FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 143, 16 June 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOOTBALL.

The • glorious uncertainties of the game' were once more illustrated on Saturday last, when Newton demonstrated to the public that the Parnellites have nob such a strong mortgage on this year's champion--Bhip as mosb people would suppose. Newton commenced the season auspiciously by defeating Grafton, bub on the following Saturday they caused another surprise by returning from North Shore a beaten team. They, however, lost this match by K°*nK on the field with an impression that fche battle was already won. You can't tell a Newfconite this, but, nevertheless, that is my firm conviction. On the next Saturday Newton gained their second victory, by just beating Suburbs, for the points were 6 to 3. Lasb Saturday, Newton wenb into the arena with an air of confidence written on their facos, whioh meant thab Parnell would have bo fully extend themselves to come out on top. And how they succeeded my readers well know. After one of the most exciting games witnessed in Auckland for some time, Newton lefb the field, amidst loud applause and congratulations for their plucky efforts in checking the victorious career of the team which was regarded as invincible. Although the match ended in a draw, and a very even draw ab thab, for neither team could fairly claim to have had the bettor of the play, the public seemed to view the result as a victory for Newton. Both Newton and Parnell were within an ace of scoring on several occasions, but something, or I should say someone, popped up serenely and interfered. A fine rush of the Newton vanguard once took the ball across Parnell's line, and a score looked inovitable, when Kissling shot from goodness knows where, and kicked the ball into touch in goal jusb as" a Newtonite was in the acb of falling on the ball. Again, Elliotb made an opening, and with only a few yardß to go, and A. Freeman (the little man with a lion's heart) the only obstruction, a shoub wenb up ' he's in,' bub although our crack half-back fended his hindrance in his old style, Freeman grabbed Elliott by the feet, and Newton were saved. The game was brimful of incidents of an exoibing nature, bub space will not permit of my recounting them. Naturally, the display of the Newton team came as a pleasant surprise, and I doubt whether their most ardenb Bupporbera expected them equal to the form they showed on Saturday. Every man played well, but to A. Freeman, T. Roberts and I. Mills ia due the honour of being the € stars ' of the team. I don'b know how Newbon would have fared without) such a plucky and capable defender as A. Freeman. He had more work to perform than usually falla to the lob of a full-back, yet he fulfilled his duties most satisfactorily. Freeman's display was tho best we have aeon this season. T. Roberts showed us thab he haß nob yeb forgotten how to excel on a football field. Hiß running and kicking was almosb equal to his besb form, while Roberts' defensive work surprised those who always labelled him as a weak exponenb ip this department. I was greatly amused to hear many people on Saturday stamp our crack hurdlo racer a ' funker,' because he kicked instead of allowing himself to be tackled. On each occasion that Roberts gob away he was too fasti for his comrades and consequently had no one to pass to, and when getting cornered he punted with such precision that he invariably gained about 25 yards. Yeb for doing this Roberts is stamped as a 1 funk.' I call it judicious play. Of the other Newton backs Warnock shone ab times, bub Siddle and Beamish were very patchy, the latter fumbling badly. I. Mills was all over the ground, and was bhe mosb useful man on bhe field ; he accomplished a great amounb of tackling. On the occasion of one paaning rush by the Parnellites, Mills collared no less than three opponents in succession. Donald, too, is also deserving of a woid of praise, for ho ably seconded Mills' efforts. The Newton forwards, too, were a sound and energetic lot. They one and all followed tho ball ia a praiseworthy manner, and always came to the assistance of their backs, und by so doing helped them out of many difficulties. The great amounb of decisive tackling they accomplished in no mean way prevented many of those brillianb atbacks which have hitherto enabled bhe Parnell backs bo win so many matches. Some oi the rushes by the Newton forwards j were of a high-class nature. Williamson and J. Walker were the mosb prominenb of the "grafters," the latter player showing great improvement on his reconb form. Hobson and Heffernan also played up well and lasted out to the finish. Parnell erred in again asking six forwards to hold the pack till their backs received the ball. All their forwards grafted well, but their energies in the scrum naturally took most of the steam out of them to enable them to perform as they should have done in the open. In the second spell Parnell changed their tactics and placed Geard in the scrum, and this alteration improved the play of their vanguard. The greasy ball somewhab interfered witli the passing tactics of the Parnell 1 Tcks, but nevertheless after the display ot tii6 Newton team, I am pretty confident a dry ball would have made no difference to the result of the game. Some of ParneU'a attacks were as well accomplished as any they have shown this season, and on one occasion I believe they would have scored had Geard not played selfishly. v > Edmonds, Kissling and Jervis were up to their usual standard, and they were all kept on tho alerb during the afternoon. Elliotb' did nob handle the ball ab all neatly, and was also greatly hampered by the attentions of U. Freeman, who on more than one occasion intercepted a pass intended for Elliotb. Freeman, however, was repeatedly allowed to play on Parnell's side of the scrum without the referee's interference. In fact, Mr Webster was very lax in penalising for this breach, and Freeman was not the only offender, for twice when Parnell's line was in danger, Elliotb was most careful in his attention to Mowton's side of the scrum. Simpson was weak in taking the ball and has played better games. Like Newton, the Parnellites have to thank their full-back for extricating them out of many difficulties. Hedges had his full share of work to perform, and, despite the fact that he was handicapped with an injured hand, came out of the ordeal with great credit. Ib was difficulb to understand why Newton did nob play to their backs, they had many excellent opportunities, but the

forwards seemed disinclined to trust) their comrades behind the scrum. Very little interest was taken in the game between Grafton arid Suburbs, ib being, I presume, looked on as a foregone conclusion for Grafton. Neither districb was represented by their sbrongesb beam. Although Suburbs faced a fresh breeae, they made matters very willing for their opponents in the early part of the game. After about twenty minutes play Mac Donald cleverly worked an opening, and after an excellenb passing run, the ball being transferred with precision from Macdonald to Rhodes, then to Moncur, who passed to Rishworth, the latter outpaced Taylor and scored. This piece of paßßing was very cleverly accomplished, and I was surprised that the Suburbanites did nob repeat their performance. They had many fine opportunities afforded them, bub the forwards failed to heel out cleanly. Ib was during the last ten minutes of the first spell thab Grafton scored their eleven points. Two tries were obtained from forward rushes, while J. Brady secured a third after Evera and C. Hay had done the work. In the second spell the play was very even, and, like the firsb half of the game, chiefly confined to the forwards. . The Grafton vanguard all worked well, and made many combined rushes. In the open, Hancock, Brady Tracey, Broberg and Scott were the most prominenb. I was greatly disappointed with the play of the Grafton backs. C. Hay waa by far the besb man, and he played a sterling game. Evora, a second junior, was tried behind the scrum, f'and I am inclined to think will prove a success in that position. On Saturday Evera was inclined to hesitate too long before passing. When a scrum is formed, he should take in at a glance the positions of his comrades, and when the ball is heeled out, acb immediately. Evers threw away a certain try by picking up a dead ball. J. Brady performed very creditably ab three-quarter, kicking and tackling in fine style. The others were not a greab success. Young is inclined to play very selfishly, and on one occasion threw away a try by not passing to McGill. Sutherland fulfilled the duties of fullback for Suburbs, and his fine defensive abilities were of greab service. Rishworth played a plucky and dashing game, both in offence and defence, while he showed a rare turn of speed. Moncur was safe. MacDonald and Rhodes played well together, and bub for bheir endeavours I'm afraid Grafton's score would have been much larger. Suburbs' forwards are a hard-working sec, bub are inclined to kick too bard when dribbling. Major, Brennan, Brown, and Leitharb were bhe mosb conspicuous in the open. The place - kicking in the Grafbon— Suburbs match was very poor. Ponsonby and City played a somewhab listless game. Neither team played up to their reputation,and their display was much inferior bo what they exhibited when playing against Parnell on the ground in front of the grand stand. Perhaps had they been given the post of honour, with the eyes of the spectators on them, bhe play might have been of a differenb nature. Ponsonby won by a goal from a try and a try, to a goal from a penalty kick. City again made bheir attacks through their forwards, and at times, especially in the second spell, the opposing backs had some difficult rushes to defeat. Repeatedly Ciby screwed bhe scrums, but lefb bheir opponents in charge of the ball. Stone, Hallamore, Otway, Cole andßinney were the best of City's vanguard. The last-named would find ib more bo City's advantage if he allowed a taller player to throw the ball in from touch. Hales and Corles both tackled well, and performed the besb work amoug City's backs. Hales made a few good openings, but he was nob supported, Cole played ab three-quarbor in tho second spell, and greatly strengthened tho back division. P. Flynn, Gillespie, and A. Braund were the most useful of Pcnsonby's backs. Flynn accomplished some judicious kicking, but at times ib would have been bebber had he passed to his comraduE, Braund was very clever in getting the ball away away from the scrums, and as usual initiated Ponsonby'a passing runs, several of which were well accomplished. Ramsay, too, was in good form and passed neatly. Ib ; was through Braund and Ramsay thab Flynn gained Ponsonby's second try. Masefield was not troubled with a greab amounb of work. His kicking was good. Ponsonby's firsb try was gained through an error of judgment on Willis' pare. Sbichbury's play was a greab improvement on his performance of the previous week. Ho stopped ouo rush which looked like ending in a score, very oleverly. Tho Ponsonby forwards, although beaten in the scrums, had rather the better of the line out work, while they were all noticeable for their fast following up. M. Flynu, Riloy, Langsford and Osmond, a new man, were perhaps the best of an even set. The subjoined tables show the positions of the various districb clubs in the competitions for the premiership in the three grades :—

Note.—The mntches played on May 12th. between Grafton B. and Ponsonby, and Newton and Grafton A., were declared void, and have to be re-played, Mendelssohn, who played full back for Canterbury in thab memorable match ab Epsom against Auckland, in 1892, left for England {gist week. So far the Kaikorai Club, Dunedin, have played four matches, each of which they have won, scoring 111 points to none obtained by their opponent?. A New South Wales team will visit MeU bourne towards the end of July and will meet the Victorian Rugby players on July 28th and 30bh and August Ist. Mr Sam Mahupuku, Presidenb of the Kotahitanga Football Club is a model patron (says an exchange). He purchased ab his own expense the pretty blue and white uniform which set the Maori boya off so well. Then he spoke to them thus :— 11 will have you nob make a row. You mußb play game like the rules. A man plays rough, or makes lob of talk I take uniform away and make somebody else to play in his place.' This warning has been wisely interpreted judging by thedemeanour of the Papawai boys on Saturday. The football scribes in Christchurch are agitating for a Referees' Association. The defeat of the West Riding team by Castleford on April 14th (says the ' Athletic News'), has relieved the mind of one rash sportsman in the Leeds district nob unknown to past) county football fame. He laid a bet, ib ia said; of £1,000 to £5 against the West Riding Club's chance of winning the cup. How many sleepless nights has his folly coeb him ? It is very probable tbab the Marlborough Rugby Union will send a representative team round the North Island this winter.

The ' gate' at) Epsom lasb Saturday was £22. .■'." :,, . « Great interest wsb taken in the W aikato over the first meeting of the Hamilton and Hunbly teams on Saturday lasb, ■ The Hunbly representatives bad trained in a most energetic manner, and were determined that the Hamiltooites would score no run - away victory this season. Tbe easy victory of Huntly by 18 points to nil came as a surprise to most) people. Huntly overmatches their opponents in every department of the game, and their victory was chiefly due to the dashing play of their forwards. J. Sampsom, the Huntly forward played » great) gave, L, Harris made an excellent) captain for Huntly, The Auckland branch of the Referees' Association entered upon their duties on Saturday last, and ib was a pleasant surprise both to players and the public, to find these officials ready for action before 3 o'clock. Two of the senior contests were late in starting, but it was the fault of a few dilatory players. The second juniors especially appreciated the innovation, for hitherto they have bad to wander around requesting cue services of a referee till generally as late as half-past three, and then finally the opposing cap< tains toss for choice of a club partisan to officiate. I bear thafa most of the referees gave general satisfaction last week. I wish the Roferooa' Association long Ufo and prosperity. , The question raised by the Wellington branch of the Referees' Association as to whether the referee or a player should put the ball in the ecrum, is an important one, and, strange go say, the Auckland branch had decided to submit the same question to the New Zealand Union. In Auckland, some of the referees put tbe ball in the scrum, but others allow the players to do so. In my opinion, the referee should put the ball in, as there are several players who can throw a ball into tbe pack, and ab the same time put a twisb on the ball, which makes the oval as soon as it touches the ground break towards their comrades' feet, (hereby gaining a greab advantage. The Bay of Plenty • Times' says :— * We hear that ib is the intention of the Tauranga junior football team to play the Takapuna team ab Potter's Paddock during this month. They have been playing and attending practice very well this season, and should give a good account of themselves in Auckland.' Mr F. J. O'Meara, a member of the Referees' Association, received a very uncommon ovation at the conclusion of the Newton 111. -Parnell 111, match last week, He was accorded ' three cheers.' Another member of the Association, Mr F. A. Twiname, who journeyed to Ngaruawahia and officiated in the Hamilton • Hunbly contest, also appears to have given general satisfaction, for the ' Waikato Times ' says he was the essence of fairness.itself. Fred Murray was in town this week. He was accorded a great reception by the • barrackers' at Ngaruawahia last Saturday. Ask him about ib. The South Canterbury Rugby Union have notified the N.Z.R.U. that they intend Bending a team on tour through the North Island. They will visit Auckland. Aba recent meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union, Dr. Jennings moved * That a Committee be appointed to inquire into the feasibility of the formation of District Clubs.' After a little discussion the motion was carried by 17 votes to 8. Lasb Saturday week the crack Wellington Club, Poneke, met their first reverse for this season, when the Athletics beat them by 3 points to nil. Ib is alleged that the ball struck the corner flag before the try was gained, and Poneke have appealed to the Wellington Rugby Union. While playing tor Alhambra against) Taieri at Dunedin on June 2nd, W. Johnston fell and broke bis leg. Johnston visited Auckland with the Otago cricket team the season before last and made himself very popular with many Aucklanders. Aa was generally expected, writes • Quidnunc.' the New Zealand Rugby Union has decided to refuse permission for tbe Otago end Canterbury match this year? on the ground of Otago'e non-affiliation. I cannot Bee how else the Union oould have acted, and I hope to see thab tbe step taken will hasten Otago's inevitable affiliation, In tbe match between the Napier and County Clubs on June 2, 'Buff' Caradus converted a try into a,goal for Napier, while another ex-Aucklander, Reg. Caulton, potted a goal for County, Donald McKenzie, who will be especially remembered by the members of the old Native Rose Club, is now Secretary and Treasurer of the Bush District Rugby Union, and also captain of tbe Woodville Club. W. Dignan, who was one of the beat backs in the old crack junior club Nelson, was in Auckland this week on a holiday. Mr Dignan is still in the employ of the Bank of New Zealand, and holds the position of teller in the Woodville Branch, He still takes an interest) in the good old game, and up to this year held tbe office of Secretary and Treasurer to the Bush District Rugby Union. Mr Dignan has also been distinguishing himself on the cricket field, as he won the trophies with excellent averages for batting and bowling in his club last season. Aba meeting of the New South Wales Rugby Union held on June 4tb, a letter was read from the Otago Union saying they were prepared to give the New South Wales team a warm reception should they visib QtagO. Ib . was decided to inform Otago that the New South Wales team would be the guests of the New Zealand Union, and as Otago was nob affiliated, the oiler could not be accepted. The University and Randwick teams met in Sydney on June 2nd before some 5,000 spectators, the former, winning after a greab game by a try to nil, Jn commenting on the game, 'Tne Cynic' says of 0, Riley, the ex-Ponsonby three-quarter:^'The Rand wick centre three-quarter, 0. Riley, played a game second tp no one, save, perhaps, Barrio, in the big match on Saturday, Everything he did was done coolly, and some of his runs were really first-class, wholly devoid of show, It was far the besb game ho has played for the Randwicks..1 CRICKET. Mr S. Hordern has promised tbe Now South Wales Cricket Association A one hundred guinea trophy tor the senior com. petitions, and it will be played for next season. A meeting of delegates of the various intercolonial cricket associations ie to be held in Melbourne nexb Monday to arrange a programme of intercolonial and international matches for the English team which Stoddarc is bringing out. W. G. Grace is evidently in good batting form again this season. In tbe opening contest of the season played ab Bristol on April 7fcb, the G, 0. M.* scored 53 runs of a total of 167. The Rev. P.. S. Holmes in his 'Crickeb Notches'in 'Cricket,' publishes some interesting figures about the Surrey Club. From 1845 to 1892 the County played 678 matches, of which 341 were won, 229 lost, 104 drawn, and four ended in a tie. In these matches Surrey scored 200,493 runs for the loss of 10,859 wickets, giving an average of 18.4 runs per wickeb. Their opponents scored 191,079 runs for 11,743 wickets, or an average of 16.2 per wicket. From 1864 to the close of lasb season Surrey had scored 400 and upwards thirty-eight times, but bo such innings was scored between the years 1866 and 1883. Only ten innings of 400 or more have been scored against the' County, England, NWtfngb'a'mshire, Gloucestershire, Middlesex and Lancashire having each two such scores to their credit. The batting and bowling averages of the Belmont A. team are to band, and I notice that J. Thomas comes oub with tbe best

batting average, viz., 14^-|fc~3j|| 1 167 runs in 13 innings, and w B , onffii 1 outb-Mj, Spurway with^n*iavwto ft !j ?; i j^ings is the only o'EtSS with a double-figure average. B ''vnvKZHPH 1 9-81, G. Grindrod 977, an| A. £rk BP fc ' % come next on the list. The t»ii* ' I averages subjoined speak for tbemsel™, * Kindred JT B *g* *i 1 £I= ay :n i z\ ll 88 ITGillespie .. 110 21 2 n 5 JJS J.Seccombe .. 35 2 n■ JJ |»1 : ■ J3. Boyd has the best batting average f o j the Belmonb B. team, with 12- 2 ? o f Jj innings. nve \ The batting averages of the .Wanderer*.' Cricket Club, as published in my note, lasb week, were incorrect; The following are the correct averages :—H. Thw*,... * I 23-7 runs; D. Berry, 167; W/ fil? 4 15-5; W. Smith, 11-3; D.Taylor S,' ; and S. Brown, 10. Taylor's averageof io-i ' is slightly differenb from the fam* m\ t J credited him with last week. ' A . i| , CYCLING. Harold Jackson, of the Catford C.C rod I 6,360 miles between March Utb. 1893 k«l 9th Marcb 1894. His highest score wu 805 miles in August last, and but twenty in January. ■ H Cork handles, as all their users know I become soiled and dirty very abon ' When one dirty they are most unpleasant ia «£ heab of the hands draws oub tho grime and perspiration of previous rides wHiohthft the handles have absorbed, They can be cleaned in the following manner; Take soap and water, rub with a brnah, or better still, a flannel or linen 'rag soaked Jo1 turpenbine. The cork will freshen up like ' new. One cleaning a week is sufficient Tbe banana a8 a food for long-distance riders is recommended by 'BibyoUtjor News.' Those &peed" men who dp notiiaie about the luscious fruit should try to cultivate a taste for it. Not only'is it most l sustaining and nutritious, bub ib is«o moiib arid eagily eabenthab a man can assimilate ib at pace, and without feeling he must' have a drink to wash it down. ■ Zimmerman saHed from New York on April 18bh for France. He had an enormous attendance on the wharf, and gob a real hearty send-off. Ib is estimated thai ' " during three months Zimmerman will . realise from forty to fifty thousand dollara. His first race will be run at the VelodromeSeine, Paris. SWIMMING. The doings of the New South Wftlea swimmers in New Zealand (says a Sydney paper) have attracted great attention,in i England, and the outcome is likely to bY • an invitation from the English association . for a visit of our swimmers to take part in l the English championships. A letter received by the local asssociation from. Mr, • W. Henry, a prominenc English swimmer,' states that the English association wag about to. forward the invitation in quei» tion. Judging by the timee the New South Wales men are able to put up forall distances they should bring away a good share of the old country laurela if the visit is arranged. This all bears oub what wa> stated when the New Zealand trip wag, undertaken, that it would turn oub aepleV*. did advertisement for New South^w^p :, swimmers. "• ' tf ~,, Ernie Cavill, the champion swimmer of Australia, has returned to Sydney after w absence in New Zealand of over twelve months, and in chronicling tbe fact ft; Sydney writer says;—lt was (she dura/ pion's original intention to proceed to America, but be found so much to do in New Zealand that he remained there. He' gave numerous exhibitions at the chief swimming places in both Islands, and.', opened the eyes of the' local swimmers considerably by bis displays. The recent visit of our Bwimmiug team to Maorilsnd also aided in a great measure to aMiQ the admiration and renew tho zeal ot|wß Eiwimmers on the other, side. ? Mr G#?% j ■ intends to bave a rest, and afterwards, ho will probably take a band in the managemeno of the baths, AQUATICS. , . The Messrs Bloom field Bros, left for the . North in their yacht Viking, on Tueeday last, for the purpose of witnessing tbe' whale-catching operations of Uessre Oook Bros, i of Whangamumu.

Fihbt Fifteens. Points District Pld. Won. Lost. Dr. For Ag:st. Parnoll .. ..4 3 0 1 50 5 Brafton.. .,4 3 1 0 43 12 Ponsonby ..5 3 2 0 35 37 Newton.. ..4 2 1 1 21 14 Rity .. ..4 2 2 0 17 28 North Shore ..4 1 3 0 19 51 Suburbs.. ..5 0 5 0 9 17 Second Fifteens. Points District Pld. Won. Lost, Dr. For Ai?st. Ponsonby .. 5 4 1 0 58 23 Grafton.. ..4 3 1 0 36 32 North Shore ..4 3 1 0 60 25 Parnell ..4 3 1 0 63 25 City .. ..4 1 3 0 6 38 Suburbs ..5 1 4 0 37 58 Newton ..4 0 4 0 14 76 Third Fifteefs Points District Plcl. Won. Lost. Dp. For Aget. SraftonA. ..4 4 0 0 19 7 Newton.. ..4 4 0 0 48 2 BrattonB, ..4 2 2 0 26 33 Parnell .... 5 2 3 0 32 34 Ponsonby ..4 1 3 0 22 38 City .. ..5 0 6 0 16 49