INTERPROVINCIAL FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 209, 3 September 1900, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND V. OTAGO.

A DRAWN GAME.

EACH SIDE SCORES 3 POINTS

j| o re rain, more mud, more ruined clothes and general discomfort; what have we done to deserve such treatment? Thus mused the football enthusiast as the 'bus rolled through tho pouring rain and m ud on Saturday afternoon. He was angry when bad weather marred the pleasure of the previous Saturday; but his feelings on Saturday last were beyond words. It had been mockingly fine all the week, only to come down in torrents on the very day he wanted fine weather, and he remarked savagely, as he waded through the mud, that it was "playing it altogether too low down," a sentiment which was echoed by each of the *5°M people present. The fact is, we are rapidly losing our climatic reputation. The Wellington representatives pay us a visit, and we greet them with as vile a specimen of weather as it would be possible to manufacture. Otago sends along Der chosen band, and they have the gftme welcome. Kipling spoke of Auckland as the "last, loneliest, loveliest, exquisite apart," and talked of our "un-g-werVlng season"; but if the crowd at potter's had been called upon" to judge our poet of Empire on Saturday, it would

have gone hard with him. But the torrents of rain which fell on Saturday, right up to the time of starting play, could not prevent a large num-

ber of people from journeying to Potter's

to see the struggle between the two provinces. There was a larger attendance than on the previous Saturday, probably because people had come to the conclusion that the weather was hopelessly hostile, and by three o'clock both stands were full, while numbers of people lined the fences round the ground, about SOOO people being present altogether. The game, which ended in a draw, was fast and exciting throughout, though not such a good exhibition of football as •was seen the previous Saturday. Rain fell in showers throughout the game, and the play was mostly confined to the forwarjis. The local backs, contrary to expectations, did not handle the ball to advantage, and nearly all the passing in the game was done by the Otago rearguard, who kicked and passed with fine judgment. In the first spell Tyler scored a clever try for Auckland, and in the second spell McKenzie scored for Otago after a fine passing run, initiated by Wallace, -.either of these tries was converted, and the game ended in a draw, each Side scorihg three points. The play had plenty df exciting moments, and the enthusiasm often ran high. The game was very even, and although the result was unsatisfactory to Auckland, yet it was indicative of the respective merits of the teams. A regrettable feature In the match was the unfriendly feeling shown by certain members of both teams, particularly towards the end of the game, while the 'decisions of the referee and the line umpires were frequently questioned and criticised by a section of the crowd.

D. Hay, the Auckland full-back, was unable to play, and his place was taken by Donovan. The two teams lined out as under:*-

Auckland (blue and white).—Full-back, Donovan; three-quarters, McPike, McGregor, Harrison (capt.); five-eighths, Riley; half, Kiernan; Wing forwards, Gallaher, Doran; forwards, Brady, Irvine (front row), Cunningham (lock), H. Wilson, McGregor, A. Wilson, Tyler. * Otago (navy blue).—Full-back, Adams; three-quarters, McKenzie (left wing). Booth. Stephenson; half-backs, Duncan (capt.), Armstrong, Wallace; forwards, Munro, Spiers (front row), Mitchell, Murphy, Cross, Porteous, McKewen, Burt. Referee, Mr G. Symes (Taranaki); official timekeeper, Dr, W. R. Close-Erson; lihe umpires, Messrs F. W. Edwards (Auckland) and Hobson.(Otago).