ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9154, 8 September 1888, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

football. The only theme of conversation in football circles at present is the match that takes place this afternoon at the Iramway Com* pany's ground betwtso the English team and the local " reps." Additional interest is imported into this contest, because in the two previous matches each side placed, a win to its credit, so that the third game is considered as a deciding one, that will settle tne question of superiority. The fact that the renowned threequartef, Stoddart, is to play, will also be an attraction to many, and his performance will be eagerly _ watched, in order to see if his comrades, who formed, or rather expressed, a poor opinion of Whiteside's capabilities in .the same position, were not prejudiced in favour of their own The Auckland team of representatives, as now finally chosen, has not given unmixed satisfaction to those who take interest in the | Rugby game in Auckland, and indeed, it is j considerably inferior to that which met our redoubtable visitors last time. The back ! division is, perhaps, as nearly as good as . could be placed in tne field ; but it has the dis- t advantage of possessing several light-weights in its number, while the men are not nearly j so well drilled in concerted play, and the j prompt execution of the apparently trivial, yet essential, small devices of tine game , as they should have been. But the I greatest amount of fault is found with the | forwards picked, and a widely-spread opinion prevails that the division is far too weak in i scrumming power, especially when it is remembered that the Englishmen play nine forwards to Auckland's eight. This defect would have been absent had Marshall, Crowe, and McLean been included in the chosen fifteen, while the team would not have suffered in the open, as the three players named are more than equal in dribbling, following, &c.. to Heffernan, Gould, and Stewart. There ib no use, however, in malting any fuss now, for the team chosen will play, and I, for one am convinced that they will show up far better than they have been recently doing in practice. In the English Fifteen a noticeable alteration appears, in that Paul and Anderton. who formerly did such sterling work at full back and three-quarter respectively, have been relegated to the forward division, doubtless to counter balance the loss of weight and power caused by the absence of Penketh, Burnett, and the late Mr. Seddon. Dr. Brooks and Stoddart are the two new men (so far as regards Auckland) in the team, and each is stationed at three-quarter. The latter has a brilliant reputation, and is looked upon as a " demon " who will require the most careful attention from the Auckland men, as he is a fast dodgy runner, with strong fending tactics, and is also a'quick and sure " potter " at goal. Dr. Brooks is also spoken well of as a cool player of considerable merits, but whether he will prove to be as good in his place as Anderton, is a question that he will have to answer this afternoon.

The Auckland fifteen held a meeting last night at the Imperial Hotel for the purpose of arranging several matters of detail in regard to this afternoon's match. Mr. T. O'Connor was chosen captain of the team without opposition. The Tuakau Football Club intend sending a team to Auckland this morning to try conclusions. with the Ponsonby Wanderers', and on Monday they will play the Otahuhu team at Otahuhu. The following will compose the team Fullback : Miller. Thieequarters : Brown, Fergie, Kevens. Halves: Elliott, Harris, Scott. Forwards: McKean ('2), Perrit, Robb, Hampton, Griffin, Poland, Boyle. The annual meeting of the Auckland Cricket Club, which waa called for Wednesday evening last, lapsed for want of a quorum. It has been fixed to take place on Monday evening, when it is hoped that a large number will attend. Jason.