OLD RIVALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 192, 14 August 1936, Page 13

OLD RIVALS.

AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON. | LAST GAME OF 1936 TOUR. 55TH MEETING OF THE PROVINCES. (By PONTY.) To-morrow's match at Athletic Park between Auckland and Wellington will be the 55tli between these old rivals on the Rugby field. As the black and golds on Saturday week overwhelmed Hawke's Bay by a quarter of a century of points, it does not appear that the blue and whites can emerge successful from the final contest of their Southern tour. Of the four games played thereon, Auckland was defeated by Otago (Ranfurly Shield) 14— .5, won from Southland 19—16, lost to Canterbury 24 —15 and victorious over Wairarapa 21—10. The position of the contending unions to-morrow may be briefly summarised thus:— Gaines Won by Won by Venue. Played. Auck. Wgtn. Drawn. Auckland 28 17 9 2 Wellington . 26 10 l(i — Totals ... 54 27 25 2 Results of the 26 meetings on Wellington turf-:— Year. Winner. Score. 1875 .... Wellington 16-—1 1883 .... Wellington 4—3 18S9 Wellington 3—l 1895 ... j Wellington 9—-5 1597 Auckland 11—1 IS'J9 ...... Auckland 14—3 1901 .... Auckland 9 —3 1903 .... Wellington 4—3 1905 .... Auckland* 10 —6 1907 Wellington 11—3 1909 .... Auckland . . 3—o 1911 .... Auckland 10—9 1913 Auckland 11—9 1915 Wellington 22—8 191 Wellington 21—11 191 Wellington 23—14 191 Wellington* 24—3 1920 Wellington* 20 —3 1021 Wellington 27—19 1922 .... Wellington 19—11 1924 .... Auckland 9—S 1920 .... Auckland 115—12 1928 Wellington 17—13 1930 .... Wellington 16—15 1932 .... Auckland 24 —14 1934 Wellington 16—13 •Ranfurly Shield. Back to the Dark Ages. A few notes on, the games played at . Wellington may .be of interest. In the initial encounter 61 years ago a goal counted six points, a try two and a force-down half a point to the opposition. As Auckland was beaten 16 —1, it is obvious, therefore, that the best the visitors could do was to make Wellington force twice. Included in the Auckland team on the. tour as far south as Dunedin, and lost all five engagements, was Fred Earl, now Mr. F. Earl, K.C., president of the Auckland Cricket Association. Eight years later there was a row over the game at Newtown Park # that resounded throughout New Zealand. Wellington won by a goal potted by A. D. Thomson (a former Public Service Commissioner and magistrate) and a try by P. P. Webb, to a goal by Joe Warbnck. Tom Henderson, the Auckland captain, disputed the try and threatened to taJke his team off the field. Wellington's skipper (Colonel G. F. C. Campbell, now Controller and Auditor-General), while not waiving the try, agreed not to take the goal kick, and the game continued without the argilment being settled. No appe'al was -made to the Southern unions as arranged, and in that part of the world it was felt that Auckland's claim was not upheld by the facts, which led to a rather acrimonious dispute between the principals. Victory is conceded to Wellington to offset the latter's contention that a special return fixture in 1922, when (even Mark Nicholls fielded for Auckland and Karl Ifwersen kicked ten goals when the visitors were beaten 54 — 0) was not a pukka representative match. Wellington won in 1889 by a try of Torn Ellison's, converted by Syd Nicholls (father of three All Blacks), to a try by "Doss" Jervis. Six years later the black and golds were still victorious, three unconverted tries (W. Hardcastle, J. Swindley and H. W. Kelly, who died recently at Auckland), to Hughie Absolum's try, goaled by Fred Murray. Let There Be Light! Next eamj New Zealand's most historic interprovincial game, for Wellington _ m 1897 led by a point with time fast running out. Billy Wallace had kicked a goal from a mark and' the late Wiri Harrison had scored a try. Then George Smith ran through the Wellingtonians twice ("Doc" Murray converting one try), to clinch Auckland's first victory at Wellington and inflict the .first inter-union defeat ever sustained by the' local side on its own ground. As that season was the forerunner of the most glorious period in the Rugby history of this province, Auckland being unbeaten for six seasons, readers mav like to learn the names of the remaining members of the fifteen which vanquished the Wellingtonians 39 years ago: R. Masefield, H. G. Absolum, O. Rilev, Alby Braund (captain), J. Brady, Dave Gallaher, Edward Anderson, A. Wilson, C. Speight, H. Dacre, Jack Gillett and W. Pitt. And so on down through _ the ages, attack and counter, through victory and defeat there comes marching, through the corridors of time the mighty warriors of two of the most famous Rugger countries in the universe. After Wellington won the Ranfurly Shield'in the very first challenge in 1904 Auckland regained it in 1905.. to enter upon- an eight-years' tenure of Dominion supremacy, albeit occasionally defeated when the trophy was not at stake (to wit, by little Wanganui, 4—o, while Auckland was on its way home with the shield, and smaller Marlborough, : 18 —3, in 1909, at Blenheim). Then came oblivion -with the 14—ll beating by Taranaki at Potter's Paddock on August 16, 1913, the Ranfurly- Shield not coming back into Auckland's possession until September 8, 1934, when' Hawke's Bay, in its jubilee year, went down 18—14 at Napier. Within a year Canterbury whisked the championship away to Christchurch, only to lose it to Otago before the curtain was rung down for the season. Of only three games at Athletic Park since "Smithy's" day need I refer. The 1909 fixture was one of the wet-day classics of New Zealand football, a penalty goal by Joe O'Leary to nil. In 1911 "Baby" Dent scored from the kick-off; and when he followed with another try and Fred Roberts kicked a penalty goal Wellington led 9—o at the interval. Yet Auckland won, 16—9 (tries by Geo. Sellars, Alex Bruce and "Bill" Geddes: two converted by O'Leary. who also kicked a goal from - a mark). Two winters ago Auckland had "Wellington "beaten," when "Joev" Sadler came on late in the game, vice Frank Kelby, injured. The Wellington Collegian twice waltzed through the

opposition to play his way into the 1935 All Blacks. And what looked like defeat was turned into a 16—13 Wellington victory. Mr. Arthur Tilly, chairman of the " R.F.U. junior management board, who , has seen every Auckland-Wellington match ' for over forty years, left by the three o'clock express yesterday for Athletic , Park, in the confident hope that the tally ■ of wins and losses will be 28-25 by the , time he reaches the Queen City again on ( Monday. To-morrow's Gladiators. Teams to represent the provinces tomorrow:— WELLINGTON. Full-back.—Crisp. Three-quarters.—Wareham, Hansen, A. Wright. Five-eighths.—Fleming, Baldwin. Half-back. —Tindill. Forwards. —Leahy, Burke, M. Wright, Lamison, Guy, Devine, Pringle (captain), Andrews. Reserves. —Vartan, O'Halloran, Barry, Clayton. AUCKLAND. Full-back. —Bush. Three-quarters.—Byerley, D. Solomon, Fletcher. Five-eighths.—Cooney, Curtayne. Hu.S jack.—Frankham. Forwards. —Pepper, Bond, Brown, Anderson, Butler, Cooper, Carson, F. Solomon. Reserves. —Beyer, Moyle, Drake, McBeath. Killeeu, Dick, Hadley and Lockington left Wellington last night to play in the 31st inter-island game (North 17, South 10, drawn 3) at Christchurch to-morrow. It seems inconceivable that the New Zealand Rugby Football Union should arrange this contest to clasli with the Auckland-Wellington match and with the final day of the New Zealand Grand National meeting at Christchurch. BAD LUCK FOB SOUTH. CAPTAIN ON INJURED LIST.' (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") INVERCARGILL, this day. Owing to injuries N. A. Mitchell, Southland's 1935 All Black, who was appointed captain of the South Island team to meet North at Christchurch to-morrow, cannot play. SECONDARY SCHOOLS' FINAL. The final game in the A section of the third grade Rugby football competition tor secondary schools, played between Seddon Memorial Technical College anil Auckland Grammar School yesterday, resulted in a win for Technical by 18 points to 13. MATAMATA V. PONSONBY. Team to represent the Matamata Rugby Sub-union in the game against Ponsonby to-morrow at Matamata :—Pull-back : A. Hughes (Wardville). Three-quarters: Swap, Hawke, Germann (all Hinuera.). Five-eighths: Cole (Matamata), Settle (Hinuera). Half: Brown (Hinuera). forwards : Wright (Hinuera), R. Jones (Wardville), Sharp (Matamata), Madill (Matamata), Munro (Wardvillej, Blackett (VVardville), McLeay (Hinuera), Simpson (Patetere). Reserves: Itoy Johns (Hinuera), Fitzgerald (MatamataJ, Lowry (Hinuera), Strong (Patetere).