THE LEAGUE GAME.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15033, 2 September 1922, Page 16 (Supplement)

THE LEAGUE GAME.

JOTTINGS. (By “Verax.”) The result of Hie game to-day in which Soulh Auckland and Auckland thirteens were Lo be engaged at Car-, law Park, claims very material interest to League followers in this district. Some hundreds of supporters of Ihe game took advantage of Iho special train facilities to travel lo Auckland lo witness the match. The star New South Wales player, Harold Border, must be written down as one of the most spectacular players any class of football lias produced. Built on beautiful lines physically, lie is Hie ideal of an athlete, and to see him in action is indeed .a treat. Tlie Australan team will leave on iLs New Zealand tour on Saturday next. It is a combination of stars and stars-to-be, and. supporters on Ibis side can rest assured that they will see bright football. The learn which lias been selected to do duly fur South Auckland oil the Southern tour, which will commence on Monday evening, is the best strength of tlie district, and it is a fortunate circumstance that all the prominent, men selected will lie able to make the tour. The hardest match of the programme will be against

Hawke’s Bay, and gauged by the opposition presented in the contest locally, tlie Southerners .will prove a hard team to dispose of on their home ground. Keen disappointment is expressed by Cambridge League enthusiasts at the non-inclusion of L. D. Stewart in the South Auckland representative team chosen to play against Auckland, at Auckland on Saturday next. Given in that Cambridge has a number of good pi avers who are still wanting tuition to raise themselves to a standard of play to allow of them being included in a South Auckland district representative team, the dropping of Stewart, who creditably filled his place at fiveeighths in the South Auckland team in their match against Hawke’s Bay at Hamilton last Saturday, came as a bombshell to Cambridge enthusiasts when the selectors’ decision was made public. Notwithstanding the fact that Stewart was partly “starved” in last Saturday’s game and thus severely handicapped, his play was a credit to himself and to the district. “Oval’s” remarks in yesterday’s Waikato Independent state “that Stewart did all that was asked of him ori Saturday in good style, and why he has been left out “Oval” can not see any good reason. Stewart is a cool, collected player, possessing much initiative and ability -to demonstrate same. Many times on Saturday lie placed tlie locals on attack from defence. Although given, fewer opportunities his play was ahead of Wilson Hall, who has played much better football this season. Apart from this it is distinctly disappointing to the Ca'mbridge League and the* selectors will find that it is a mistake.” Of two great half-backs in action against one another, the Rugby League News of Sydney says:—The meeting on Saturday last between Thompson and Craig proved a regular duel in the half-back positions. During the game neither half had much opportunity for brilliant play, owing to the spotting tactics of the opposing forwards, who harassed the halves on every possible occasion. Thompson . seems to have lest his bag of tricks, while Craig gave Thompson the positicln that Thompson has given to many. Rarely did Craig miss tackling Thompson,.and often did Craig make openings for his three-quarters, or set his forwards going for the line. On tlie day Craig completely over-shadowed Thompson. This from the Rugby League News will interest supporters on this side; This item' by “The Cynic” in the Referee will be read with interest by League supporters:—The New South Wales Rugby League team to shortly leave for New Zealand is expected to be thoroughly representative of the strength of the League. They are to play eight matches, across the Tasman. An innovation provides for three exhibition matches in different centres. In these the best thirteen of the Kangaroos will meet a combined team embracing New Zealanders and members of the Australian team not chosen in the first thirteen. With teams of this sort playing seriously, there should be .some spirited expositions of the League game for New Zealand crowds. It is an indication that the Rugby League authorities are determined to fight with all their weapons the Rugby Union in New Zealand. The job Is a big ..one, for if the League has the game and the greater players, the Union lias the grounds and the sentiment of New Zealanders in sport supporting them. Tlie Rugby League on Monday appointed Messrs H. Flegg 1 and L. Schofield as managers.

At a meeting of the Australian Universities’ Sports Association, on July 13, it was decided to award 12 blues to representatives of the Sydney University League Football Club, and two to representatives of the Queensland University. When the N.S.W. Rugby League decided to send an Australian ’Varsity team to New Zealand to further the interests of the game there, •the Australian Universities’ Sports Association also decided to extend its patronage to the team. According to the statement of a prominent University, man which appeared in an evening paper recently: “When the full history of the New Zealand trip comes to be investigated it will probably he found ,that the Rugby Union enthusiasts of the Sydney University have not displayed much sportsmanship in their attempts to belittle Hie team and to prejudice it in the eyes of the University authorities in New Zealand. Communications certainly took place between Rugby Union representatives in the Sydney University and the New Zealand University authorities, and the object of this was to prevent the latter from recognising the tourists as a University body. (Added to this the manager-of-the combination reported that he found it necessary, on arrival in New Zealand, tO | give the he direct to certain rumours, disseminated by someone, as to the credentials of the members of his team.) This display of bad sportsmanship lias been followed by the further attempts ll’ certain person's to prevent the awarding of the blues mentioned. A special meeting of the Sports’ Union was called, and Sydncj University delegates of ihe Australian body were instructed to oppose the award of blues. This was in the teeth of a statement which appeared in Ihe press before the team left for New Zealand, in which the Australian Universities’ Sports Association stated that blues would be granted.” However, this display of bad sportsmanship can do little harm to th e University Amateur League Foolbalt Club members. Whilst leaving it to their detractors to' descend to the degrading pettiness of raising an unseemly feud, ’Varsity players have lost no prestige, and the decision of the Australian Universities’ Sports Association to award 12 blues spells something akin to victory for League Rugby.

A GRAVE DANGER. “The half-dozen alterations suggested by the committee of the New South Wales Rugby League in respect lo the much-wanted improvements in scrummaging and playing the ball, marks, I am afraid, another parting of the ways between Hie parent body and its colonial adherents,” writes “Forward,” of tlie 'Athletic News (London). "Apparently the colonial organisation lake only a very superficial notice of the parent body’s amendments to rules, and then follow their own-in-clinations. In this direction must tie the great danger, sooner or later, of a big rupture. “Every possible effort should be made to keep tlie New South Wales League, Ihe Queensland League, and the New Zealand League as closely ’n touch with Hie Rugby Football League as possible, lint I regret to say dial the importance of this does not appear to lie as fully realised as it should lie, even amongst legislators at home. “! give Hie colonial leagues full credit for what they believe to be efforts made lo improve tlie game. But unless alterations agreed upon here are confirmed by Sydney, ami vice versa, chaos can only result when representative teams from the two countries are in opposition, and playing under rules which are meant to govern Rugby League football wherever played. “The danger and difficulties of two

distinct Interpretations of several important rules occasioned trouble during the last visit of an English team 1q Australasia, and 1 need not mention the uncertainty which existed when the last colonial tour to England opened last September. “I thought the Leeds conference would have brought more uniformity in the future, but from the evidence of the last mail the colonial authorities appear bent on going their own way.”

The financial year of the Northern Rugby Union shows that the profit on the season’s workings, however, will not be unduly large-—under £lOOOfor the action of the council in granting the colonial tourists 65 per cent of the “gates” from representative games did not leave a large margin for profit. In addition to the tourists’ charge, 10 per cent must be allciwcd for ground charges, a position of affairs which left the union with 25 per cent to meet all the expenses of the matches. The Northern Union Council, after due consideration, have refused the invitation of the New South Wales League to send a team to Australia in 1923. The council are of opinion that a visit next year would not allow of a sufficient interval since the last'trip. Tli e absence of any mention of New Zealand in the New South Wales League invitation, was, it is understood .adversely commented upon by several members of the council,