FOOTBALL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CX, Issue 13216, 27 August 1903, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

SOUTH ISLAND v. NORTH ISLAND. [l'ek Tress Association.] ■AUCKLAND, August 26. Tho football matoii between representatives of the North and South Island was played at Alexandra. Turk this afternoon, in the presence of about 9000 spectators. JL'ho weather, though overcast during the early stages of the game, was line. A slight alteration was made in the composition of tho North Island team. Owing to Asher being unable to play, Harrison was, moved up to the wing three-quarter and Humphries took his place at full back, oumungham, Auckland's lock forward, was also absent, and M’Duff took his place in lock, but he was evidently not so much at homo there as Iris club male, as he failed to manoeuvre tho scrums up to Gunningham's standard. The game, was somewhatuninteresting, flashes of brilliancy only coming in here and there. In the first spell the Northerners had a shade the best of it, but in the second half the {Southerners completely turned the tables, and routed the Northern team badly. Their forwards lasted better, and beat the Blue, and Whites for the ball in the scrums, while the backs were a much better combination than their opponents, Wood and Stead and M’Gregor working splendidly together, while Turtill’s line kicking gained much of ground for his side, and by this, combined with the failure of the Northern backs to find the line, the Northern forwards were kept galloping up and down the field, with the result that they faded away towards the close, while the Southerners were still going well all round. The Southern kicking was a long way better than that of the Northerners, and on the play, the winners well deserved their success. The teams were as follow: North Island—Tullback, ■ A. Humphries ; three-quarters, W. Harrison, Winfata, Scott and Wilson; fiveeighths, R. M’Gregor; half-back, Eiernau; wing forwards, Gallagher, and Armstrong; forwards, Tyler, Udy, M’Duff, Long, Nicholson, Spencer- and M’Minn. South Island—Full-back, Turtill; threequarters, M’Gregor, Lavery and Thompson; five-eighths, Stead and Wood; halfback, Harvey; forwards, Porteous (wing), Jenkins, M’Nie, Fanning, Scott, Given, Oooke and Horga-n. Tho Northerners won the toss, and played with the sun at their backs. Nicholson missed the .kick-off, and n formidable Southern rush was saved by Wilson. The Southerners got their opponents on the defensive lor some little time. Lavery had a shot at goal without success, and: then Armstrong broke away and got the ball out to the centre. For a'few minutes the play was of a scrambling nature. Then Kiernan made a splendid opening, and Wilson took the ball into Southern territory, where he lost it not far from the line. Kieruan got the ball out of the crowd again immediately after, but Thompson saved the position cleverly. The Northern half next passed out to M’Gregor, who sent the ball to Harrison. The latter made a 'beautiful opening and passed to Wilson, who scored behind the posts, a quarter of an hour after the opening. Kieman kicked a goal —North Island 5, South Island 0. Soon after the kick-off the Northerners were in their opponents’ territory, and continued to have the better of the game, but their backs could not get going properly. Scott and Wilson followed up a kick by Kiernan and sent the ball over, the line, but it reached the dead-ball line before M’Minn, who dashed after it, could touch down, and South forced. 'From, a long kick an attack by the South was checked by Kiernan. Then a promising forward rush was spoiled by M’Minu, who, by punting too hard, enabled the South to force. Wood next made a beautiful opening, j and he end Lavery took play tho North territory, where, after some minutes of play, a forward rush ended in Scott scoring in the corner. Lavery's shot was a failure, and the spell ended—North Island 5,- South Island 3. In the second spell a Southern attack was spoiled by D. M’Gregor (knocking - on., and a bit later the Northern men rushed the ball to the other end, where Harrison punted over heads and picking up again passed to M’Minn a few yards from the line, but the transfer was missed. Then D. M’Gregor sprinted down the field with two. men backing. him up, but lie waited too long before passing, and Humphries pulled him down. Neither side had the advantage, and frequent breaches of tho rules made the game slow. A pretty bit of passing by the South backs put the North on tbe defensive. South Island were now having all the best of the play. After several faulty attempts at passing by the South, Wood made a beautiful run right through the opposing backs and scored. Lavery’s kick was a failure—South Island six, North Island five. South continued! to press, and in a few minutes Stead picked up near the line'from a scrum. He cleverly threaded his way through the backs and over the line. Lavery’s kick was again a. failure—South Island nine. North Island five. For some minutes the Southerners had the hall at the Northern, end, and then a great forward rush took play into the Southern territory, where a fine chance was lost owing to the faulty play of tire Northern backs. South Island once more started bo attack, and D. M’Gregor, noth a> beautiful run, scored the fourth try for his side. Turtill’s kick was a failure, and tho game ended—South Island twelve. North Island five. TARANAKI v. MANAWATU. [Per Press Association.] PALMERSTON NORTH. August 26. The Taranaki representatives defeated Manawatu to-day by seven points (a goal from a mark an d an unconverted try) to three points (a try). From a scientific point of view, the display was somewhat disappointing, although the teams were very evenly matched. There was a good deal of rough play, and one man on each side had to retire. HAWKE'S BAY v. SOUTHLAND. [Per Press Association.] INVERCARGILL, August 26. After a long spell of excellent weather, the Hawke’s Bay team had to meet Southland under execrable conditions to-day. Indeed, had it Teen possible, the match would have been postponed, in the interests of the players and tho “ gate ” alike. General sympathy was expressed for the Hawke’s Ba.y*men, this being the first visit of a- team from that district, that they should have had so poor an opportunity to show their mettle. They played very well indeed, and had hard luck in not scoring in the second spell. Rain had fallen for the previous twenty-four hours, and continued throughout the match, with a fitful breeze athwart the ground, , which was dotted with small lagoons. Good play was impossible. Tho local men won, largely because they were in their native element. The game ended Southland fourteen, Hawke's Bay nil, but the visitors gave the Southlnndcrs plenty of work defending in the second spell. There were a thousand spectators. Yesterday afternoon the Boys’ High School team beat the Old Boys by 24 points to 22. Early in the game the veterans seemed to have a, runaway chance, but the heat of the day and the pace of the younger players gradually changed the balance of power. Mr R. Speight was referee. After the match the “present” boys, with Mr C. E. Bevan-Brown, their headmaster, and Mr R. Speight, were tho •guests of the Old Boys at a dinner at the Ladies’ Club. The complimentary toasts included “ The Old School,” to which Mr Bevan-Brown replied. The balance of the evening was passed in song mostly. The annual match between teams representing the Arts and Engineering sections of the students of Canterbury College was played on the College ground, North Park, yesterday afternoon, an interesting same ending in a win for the Engineers by

twenty points to nil. The Arts’ players included the pick of the College Clubs Senior backs, while the opposing team had a similar advantage in the forward 1 department. 1 The open’ng of play was noticeable for some very fast dashes by the Arts tnree-quarte-r line, Bishop and .Moves being especially venturesome, but sound tackling by Holden, Acliesou and Kissell repelled the attacks. Lack of condil ion soon began to toll a tale-on the Arts, and the Engineers forwards, by good scrumming and footwork, aided by nice touch-line kicking by Hungerford, commenced an invasion of the Arts’ territory, which they kept up during the greater part of the first spell, I osiergaining a try—directly due to a smart piece of-play bv Himgerford—which 11.I 1 . Kissell converted. The beginning of the second ■ half found the Arts men in a weary and disorganised condition, and the Engineers, playing up better, in inverse proportion, soon had their fellow-students at their mercy, Achesnn, Baxter and Holden touchinp' down in quick succession, fine place-kicking by Kissell securing the additional points in each instance, which brought the total to twenty at no-side. Mr E. I). Rico was referee.