Football.

The first game has been duly played and "Smad" is thankful to be able to report a win, 13-10. To "Smad," the game was very disappointing. The team will have to improve considerably if it is going to be promoted at the end of the first round. We all realise that the players are not yet 100 per cent fit and that the backs have not had a chance to develop a good combination, but that is not good enough. Other teams Are fit for the first games and, though we win by 40 and 50 points in the second round, it is no consolation at all as promotion depends on these first games. The 1st XV. simply cannot afford to lose a single game in the first round, and, judging by Saturday's results, there is going to be some strong opposition in the grade. It seemed to "Smad" that the fault on Saturday was in the forwards. With all due respects to the referee, Pirates always had at least two men who were standing off-side on top of our backs, yet the balance of their pack pushed our forwards all round the ground. When a Pirate forward got into a scrum he pushed every ounce he had and six or five men pushing thus more than held their own against our eight Saturday's game should be a lesson in hard scrummaging to our pack if nothing else. Burke was hooking well and made some runs which gained a lot of ground. Redwood was a toiler all the way, and he saved the side on numerous occasions. He is the one fit man in the team. Blacker was in all the tight stuff and got through a surprising amount of work in the open. A forward who showed well in the line-out was Meades. He is a good type who should develop well. Eade is playing as well as ever. He took a chance on matrimonial bliss last week and "Smad" watched him with particular interest to see if there was anything in the rumours usually associated with newly-weds. If Stan, is anything to go by "Smad" has no hesitation in saying the rumour is unfounded and would go further and suggest the whole pack got married. One or two have been shaping that way for some time, anyway.

It is rather hard to say much about the backs: there was a tricky cross wind and that, with the slope of the ground, made conditions difficult. Hoy did not start off confidently, but he improved as the game progressed, fielding the ball beautifully at the end. The three-quarter line was good. Stewart is a strong, hard runner, and is going to be an asset to the team. Kissell is fast and runs with a deceptive swerve: you might describe him as the "eel type." Wild is playing better than last year: he is making more use of his speed and playing with confidence. At half, Buddle was pestered all day by the aforementioned off-side forwards, consequently his passes were not always to the liking of Larkin, Also, the black pack came through ours onto him making his task difficult Larkin did not get much of a chance, but he must learn to send the ball on smartly as he has four men outside who are quick to find openings and have the speed to take advantage of them. The star back, Reid, scored two beautiful tries, but the ball did not come out fast enough to make full use of him. He got through a lot of defensive work, but otherwise he did not get many opportunities. On the whole "Smad" is quite satisfied that the backs have plenty of talent, but the forwards will have to do some solid training. The try scored by Stewart showed what a determined three-quarter line we have, and it was what you might call a real try for a wing. It is very fortunate that Pirates did not have any good backs to finish off the hard work of the forwards.

In conclusion, "Smad" would like to join all footballers in wishing Stan Eade all the luck in the world in his future life. We hope he will still be one of the boys and that conubial bliss will not occupy all his time. "Well done, thou good and faithful friend."