RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3562, 29 June 1912, Page 9

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

NOTES. (By ”Long-pot.”) How tho Teams Stand. Following is the position of tho teams with regard to the Saturday competition: Pts.Pts Chain

* » * United’s Victory. Congratulations must be'' extended to the United fifteen for their victory over Y.M.P. on Saturday last. The result has had the effect of adding a. great .deal more “spire” to the compete ion, and it will be a matter for surprise if the Domain is not an unusual centre of interest to-day. Unli';e under the conditions that have existed so far this season, there is an air of uncertainty about the matches until the numbers go up. And what else could add more vim and life to the game and lend to it greater public interest? ■* * & Of the match it can only be said that United deserved their win. It was no “bolt from the blue.” The coloreds have now become a more concerted and solid team, and it would not, surprise the writer if they finished very near the top rung on the championship ladder. Their play was refreshing in that it carried a feeling of commendable confidence In this lay the secret of their win. * * * The pruning knife can yet be tactfully applied, and I am informed that this ivill be done very soon. United must be congratulated on the manner in which they have carried through despite adverse and disheartening circumstances, and found their strength again. With one or two players to go on, they must improve and, if training is consistent Iy indulged in—quite a number of tho coloreds are in too beefy a condition —they will undeniably prove a strong side.

Dodds, the full-back, is playing in senior form and tackled well. lie keeps his head and lets few points pass him. What lie lacks is courage.

Pollock was undoubtedly an army of strength to United, and probably the Best man on the field. In order to reach his representative form, however, he must train, and he must also moderate his love for the ball. Pollock’s defensive play, of course, was where his -worth lay, But then he would have been equally valuable on the attack had he not hugged the ball instead of sending on to bis colleagues- • * * W. Lees played a fair game, hut would do much better if he lost some of his superfluous fat and replaced it with energy. * * * There is, in Bartlos, a player in the making, and his play leads one to the belief that lus promotion to the senior ranks is justified. * * * Murray plays a good hard game, and takes more knocks than any other man in the team. He pops up fresh every time, ready for the fray. * * * Wyllie, a first year’s senior, is keen on the field; but could do with some training. •> * a One of United’s surprise packets was Field, at serum half. He is a nuggety fellow and his very courage and persistency carry him through. Field is recently from Wellington', and played last year in Selvfyn juniors.

Tlie forwards as a whole played well and it is to the credit of Davis and White that the hall came out of the serum on United’s side in the majoras he frankly admits, out of condithe few in -perfect fettle and plays sound football. The veteran fonvaro Armitago, was in the thick of it with all of them. Sexton played his usual solid game, and was prominent on numerous occasions. Squirrel’s kicking was a treat to watch, but his play was of the lamentably lazy order. Cole, at wing-forward, was keen and willing, his chief fault being that he risks too much. Some of his speculations were weak, but mostly managed to ffukd through. * * * -ft Tho Maoris’ Play. Tlie Y.M.P. team were at anything but their worst, although they had a hard fight- They played a smart, wide-awake, game-, but the defence against them was stout. It was this that disheartened the Maoris and made them slacken off steam when good chances were offering.

As a team, they played well together and, although there wore no glaring. weaknesses, the fact remains that tho red-and-blacks indulge in some faulty practices which will have to be remedied if many more wins are to be had. ' * * * Tho front division is needful of cohesion and better attention should be paid to the formation of the scrums. Instead of locking solidly together and using their weight, tho Maoris are apt to twist and scramble too much, without paying attention to the hall. As a. result, their opponents got the ball nine times out of ten. on Saturday.

Ivokiri is a forward of a good stamp, ancl his defence on Saturday proved a saver many times. * * *

Kaipara’s addition to the team did not, apparently, have any great effect, if tho score is to be taken as a criterion, hut the fair-minded must admit that he engineered the backs well on numerous occasions. Kaipara is, as ho probably admits, out of condition, but a week or two should see the indomitable war-horse refreshed. He has not fully recovered from the disposition which has been responsible for setting him aside. On occasions, he blossomed out, and played with his old-time trickiness. * * *

The Maori backs throw tho ball about in a commendable , way and doubtless endeavor to make the game open,. but their passing repeatedly ends in vain. The trouble is that each man fails to gain much ground. It is a fault to be selfish, hut to convey the ball for a yard only and pass is useless, the extent of the passing line thus being limited and exhausted before going very far.

Rangi played' his customary lsafie game at full-back and, cf tile backs, Itukingi was easily the most brilliant.

The Walloping of Kaitl-City. Unaltered is the position in connection with the top dogs on the senior championship ladder, though by tli© results of Saturday’s games the back numbers are shoved up a rung. Had not Ivaiti been beaten, interest would have been practically knocked out of football so far as the senior, competition is concerned. As the position stands now, since the wearers of the blue jerseys have been provei? not to be invincible, the weaker teams are considered to have fair prospects of again defeating them. There is much speculation as to what chance* United will have to-day in performing what Garrison did last Saturday. On recent displays United appears to be die stronger of the two teams, and should they succeed in walloping Ivaiti there should be given a big stimulus to local interest in the game generally. “* * * What is Wrong with Garrison? That Garrison is a team that possesses great possibilities, was clearly demonstrated. To put up such a rattling go after so many reverses, and big ones at that, proves that there is material in the team if it can only be brought to light. * * * After suffering an inglorious defeat, on the previous Saturday, at* the hands of United, a combination that is well in the running for the wooden

spoon then to come out- a week later and deal out “stoush to the big feller” of the lot, is a curious fact that takes a lot of explaining. Had! such a thing occurred -out where the geegee’s sometimes pay interest on the coin invested on them, there would in

all probability, have been questions asked about something that is called inconsistency of form. * * *

On CoJlaring. Garrison had evidently been studying some standard work cn Imv.to collar. Usually the players seem to he obsessed with the idea that the proper place to secure a man to stop his onward progress is to make a blind grab at some . spot in the vicinity of his whiskers'. On Saturday, however, tackling of the right denimination was the order of the day, and very little erratic grabbing was indulged in. Consequent- on this the "Kalita-City ibalckfei rarefy .got gd'tng, and when- they did so the forward movement was very short-lived. Also to the good tackling of the Garrison team is mainly due the fact that the “wearers o’ the green’’ were able to say “Here's to ourselves,” when they slaked their thirst at the nearest water-tap after the game. * * *

Foil! Tactics. The smash between the two teams could not by any stretch of the imagination bo called a clean and sportsmanlike game. It is remarkable that the feeling to collar and hold an opposing player even when ho is yards away from the ball, cannot be overcome by a large number cf footballers. This illegal tackling was more notieeaoie among the members of the Kaiti team than that of Garrison, and me number of times the Blues were penalised did not appear to produce the desired effect. Then again, ip appears that collaring with their feet is a more popular method of stopping an opponent than the recognised way among a lot of players.

Cuff Pars. MeColl -stood out miles ahead of any other forward on the ground, and is probably the best forward! (in ill© district. He appears equally successful when, playing back, and could

fill any position from full-back to full-back on the other side with credit to himself. * * * Moan a also play ed an exceptionally . fine game, excelling meetly on tne line out. He did not show out in the loose as prominently as Me Coll, but in the tight ho put in a lot of solid graft. * * * Aiken, played his usual solid game, and tho try notched by Davis, which won Garrison the match, was mainly secured through his (Aiken) smart ton lowing up. * * * G. Fromm did not shine out at wing-threequarter- He was never sure when taking the hall and would-play better away from that position. The advisableness of pushing him up into the forward division could be considered with profit.

Don. Miller played a safe game, I his line kicking being very effective. P. Fromm and Skillen were absentees from the Haiti team, and had they been present it is safe to assume that the result of the game would have been different. * * * Junior Notes. There appears to be only one team in the junior competition this year. Haiti-City have had no difficulty in disposing of the other combinations butted against them, and on present form should journey through the season without a less.

In the match against Old Boys on Saturday Poswillo landed a couple of fine goals. The goal kicking in junior football is hardly' up to standard in this district, and an instance like'Saturday's is a welcome change. * * * Garrison walloped Y.M.P. by a cricket score, and the tally almost represented the difference between the teams. The Greens had hold of the lump eml of the stick for practically the whole of the game. * * * Other Pars. The school competition for the De Costa Cup is now well under weigh. At present it would be difficult to sort out the probable winner cut cf the six schools competing, and it is calculated that things will be interesting before the competition closes.

Members of the senior teams could get down to the Domain and take lessons in goal potting with piont from the schoolboys. On both Saturdays during which the competition has been in progress, nearly every match has been featured by field goals. Potting (of a class) appears to be a lost art in grade football- * * * Who Will Win?

To-day. the chief attraction is undoubtedly the match. United v. IvaitiCity, and the supporters of the red-white-and-blues are sanguine of the team’s success. Kaiti-City will have their best fifteen in the field, and a tougher proposition could not well be asked for.. United, on the other hand, are a decidedly improved team and will very probably take the field with the addition of two new players. It is difficult to prognosticate the 'result, but the least that can be said is that a ding-dong game must result. * * * Something More. The following is culled from the Dunedin Star sporting special: A brilliant sun, a cloudless sky, A level grassy field, and dry; With but one constant thought: two teams Indulging in victorious dreams. One longing in each heart: to score. What could ouc wish for move? Two splendid teams, trained to the tick, ' Each man resolved to do the trick. Bufc as it is in life, you see, The best-laid schemes gang aft agley; And, as we have remarked before. What ccukl one wish for more? Football is fine when play is fast, And when the ball is neatly passed. But it is great when teams we back Keep up a strong and hot attack. ’Tis then, for sure, spectators roar. What could one wish for more? What could one wish for more, indeed, Than see fleet forwards test their speed, Or brawny backs, New Zealand-bred, Rush .in where cowards dare not tread? Yes, there is just a something more;. Guess what it is—a score. ■» * *■

Archie MMinn (of the spiral punt fame), who has been an inmate of the Palmerston North Hospital for some time, has now left that institution. “Tiny,” who had a lung complaint, is once again restored to good health, and is residing at Carterton.

Henrys, one of the leading forwards in the. Wellington College Seniors, lias the unique distinction of having at different times been a Springbok, an Argentine representative, and a New Zealand player of note.

Commenting on the . statements remit ly made by George Gillett regawring the payment of representative players hy the Auckland Rugby Union a Wellington writer says: —“I think, now that a positive assertion has been made, that the New Zealand Rugby Union should go further, and ask the Auckland body what payment in money or in kind it makes or has made to the .country players who are invited

to come to the city and stay there for weeks on end with a view to playing in representative games. As I write, names crop up in front of me, and cases of players who have enjoyed somebody’s hospitality in Auckland in this connection could the mentioned in profusion. Gilleftxays he demanded payment for playing—and got it, too, —so that there is a good cause of inquiry, for Gillett docs not stand alone, of that I am sure. Truly, there have been instances of semi-profes-sionalism in various parts of New Zealand ire-times that are past—and the Aucklanders have been the biggest sinners—but tilings must change. The player who wants payment for his services is better out of the Rugby game and the New Zealand Union should see that he is given the push necessary to land him on the other side of tho fence.”

P. w. L. D. for. agst. l>ts. Kaiti-City 7 6 1 0 llo 19 12 Y.M.P. 7 4 3 0 81 60 S United 7 2 0 0 44 S3 ' i Garrison 7 2 5 0 21 99 4