LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 151, 29 June 1925, Page 9

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

IN RAIN AND MUD.

B WINS TRIAL MATCH.

VICTORY FOR WAIKATO

NORTH ISLAND'S EASY WIN.

BACKS TOO SPEEDY.

"Give us fine weather and we will get an attendance of 20,000," said officials of the New Zealand Rugby League. Well, the officials were disappointed and they had good reason to be. They had arranged the most attractive one-day programme on Saturday ever submitted in the Dominion. Three matches were stnged. viz., South Auckland v. Auckland v, a trial game between A and B teams and the North and South Island match. But instead of getting fine weather and a big attendance the conditions were the worst experienced this season, and the attendance the smallest, only a few hundred spectators being present when the first game began. However, after two o'clock the attendance began to grow, and though many thousands less than expected, there was a fairly big crowd when the North v. South Island gnmc began nt 2.45. With rain falling and the ground sloppy—in one place there was a miniature lake— nobody expected to see dazzling football, but making all allowances the main contest was such as to bold the interest throughout. The teams:— North (all black). —Dufty, Delgrosso, Davidson, Brown, Kirwan, Wjtherill, Wilson-Hall, Carroll, Townsend, Herring, Avery, Dixon, Bass. South (all white ). —Brosnahan. Parkes, Fitzgerald, McKay, Prescott, Saunders, Watts, Henry, Thomas, Mouatt, Ellis, Green. South won the toss and Wetherill set l the game going for the North. A fine piece of passing between Delgrosso, Wetherill and L. Brown saw the latter centre from the line for Townsend to secure but he was ruled offside. Awarded a penalty, Mouatt made a good but unsuccessful attempt at goal, and Dufty forced. With play near the side line at the visitors' twenty-five, Avery secured and threw in to Brown, who ran to Brosnahan before passing to Herring for the latter to run round and score between the posts. Delgrosso failed with the shot. North 3 South 0 Two minutes later Wilson-Hall handed the ball to Delgrosso, who sent a low pass to Avery, the latter could not get it but Dixon, who was handy, snapped it up and side-stepping an opponent, scored under the bar. Delgrosso goaled. North 8 South 0 Souths forwards broke away, and from a penalty awarded against the locals well outside the latter's twentyfive Mouatt placed a beautiful goal. North 8 South , 2 Herring looked like scoring in a solo dribble, but Brosnahan marked. South were handicapped by Townsend continually hooking the ball and giving the blacks plenty of opportunities. Ellis showed out in a breakaway for South, but he did not get any ■ support. Fitzgerald was nearly over, but got held up against the upright. Not to be kept out, the whites attacked vigorously, and, dribbling over the line in massed formatioj, Mouatt scored at the corner. He missed a difficult shot. North 8 South 5 The score saw the visitors put a lot of pep into their work, and, coming back to the attack, tbey were awarded a penalty in front of the North goal, and Mouatt made no mistake with tbe shot. North 8 South T Kirwan received the ball from WilsonHall, and kicked across the line. Brown dashed down and scored a great try, which Dufty did not convert. North n South 7 Thomas and Henery were breaking away well, but they rarely got far, the defence being sound. McKay showed out in a fine solo effort twice in quick succession, and then the forwards and backs, in a combined dribbling effort, swept down the field until stopped by Brown. South were now getting a better share of the ball from the scrums, and at half-time they had North defending. North l l South • ' Second Half. The visitors endeavoured to open up the' game but the backs did not show a lot of pace. A good piece of passing amongst the backs was closed when Dixon got Parkes on the sideline. Offside by Herring gave Mouatt another and with a nice kick he landed a goal. North l \ South 9 St. George was now hooker for the North, Townsend not coming on the field in the second half, he having received a broken rib- The blacks ■'.arted a movement and Davidson got he ball to outpace the opposition and -:ore. Dufty failed to convert. North x * South ° In the South team, O'Connor had •eplaced Meats. From the majority if free kicks the visitors adopted the 'up and under" method and they forced Kirwan to play for safety by marking. Fitzgerald retired, having received a Knock, his place being filled by Hastie. Pretty reverse passing between Brown and Wilson-Hall saw Brown in a scoring position, but he was called back the ball having been knocked on The Southern forwards were holdup their own with the North men but their backs were not handling: the ball or showing the speed of the blacka. | Carroll broke through with the ball at toe, taking it over across the South line for Averf to finish off the work and score. Delgrosso did not add the extra points. North p. South *-

..^ 6 Pacing between the North backs h™ cry t0 J ust misß <*°«ng by breaking through with the ball from the loose. McKay, Henry and Green were prominent in the lo ose , but with play near the centre Wetherill secured possesthrough centre, handed to Herring, who scored under the posts. Delgrosso goaled. North , #--> 22 South .".".".*.*.".'"" 9 Nn S rtK U ? me< L Within 10 3- ards ° f the North hne Watts worked the blind side and gave to Mouatt, who made a desperate dash to score, being held up right on the line. It was left for Wetherill, Kirwan and Brown to initiate a movement which relieved the pressure. Brown ?«i!« a S° th 1 r of his spectacular runs downaeld, short kicking over Brosnahan 9 head. Bass was handy and sent the leather on to Herring, the latter scoring his third try. Delgrosso goaled. North 27 South ".!!"!!!!. ~o Herring just missed, scoring a fourth try a minute later. An attack by South saw Green go right through the North with the ball at toe and Parkes should have scored but the ball slipped out of his hands. Mouatt at tliis stage was putting in some sensational work at the head of the Southerners. He started off several dribbling rushes which, however, were all nullified. There was no further score when the final bell went. The final score was: North 07 South .".'.".'.*.!. ~9 Mr. W. Ripley ably controlled the game. THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. FOURTEEN AUCKLAXDERS. On Saturday evening the selectors, Messrs. Liversedge, Pearce and Hardingham, announced tho 22 players who will leave on Friday next for Sydney to tour New South Wales and Queensland. Those selected are:— Fullbacks.—C. Dufty and P. Gregory (Auckland). Three-quarters.—L. Brown, A. Brisbane, F. Delgrosso, J. Kirwan (Auckland), J. Parkes (Canterbury). Five-eighths.— B. Laing and*Jl. Wetherill (Auckland), J. Saunders (Canterbury). Half-backs.—W. Wilson-Hall and C. Webb (Auckland). j Forwards.—B. Avery, E. Herring, J. O'Brien, H. Dixon (Auckland), E. J. Carroll (Wellington), H. Thomas (Otago), N. Mouatt (West Coast), F. I Henry, J. Ellis, A. Green (Canterbury).

SOUTHERN MATCHES. CHRISTCHURCH. Marists A, 13, beat Hornby 0. Marists B 15, beat Ryaenham 14. Addington 21. beat Woolston 0. Walmalrl 29, beat Llnwood 0. DUNEDIN. Athletic 14. beat Pacific 3. City A 46, beat Christian Bros. B 0.