “Do you know what that is, Miss Blank?’’ he asked. “I don't know, Johnnie; it looks like mud.” “It is mud." was the proud reply. “ But it came from the shoe of one of the All Blacks.” That was in Westminster, on the Thames, in the heart of the Empire. A City Council was in session. It had been decided to hold a court of revision on Thursday morning. But the Mayor announced that he had received an invitation to a demonstration at a logging camp. Big trees would be topped and felled, and there would be an exhibition of modern logging methods. That wasn't anything new; but the All Blacks would be present, and so would the Mayor. The court of revision could wait, and it bad to. That was in New Westminster, on the Fraser, on the edge of the Empire. They are heroes wherever they go.— From a Vancouver paper.

"When the French Army Rugby team met the British Army Rugby team recently it was for the tifth match. Each team had won two .matches, but the rubber remained undecided, lor a hue match ended iu a draw, nine points each.

According to a record quoted from by Mr Marcus Marks at a function in Wellington, New Zealand has played IS2 international matches, of whicl» she has won 166, lost 12, and drawn four. The teams have scored 4554 points. and 794 have been scored against them.

More than 40.000 men and youths played Rugby in New Zealand last season, according to the report of the New Zealand Rugby Union prepared for the annual meeting last evening. In the total of 40,000 boys at primary schools are hot included, although thousands of them played the* Rugby game. The Rugby administration spent £SOO in encouraging Rugby in the schools.

W. Francis, the New Zealand Rugby representative of ten years ago, is not going to remain on the bank this season. He turned out for his old club, Wellington, last Saturday week, and went well for a player who has been out of action for two seasons. His capabilities as a hooker should help the M ellington backs to plenty of the leather. According to Brisbane reports received in Sydney, a split threatens in Queensland League football, the Toowoomba delegates having withdrawn from the Queensland League councils, as a protest against the non-inclusion of a Toowoomba man as a State selector. The interesting part of the tragedy is the statement that a break-away may occur, and a Queensland “ Amateur Rugby League ” be formed (says the “Bulletin”).

Vincent Richards, U.S. tennis star, has developed considerable weight after his winter in Mexico, and the experts have attributed several recent defeats to this condition. The status of Richards as a Davis Cnp player is doubtful on account of the piayerwriter rule, recently adopted in America, which declares that from January 1, 1925. all writers on tennis shall lose their amateur status.

In the course of his remarks at the rowing dinner given at Blenheim to the Marlborough rowing representatives who recently visited New South Wales, Dr R. Noble-Adams, who witnessed-the fifth cricket test match in Australia, remarked that Grimrnett, the so-called Australian, was the first New Zealander to represent the Dominion as a test match cricketer. Unfortunately, the people in Australia never mentioned, that he was a New Zealander, the fact being studiously ignored. Dr NobleAdams stated that he had taken it on himself to write to one of the Sydney papers pointing out that Grimrnett was born at Caversham, Dunedin, but for some reason his letter was not pub lished.

Though Otago has no tennis player up to New Zealand representative form, the southern province can claim possession of two or three men who would quickly improve with more first-class practice. The most promising is R. A. Guy, winner of the provincial .singles championship a week or two ago. His style is almost scientifically correct, and he has the additional advantages of excellent physique and eqqable temperament. In a match against Canteroury in March, he beat D. G. Glanville comfortably, 6-4, 6-2. Previously, with Fulton, he annexed the South Canterbury doubles championship, * defeating Patterson and Browning, of Christchurch, in the final.

At the annual meeting of the New South Wales Rugby Union, Mr J. R. Henderson spoke interestingly of the different formation adopted by New South Wales fifteens after the visit of the British team led by Mr Mullineaux. The wing-forward was abolished and the three-two-three scrum adopted. He now advocated the two live-eighths with three three-quarters (the New Zealand style) instead of the four three-quarter system in vogue in Australia for a quarter of a century. He was not impressed with the trivial alteration to which the International Board had consented. There were changes more necessary than the prohibiting of charging a penalty kick. Say it with cauliflowers, say it with Say it with uppercuts, right books and shoves; Say it with left jabs; say it witn slams. Oh, give us the music of the leathercovered hams. Say it with knock-outs, where necks Where the pied pipers are crooning their stuff; Biff; bang and blooie! Oh, bring on the thud, Say it with black eyes, red welts and blood! Say it with resin, footwork and clout. Say it with millions plucked for each bout; Shoot with the swish now, we arc the fish now, Slip us out the dish now—eight, nine and out! —Grantland Rice. As a result of a tennis controversy over the correct method of volleying, an Auckland » player obtained the following from J. O. Anderson, the well-known Australian Davis Cup player;—“When volleying the foot is the same as when driving, but if caught out of position, throw tlie weight on the foot nearer to the ball, while the grip is shortened slightly. With the wrist stiff and racquet angled the ball should be tempered when it is below the level of the net, and hit when above the net. “The chop volley or drop shot is more difficult, and should only be used to upset your opponent occasionally. This should drop within three or five feet of the net to be of any use. Never drive a volley, always bit Avith the forearm. ” e • A famous Soccer authority quoted this ease recently;—A referee in the first flight of football tells mo that a case has been brought to his notice in which a penalty was awarded against a goalkeeper for kicking an opponent when the latter was in the penalty area, and on the ball being placed on the spot for the kick to be taken the custodian ran from the goal line and deliberately drove the ball down the field. The referee sent the goal-keeper oft". I am asked if thai> is the proper course to follow, or, if not, what should be done ? Answer; The referee acted wrongly. A player cannot be sent off for uni gentlemanly conduct, whiph was the goal-keeper's offence, unless he has been previously cautioned. The only case in which a player can receive inarching orders without a caution is when he is guilty of violent conduct—that is, acting violently towards ai» opnonent,. or using bad language to tlie referee, which has been defined hr the F A .1' vVAcnl conduct

“Pakeha’s” tip to Rugby coaches:— “Veterans who for love of the game give up their spare time to training a side should remember the lines: ‘Little by little the bird builds its nest,* and they should be satisfied with doing one thing and doing it often until a fair skill has been achieved. Do not think that you have to electrify players by teaching them wonderful things. A side will do well if it learns to walk before, it runs.’ 5

Arne Borg, the champion swimmer of Sweden, record holder at some distances, is travelling the world round without let or hindrance. He is at full liberty to compete in*any race or event that comes along without infringing his amateur status, and maybe if he can spin out the time long enough in America he will call at England en route home, and probably be eager to swim in the English championships. How this can be done in consonance with the International Federation laws is being asked on all hands, not only in England, but in Swedenwhere the liippodroming of Borg has invited the dissent of many good sportsmen. His stalking aboutf Europe and other continents as an amateur cannot tail to invite comment.

E. D. Andrews, the young Palmerston tennis player, though only in his early twenties, was undoubtedly the outstanding figure at the Hawke’s Bay tnnis tournament. Essentially, at this stage of his development, a singles player, Andrews is assimilating strokes and court craft that will probably equip him, in a few r years, for contests with -the best New Zealand or Australia can produce. In his match with Lowry his driving to the corners and side lines was masterly, and his overhead work sufficiently deadly in its precision. He is not the doubles artist that Lowry is. but what he lacks now he will doubtless acquire in the future.

The failure to secure a visit from the English Soccer team was due largely apparently to the want of support by some of the provincial associations. But, says a Wellington critic, the whole trouble appears to be New Zealand’s representation in London. Unfortunately fur New Zealand. Australasia has hut one representative at Home, a gentleman who acts both for the Commonwealth and for the Dominion. It appears, judging by the maimer in which the present negotiations worked out, that Australia’s claims were placed very much to the front, to the detriment of New Zealand’s. The New Zealand Council should give early consideration to the question of securing separate representation in England, for until that is done New Zealand will he a secondary consideration with the F.A.*

Since the Norman invasion Britain has been twice overrun and Vanquished, each time by the all-conquering All Blacks, the New Zealand Rugby footballers (says the “Australian”). In the last campaign they swept the island hordes before them without a check, yet over in the Dominion they seem to be strangely indifferent to all that goes with conquest—and especially loot. On their first campaign, we are officially informed, their warriors were allowed 3s a day out-of-pocket expenses; on the last expedition, '-with the purchasing power of money much decreased, they had no allowance of any sort —not even a ’bus fare. To anyone familiar with the ways and wages of Melbourne footballers, it all sounds most amazing, and suggests that New Zealand has not yet learned to play th.e game—for keeps; has no talent for converting its gifts and graces into ready money. It is just a case of that deformed thief Fashion again. If you had the nerve to offer one of our heroes 3s a day it would be at the risk of your life. He talks football in pounds, not shillings. In the utilities of sport the Dominion has much to learn.

Some straight talk by “Full-back.” Rugby critic of the “Otago Daily Times” :—“Some of the northern newspaper writers are already commencing to boost Wellington men lor the position of manager of the team which is to go to Sydney this season. If members of the various Rugby Unions left out in the cold continue to stand this kind of favouritism they will stand anything. The position in a nutshell is this—that no man outside the Committee of Management of the New Zealand Rugby Union lias ever been placed .in charge of a team travelling outside of New Zealand, or, speaking from memory. of an All Black team travelling in New Zealand. I must add, with one exception Mr George Mason, of Christchurch (manager of the team which went to California), and Mr S- F. Wilson, of Christchurch, who represented New Zealand at the Imperial Conference on the rules of the game recently held in England, was also honoured by the Management Committee. But it is common knowledge—and. moreover, it is a fact—that Mr Mason would never have got the trip if a member of the then New Zealand Rugby Union had been able to get away; I notice cue northern paper is pushing the claims of Mr “Ted” M’Kenzie as manager of the All Black team to go to Sydney. The writer says that Mr Mz-Kienzie has “earned the job.” Well, if Air M’Kenzie has earned the job lie certainly sliowld not get it, paradoxical as this may seem. For the simple reason that at least three members of the Otago Rugby Union--to name only one union—have earned the honour considerably more times than Mr M’Kenzie. Mr M’Kenzie is but an infant in the game, so far as Avar king in its interests are concerned. compared with Messrs H. Harris, D. M. Stuart, and V. G. Cavanagh. The main charge I would make against the New Zealand Rugby Union—and it is a charge which cannot he refuted—is that it is not a fair or impartial body. If it were, its members would have realised many years ago that these are men who have done good service for the game in Auckland, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, and other places, and that their claims for a football honour are just as worthy of consideration as those of the members of the Management Committee. But, on the facts of the case, they never are considered.” A tennis problem:—“A few days ago I met a trio of perplexed players from a local club who had just experienced one of those fearful and wonderful occurrences that leave a sense of bewilderment (says a Dunedin writer). In a men’s doubles game the ball was hit high, and it landed just over the net near the corner. Before the opposing player could reach it the wind had carried it back over the net, but the player, not to be outdone, ran round the end of the net on to the opnosing court and played the ball before it had reached the ground. The players concerned—and one of them modestly confessed to the amazing IVai asked for a ruliiur on the mat-

ter. I was regretfully compelled to give an opinion against the enterprising player who had revealed his abilities as a sprinter. Since then I have given some study xo the rules ■wljich bear on a happening of this kind, and they make it quite clear that the player who invaded the opposing court acted in an illegal manner.”

A Dunedin Rugby writer states: “It does not seem that the standard of local football is likely to be much, if any, higher than that of last season, but there is no question that if we could only raise a five-eighths of the Teddy Roberts type our backs would improve out of sight. We have as fine a set of speedy three-quarters in Otago as in any province of New Zealand, but the next thing is to see that they get the ball sent out to them when they are in a fair position to make use of it. Despite all the criticism levelled at the' ex-Otago five-eighths Fea by those who maintain that he did not play orthodox football, the fact remains that by his unorthodox methods he put men on his side in scoring positions which they never would have gained by ordinary passing methods. Teddy Roberts was also unorthodox at times, but he was a past master at opening up the game and handing out the ball to his backs.” An Auckland Rugby expert predicts that the present year will be an anxious one for the New Zealand union. The spread of League in the South Island, and the increasing popularity of Soccer, with its regular reinforcements through our immigration policy, had to be considered, and he felt that if Rugby did not go forward and hold its own as the national game it would rapidly recede. It was, he felt, a time that called for wise administration, broad-mindedness in view, and both strength and frankness in dealing with the English union. Rugby* could not afford to alienatq* public sympathy by such unjust brutalities as the barring of reinstated players from All Blacks’ honours and the striking of players’ names off the roll of honour because such players had thought fit to play another code. Auckland had had a painful experience of the recoil resulting from such silly injustice, and care should be taken to see that Otago and provinces do not make the same mistake.

Football in Wellington promises to b© exceptionally strong this season, and all the clubs are reported to be ‘‘swarming with new members.” Wellington football has rather fallen from its high estate in the last two or three years, but football folk in tlio WindyCity are confident that a great revival may be looked for. It is considered practically certain that a Wellington team will be after the Ranfurly Shield bright and early this season, and it may be taken for granted that it will be a pretty hot proposition. There would seem to have been a considerable weeding out of some of the old hands who have been “lagging superfluous” in Wellington football during the last few years, and it is probable that this season’s rep team will be mainly composed of dashing youngsters with speed to burn. The possession of three players of the calibre l of Porter, Nicholls and Svenson will be a great asset. During the war period many tall stories were told, when such occasions arose, by members of the N.Z.E.F., the vocation of run-holder, sheep-farmer, toi toi farmer, etc., being freely assumed. and to the gullible they were accepted at their face value. ' Whether such opinion still lives is problematic, but the following par from an English sporting paper would almost make it appear that such still exists. The writer, commenting on the fact that the All Blacks were immensely thickly built around the thighs and a great deal of their weight was concentrated there, thus making them difficult of bringing down in a tackle, explains this peculiarity in the following words: Why the New Zealanders should be built like this I don’t know—l suppose sheep farming has something to do with it. Certainly the life they lead has a great deal to do with their success. It must be a great advantage from the point of view of fitness, to have all day in the open air, taking vigorous exercise and even if this means that you ride fifty miics for your weekly game, it is something to be fit enough to do it.” New Zealand's neither up to date -Nor up to snuff— a segment Ol n- Orae volcanic afterthought At ashed up about Mount Egmont fr ® e - tho "We laid, ±n 6 continent worth knowing. spacious modes and spacious men M ho always get wliat’s going. ’ It_ isn’t loot or greed of gold, ft isnt toil we’re shirking: AN e just exploit our super-powers 1" other lines than working. They soar like" blaziiur^vocKcts’ For supermen have spacious ways. The Maori knows a game or two With some he's fairlv clever- ’ In Rugby he has fairly scaled ’fhc summits of eudeavour But seeing what he’s done in sport, One never cjuite expected To find its altruistic side Ho utterly neglected. °ur life is on the higher plane— As Providence ordained it: Xew Zealand wouldn't understand However one explained It. Our reach is wide, our grip i s sure Our habits somewhat stronger* ’ °" r theffi- 8 mor ° adTanoe f «**» Wo wear our pockets longer. ENGLISH “ SOCCER.” THE TEAM FOR AUSTRALIA NOT THE BEST PICK. LONDON, March 11. There has been a storm of criticism over the announcement of the personnel of the Football Association team which is 1:o tour Australia as representative of England. 1)111 i< ;r uirc

it is not aimed against the .selectors. It is aimed against the mmierous wealthy teams who would not consent to allow some of the most famous players time off to join the team. Experts consider that the team as it stands will be a good hard-working combination, but not so powerful as it should be when the standard of English “Soccer” is borne in mind. There are two internationl goalkeepers, three solid backs, a strong middle line, and an attack rather above the average; but it is not a first-class team. Of the footballing districts, the most generous was London, and the most selfish Lancashire. In that ccunty there are eight first division teams, three in the second and five in the Northern section of the third. Altogether these sixteen clubs provided exactly one man, who comes from Liverpool. NURMI DEFEATED. ONCE IN FIVE YEARS. BUT BREAKS TWO RECORDS Paavo Nurmi, the “ flying Finn,” suffered his first defeat since the Olympic contests in 1920, when, at the Brooklyn College games in the 13th Regiment Armoury, Brooklyn, N.Y., on January 24, he allowed three of his countrymen, Gus Pager, Ilmar Prim and Gunner Nilsson, a handicap of 100yds. That was just tw-o yards too many for the wonder runner, Nilsson winning the race. Be that as it may, when Paavo crossed the tape lie had smashed two more world’s records, the 2000yds and the one and one-eighth mile, and brought the total of the records he had created in a little more than two weeks of competition in America up to an even dozen. Nurmi was clocked at the 2000yds tape at omin 0 4-ssee. which is 6 2-ssec better than the record of omin 7 l-osec established by Alfred Shrubb in England in 1903. Nurmi’s time at the one and one-eighth mile was 4min sSsec. The evening was a record-breaking one, for Willie Ritola, another Finn, had a little party of his own when he bettered three world's marks, two of which were set by Nurmi the previous week. Ritola won the 5000 metres handicap race by almost a full lap from Verne Booth, in 14min 39 2-osec, three seconds better than Nurmi made at the Finnish-American games; Ritola’s time for the three miles was 14min 11 3-osec, surpassing his own record by 4 l-osec; and the two and three-quarter mile record of 13min 3see made 1# Nurmi was also bettered by Ritola to the tune of 2sec. Great disappointment was experienced among the crowd when Nurmi failed to win his race, but he is human, and it was evident) that the strain of too severe training, of all too frequent races and of travelling had begun to tell on him. ITis defeat came as a shock, for in the final stretch of the race which Nilsson won Nurmi was but two yards behind, and there wasn’t a one’ in the crowd of 5000 persons who did not believe that he could win. He strained with every ounce of effort, but he failed.

THE WILL TO WIN. HOBBS ON AUSTRALIANS. TRIBUTE TO “ THE TAIL.” LONDON, April 23. “1L is not a matter of nerve so much as confidence,” said J. B. Hobbs, to a Press representative, when commenting on F. R. Spofforth’s cabled comparison of English and Australian test match players. “The Australians,” he said, “always go on to the field saying they are going to win. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t, nevertheless they are always confident beforehand. On the contrary, Englishmen, though they may sometimes think they are going to win. never say so. It is the same in all sport and is simplv a matter of temperament. We are more modest than the Australians, who are more like the Americans. “Anyway, I do not believe that Spofforth is qualified to comment, because he saw only the last test match. It was Oldfield and Mailey, Australia’s tail, who retained the ashes, because they had ability. What’s the use of nerve without ability?” Speaking at a civic reception at Pudsey, Yorkshire, H. Sv.teliffc said he had enjoyed the barracking by the “scoring-board squad” at Brisbane, who have since repeatedly telegraphed. and written to him wishing him success.

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