OUTDOOR SPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 149, 24 June 1908, Page 7

OUTDOOR SPORTS.

I ;(BY action.); * •

day, but his showing was nothing out oT tae ordinary. " . • . The Newton-Tarsity match attracted very httle attention. Both teams wer» caught napping time after time, and it a L. a , tOSS U P. wMch side would'win. I s winning try came out of aft attack on the reds' line, a Newton player secunug .and racing off to the opposing 20, where his forwards took up the run? ].'i% and scored.- The teams were evenly matched, and I must confess I was rat'iti disappointed with the showing of the t eir . b % Cks Showed n ° organisation to speak of, and the forwards, while ! just about holding their, own, had an up" back? ™ th the support of their , The North Shore team has failed to realise expectations. Early in the season the team promised to play a prominent, though perhaps not a leading, part in the championship competition. But now it has fallen off considerably, and as far as can be gathered, this is due to neglect of practice. The Parnell-North Shore match, though j providing little of interest as a match J gave Miller an opportunity of showing j rep. form. Rep. form his certainly was. Repeatedly he got his side out of a difficulty, in fashion that was unmistakably first-class. He was beaten by the opposing forwards once or twice towards the end' of the game, but for certain reasons this may be overlooked, and the' diminutive full-back given credit for having played excellently. Miller's display on Saturday last certainly strengthened his claim to consideration lvhen the representative fifteen is being selected. Joe Twiname was in good form at the Shore. His work was clean and decisive, I and he handled the green and whites conj siderably throughout the match. One or two of his runs were worthy of better results, and would , have been very telling if well supported. He showed unusual cleverness in keeping in the centre of the I field, thus having plenty of room to work upon should a good opening have oc- ! eurred. , Kinder did not stand out so prominently as has been the case in other matches; but, nevertheless, is the pick of the Parnell forwards. Tripping, one of the paltry and yet particularly mean and too often effective forms of foul play, was in evidence at Devonport in the senior match. Unfortunately the referee did not penalise for the offences, though he was in a good position to see what transpired. Tripping is a dangerous abuse, and is rarely employed openly. I A most glaring instance of emptyI headed, almost cold-blooded, roughness cropped up in the Parnell-North Shore j senior match. The circumstances were j that a burly shore forward made a delib- ! crate lash, which might have seriously injured one of the other side. G. Gillett has intimated to the AJR.U. selector, Mr. D. Gallaher, that he does , not intend to don the jersey again this i season. If Gillett sticks to his intention I it will be a matter for general regret, as I the province can,' in view of the big matches coming on, ill afford to lose the • services of such a brilliant exponent of the game. Probably Gillett can be induced to change his mind, and l if such can be done it will be of great assistance to Auckland. . Mr. James McMahon, who is well known in Rugby football throughout the colonies, has been chosen to manage the 2J.S.W. team which is to visit England. Mr. J McMahon is a good judge of the game, and a first-class coach, and his selection for the position has been well ieeeived on the other side. My London correspondent writes:—The secretary of the Leeds Northern Union F.C., has just signed on J. A. Lavery, a well-known member of the New Zeaiand team which toured under the Northern Union, auspices during the last football season. Although Lavery did not play regularly, mainly owing to the brilliance of Rowe and Messenger, he was one of the fastest men in the All Blacks' team. He is wing thre-quarter, but has played centre with credit. Lately Lavery has been touring in Ireland with J. C." Gleeson, the " orator" of the New Zealand' team. Gleesori, by the way, is studying for the bar, but it is understood that there is a good chance of his forsaking the law for politics. He has, it is said, been invited to contest an Irish constituency at the next general election. Messrs. Eobinson, Gray (2), and Eamford are'the Auckland players chosen to represent the North Island against the South Island in the University match to be played in Wellington on Friday next. The N.Z. University team to play in Sydney will be chosen after the match, and will leave.the same night for the trip across the water. F. Wilson, the wellknown three-quarter, was unable to make the journey. The question of the management of the British and Maori match, which is to be . played ; ai; RotOrua, the arranging 1 of wnlch has caused considerable dissatisfaction, and was the subject of a protest from the Botorua Union, supported by : the Auckland Rugby Union, came before the N.Z. Kugby Union at its last meeting. Mr. T. E. Donne telegraphed, offering his assistance in settling the matter, and it was eventually decided to leave the matter .to the secretary and treasurer of the N.Z. Union. Besides winning the senior championship, Ponsonby can also lay claim to the second junior premiership. Their second juniors are first in the list, and the competition will probably be wound up forthwith. ! Ponsonby would appear to have a mortgage on the silver trophy th's season although City run them pretty close. Tie trophy is awarded to the team scoring the greatest -number of points during the season, the points bei>« based on the number of wins and draws. JUNIOR NOTES. North Shore are in an almost unassailable position for the premiership of the first juniors. This will make their third season as champions. By far the best second junior match of the season was that between North Shore B and Ponsonby, played at Northcote on Saturday last, when about 400 people were present. The game went to Tonsonby by the narrow margin of three , points, a penalty goal kicked by frAudney from a difficult «ngle. rThe niay was ifast and interesting from the start. Ponsonby had the best of the play in .the. first half, but, after changing ends, Shore asserted themselves and there was little between the two teams 'Shore had an undoubted advantage in'weight, which makes Ponall the .more mentonous. ¥ue premiership in this grade is now a rift to the Ponsonby team, which^si well ahead of anything else in the competition. . \ ': ■. , . "°"

I FOOTBALL. BU&BT. jjyerythiig has now been arranged in Section with the visit of St. Patrick's flrtfege (Wellington), and the team, _jjch will consist of 18 boys, under the fizTgc of Rev. Father Keogh, are due to arri^ 6 in Auckland on Wednesday next, jaly Ist, On Saturday, July 4th, they play their & Tsi g 11 ™.- that against St. John's College, which will be played at Park as a curtain raiser "to g,e Auckland-Thames game, and on the ft flff<rfcig Wednesday they meet the Giammar School. These are the only two !.jnatehes to be played in Auckland, and the : Thur?day they leave for Napier, they play the Te Auto College: After a considerable amount of dispjssion the Manawatu Agricultural Asgociation have backed down in connection Tfjth the charges for the us e of their .pronßd for the Manawatu-British match gni, notwithstanding that the local union advised the governing body to accept fie offer of the Feilding Jockey Club, wlich offered its ground free of charge, tie SW Zealand Union has resolved «jhat, seeing that the match was allotted fo Palmerston North on the condition that the ground terms were 20 per cent, jnd that the Palmerston North ground ]iss now been offered on these terms, the eonunittee decides that the match be played at Palmerston North"; also, That the Manawatu Union be asked to convey to the Feilding authorities the learty thanks of this Union for their generous offer." Kenyon, who has been chosen to Tβpresent Hawke's Bay against the Englishmen, is the ex-Ponsonby player of that | n ame. Private information received states that Kenyon is playing splendidly this season, and is looked upon as one of the most "brilliant players in the Southern iown. The second Test Match takes place in Wellington on Saturday next, the 27th inst The N.Z. team will be chosen after the* North and South Island match today.' The team chosen by Mr. D. Gallaher to represent Auckland against Goldfields in the inter-Union match next Saturday is a fairly strong one and should more than hold its own aj»ainst the country players. Miller at full-back is easily the best we have in Auckland, and his place «as practically a certainty. Of the threequarters, Murray is the pick, but no fault can be found with the inclusion of Wilson and Hogan, although probably there is very little difference between them and the next best, Carlaw. Bater and Stuckey have both earned their places, but one might have had to stand out if B. Magee was available. The evergreen Harry Kiernan is in his old v plaee behind the pack, and his experience should be of great benefit to the younger members of the team. With such an array of for•wards as Auckland possesses this season it was not a hard task to get a goodpack together, despite the absence of Seeling, Nicholson, Francis, and Cunningham, and, although exception may be taken to some of those included, it has to be remembered that -whoever was chosen, several perhaps as good had to be left out. I. The meeting of the two leading teams for the championship, Ponsonby and City, last Saturday, created a Jot of interest, and although the attendance was not a record- one, still a large <:rowuTwas present. From a spectator's point of view the game was not an interesting one. Although the struggle between the forwards was a hard one throughout, there were very few incidents to arouse enthusiasm. In the first spell it was expected that ■with a fairly strong- breeze behind them, Gty would have endeavoured to open up the play, but to the ordinary onlooker re appeared as if they were not too confident of their rear division, and were satisfied to -leave the battle to their forwards. This was undoubtedly a mistake, for with everything to gain and' nothine to lose, it was to their advantage to make it as open as possitf City's tactics were right into Ponsonby's hands, and the blue tnd blacks were also content to.leave the work to their forwards, and only on very rare occasions were, the backs given a thance to attack. The forwards on botii sides were at the top of their form, and ■ tae manner in which they fought it out ■ to the bitter end speaks volumes for their 8 condition. On the day's play there was y Toy little between the teams, and Pon--1 Knfcy must be accounted lucky in leaving a tie field with the honours. Their score ; 3 iis only obtained in the final stages, Jj after R. Magee, who had played a great a defensive game throughout, had l left- the 9 field. ". - . . 1 I Although it is hard to individualise, the M iest forward on the ground on Saturday ■ was probably Nicholson. The iPonsonby a aptain gave one of his old-time displays; ■I tnd was in the thick of it from the kickfj off till play ceased, making several splen--9 did openings which, had they been sup--9 ported, would probably have ended -in H Mores. His play on Saturday evidently i 1 earned him the place in the North Island a team, caused by GillettV retirement. I It is not often that one is called upon ■ to find fault with our crack forward, I CSeeling, but on Saturday ne earned the a iisapproval of numbers qf the' spectators a iy the slip he made. The.kick-out after U tte first force took Ponsonby by surprise, If md Walsh, dashing up, secured, and , after H Baking a splendid sent on to H Seeling, who ran to the full-back, and if with two of the red and blacks supportSing Mm on his right, and a clear, field in H front, a score looked as an absolute || moral, but Seeling held on too long, and H the chance was lost. It is safe to bet a flat; there was no one more disgusted H Uan the popular city captain. H Mc best three-quarter display given at *psom this season - was undc-übtedly that ■ pwiby Murray on Saturday, and! on no $! occasion during the afternoon did the S Ponsonbyite make a blunder. His fieldI kicking were of a high-class 6rII yrt&e his tackling was faultless. g One, regrets having to register a charge [I against Murray of unnecessarily bump-' i jp;mto a man, but his treatment of 1 ;wlein the eariy stages of the game !|s altogether uncalled for. Murray "is ™ good a player to have to, indulge ' in] I wHe of this sort, and it is to be hoped 3 Bat there will be no repetition. . I ; Aptoyer "who surprised even, bis moat I supporters on Saturday was ''toll, the City three-quarter. It was I FPffloa talk before the game started I ~vat lie would be found wanting if he got I 3 4"j%ht corner, but his play mus.t have I Unfounded! his detractors. Estall is p'os--1 Ned of a good dash of pace, but unforI lately h e g O t very few opportunities I it, his efforts being princip- | % confined to defensive work which he I without serious mistake. j j " vWaams, the reinstated City player, 1 P V|»te Ma first appearance this season j ■■i« •β-hie dub against Ponsonby on Saitur- j I ' ' ' •■ .!• ■

For the.winners .' it is hard to singli out : one player more th-tn' another,- tra of the backs Bater was perhaps th. best, and in the "'forwards. Hendersoi shone out, while Broiphy,"on' this wing did some fine "work, his dribbling beinj of a high order, but, some of his effort were spoilt by selfish play. On the home side Hurly (three-<qt-ai ter) and Arblaster and Murray _k>oda] (forwards) played exceptionally well. The trouble with the North Shore . team is condition, With solid traihin they would take a power of beating. The question of considering the ft arrangement of the junior fixtures wi! be dealt with at the meeting of the mar agement committee to-night. Parnell second juniors bave proteste against their match with City on Satui day last, being awarded to the latte team. City, it is alleged, were assiste by a player of the Marist Bros.' secon junior team. Dissatisfaction is expressed that, al though some teams have played Shor B twice, tbe City team have not yet mc them. This is evidently an o'versigh on the part of the committee, who wil no doubt rectify the matter, now that i has been brought before their notice. SECONDARY SCHOOLS. The game on Saturday last, King's College v. St. John's Collegiate School provided a rare treat for the early pat rons at Potter's Paddock. King's Col lege won more from tricky individua. chances than from combined play on the part of the backs; while St. John's wer< repeatedly on the attack, and wert only kept from scoring by the want oi reliable wing three-quarters. There was little to choose between the two packs though King's seemed to have heavier and more experienced men. Walker was the pick of the backs, and Hill, Hellaby, and Mowbray did yeoman service in the van. .; On the St. John's side, Haeata (half) certainly deserves special mention. He was decidedly the best man on the ground, frequently coming through to the King's full-back by feinting runs. His play was reminiscent of Davy Gage in his palmy days. Robson amd Ifwerson supported him well, while of the forj wards, Smallfield and Crawford were I always on the ball. It seems a. pity that more encouragement is not given to the Secondary ' Schools' Rugby Union, who for some years past have been endeavouring to , send a representative team South to •try issues with the Southern colleges. Every year in the South a tounnament takes place, when such schools as Nelson College, Wanganui Collegiate School, Wellington College, Christ's College, Waitaki, and Boys' High School (Christchurch) take part, each playing about three matches during the September vacation, ait different centres each year. There is no reason why Auckland should not be made a centre to play matches during September, holidays against Wanganui, Wellington, Nelson, and St. Patrick's Colleges, with a good rep. match to conclude the tournament. Every Southerner knows that these matches are the best Rugby exhibitions of the year, devoid of the endless and monotonous scrum-forward work which makes senior Rugby so often uninteresting. It behoves the Auckland Rugby Union to encourage the secondary school players, on whom they have not expended a pemny, during the last five years, at least. Outside of local matches between our four secondary schools, there is nothing to' whet the appetites of the boys. A Southern tour, say, to Wellington, by an Auckland secondary school rep. team, would remove the Southerners' mistaken idea of the backward nature of Auckland schools in the matter of Rugby football. Once the ice is well brokem, each individual school might see its way clear to make the trip. The visit of St. Patrick's College is creating no small stir among the boys of the secondary schools, as it is the first occasion upon which a Southern college team has visited Auckland. It is worth mentioning that the St. Patrick's team has received warm support from the Wellington Rugby Union.