FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 153, 27 June 1908, Page 14

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY, A section of the' crowd which witnessed the match between South Canterbury and the Britishers so far forgot themselves ,as to laugh uproariously when Archer, one of the Visiting forwards, was injured. ~ Jackett, the crack visiting full-back, acted as one of the judges in connection with the Southland amateur boxing championships. - It was his intention to participate in an exhibition bout, but the injury to his ear had not sufficiently healed to permit him to do so. The fact, which was P mentioned in these columns last Wednesday, that the City 111. team had not yet. met North Shore (B) was informally discussed at i the last meeting of the A.B.U, Commit-' tee, and the opinion was expressed that if it was necessary, the clubs would have to meet twice before the season closed. Yes! "I struck him alright ," said a eecond-grade player, when before the committee of the Rugby Union last Wednesday. "What did you run for after you struck him?" was asked. "'What did I run for?. Wouldn't you run if he wss after you? Look at him! Why, he would eat two of my size!", was the reply. The candid admission resulted in the pugilistic, player being susjiended for the season. In connection with the big matches coming on, it would be a. big boon to j everyone if the authorities could see the advisability of starting play, siy, at 2,30 p.m., half-an-hour earlier than usual. At present the games are usually finished in semi-darkness, and for about 10 minutes it is sometimes impossible to ] follow the play. Another feature of | the case to be considered is the long wait some of the patrons of the Union have. When a big game is oh, numbers of spectators get out very early in the morning, and. the wait is a dreary one. A start halfyan-hour earlier is not out of the way, and. would inconvenience nojbcwly, while it Would benefit thousands, j The meeting of North. Shore IL anil I Newton H. in the socond round of ; thoj junior championship is causing a lob of interest, and the gain* is expected to be a close and exciting one. The game in the ordinary-course oi events is set down for July 11, and it should certainly be played, et Epsom. Probably the authorities will pnt it on as a curtain raiser! to one of the big matches. . _ In considering the "team chosen by Mr D. (lallaher to represent Auckland Against the Goidfields, which was played at Epsom this afternoon, I quite overlooked ( the claims' of jpenwick, the Grafton threequartcr. Renwick (has been unfortunate in the fact that this season lie ha 3 been playing for' a very weak team, and .therefore got very few opportunities but the ex-representative must have gone completely off his game if he is not fit to' be even second/emergency. Probably he will' be given a chance later on.' The stand taken by the English Bugby Union in connection with Jackson, one of the members of , ■the Anglo-Welsh combination now touring the Dominion, has been warmly commended by the local supporters of the amateur movement. Without having full particulars, one is unable .to offer any comment, but I think it can be taken for , granted that English Union have not acted without good grounds for co doing, and it will pfobably.be found that the step they have taken is the outcome <oif the inquiry commenced in December last, and which 'has been continuing for some months. The principal match at Potter's on Wednesday, under the auspices of the Wednesday Union, was that between. P.T. and Bait way and Butchers. As was expected, it was very evenly contested, and resulted in a draw. Playing with the ■wind in the first spell, the Butchers had sligfftly the better of the play, but in the second spell the P.T.B. rather more than held their own. For the P.T.B. Graham and Parker, in the forwards, played great games, the former being very conspicuous throughout. Amongst the backs, Little and. Beresford stood out, whilst Campbell'at full was very safe. For the Butchers, Cooper and Cole, in the forwards, and McKenzie, at .fiveeighths, played well. ■ The .inasck Waterside Workers v. Grocers. Was a very even one. Playjjig with the Wind in the first spell, the Waterside Workers failed to take advantage bf the opportunities offered, although on two occasions they narrowly missed scoring, once from a pot, and the' other from a penalty kick. The Grocers displayed a better knowledge of the finer points of the game,, and at the finish won by 6 points to nil. For the winners the forwards were hard to indSviduailise. whilst in the backs Burton and Hunt stood oat. The letter's two tries were really fine efforts.