FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 104, 3 May 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOOTBALL.

Last Saturday saw the start; of the Auckland football season of 1890. There was a very fair attendance at Potfcer'e Paddock, but none of the games were of absorbing interest. : The Gordon practice wae of a somewhat happy-go-lucky order. '- R, B. Lask .was only, out of a day or twQ, after •' '4a grippe '• and could not- play; Logan was away. Tea Biuney* was ■ pack, and played .with plenty of dash j butheje oif to Sai»oft nsxt week. J. <J, Polandplayed his lirab game ia Auckland for a couple of seasons, and did fairly well. Cantsley, of the Thames, showed thathci could w^e , his feet to advantao;e. Ted ReeS played a sterling game. !Avfchur lieea had a bad cold and wan not in his best form. G. Smart, lately over from Melbourne, pteyed fairly, Mbut took the ball badly. ?oord and D. Smart . played hard, as did T.- Mutray and Stewart. Several of the Second shOWed fairly good form. The Gordon wen have been training during the last fortnight, and should givS a fair account of themeelves this afternoon aud next Saturday, Pohsonby arid Athletics had a very good practice, of which,the juniors had something the best. The PonsOhby men were nob all pi'os£int,;and J. Arneil had to join in the game, Play was fast most ot the time, <md perspiration frequent. Graf tori have {jot a gobd man in Smith, late of the Athletic, and he showed on Saturday . useful feet are. . Murray played well for Selwyh, as did Lecky (still at it) for (JrafVon, ' ' • ■ '

Auckland, Ponsonby, and Gordon, have got the old. Baptist Church in Wellesiey-st. as a training; estabUshtfienfi, and its Vv'alls pesound on three evenings of the week with football cries, but. not with prayer. The Graf ton tjie'n have been traimqg on the Domain, where Selwyn also spend part; of their tiaae. Most of the players heed it all. The nevy style Qf-SQQring is three points fora goal except for a goal from a penalty kick, which is only two points; and/otic point for a fcvy.. The. abpve oußiit to the doubts ofmauy anxious inquirers. I should a;dvJge ail players to read up the rules carefully. Jgnprancs pf them ja not uncom,ccion, and itti-no tq. a, One often finds the deowio.n| of the Pdferee called in question by the most ignorant man on the pfroniid. ;..; _ England, played Ireland undor , TEtagby

rules on March 15th, after an interval of three year*. . The game waa played on the Blaeltheath ground, antl an. enthusiastic crowd.of 12.000 people witnessed the match, Stodcterfe played in the English team. The Irish forwards were superior to the English players in that department, but the backs of the white jersay more; than made up for the deficiency, and Eogland won by three points (fcriea)'tio nil, Ifemay bf of interest Id give the names of tha English team :-r W.G. Mitchell, hack y P. H. Morrison, X, h. A*ton and A. E. Sfcoddarb (captain), three-quarter backs ; Spencer and Mason, ! T- Scobt, half-backs 5 L. Bteksei*, J.Toothill, E, Holmes, JB. Jowett, H, Bedford, M. J, Woods, F. Eversned, if* H. Bogers, A. Robinson, forwards. In the Waikato so far there bast been little done except" holding football meetings." Tfaeie are five clubaall fairly strong, They are-T-Hanbly, Hamilton, Cambridge, , Ohaupo and Patsrangi. Some are ep* deavouring to get all these clubs to join the I city Union, and jto arrange for a visit from ! an Auckland fifteen every season, i Each Waikato club is fitoing to subscribe towards a challenge cup, and their contests for the same will be intoreetinp. As no communication has yet been received from the Taranakf men re a viait to Auckland on the 24th met., we may presume that they will nofc be up till later iq the season. There is sjome talk of the Tarantiki Unions eending a team round the colony. Sammy Goodman talk* of giving'footbaU another show, throwing in hie lofe with Gordon 11. If he learne to paea he ought to be very useful. Wainhouse, the new fejl'baele from Nel' son, who has joined Pontonby, shaped well last Saturday, though he did .not do a great deal of work. 3VI. McCaueland, well known to all our athletes, though not himeelf taking a very activoparbin athletics, lefb for Melbourne during the week. Ted Binney ie leaving for Samoa next Wednesday, having got ft good position down there, As I do not know at the moment Of writ: ing what action the Management Cony mibfcee of the Union will take about the North Shore Club, I refrain from any comments; but I hope the Shore men will be able to contest the Senior Oup. One cannot tell till to-day what is likely to be the strength of the various clubs. Next Saturday's match Ponaonby v. Graf ton should be a good struggle. Gordon will probably beat Auckland, and if North Shore play they ought to beat Selwyn.