RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 195, 16 August 1906, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

NESDAY UNION V. SOUTHERN WAIROA. -

~ The first representative- niatehKwas played festerday afternoon, between, tlie Northern tfairoa and the Auckland W-cdnesday .F.U., in the presence of a large number : spectators, resulting, af tcr-an evensame, a win for the Wednesday .team by six Bints to three. lYVairoa Yvon the toss and. chose the westlu goal, taking advantage of the slight feeze, savoury kicked off for" Auckland 13.15 p.m., Moses returning to the centre, tun the first scram formed Wairoa sc<red, and a passing run, Montgomery to -\ses, to Lawry. took play to Auckland's I*, where BaUrin saved: Auckland carr£ the ensuing scrum, and Cox and Purdy a combined run ehifted the scene of pit, further ground being gained by a ink by Cox, which was well followed up byUre'onwood and Todd, and the leather wafin YVairuaYs territory, the country playerspventually finding relief iv forcing. Audiand were, heating YVairoa for the ball in YeV c scrums, .but were not making the mosluse of it, and they were forced by a longWi; of Stailwort.liy's. Wairoa attacked from\K> kick-off, and after Chlids had a shot at jjjal whasn. fell short, a passing run, MontgomW to Moses, to Lawry, the latter ■beat the\A. u ck»and tiacks and drew first hlood foi'Wnleoa. SLillworthy failed at goal. '3, Auckland nil. A lot ot loose play eventuated, ending in Auck- j laud being ireed. Fast rushes followed the kick-out,Vurdy, Todd,' and Edwards showing out iiisome good work which sent the ball to YV\roa's '20. Auckland were now playing ■vrin more combination, but The Wairoa defo.ee was sound, and they were unable tv Wak through, at three-quarter heini especially strong. Just before the close ofYne spell "Wairoa rushed the leather down thtfieid, and Montgomery picking up scut rhe b\a to Miller, the latter being stopped right Oi the line. The bell rang shortly alter fot half-time with the scores: Wairoa 3, Aucltand nil.

From the kick-oft In tie second spell play settled hi YVairoafs 25, a\d some very even exchanges were witnessed ending in a free to Auckland, Savoury havhg a shot at goal which fell short, and M.os»s returned the ball to the centn\ Auckland's forwards were not to be denied, and gradually worked play back, and heeling qilekly from a scrum formed the ball flew trom Cox to Edwards, to Todd, to Pnrdy, tc Greenwood, the latter being stop-ped right W the line by Lawry. Iveepihg up the prcsmrn, Auckland again heeled to Cox, who, '..ug a tricky run, got to the line, when passed to Parker, who crot*ed aud stored for Auckland. Savoury Jailed at goal. Auckland 3, Wairoa 3. .The score livened up Auckland, and they came back to the attack, and from some gjood line play by Foster and Pierce the tester ran through the opposing backs, and badly heatiug LawTy, the fnll-back, scored. Savoury again failed at goal. Auckland G, Wairoa 3. Prom now to the end of the spell both sides made, strenuous efforts to add to tneir total, Wairoa, if anything, having the best of matters, but the defence of each was good, and the bell rang with the scores:; Auckland. 0, Wairoa '3. NOTBS ON TIiK"GAiMK. The game was a very even.-one from start to finish, the teams being well matched. From a spectators point ctf view It was fairly fast and interesting, .both sides at times getting in some good work. There was very little to choose between the forwards, and although Wairoa had the advantage In weight the Auckland pack showed out better in the loose work. Of the individual players, the Auckland fullback, Batkiu, was fairly safe. Ills kicking a rolling ball will, however, eooner or later get htm into trouble- The threequarters, Todd. Pnrdy, and Greenwood, air played well, Todd if anything being the pick. Kdwards at five-eighths was very. slov In kicking, but otherwise was up to the average. Cox at naif was the particular sUtr of the Auckland team, aha gave a clever exhibition. Ilia run which led to Auckland's first, score was worthy of liieruan. In the forward divisiou Savoury, Pierce, and Foster were the most prominent. Of the Wairoa team, Lawry at three-quarter and Montgomery at half were easily the best, both getting through a lot ot work In first-class style. YVithout-tSds pair AucJs"lanjl's score would have been, conslderab'y larger. Moses at live-eighths was fair. The forward division were a very even lot, and it is hard to individualise. Childs was probably the most noticeable. Mr .1. Pelham gave every satisfaction as referee. OTAGO V. SOUTHLAND. (By Telegrauiu.—T*ress -Association.! INVEKCABGILL, Wednesday. The Otago v. Southland itttcrprovineiai football match was played to-day in fine bright .weather, the wind favouring neither side. The game ended in a draw, Spiers for Otago scoring a try, and Hamilton for the home team a penalty goal. The ground was rather heavy, and the game wasmostly a forward one, the teams heing very evenly matched. The visiting team was perhaps uot so stxon gor experienced as It might have been, several of their front rank men being reserved for tho Northern tour. The game was an interesrtnig one, and the attendance was large. WAIRARAPA V. CANTERBURY. MASTER.TON, Wednesday. The prospects are not promising Cor the YY'airarapa-Canterbury football match., to be played Bain fell during the last two days, and tho ground is in a bad stace. The Canterbury team \!s a weak (Sue, owing to various causes. Wood (fußback) is suffering from injuries received up North. The Wairarapa team is as follow-si—iStcKen--zic (2), O'Leary (2), Darville, YV,rigloy, Sogers, JLogan. Gray, Cadwallader, Mason, Wickens, Spackman, Henderson, Wines. Canterbury: Boss. Fryer, Burns, Murray, Fraser. Tyne, Webb. Gray, Fitzgerald, Shannon. Egan, Graham, Evans. Pearee, Leuauzc. AUCKLAND V. TARANAKI.

The. annual inter-provincial football match between Auckland and Taranaki will be played at Alexandra Park on Saturday next. Tho Taranakl team, which will arrive in Auckland to-Tnorrow, consists of the following players:— Ful I-barck: Ha rdgraves. Three-quarters: Dive, Cameron, Abbott Five-eighths: Hunter aud Mynott Half: Frewin. Wing .forward: Whittington. ' Forwards: Coleman. * Osborne. McKay, Ryan. Crowley. Goveridge. Greenbanks. Emergency: P. YVard (back).