FOOTBALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7227, 29 April 1884, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

EAST CHKISTCHTJRCH v. SYDENHAM. First Kifteens. There -were a large number of people on the grouud to see the match between the first fifteens of these Clubs, -which resulted in a victory for East Christchureh by a goal to mi!. Mounlfort obtained the try, and from it Pooks kicked a nice goal. The game from a football point of view was on the whole a very sorry exhibition. AVe have never before seen the East Christchurch forwards scrimmage, dribble, or back-up so badly, nor the Sydenham forwards so smart in getting on to the opposing backs, who on Saturday stood a great deal too close to the scrimmages. On the winning side Mountfort played the best game. The men were not too heavy for him, and he was in good form. He did a lot of good, useful work. His comrade Fuller, on the other hand, was altogether off-colour-. Haskell had little to do. He seldom got the ball, and when he did the blue forwards were so smartly down on him, that he never got away far. Francis played a very fair game, but ran too much; while Eaynor, although not in the best ot health, performed very well indeed, playing the best half-back game on his side

~, K5 one great faint, and that is when n-Vwl he simply looks at the man who if tacked up instil of passing to ? „ ' \ s for the forwards, we can only say £ W were disappointed with them On [.form thev showed, Sydenham wouldhave I",tcn them had the Southerners played ■'tli -inv heart. IWo played the best ik «'iino for Sydenham, two of hi:? dodgy „,n« almost taking him clean through his r D wnonts. Fleming also proved a useful •in hi- l°u«.r punts out of touch proving "f -neat boneiit f> his side. Allardycc and Ties onlv shone when there was collaring :,{ HM lone. while M'Loan was altogether out of form, "-'he forwards played fairly; tint is to say. although of little uso when lril>T>li" ,T w;,s *° * w ( i° no > t.!n»>* knew how to stop rush, while the manner in which they charged the hacks and them' from doing any damage Showed that they are a wonderfully improved lot. They were in fine trim, but so lon>' as thev resort to the old tactics of Ivin-' on the ball at every opportunity, thov'may sometimes avert a defeat, but win never hope to win a match. SECONP FIFTEEN'S.

The second fifteens met on tho Sydenham <round. and a very even game ouded in favour of East Christchurch by a goal and ~ try (six point*) to a try (two {joints). The"forwards were very evenly matched, and it w;is only when the yellows got a bit of loose work 'that they made- much headttov; Moule and Phillips were a help to their side* in the loose scrimmages. Hulstou and Mason, half backs, worked hard from beginning to end for Sydenham. The former's running helped him greatly, and after securing one try, ho was robbed of a second by being thrown into touch in «*oal. -h Fuller secured the try for East Christchurch. and Montgomery dropped the goal fn«m the field. This player was the 'ov.ly one of the East Christchurch half-backs who showed anything like form. On several occasions ho prevented his opponents from scoring. CHRISTCHURCH v. CANTERBURY COLLEGE. This match was so one-sided that it is hardlv worth extended notice. The senior Club "had it all their own way. Helmore and Dobson got two tries apiece, and Msthias, Short, Morgan, and W. Millton one each, from which two goals were kicked. Matson also dropped a goal from the middle of the ground. The latter, who, has played under Victorian rules, seemed to be" able to kick the ball pretty well from one end of the ground to the other. Mathias, Haast, Watson, and Cohen worked hard for the College. Practice games have been arranged in conjunction with the Sydenham Club, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, on Cranmer square, at 4.30, and in view of the important Club matches which -will shortly come off, it is hoped that members will take this opportunity of getting into form.

MERIVALE v. LINCOLN COLLEGE. On Saturday the Merivale Club gained a decided victory over Lincoln College, notwithstanding that Hiddlestone played full-back, in the absence of Gapes, and there were two emergency men playing amongst the Merivale forwards. Nuttall distinguished himself with his dribbling from the start, andhad his reward by obtaining two touch-downs, from which Hiddlestone kicked one goal. After a momentary spurtbyWhite and some ineffectual attempts by the College to resist the pressure applied "by their opponents, Smith potted a splendid goal, and shortly afterwards he ran in and obtained a touch-down. The try was at an awkward angle, but Hiddlestone neatly kicked a goal, after which time was called, Merivale winning by 16 points to nil. The game was very fast, on account of the Merivale forwards confining themselves to dribbling, and also on account of the College heeling out to their quarters, who were collared as soon as the ball came through a scrimmage. For the winners, Smith and Nuttall played exceedingly well, the dribbling of the latter be-in g very good. White, as usual, did a lot of Fork for the College.

A match between the East Christ-church Eeserve and the Sydenham Juniors also went to the East Christchurch team, who, although without the help of three good backs, and playing a man short, pulled through in fine style, winning by two goals and three tries (16 points) to two tries (four points). Hobles secured four of the tries and Price one, while the tries for Sydenham Juniors were gained by Donnelly and Clarkson. Besides those mentioned the Dunlop Brothers, Ward, Denham and Sunderland, for East Christchurch, and Comer, for Sydenham, played wdl.

Tr.-entv-two members of the North Canterbury Club turned up on Saturday afterawn, and a good game was played between Hides chosen by Messrs Maxwell and Bouike. The team captained by the former proved the winners by a large number of points. The Kaiapoi Club had a good practice game on Saturday, , about 35 members turning up. Sides were chosen between Messrs Mitchell and Broadley, and resulted in a very even contest, the former gaining three tries to the latter's four. No goals were kicked.

MEETING OF THE EUGBY UNION. A meeting of the Canterbury Eugby Union was held at the Commercial Hotel, last evening; present—Messrs W. V". Million (in the chair), T. L. Smith, Kesttven, Fuller, Higgins, Lowry, A. Anderson, Mathias, Gapes, lies, Evans, and Osbora.

The Chairman read a letter from Mr J- E. Sleigh, of Dunedin, Hon Sec. of the New Zealand football team proposed to be sent to New South Wales, stating that the Southern Eugby Union of that Colony had decided to offer the New Zealand team all the profits of the trip up to hotel and steamer expenses for 17 men, any surplus to go to the Southern Union, expenses to be computed from the start at Wellington to the return to that port. They thought eight matches would be more desirable than six, and the dates suggested from New Zealand, viz., leave Wellington May 22, leave Sydney June 17, would suit. Mr Sleigh stated that, in answer to these proposals, he would write that the New Zealand players would like 19 men's expenses paid, alao their coastal fares, if there was sufficient profit on the matches ; and that six matcheß would be quite enough, in three weeks, for the New Zealand team. The letter further stated that the Union Steamship Company had offered to convey the team on the same reduced fares that the Sydney men paid on their visit to New Zealand. To facilitate matters, Mr Sleigh proposed paying half fares himself, and giving his own guarantee for the other half to be paid on his return to New Zealand. He would like the Canterbury Union to give him guarantee for, say, one-loui-th of any nett loss on his part. He would also like to have the names of the Canterbury men before May L The team was to meet in Wellington on or previous «> May 19, and a match was to be played there on May 21. A captain and match committee would be chosen in Wellington oy the team.

After some conversation, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr T. L. Smith, seconded % Mr Pulle,—" That this Union contribute pro rata to the expenses incurred (over and above those guaranteed by Sydney), such guarantee to be on the basis iSb/cSSbtyT COntribUted t 0 thG A complaint was made of the conduct of certain persons playing with nails or metal tips on the soles of their boots, and the umon decided to request umpires to draw •tttention to this reprehensible practice ihis concluded the business, and the meeting terminated.

THE SYDNEY TEIP. -Jie following have been selected by the

Canterbury Union as the representatives of this district in tho New Zealand team : W. V. Millton E. D'Auvergne E. B. Millton G. H. Helmore. [Pkb Pkess Association.] AUCKLAND, Afbil 28. Tho Auckland Rugby Union has selected the following play era to represent Auckland in the New Zealand team for Sydney:—Ryan, Warbrick, Whiteside, O'Connor. The fifth man is under consideration.