FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 22 April 1908, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

- ' -» ——■ ■TOUR OF THE ST.-JAMES TEAM. VICTORY AT MOTUBKA. Tho St. James team journeyed from Nelson to' Motuoka by boat, on 'Saturday, morning, oxpericncing rather a rough trip'. across the Bay, and from the team's arrival at Motueka until 3 o'clock it. rained'in."torrents. Tho gamoAvas a very fast one, the visiting-backs-handling the greasy ball in good-style;, and tho forwards working" well together. The local pack, although they playod hard, lacked that knowledgo of th-o game 1 which enabled tho St. James forwards keep the liall among themselves. Tho -lceal backs .could do little .with tho wet and slippery ball, and whenever it camo among them'wild passing spoilt any chanoes they had of,soaring. - Tho gamo tiided in favour of the St. James team by 17 to nil, th-o .scorers being Moffatt 2, Crowes 1, Ferguson 1, and.Wighton 1,. and Crowds converted ono try.

Among the forwards of the. visitors Wighton, Stewart,. and I'orry we're most conspicuous. In tho back division Ferguson played a splendid game, as also .did'.War-wick,-M'Grath, Crowes, and Murray.. ' Soveral of tho local men showed. promise of better things when 'they'. strike forin. Conspicuous among their backs was " Ship,!' Allen, tho famous Taranaki- and New Zealand representative five-eighths, who, despite his enhanced weight, gavo glimpses of his eld form. Tho team woro entertained ■ by' the lccal enthusiasts at a dinner that evening. Mr. Wratt (tho president of' tho club), ptopestd tho health of the visitors, which was replied to by Mr. Talbot, tho manager, and Mr. Ferguson; the captain. Tho team, travelled by coach to Nelson oil Sunday morning. ' DEFEAT-AT NELSON, Tho . Nelson mc-ir appeared • determined ,to lower, tho colours of the visiters, for not only did they put in their strongest members, but, in addition (it was reported), included players from two other clubs.' Among-tho " importations" was W. Smith, tho wellknown South Island representative. Tho gamo was fast' and solid, " with - occasional glimpses of brilliant play oil both sides. Tho. visitors drew, first blood, and t-lio try they recorded was worthy ,of mention. M'Gratli, from half way, scoured tho ball, and, after eluding three or fc-ur of tho opposition, just managed, $o get a somewhat.weak kick',in as, ho was pulled over.' From somewhere behind, Crewes shot out, : took the ball as .about half : a dozen, hands were stretched to ■. receive it, - and , with a .-. character! st-ic wriggle",roaohdd ' .the: twenty-five line,' where.ho passed!to. Warwick, and tho Wellington; sprinter showed a : clean, pair of Jsefels as he t streaked for tho goal, posts. Crewes converted tho try,-which was tho only i>coro recorded .by the, visiters. . . .The . lccal t-eam obtained two tries—one as the result of aJi exceedingly weak kick ,by a-St:-, Janies forward, from his own goal lino/riVlit into tho hands of the opposing centre three-quarter, and the other just- on tho call of time, in consequence of the visiting full-back en-deavouring-to force- tho ball instead of kicking over the dead ball lino/ j - ' Smith was prominent in. the fifst.spell, but ho was too well. marked to allow him - to do . much, although , on: several,'. occasions .he showed some of his old form'in dodging and running. AV.ot-iier . prominent player was Chapman; : Their, forwards ; were a solid lot, and' held- the, visitors in g'cod style.■For ' St. ' James',- , M'Gratli;, . 'Ferguson, Crejves, Molfatt, ■ Wighton. Stewart, - Warwick; and Kitto played well. . M'Gratli . was especially notiecablo.' for. jgopd lino,. kicking and, good stopping of rushes. .'This young player should prov-s a'.tower of strength to his.'team. . Taken as a ' whole, ..t-ho'lSt. James' backs' were' weak iii- dcfciice,; failing to. get" 'down' to . tho ball .iii front of-.the Nelson rushes.., Mr. Batchelor. gave every satisfaction as refereo. "/-'V,-'"' : , . RUGBY FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY. . ■ .' . Senior. ''■ . " ', ; - •P'otone. v.Southern,Petone No. I; referee,' G. A. Howe. ... - ' Oriental v.'Athletic, Miramar Park, No. 2; J. Condor: .. • ; ..' . Viotoria College v. Old Boys,' Miramar Park No. 4; W. O'Connell. ; ' Wellington v. St. Janies, ,;Miramar Park No. 3; H. Card. '. Melrose v.- Poneke, Miramar Park No. 1; E. M. Wylio. , Junior.- . . - • Oriental v. St. James,. Polo No. 1; L. Siovers. Ponoko v. Southern, Polo No. 2; J. Francis. \ ictoria College v. Old Boys, Polo No. 3; W. lloherts. . . . . Kia Ora v. Petone, Petone No. 2; J-. Calnan. . . .. Sclwyn v. Mclrosej 'Polo No. 4; J, Weyboiirno. -Athletic v. Wellington, Easte-No. 1; G. M'Kay. • Third' " A.".—John'sonvilld .v; St.-. John's, Johnsonvi.lle (J.-- F. vO'SuJlivan).;, Petone v. St. 'Patrick's College, .Pctdno N0.,.3 (G. B. Lusk); Athletic, v.. St. James,, ..Easts. No:' 2 (D. A- Taylor).; Oriental v. Pqlhill,, Easts. No. 3 (F;'\ Martin).; Wellington 'College, v. Southern, College, at; 3 p.m. (John Brown),!'

-'.third'* "B."—Epuini vr.-RSilfrays, 4 -' Epiini No. ; 1 (J. Greenwood); Kia. Ora v; Wellington, Lower. Hutt (?.-• A. Laws).; Melrosoi.v. Sclwyn, Easts No. 4 (C. Thompson); Poneke v.. Star, Easts No. .5 (Peter Mabido); Victoria'Collese vi Karorj, Karon (T."H; .Tones).

. Fourth.—Melrose v.' .Oriental' " B,"-.-'Ber-hanvpore (J. J.. Maliony); Oriental. "A " v. St. 'John's, Easts' No; 7 .(P.'Smith) ;'Potorio y. Epuni/No. 3 .Hutt (Neil ,M'Lean) ; Poneke v. Wellington,, Junction No::.1 (•L'O'Co'nholl).; Old, Boys v. Selwyii; Junction No. 2 (F. '■ C. - Atkinson); Victoria College v.. St. James, .Crawford's .No., .3 (J. Hannah); Southern v. Star,-Crawford's No.. 4 (J. Lawrence); Johnsonyillc .v. Polhill, Johnsonville (E; Carman); Athletic, a bye. . Fifth.—Athletic. " A' 1 . v. ; - Melrose, Easts No. G (J. Burns); Petone v. 'College "B," College, ,3 p.m.- N (II. Speight) ;■ College >A " v. . Athletic ",B," College, 1.30, , p.m.. (G. Gillespie); Southern.v.'Boys' Institute. Crawford's No. 1 (0;.I."Bell)j 'Polhill v. Epuhi, Hutt .'No.' 2 (VY. Fra.ser); .'St; James v." St. Patrick's . College, : Seatoun (J. Keys); "Sclwyn, a bye. ...