LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 205, 31 August 1925, Page 9

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

| NEW ZEALAND V. AUCKLAND. i SOMETHING NEW. i I UNORTHODOX METHODS, j GREAT CROWD DELIGHTED. i : NEW ZEALAND'S FINE WIN. ! AUCKLAND OUTCLASSED. A crowd estimated at between 11,000 and 15,000 attended Car law Park j in the hope that the New Zealand team would produce something in League ioothall well away from the well worn routine methods oi flay to which we i ate accustomed. Possibly there had always been good League footballers in ! the Dominion, but it could ouiv have : c-een in the making and not in the i methods of play because it was aptly demonstrated on Saturday that we | have yet a lot to learn. In less than 1 three weeks the coach has completely revolutionised the game oi the New Zea- ; land team, that is. as we knew it bei fore the team left for Australia. In i the Dominion no club or provincial team I would have a chance of beating the best thirteen in Auckland, but on Samr- , day afternoon what was considered a j good side was made to look like a lot : of novices by 12 members oi the New - Zealand combination. DETAILS OF THE PLAY. i New Zealand (all black). —Full-back. Gregory; three-quarters. Deigrosso. Saunders, Parkes: five-eighths, Wetherill. . Kerwan: half. Wilson-Hall; forwards. Herring, Green. O'Brien, Thomas. Dixon, Avery. j Auckland 1 all white i. —Full-back, Herewith; three-quarters. Littlewood, Davidson. Gardiner: five-eighths. Cole. Riley; half. Peckham; forwards, O'Brien. s*_ George, Singe. McDonald, Payne. Bass. I New Zealand was first out led by i Avery to be followed by Auckland j headed by Bass. Avery won the toss j and Auckland played from the eastern |end. having the disadvantage of facing | a strong sum Bass set the game ! going and winning the first scrum, .Wetherill made an opening to set-d -on to Saunders, the latter being downed by Gardiner. There was plenty of - excitement when Parkes broke away j and cross kicked, but O'Brien, j who was unmarked and wide out was j ruled offside. So far the New

Zealanders had not produced any new tactics and they were lucky not to have a score registered against them when Bass. Davidson and Cole had them completely beaten. Cole having bad luck to fall in trying to gather in a very low pass. Wetherill suddenly made a brilliant opening, running to Herewini before transferring to Green, the latter handing on to Avery to run across and register the first score. Deigrosso goalee. New Zealand 5 Auckland 0 Something that the New Zealanders had been practising for a week was nut across them by Cole and Davidson, the latter coming round again to accept the return pass. The white forwards broke tnrough and Singe picking up off the ground whipped the leather' to St. George, who scored in a good position, hinge goaled, making the total 5 all It was not often the blacks got the ball from the scrum but when they did they proved themselves dashing and tricky. Tilson-Ha'! was responsible for the next try. when he badly dummied three Aucklanders before passing to Wetherill who scored. Deigrosso added the embroidery. New Zealand 10 Auckland 5

1 It was only knock-on’s that were ' pulling the blacks up. MHson-Hall was : making openings and he initiated the next opening which brought a score. After a dodgy run he transferred to Wetheriil who later passed to Saunders, the latter coming in. crossing scissors like and making Herewini look foolish. Delgrosso added extra points. New Zealand 15 Auckland 5 Just on time Ma-c-Donald and Psvne nearly brought a try to Auckland, but Gregory was solid. Second Half. Upon resuming, Davidson got in a useful line kick which put the whites attacking and Payne was breaking through when he was pulled ud for a knock-on. Then Wllson-Hall set the blacks going, four of the blacks handling for Parkes to be thrown out bv Herewini near the Auckland line. Scrummed. Herring and Averv dribbled across, Avery scoring less than two minutes after the spell opened. Delgrosso failed to convert. New Zealand IS Auckland 5 Herwan spoiled a brilliant dodgy run by failing to play the ball properly after being downed, and O'Brien came back with an attractive bit of dribbling which made Auckland the aggressors. Thomas ; retired with an injured shoulder at this stage. Awarded a free kick in front of the goal posts. Singe made no mistake with the kick and increased Auckland's score to 7. Peckham came away with the ball at toe and the whites were looking dangerous until Wetherill sent a long pass to Delgrosso. who got in a welcome line kick. Kerwan began the movement which ended in the blacks adding to their total when he sent a reverse _ pass to WTLson-EaH, the latter dashing down the middle of the field before transferring to Herring, who handed on to Avery. This player crossed the line. Delgrosso failed with the shot. New Zealand 21 Auckland 7 The speed and trickiness, together with the snappy passing, was quite foreign to the Aucklanders, who were completely tangled up whenever the backs gut going. The New Zealanders were doing anything but kick and they threw the ball here, there, and everywhere. making the opposition look like ■ schoolboys. It was the kind of football ! the crowd had not seen at Cariaw Park ! before, each man doing anything but what has been the custom all along. The crowd eheered when the New Zealanders passed the ball to and fro to be handled by half a dozen piayers, O’Brien topping the movement off by scoring in a good position. Delgrosso ; goalcd. New Zealand 2o Auckland 7 i Good work by Peckham gave Auckland j a chance and Singe and Riley finding ; the New Zealanders out of position, j Riley stored a try which Singe converted j with a beautiful kick. j

ine board had only just been altered when a black came down the field and Dixon got across. Deigrosso added the necessary points and the score read: New Zealand _• 31 Bass and O'Brien were making desperate attempts to finish off an 'Auckland attack and. the ball being sent out to Gardiner, ne was over the line but was called back. The na.ee was on all tie time and the crowd were delighted with the improved methods of the New Zealanders. Peckham and Davidson with the ball at toe beat the opposition and the ball went over the line, Deigrosso coming across to make a fine save. Lirtlewcod then had the New Zealanders' bothered when Saunders downed him only a few yards from the comer. Peckham ana Bass made fine openings bat the pass, which would have counted, that to Cole, was missed. Saunders whipped it up and l streaked for the Auckland line, only passing to Wetherill. who then cantered along to score under the posts. Deigrosso again converted. New Zealand 36 Auckland 12 Frequent applause greeted the New Zealanders and it was onlv bv kicking a little too nard that stopped Saunders irom further adding to the total. Auckland were completely baffled, so much so, that when Dixon handed the ball to 5s etnerill they all stood and watched him run down the centre of the field to score under the posts. Again Deigrosso goaled. New Zealand 41 Auckland 12 Except that they were entertained by tne ceugntrul here, there and evervwhere. play of the blacks, all interest in the game had gone. The slayers had saseu up ou both sides and were net no - treating the game seriously, but there i was always something doing in the wav ior entertainment. Peckham. Davidson. ' anu Littlewood showed out in a neat ' passing run which took the game to the I blacks’" twenty-five. Here" the ball came out to Gardiner who threw in to Davioson. the latter running round behind the posts. Singe goaled. j making the totals : New Zealand 41 Auckland 17 | Mr. Ripley was referee.

AUCKLAND TOURING TEAM. SO MS ALTERATIONS. to tie inability of Little-wood. Gardner. and Singe to tour South with the Auceusnd team. the:r places wiR be taken d,v Mason 'Athletic-. Lis: iKincslandj. 2nd outkiand -Maris* Brothers*. THIRD GRADE. Rameli G, t-eat Newton 0. FOURTH GRADE. Richmond 13. beat Fonsc-nbv 3. DeTonpon beat Marist bv defawt Is, beat a thief;-.'2. FIFTH GRADE. Eilersiie won from IVnsonbv by defan!:. Parnell I«1 from New Lynn by default. SIXTH GRADE. EUerslie_ won from City by default. i. oiled Suburbs 3. I-fa I Northeote <_*. SOUTHERN MATCHES CHRISTCHTBCH. Mari sts A 14. beat Hombv 4. Wairaairi 21. beat Maris rs B 5. QUEENSLAND Y. NEW ZEALAND PLAYERS FOR FIRST TEST. The following players have been chosen for the N- - Zealand team in the first test match against Queensland next Saturday _ Backs.—Gregory. Deigrosso. Wetherill merman. Wii son-Hall. Brisbane. Parses Saunders. Cole. Forwards.—Herring. O'Brien. Sing* Avery. Dixon. Su George. Ail players must attend at Victoria Pari at ten o'clock each morning this week fo: training. Two more players have yet to be chosen, as it is the intention to select seventeen.