FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 200, 26 August 1886, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

Tho Now South Wales Team. The Now Soulh Wulob football team will muko a hard fight with Auckland i n their first venture to bring back tfc, e "ashes" of Now South Wales football wh'ch tho Now Zealand team carried away two years ago, and to reverse thoir defeats in Now Zealand four years ago. In view of tho approaching contest, the following extract from a privato letter of an eldAuck. land footballer now resident in Sydney cannot but prove interesting. He is of opinion " that it will take a very good team to beat tho Welshmen, as they play a fast, open game, with plonty of very long paste.; smart dribbling, and sharp, quick runs. G. Walker ('Jumbo') plays full back for his club and tho team, but when close to his opponents' goal will probably be brought in nearer. Ho kicks very strongly and well, but sometimes misses his aim a_d kicks low; is vory heavy and strong; but loses heart rather too soon, y ; W. McArthur is a strong runner, kicks well into touch, and saves his side a good deal ; ' gruels ' (fends) fiercely, is very fast, and tackles woll. Plays three-quarter back for his club. C. Y. Caird ia, by

report, undoubtedly the best quarter-back in tho colony, is fast, gruels cruelly; dribbles and tackles well. Plays as fresh at tho end as at^the beginning of a game. E; Weaver is a hard player, und very last. P, Colquboun and J. A. K. Shaw are Univer; city men, and with K. A. Warren will probably play in a bunch. Thoy are noted for their dribbling and passing. T, Pi Carr, a junior player, always hard on the ball. One of the most likely to Bcore, being a fast follower up; plays three-quarter for his club and runs splendidly. M, Shortus, tho crack Oxford back, is a junior player, is a good kick and tackier, also very quick on his legs. B. Bloxland is another junior player, and you will thus see that there are three juniors in tho team. Of tho team as a whole I can safely say that their chief tactics will be long and rapid passes and severe ' gruelling ;' in Auckland it used to be called fending, but here passes by that name. McArthur and Cuird are both noticeable for this feature, and 1 have often seen them catoh a man under the chin with the open palm and upset him. Dribbling will be followed by the University squad and the Wallaroos; the

former especially will ueo it to great advan. tage. Scrummages will, if the ground be dry, be avoided to a great extent, especially if tho Aucklandcrs seem heavy and speed tried. The game bas improved here since tho New Zealand team visited us a couple of years back, and our men aro very e-murt and active. They all collar low, and low collaring will be reeded to stop Caird and McArthur. I think if there ia a weak place in the teaßk. it is the full back, who, though strong and effective, can be easily, so to speak, bounced. The Auckland team seems heavy, but they should not trust too much to weight, as

tho Welshmen, though light, are verg smart."

Tho following relative to tho team appears in tte " Sydney Morning Herald" :— " Tho team is about the best which could bo selected, although some fine forwards found it impossible to got leave of absence for the time required. The forwards of the selocted team will be the weakest part of tho team, but the back players could not be much improved upon. All of them aro sure tacklers and fast runners. Shortus, Carr, and Biaxland hail from junior clubs, In almost every match in which those players have taken part this season the men have distinguished themselves, and from their past play they were well worthy of being selected.

Movomonts of tho Visitors.

Tho visiting team had some practice on the Metropolitan Ground yesterday afternoon, and again at Dilworth'a paddock to-day. Thoy also went to the top of Mount Eden for walking exercise this morning. The visitors, with a number of other footballers, were driven out to Sylvia Park this afternoon, and intend te bo present at tho Remuera dance to-night*. Maori Footballers.

Football is very popular in the Northern W.iroa district just now—perhaps more so amongst tho nativos than with other residents. An interesting match took place at Marapui, in tho Kaihu Valley, on a recent Saturday—ono, perhaps, which has not had its like beforo. The Valley natives met the River natives at a real Rugby game, botfe sides having previously had a considerable amount of practice. The teams were ea_t captained by a pakeha, and the umpire wa» of the same colour. Excellent play was shown, and the game resulted in a victory for the Kiver team by four points (two tries) to one try. A return match is to b_ played on Saturday, and then it is the intention of the Maoris to combine in picking! a team to play the pakehas.—(Corre«pon--dent.)