ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10836, 20 August 1898, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND V. HAWKE'S BAY.

The representative football season will be brought to a close this afternoon, when the Auckland team will try conclusions with tho Hawke's Bay boys. Beyond tho substitution of Laws and Asher to fill the vacancies caused by the absence of Riley and Harrison, Riley having returned to Coromandel and Harrison to Wairoa, the Auckland fifteen will be constituted as in previous matches, other than that the alterations will affect .he positions of the back division— McGregor going up to five-eighths; Laws taking his place at centre threequarter, and Asher playing wing threequirter. The visitors, who arrived from Napier yesterday afternoon ly th-3 s.s. Omapcre, appear ' to be somewliat lighter all round than the combination shey will be opposed to to-day; but, from information kindly placed at my disposal by '.he manager (Mr. D. D. Weir), I should say that tho Hawko's Bay players will render a good account of themselves, the backs being possessed of a fair turn of speed and sound defenco, while tho forwards are said to be of tho hard-working order, who will fight out the issue to the end of the chapter. Up to the present the provinces have met on three occasions, two of the matches having fallen to Auckland, .while the third match resulted ii a draw. The first match was played at Napier in 1889, when the Aucklandem prevailed by 8 points to 3; tho second was fought out on the local convincing ground at Epsom, when, despite the fact that the home team took the field warm favourities, the visitors succeeded in holding their own, neither side scoring; while the third was played during the tour of the Auckland representative team of 1895, the blue and whites Defeating tho Hawke's Bay fifteen by 10 points to 3. It is worthy of mention that only one member of the 189+ team is included in the present fifteen. I refer to Cheer, who is now played on tho wing, while O'Connell accompanied the visitors as an emergency. The colours of the Hawko's Bay representatives being black and white, the Auckland team will, to save confusion, don navy blue jerseys. Mr. W. G. Garrard, who had charge of the Taranaki match, will act as referee this afternoon, and Use competing teams will be as under —

Hawko's Bay. (black and white): Fullback, Eraser; threequartors, Caldwell, Wrigley, J. O'Connell; five-eighths, Wood; scrum-half, W. O'Connell; wing forwards, Cheer, Carlstcn; forwards, (front row) G. Caldwell, Weir, (second row) Speedy, Collcnge, Tankard, (back row) Miller, Strickland. Auckland (navy blue): Fullback, 11. Smith; threequarters, Absolum, Laws, Ashcr; fivo-eighths, R. McGregor; ccrumhalf, D. Hay; wing forwards, Luing, S. McGregor; forwards, (front row) Gillelt, C. Brady, (second row) C. McGregor, Otwiy, Clarkin, (back row) Sampson, McKenzie. THE NONDESCRIPTS. Tho selection of the team bearing the name of the ''Auckland veterans" has called forth a good deal of adverse comment in football circles, and not without reason, as the fifteen as at present constituted, might ho moro aptly named "the nondescripts." It is really neither the one thing nor tho other, for, while some of those mentioned may fairly lay claim to tho torm veteran (accepting the definition as applying to men who have not donned a jersey during the present season, but who have previously represented the province in interprovincial matches), there are others included who have never worn the bluo and white in a trial of strength against the sister provinces; while others, again, have participated in the present season's Cup matches, and aro really nothing other than disappointed candidates for representative honours, having played in tho trial and inter-union matches, and then been discarded by the selector in favour of other, players. If the Auckland veterans wish to try conclusions with tho 10presentatives of to-day, and I am sure that tho football public would be delighted to patronise such a match, then why not follow out tho principle adopted last year, and draw the team from the past representatives. On that occasion tho fifteen, as far as I can romember, included T. Ryan, Wynyard, Brcen, Killing, Elliott, Caradus, Hen-old, H. Poland, Marshall, Wells, McKenzie, Keot'e, Lecky, Stewart, and C. Stone, and a worthy fight they made of it, too, only being beaten by 11 points to 8, while, even as it was, throe of tho points gained by the winning team were obtained through a misunderstanding, Iho volorans allowing Gallagher to ran in and score unopposed, anticipating that the ball would bo brought back for oll'-sido play on the part of the scorer, though they subsequently learned to their cost that the cval bad previously touched one of their own men. This merely to give an indication of the close nature of teh game. As then, there is still plenty of material available, as will be shown oy tho following names which I may suggest as ei.titled to selection as men who liavo in past years represented tho Auckland province:— Lush, Ryan, .lervis, Breen, Wynyard, Kissling, Elliott, Edmonds, Oliphant, Whitesida, A. Smith, Wells, Keofo, O'Connor, Lecky, Poland, Marshall, Stone, Anderson, Mills. If drawn from tho above-named, tho public would attend in largo numbers to witness the struggle, and tho veterans, should victory rest with them, might then feel proud of their achievement; but, if constituted as suggested by the team put forward by tho selection committee on Tuesday last, tho match would attract very little interest, and victory —if victorious—would bo stripped of its merit. On the other hand, if tho object is purely and simply to get together a team to endeavour to lower the colours of our leprosentatives, then it would bo better that the selectionists should include inoro present-day players; even this would prove moro interesting to tho public, as showing that wo are possessed of two almost equally powerful fifteens, than the playing of the " nondescripts." It is to bo hoped that thoso anti listed with tho selection of tho team will, in view of the general dissatisfaction, see their way clear to reconsider the matter. HERE AND THERE. The Distriot Cup fixtures will bo resumed next Saturday. Suburbs intend mustering a strong team for the match •with Nowton. Having beaten Parnell, they intend to make a bold bid to lower the colours of the leading district. Woods, tho Newton tlireeqnartor, lias recovered the injury that compelled him to rofc early in the season, and as his club mates credit him with being the best back in the team, the combination the district will place in the field for the concluding Cup matches will take a deal of beating. In tho event of Newton winning tho Cup this year— it is hardly likely that they will bo put out now—it if quite possible that the Thames championship winners will endeavour to arrange a match with the Auckland cracks.

Rumour hath it that D'Arcy will play fullback for Parnell in the remaining Cup matches and that To Paa, the native boy, who has been showing great form for Grammar School, will also don the jersey foi the maroons

A Tauranga paper states that it is currently reported that although Albert Asher is picked in the various teams to uphold the honoura of Auckland, the members of the team will give him no show to play, keeping the ball to themselves, and never lotting -linn have a pass. Harrison, who returned to Wairoa with the Auckland team yesterday, will, it is understood, assist the country team in today's match agains*- the town players. As far as I can learn, the Thames Union doos not view the proposal to play a match against the veterans with favour. Tho Ponsonby soniors had intended to visit Aratapu next Saturday, but in viiew of the resumption of the Cup matches it is doubtful as to whether the Auckland Union will grant permission. Tho Canterbury representatives play Wellington at the latter's ground this afternoon, and Otago at Christchurch on September 3. "Drop-kick" says it was generally anticipated in Christchurch that the Aucklanders would prove too strong for the Canterbury team, but that few of the latter's supporter* expeoted such an overwhelming defeat ap, that experienced by the Southern "reps," The New Zealand Football Association has approved the action of the sub-committee in fixing the dates for the championship tournament at 14th and 17th September, and the 31st August was fixed as the last date for receiving entries. Up to Saturday, August 6, L. W. Appleby, the ex-Canterbury player, now in Sydney, had kicked 13 goals for the Pirates in badge matches—l 2 of them from tries and one as a penalty kick. Mynott, the Newton five-eighths, is likely to return to Taranalti in the course of a few days, and will therefore not be available to the club in the noxt match against Parnell. The Waihi-Ohinemuri team try conclusions with Thames again next Saturday, They will put in a" strong forward division, but will notrCompare with Thames in backs. This afternoon the team selected by the committee appointed by the Auckland Football Association in view of the representative socker team for Wellington will play a trial match. The teams are as under:— team: Goal, Warner; backs, Cowan, Sawbridge; halves, Todd, Bellamy, Dacre; forwards, Cash, Gibson, W. Heather, Hemcry,'McDougall. B team:' Goal, I Totman; backs, Kallender, Russell; halves, Armitage, J. Butgess, Ferguson; forwards, C. Hay, Rice, Wright, 0. Heather, V. J. Heather.. Emer- ! gencies: Cotes, Hawkins, Brodie. Referee: Mr, Howard, '• "i

" Don Trocadero" says that ; there is one thing New Zcalanders can bo proud of. Un an average, more men are hurt playing lootball in the colony than there are injured in the Spanish-American war. . . if on opening a newspaper we see no mention 01 the wounded in a game of football, we come to the conclusion that neither side was try-

'"Through the medium of the football columns of the Post the Wellington "reps convey their thanks to the officials of the Auckland Rugby Union and their many football friends for the hospitable treatment met witn while in Auckland. One lesson taught the Auckland representatives by tho Taranakiites last Saturday was in tho use of the touch-line, the punting of the. backs gaining a lot of ground. There is too much running indulged m among the locals altogether, and frequently without result. The time for a passing run 13 when in the vicinity of the opposing team s 25. The Manawatu Rugby Union has declared in favour of affiliation with tho Wellington Union for the purpose of allowing tho latter to draw players for interprovincial matches, provided the arrangement does not interfere with Manawatu in the case of fixtures bo'ng arranged simultaneously with those played by Wellington. Wairarapa is also likely to fall in line. . This afternoon teams representing the Devonport Coastguard Artillery and No. 3 New Zealand Native Corps meet in a friendly game of football. The step is one in the right direction and deserving of support, as such contests must tend both to the physical improvement of our volunteers and to the creation of a healthy rivalry and interest among the members of the corps concerned that will in itself do much to popularise the volunteer movement with our young men. The Wellington Rugby Union at a recent meeting considered several recommendations by tho Wellington Referees' Association, and after some discussion adopted the following resolution:— this Union is of opinion that if tho ball be not thrown out at right angles from tho touch-line, as sot forth in law 12, tho non-offending side may be allowod to benefit by tho irregularity, in accordance with the spin/ of the circular-letter from the English Rugby Union." We talk of the inter-district club matches a? tho Cup fixtures, but is this not somewhat of a misnomer? If I mistake not, there was some years since a " pot" of some description, but this has long since passed out of existence. WoiAd it not lend to increaeo the interest in our competitions if the Rugby Union provided a handsome trophy, the names of the winning teams to he inscribed thereon from year to year, the trophy to be hold for the season by tho victors, and the presentation to the successful club to take the form of a function worthy of the occasion. There is somo talk among the members of the Suburbs District Club of issuing a challenge to the Thames representatives to contest a friendly game before the close of the season. As the players of Quartzopolis nave indulged in a deal of crowing over the defeat of Auckland, and have plumed themselves on being "cocks of the walk," they might look upon it as a piece of presumption on the part of a district club to issue a challenge, but be that aa it may, I feel sure that with their strongest fifteen the Suburbs lads would render a good account of themselves. It will, in the event of tho gauntlet being thrown down by the local team, bo interesting to note what the Thames players will have to say. The representative matches of the i.ea.r,n having drawn to a close, it may he taken for granted that the proposal put forward by the Auckland Rugby Union early in the season of erecting an auxiliary grandstand at Potter's Paddock will now bo shelved for another twelve months at least. At the taire timo, it is to bo hoped that the mailer will not bo lost sight of by the committee of management, as the accommodation at present provided is certainly not adequate to the requirements, nor are the arrangements for the comfort and convenience of the Union's numerous patrons as satisfactory as might be tho case. Taken on the whole, the team to represent Auckland against Wairoa will not bo as strong as was at first anticipated would b'j the case, this being due to tho fart that a couple of tho members originally chosen have been called upon to fill vacancies in tho fifteen to meet Hawko's Bay, 0. Rijpy being unable to remain longer in town, and Harrison returning to Wairoa, while two or three others have been unable to obtain the necessary leavo to make the country trip. Nevertheless, tho fiflcori, as constituted, is quite as strong as the combination that last year defeated tho country union's selected, and may bo expected to make a determined bid for victory. As there is seemingly a doubt as to the existence and standing of the New Zealand l.eforees' Association, the local Association to test the matter, is asking the Now Zealand Rugby Union to bring its rales into accord with the regulations for referees as drawn up by that Union (says " Ex-Forward" of the Post). Regulation 19 reads: "The oca secretary may . '. . apply ihroiuli the ion. secretary of the Now Zealand Union to the appeal committee of that Union for a ruling on any point in dispute;" yet, when this has been complied with, the reply has come that under Rule 12 of tho N Z R U such disputed points must bo forwarded through the, local Rugby Union. This is only one instance, but space will not-permit of other seeming contradictions being quoted While it is sufficient to show that the local Association has grounds for making its request to the New Zealand Rugby Union. At a recent general meeting of delegates to the Canterbury Rugby Union Mr. Walton gave notice to move ilttho next annual general meeting: "That in place of Rule in lb fn , lowing ( shall be inserted: 'Referees lib mutually appointed by clubs engage in any match, and notification of such appoint mont together with the consent of 1 . wee to act shall bo made in writing to t! e secretary of the Union not later thai, five P.™. on the Tuesday preceding tl.o,natch lading such notification, a referee shall be appomted by the Union and M?£ gaged shall each pay to tho Union a fee of 2s; fid for Ins services. Referees shall J" en fi .™ filings per mate,.'" Rides 10 i fi S*?» fbo ' in ? rtd between blefn, and 11: 'R er6es Bnal] >» '•sponsible for the appointment of touch judge pie latter, in addition to their duties as de' fined ,„ law , shall report to the fereo any z ol r thf r ; ,nf f ir ? lay ° r ° tkr » be the duty of the referee to deal with I™, n« Provided in RdKfth^S 6 '^ 1 '