For some unaccountable reason the senior fifteen never reproduced their true form when they played the curtain-raiser at Athletic Park, and their display against St. Patrick's Old Boys was very disappointing.

The forwards, rather listless in the first spell, played up better after the interval. They went well in set scrums and line-outs, giving the backs plenty of the ball, but St. Pat,'s were superior in the loose play. Meads played a very good game, and Thomas and McNicol were also prominent. Eade again backed up well on defence.

The St. Pat.'s forwards broke quickly from the scrum and bustled the inside backs, who were also handicapped by the speed or the opposition backs id getting up to their men. Most or the passing rushes went to McElwaln's wing, but he invariably ran into a tackle and the attack broke down. It was unfortunate that more play did not go to Trlcklebank who ran strongly and when blocked, used a judicious centre kick to keep the attack going. It is hard to understand why none or the inside backs used a short stab kick behind the St. Pat,'s when it was seen that orthodon passing to the wings was not bringing results. This would, at least, have provided some variety in the attack.

Bryers cut through on several occasions, but instead or carrying on, passed to a man in a worse position and the opportunities were lost.

The chief problem seems to be to find a combination of half and first five-eighths that will give the attack a good speedy start.

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Kicking.

How valuable to a Rugby team is a man with a good goal-kicking boot: Fuller was a case in point. His remarkable accuracy often resulted in his team winning matches when it had been outplayed in all other departments. The art of kicking is not studied as it should be. There are very few footballers in New Zealand who can drop-kick or place-kick a goal from half-way in the absence of wind—the great majority, in fact, could not send a place or drop 50 yards with any degree of accuracy. Last winter an interesting kicking competition took place between Stanford University (American game) and Carlton Club, Melbourne (Australian Rules) footballers. The Americans kicked well but were outclassed by the Australians, all or whom despatched drop-kicks well over 60 yards, the longest drop-kick being 70 yards. The longest kick ever recorded was a place-kick by D. McNamara, an Australian, whose prodigious effort resulted in the ball landing 93 yards away.

—L.B.S.

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By Special Steamer.

Apropos to the reference, in last week's "Salient." to the proposed visit to New Zealand next year by Australian Rules football teams, we now learn that two exhibition matches are likely to be played, one on the Basin Reserve and one in Auckland. The two Melbourne Clubs coming. St. Kilda and South Melbourne, will charter a special steamer to bring the large party of players, trainers officials and supporters to the Dominion. The object of the trip Is to give players a holiday. Australians realise that the establishment of their game in New Zealand is a virtual impossibility as grounds here are too small —an Australian Rules ground is twice the size or a Rugby field. The same itself was first played about 1850, and is therefore about the same age as Rugby and Soccer.

—L.B.S.

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