POLO TOURNAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10083, 19 March 1896, Page 6

POLO TOURNAMENT.

RANGITIKEI DEFEATS AUCKLAND.

[BY TBLfiORAPH.— ASSOCIATION.]

Palmxrston North, Wednesday. The annual polo tournament for the Sarile Cap opened to-day in fine weather, but after an hour's play rain fell and made the ground slippery. The games were very fasb, and good play was witnessed, more especially in the Auckland-Rangitikei No. 1 match. The teams were—Rangitikei No. 1: Bill, Riddiford, Wilson, and Blundell. Auckland: Wynyard, O'Rorke, Bloomfield, and Gordon. Auckland getting the advantage from the throw in, made a strong attack on Rangitikei's goal, and within three minutes O'Rorke hit a good goal. Rangitikei then asserted themselves, and made a continuous assault, narrowly missing a score on several occasions, but Anckland came with a great rush from near their own goal, and through the splendid hitting of Bloomfield scored another goal. In the minute remaining Wilson carried the ball from Rangitikei'# quarters, and a goal was just missed by a yard or bo. Auckland again rushed Rangitikei's territory from the throw in, hut the latter soon cleared their lines and had Auckland in trouble, experiencing ill-luck in missing the coveted point. At lasb, however, after some good hitting on both sides, Rangitikei •cored, and attacking Auckland again just on time, scored a rather easy goal. On resuming play Rangitikei were again to the for#, but Auckland quickly recovered, aud carrying the ball down, made two very fair but unsuccessful shots. Play was very fasb towards the end of the spell, the ball going from one end to theother in rapid succession, the advantage being mainly held by Rangitikei, and a goal from a rather difficult angle rewarded the yellows for some pretty play. From the throw-in Auckland nearly scored by a determined rush, and shortly afterwards made another good shot, followed by another attack, bub the falling rain made play glow, Bill, of Rangitikei, receiving a nasty spill through his pony slipping. The home team came with a rush from the centre, and had little difficulty in playing a goal. After a fine run down by O'Rorke, and an unsuccessful shot, Rangitikei, through the instrumentality of Wilson, secured another point, and shortly afterwards Bill missed a fine chance of scoring, this being followed up by another apparently certain score being missed. Gordon, for Auckland, then made a grand run right from his own goal to Rangitikei, and looked a likely eoorur, but ill-luck attended his excellent effort, and the spell ended with a shot by Rangitikei at goal. Within two minutes of starting, Rangitikei, from a clever hit by Bill, placed another goal to their credit, and after some uninteresting play in centre, Auckland missed good chances of scoring, and Rangitikei responded with an equally unsuccessful attempt). O'Rorke then came with an exciting run down the field, and as a result Auckland scored their third goal. Two shots by Rangitikei, one of which was very close, were succeeded by a couple of prand rushes on the part of Auckland, and the ipell ended with a shot by the latter at goal. 1 Rangitikei again signalised the opening of the spell by attacking Auckland's quarters and scoring a pretty goal within the first couple of minutes. Auckland getting away well from the throw in, O'Rorae rushed through, and by a splendid bit of plav, hit the ball right through the centre of the goal, Play then became very fast, and shots by Auckland and Rangitikei took place successively in quick time, the game ending near the centre, with the scores: Rangitikoi 7, Auckland 4.

Orocja v. Warrengate.-Oroua: Robinson, Strang, Gower, and McLennan. Warrengate : Cameron, McDonald, Harrison, and Syraes. Warrengate made mattors very lively for their opponents at the start, and just missed a goal by a foot. Play was then confined to centre for some little time, when Oroua by good play scored the first point, and give and take play, mainly in favour of vVarrengate, followod, they missing anothor shot, aftor whioh tho spell ended in Oroua's quarters. Orouas opened with a rush, and after some play in the vicinity of their opponents' post scored their second goal. They again invaded Warrongate's territory; but tho latter were not to be denied, and, coming with a strong run, secured a rather easy goal. The play during the remainder of the spoil was all in favour of Oroua. On resuming, the Oroua team were quickly in the ascendant, McLennan creating great applause by making two rushes down the field, and just missing the goal on either occasion, but at last was rewarded, a very clever hit scoring a neat goal. Oroua still held the advantage; but Warrengate made one or two fine rushes, and eventually sent the ball between the posts, and from this stage out had the best of the play, which had slowed off somewhat. Oroua took the ball from tho throw-in, and Gower contrived to hit a rather lucky goal. They followed this advantage up with two shots at goal, and then Warrengate looked like scoring but a bad hit lost them the chance. Shortly afterwards Oroua playinc a good combined game secured a rather easy goal, and another goal was nearly scored by the same team a minute afterwards, but they made amends for the miss by hitting another nice goal within the next minute from a difficult angle. The ball was in Warrengate's territory when the gong sounded and the team livening up were within au ace of scoring on three occasions. In the third try the ball was just rolling through Oroua's posts when Power caused loud cheering by cleverly striking it out, and following up ho carried it round the field, and would in all probability have scored but for losing his stick In the next rush Oroua added auother point to their score, and from the throw in they run right down tho field and again scored. Warrengate then held the advantage till the end of the spell. In the last spell play was very even and no score wag made though both sides nearly added to their figures, the game eventually ending with the ball in the centre of the field : Oroua 8, Warrengate, 2.