ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8082, 24 September 1887, Page 6

ATHLETICS.

FIXTURES, FOOTBALL.

Roost HiinUy *. Ponson Epsom Grafton v. Thtmei— AQUATICS. Yacht rice for America Cup — Thistle, Bristish v. volunteer, American, November 2&-Beacb v. Hanlan, Championship of the World, Nepean lUtm.

football.

The football season for 1887 camo to an end last Saturday with the last of the Cup matches, by the result of which the Ponsonby Club won the Senior Cap for the.year. Tak> ing the season throughout it has been a very successful one both as regards interprovincial contests and the superior form displayed in the club contests. Of the former Auckland has had no l6ss than three visiting fifteens doing -battle against her on the Epsom ground; and though the record of one loss, one draw, and one win do not read particularly brilliant, yet when it comes to be compared with that of the Southern provinces I don't think Bhe has anything to complain of. The first of these matches will be well remembered as that with Taranaki, a province which has heretofore taken a backward place in athletioi, and whioh it was confidently anticipated would be beaten rather easily Iby the looal men. How far the result of the I match and the style of the visitors' play overthrew these predictions is now a matter of history. Owing to a combination of circumstances whioh could not very well be overcome, the team which Auckland put in the field was but a mediocre one, and not at all equal to that whioh did battle against Otago lately. The Taranaki men were as much superior to their supposed abilities, and had a heavy, fast, and strong team of forwards, who were in excellent oondition. Their back team, too, was much the strongest of any that has visited us, the two three-quarters, Bailey and Hempton, being far and away above any representatives ever sent here by Wellington (last year), Canterbury, or Otago. The game played by Taranaki is not such a hard and fast stick-tO'the-rule's aortas that shown us by the Southern teams, but in the points of physique, speed, strength, and collaring ability the Egmont team has all the advantage; it is a pity that the arrangements made by Otago and Canterbury did not permit of a match at New Plymouth, for there is no doubt that they would have each met foemen worthy of their steel in the Taranaki Fifteen, indeed, it is very possible they would both have gone down before them. The Canterbury match was very interesting as a trial of strength between two totally different styles of play, the visitors stioking closely to the " potting" taotios as a means to score, while Auckland trusted to the forml* dable array of running backs to gain the figures for her. The question of whether the potted goal obtained by Canterbury is worth as much as the three touchdowns obtained by Auckland is a matter that has been pretty thoroughly discussed by all interested in football, and no ipse dixit of mine could settle it, but the question will force Itself upon my notice, " Will Auckland have to adopt a system of scoring almost universally considered to be faulty here, in order to allow her to compete on equal terms with her sister provinces J" 1 fear that such will be the case, in view of the proposed Southern tour next year, but I cannot dismiss the subject without making this protest. The third interprovincial match, that with Otago, was the only one in whioh she scored a win, not because the Otago team was inferior to the Canterbury but rather on account, of the more combined play shown by the local men, more particularly the forward*. Had these latter played with as much unison in the match with Canterbury, I am positive they would have scored more, and consequently won. The great fault of the Otago team was its weakness in collaring and poor back play generally. Thomson was the only reliable man of any pretensions to be called first-class (of course excluding the halfback Fraser, who did not play), but their forwards played a very steady, hard* I working game, though neither as heavy !or as fast as Auckland. Altogether, judging by the contests of the visiting teams with the fifteens of all the places at which they played, I feel sure that 1 am not far out of the mark in predicting that if Auckland sends down a fifteen as strong as that whioh played Otago to represent her against the South next year, it will come home with a big record in the way of wins. The following is the position of the various provinces for the past season :—Taranaki, 1 win, no losses; Auckland, 1 win, 1 loss, 1 draw ; Hawke'B Bay, 1 win, 1 loss, 1 draw ; Wellington, 1 win, 1 loss, 2 draws ; Otago, 1 win, 1 loss, 2 draws ; Nelson, 1 draw ; Wairarapa, 1 win, 1 draw. During the past ten years the interprovincial matches between Canterbury and Otago have resulted in the game being drawn five times, in 1878, '79, '80, '86, and 87, in three winn for Otago in 1881, '82, and '83, two wins for Canterbury in 1884 and '85. ; The chief matches in Auokland during the past season have given rise to great enthusiasm, and during the first part of the programme, to much speculation as to the probable winners of the cap. North Shore started well by defeating all their opponents in the first round until they met Grafton who put them down. Ponsonby started badly with a loss by being defeated by the North Shore but carried off all their other matches in the first round, until Grafton broke the spell by making a draw after a weli-fought match an both aides. At the finish of the first series the Grafton Club was ahead for the cup having not suffered defeat; Ponsonby and North Shore came next 1 loss and 1 draw to their credit, and then followed Gordou, Albert, and Auckland in the order named, the Waitemata having dropped out. In the second louud Ponsonby defeated North Shore, and Gordon beat Grafton on the same day, which placed Ponsonby and Grafton on an equality for the Cup, with North Shore third. The meetiog of the two former clubs practically decided the possession of it, and the blueand blacks proved superior to their opponents, by winning by nine points. After the interruption caused by the interprovincial matches, the last match, that of last week between Gordou and Ponsonby, was played with the result of confirming the latter as premier club for 1887- In points scored, the Ponsonby obtained a far higher figure than any of their opponents, having no less than 158 to their credit, and but 9 scored against them. Gordon comes next in this respect, with 96 for, and 43 against, though Grafton's figures of 91 for and against are a better record. The Auokland Club comes last upon the list, with the fearful record of 1 win (by default), 10 losses, 4 points scored, and 209 scored against. Poor Auokland 1 how the mighty are fallen. While it is a pity to see so old-established a club so low on the list of seniors, it is gratifying to notice that their second fifteen occupies a high position for the Junior Cup, coming close upon the heels of the winners, who are the second fifteen of the Ponsonby Club. The Ponsonby Club has reason to be proud of carrying off the double this year, an event which has not occurred since the formation the Rugby Union. The Ponsonby Second's record for the season reads—l2 matches played, 10 won, 1 lost, and 1 draw ; the next on the list being Auckland Second, with 9 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw ; followed by Worth Shore Second, with 8 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw. Ponsonby Second scored 67 points during the season, and had 4 against them; Auckland getting 29, and 9 against | them.

The only match taking place tnls afternoon is a contest between Huntly and Ponsonby Second, at Potter's paddoak. In Thursday's issue I mentioned the former as a team representing Lower Waikato, but found I was misinformed, as not one of the fifteen resides more than half a mile from Huntly, and are all members of the local club. They have several good men, and a tough match is expected. Both teams will be entertained at a smoke conoert in the Imperial Hotel in the evening. Another match, which is causing considerable interest, is the game between Grafton and Thames, to be played this afternoon at; Parawai. Football is very popular at Quartzopolis, gmd they have a good team down there. ' During, the season the North Shore Club journeyed down and tried conclusions with them, but had to return with a defeat recorded against them. Ponsonby followed a fortnight later, but were unable to do better than make a draw with the local fifteen. Grafton confidently expeot to "bricg back those, ashes," bat results will prove. At all event*, the Thames team is worthy of all respect, and will not need any trifling with. The Huntly football t»am- reached town last evening by the Waikato train, and put up »t the Waitemata Hotel. The following are the names of the players: —Marshall, Ralph, Harris (2), Smith (2),

McGlynn, > Luke, Bailey, Tamer, Carter, Williams, Hammond, Buchanan, and McNeil. CYCLING. The noe for the Ten Miles Amateur Bicycle Championship of New South Wales was decided on September 10 in the presence of 10,000 persons. There were nine competitors. At the laiit lap .Wood went to the front, followed by W. H. Busst and W. Brown, and they finished in thia order, Wood winning by three yards. Time, 35min 45»e0. A. W. Pillow, Chriatohurch Bicycle Club, who, a few days ago, rode 50 miles in 3hr SOmin, the lowest record up to that time, set oat on September 9 to try to make an authoritative reoord. He left the Carlton Hotel at eight o'clock, having an unpleasantly warm and rather strong breeze against him all the way. The return journey was accomplished under favourable conditions, and Pillow arrived at the Riocarton Hotel at 11.43 a.m., having beaten his previous performance by 14 minutes, and lowered the bioyole 50-mile 8 road reoord for New Zealand to 3hr 43min,

AQUATICS. Now that the' great raoe botwaea Beach and Hanlan for the Sculling Championship of the World is drawing near, the following extract from a letter to Mr. John Way mouth, of Auckland, from Mr. Robert. Waterer, of Chertßsy, Surrey, England, may be interesting to my readers "It may interest you to know that Beach, the champion Soulier, whose mcwoalar development you so much admired, was born at Addles tone, not in the colonies, ' only leaving this neighbourhood when he was about four years old. His father wsb a blacksmith. One of his aunts is still alive, and is mother of a man who works for us. My father says both his father and grandfather were very strong men, and his aunt is a very sturdy old woman." . Jason.

i