SATURDAY'S SHIELD MATCH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 196, 18 August 1913, Page 5

SATURDAY'S SHIELD MATCH.

• —— UNPARALLELED ENTHUSIASM. 'MR. BUCHANAN'S VIEWS. Mr Buchanan, .manager of the Taranaki team, in conversation with a rcprewentotive of the -Star" this morning, exnrrtse.l himscif as being more delighted with the spontaneous outburst of enthusiasm and good feeling shown towards ■the Taranaki team by 'the Aucklind public, than even with the acceptance of the Rarrfurly Shield. Such a sporting spirit would be hard to find in any other part of the. Dominion, er.pcris.lly as Taranaki were, taking a-way Auckland's pet •haby. One would have i bought, continued Mr nuohanan. tb'vt Taranaki were leaving, not taking away, the treasured Shield, and on hohalf of the Taranaki Union and tbe team he would like to convey to tbe public of Auckland their sincere thanks for 'the reception, which, in bis opinion, bad never been equalled in the annals of football in the Dominion. If Lord Ranfuiiy himself "were presenting the shield io the Auckland team, there could not have been a greater outburst of enihur.iaism. and his team would never fonget it. He held the same opinion as- the Aitekbind officials, that a change of ownerFrhip would he in ihe bctsi interests of football generally, and hoped that he would ere repetitions of Saturday's game, which he believed was one of the finest eihibitionp of football he. had ever seen. OnostHme-I as to the likelihood of their having lo ile-fpnd the shield ibis season, Mr Buchanan said that they were fully engaged up to tbe time of tbe New Zealand team leaving for California, and there '.vas no lilrelihood oi their being a»ked to play after that. Auckland were paying them a visit on September 4. but did not i_tenil to challenge for the shield. Taranaki were due to meet Wellington on Saturday, at? Wellington, and were looking forw-ard to a big sfnrggle. They would be without the services of Stohr, who would he unable to return home with the 'tea—l on account of ihe injuries sustained on Saturday, while there was some doubt as to Roberts being -able to got the necessary leave. However, he had v/ired home for ti-iergencieß, and they were hopeful of avenging the defeat i-fiirf-ed by Wellington earlier in the season. On Friday afternoon, at the invitation of Mt M. -T. Shea-Vran. Mr Buchanan was shown over Eden Park, expressing himself delighted with the fine ground. He congratulated -the Unicm on their progro-isivenesc! in securing puch a ground, and their pluck in expending the large sum of money necessary for improvements. Mr Buchanan considered, when the up-to-date stand irt erected and the trrrar-cfi iwr..plrted. that outside the recreation ground at New Plymouth it would -be the finest ground in the Dominion. He expressed the hope that Taranaki would have the honour of playing lhr first representative fixture at Eden Bark.