FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 194, 16 August 1911, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

RUGBY. The resolution passed by the Auckland Kugby L'nion at their meeting last week, re the appointing ul referees, is to coaie beioie tnc Kell'ieW Association at their meeting tnia evening, from what can be galheiert, tnerc i= nkcly to bo a jjveiv and the outcome will be awaited "it.i interest. i'robaoly, however, it will only be a storm in a teacup, and, as 1 have pretty pronounce 1 views on tne subject, twill wunuolu criticism mud the question uus been ueeidc-U by the Association. J. Fitzgerald, the Uty full-back, had the ,mi=jurluue lu fall ou sutuiMuy, ana break ins collarbone again, n will ue remembered that ril/geiald broke his collar-bone in the u.y v. funsono.. match, and the injured member was almost well again, '.Mien he tr.pped wtodts coining down the stairs, with ue above result. Une wet day recently Thames gave an Auckland representative team a ingut, and, consequently, there were some whispers heard concerning what might happen to the Kanfurly .Mneld dcienaers when they were about to meet the goidiielders a" second time. They met last Saturday ou a dry ground, and, as everybody knows now, nothing very serious happened to Auckland, though the Thames reputation got both legs fractured in the collision, and was carried home unconscious. ,

As a matter of fact, it looks as if the premier province is going to send .South a team which will give a good account of itself. Willi the progress of the tryout games, each successive fifteen sent out by Mr Gallagher in the representative colours, shows to better advantage than its predecessor, the improvement being more marked in the improved combination to gpneral finish of the back play. Even allowing for weaker opposition and the absence of wet, the backs of Saturday gave a much better showing than did the seven who got out luckily with a draw against the Xorth Island country team.

The Thames side possessed weight and pace, but the players showed little of the field-craft which comes under the terms combination and tactics, and which does more to put on points than does brute strength. The Aucklanders, on the other hand, went on the Socialistic principle, that every man should have his chance to work. At times there was a tendency to overdo the thing by passing the trouble o.i to the next man just a bit hastily, but in the main both backs and forwards played a heady game. Considering that everything was in favour of good handling, the weakest part of the play all round was the fumbling of the backs. The taking was generally pretty sure, though the visitors occasionally showing a weakness here, but the ground fielding was not so clean as it should have been. The notable exception was J. O'Brien, who in the few occasions he came into play was refreshingly accurate in both lofty taking and picking up, while he found the line with certainty.

The work of McGregor and Stewart was good throughout, the former showing more confidence than usual in his handling while he lost none of his dashiness when once in possession. Murray was aggressive from the jump, and did some smart attacking wo ik, though he might occasionally, after beating his man, have used the. in-pass .instead of playing always to the end of the line. In this connection it is possible, of course, that he had an understanding with Gray, as the five-eighth frequently used Ms pace effectively to sprint round and come into the passing rush a second time.

Magee and Gray showed a commendable understanding of each other's .intentions, and were jointly responsible for much of the trouble that was made for the visitors. in loose play Magee showed a happy knack of flicking a pass away with his foot to the outside man, a handy little trick that saves time and also does away with the knock-on difficulty. Ottersen played a hard, heady game, and always got his passes away nicely.

Harper and Bruce were prominent throughout in the ruck, and vied with Wilkes in sweeping down on the opposing baek3, while both Tyler and Cunningham were always on the alert to snap the ball up in the loose and get going those forward passing bouts which are a heritage to' New Zealand of the All Blacks tour. It was noticeable that Auckland did not always get the ball in the scrum, but Thames generally lost their advantage when they did secure, by Griffin's desire to have a run on his own before letting it away. On the line, too, tho local forwards did not have things all their own way. Hall and Barrett at times showed up in this department, but they bad on occasion to give way to Crawford, McPherson and H. Hayward, who showed some skill in securing and breaking from the line. The Thames men, however, lacked the craft necessary to follow up this advantage.

Boles and Dovell, at five-eighth, did a deal of hard defensive work for the visitors, as also did Montgomery, but the last-named at times spoilt his usefulness by faulty fielding. Joyce, in the centre, bad a hard man to stop in Murray, and he at times let the Aueklandcr away by attempting to tackle high. E. Hayward. at full-back, was constantly in action, and he performed creditably, though a habit of delaying to get his kick in at times landed him and his side in trouble.

The Hamilton representatives meet Loner Waikato at Huntly on Saturday, lOtli August. The following will represent Lower Waikato:—Full-back. L. Gordon; three-quarters, Vincent, IT. Peekham, Tumete: live-eighths, Geo. Paki, L. Pulham; half. VV. Xepe; winp-forward, J. Cox; forwards—A. MeKillnp, J. Cheyne, C. Drake, Kio Tarawhiti, Kari Martin. Cooper. A. McKinnnn. Emergencies: Forwards, 11. Buchanan and B. Mamlerson iHnntly): backs. .T. Moroney (Huntly). K. Foot.' ( Ran-ririri ). Mr. F. Johnson, Hamilton, will officiate as referee. AUCKLAND V. HAMILTON. A i_ntcli will be played on Saturday at Alexandra Park between the school reprelentatlrea of Auckland and Waikato. The following teams have been chosen, and will meet at the Outer Domain to-morrow at four o'clock for practice:— School Repiesentntlve TPam.—Fnllbnck, Gregory: three-quarters. Martin, Gaspnrlch, Perritt (North Shore): five-eighths Ballantync, Wetherell; half back, Elliott; wingforward, Hardley; forwards. Hewltson, "Marshall, Bailey, Ilatton, Gtiffln, Walker, Wilson. Combined Team. Murray, Kneebone, Kelly, McDowell, Wilson, Morrison, Hlng, Martyn, Burdy, Stormont, Southwell, McGregor. CotUnidiam. Kennedy, Chltty, Herrins.

NORTHERN UNION NOTES. The loiiowing representative fixture's with the Northern League will be played against .Auckland, at Auckland this season, being challenges for the cup: Versus iiauke's Lay, August 19th, at Victoria l'airi; v. Nelson, August 20th; v. Taranaki, September 2nd; i'oxton, Levin, Otuki, Waikiuiae, and Palmerston North Lave also upproached the Auckland League with a view to \etting matches. A .Maori teani has been formed at Daunevirke and plays Palmerston North on August 30th, and probably a match will be arrunged with Auckland for September lit hj. The exhibition put up by the Lower Waikatu representatives was very creditable, and a fast and open game was witnessed. Auckland were never seri ously troubled as to the result, but the opposition was suilicient to extend them at times. In the first spell the tactics of the Auckland team were responsible for them getting through on several occasions, but when once the Waikato men grasped the fact that the visitors were feinting with the ball, and being let past, they adopted a more effective tackle, and the tone of the game changed. The action of the Northern League .in s?nUmg a team to Prankton on Saturday strengthened the hold they are getting on the country districts, and aroused a deal of enthusiasm in those who saw the game for the first time. Speaking at a meeting held in the evening, in Hamilton, .Mr. Sprague, captain of the Lower Waikato League, said that since joining the Northern League they had got on much better than in the old duys, and were granted more benefits.

One of the most prominent players in the match at Krankton on Saturday was Sprague, captain of the team and fiveeighths, lie was all over the ground, and was responsible for most of the rushes started. Sprague is a nuggety player, and after the exhibition put up by him on Saturday, he should find him self in the Auckland province representative team before the season ends.

Sprague was in good goal kicking form on Saturday, and sent the ball across the bars four times. Hall ao counted for one goal, but his kick was the best of the day, from just insidj the half-way line.

C'reane. on the three-quarter line, played a sound game for Lower Waikato, but taken as a whole the backs of the country team did not have much combination. Individually most of the men were good, but they made a poor contrast in their passing rushes to Auckland.

Carlaw played nn exceptionally good game at Frankton on Saturday, and was hard to stop in his runs, by reason of the crouch h"e affects. The Waikato players found tackling high in his case of not the least good. Dillamore had to go off half-way through the match, as he was suffering from a bad knee. Auckland's forwards showed how the scrum should be worked on Saturday, and on almost every occasion they shot the ball clean out to the half. In this respect they were immeasurably superior to the country team. The match to be played at Victoria Park on Saturday, between Hawke's Bay, challengers for the Northern Union, cup, and Auckland, the holders, will be an interesting game, as the visitors are said to be a hot lot. ASSOCIATION. The Wellington-Auckland boy»' match last Saturday proved a most interesting ■contest. The clean and gentlemanly manner in which the game was played greatly pleased those who witnessed the contest. Two country teams have entered for the cup competition, namely, Huntly and Hamilton \Wnderers. Tabernacle have been granted permission to play Mt. Albert on Saturday next.

It has been decided to play Taranaki at Eden Park on September 9th. The Taranaki side will be found a strong one, and, therefore, an interesting game should 'be witnessed.

The local body have decided to give medals to the Ist, 2nd, 3rd and 4th divisions this season. The fifth division have already been informed that a cup and medals have been given by two enthusiasts.

The cup competition will start on Saturday next. Some eight teams have entered for the competition. It has been decided in the event of a draw, at the end of extra time there being no score, to count corners. Mr McClelland has been elected a member of tho management committee. All soccerites will regret to hear that Mr Banister, the delegate for the Corinthian Club, and one who has taken a great interest in the Association game, had the misfortune to break his leg during the week. The sympathy of all players and supporters goes out to Mr Banister in his misfortune, and they wish ham a speedy recovery. Never in the history of Association football has such keen interest been shown by V ie executive as has been shown tliis season. Those elected have been present at all meetings, and have decided to meet through the summer months, and go thoroughly into the business which needs more than the business of the season. The bovs' representative team will visit Wellington this month. So far, no word has been received as to the actual date, but it is believed it wall be plaved about the 26th August. Gilmore. centre-forward for the boys representatives last Saturday, will be unable to go South.

The mntwhes. ground*, and referees for Saturday are ns follow: COP COMPETITION. ■Huntly v. Everton. No. 1, Eden Park; Mr. Tugnrt. „ „ „. Caledonian v. Ponsoniby, No. 2, 'Eden Park; Mr. Richardson. Corinthian v. Hotspur, No. 3, Eden Park, Mr. Speed. . _. _ . Carlton v. W.Y.M.1., No. 4, Eden Park; Mr. French. . North Shore 1., North Shore 11., .Hamilton, and Brotherhood A, byes. SECOND DIVISION—LEAGUE MATCHES. Corinthian v. Y.M.C.A., Domain; Mr. Jarrot't. Gordon v. North Shore, at North Shore; Mr. Robinson. St. John's v. Brotherhood A, at North Shore; Mr. Dunsford. v'IFIH GRADE MATCHES. Remuera v. Edendale, No. 2, 1 p.m.; (Mr. B. Davis. St. Luke's v. Y.M.C.A. A, No. 3, 1 p.m.; Mr. Massam. i Northcote v. St. James' No. 4, 1 p.m.;i Mr. BHncoe. ( Tabernacle v. Rovers, No. 1, 2 p.m.; Mr. Cadwallnder. Mt Eden v. Y.M.C.A. B, No. S, 2 p.m.; Mr. Atkinson. I Beresford v. Church, of. Christ, No. 2.2 p.m.; Mr. Clark. • 1 Snore, a bye. I

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) , WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A meeting of the New Zealand Football Association irm held -to-night. Some time ago two Ota go players were charged with insubordination ou the occasion ur a visit to Canterbury. The Otago Association passed a resolution disqualifying these two players from ever again representing Otago, and now wrote to the New Zealand Football Association, asking that these men be not allowed to represent New Zealand. The recommendation 'was adopted, and the action of the Otago body endorsed. The Wanganul Association wrote, stating that they were unable to send a team to Canterbury at present, and asked that their challenge for the Brown shield be held over. The request was gran'ted, and the secretary instructed to ask Wanganul to suggest a later date for the challenge match. Wellington now claims third place on the routine of challenge matches. The Auckland Association wrote, asking for permission to join the Sports Protection Association. The proposal met with fw>uie opposition from members, who thought the Sports Protection Association was a body formed for the purpose of protecting one sport only—-horse racing. The matter was deferred until the affiliated associations have been circularised.