FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11644, 4 May 1901, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

THE Rugby season will be opened this afternoon, when the City first fifteen will engage in n friendly contest with Karangahake, play commencing at Potter's Paddock, Epsom, promptly at three o'clock. Last year's district champions boast a strong fifteen again this season, and as tho Karang&hako Club embraces in its ranks several fine exponents of the "rugger"' game, lovers of football should be treated to a decidedly interesting and willing "go." The following will represent City:—Fullback, Stevens; threequartcrs, Heke, Smith, Asher; five-eighth, MeGee; halfback. Young; wings, Brown and Hiroa : forwards Wilson, Tyler, Nicholson, J. McMillan, Scott, Bonelia and Porteous. A special general meeting of the Auckland Rugby Union will be held at the Sports Club Rooms on Tuesday evening next, to consider tho rule bearing on residential qualification. The original rule provided that players desirous of qualifying for a district must reside within tuo boundaries of the district at least six months prior to the commencement of the cup competitions, but, as it was held that this inflicted hardship Oft son?, a qualifying clause wag. added, allowing the union the discretionary power of granting permission to players moving from one district to another within the prescribed time, provided the cases appeared to bo bona-fide ones. This clause has. it is said, been abused, and the meeting on Tuesday will consider the desirability or otherwise of deleting the clause and reverting to the old order of things. To revert to the hard and fast rule may inflict hardship in an odd esse here and there, but on the- whole I think the union would be wise in deleting the qualifying clause. This would not. of course, interfere with foreign players taking tip their residence in Auckland. North Shore play Aratapu on Saturday next. Tho championships fir the incoming season were drawn on Wednesday evening last, and it- is interesting to note that the first series o.' matches, commencing on the 18ih hist., will bring together those old rivals, North Shorn and Newton. Let us hope that feeling will not run so high this season as his been the case in some of tho previous meetings between these clubs. "Tiffy" Lv.ing, the old " Top." winger, is it present at Waihi, and is expected to play for the goldfields' union first fifteen this season. I have not yet had an opportunity of witnessing any of the practice matches, but I hear that the Parnell District Club have j enrolled one or two new men who show promise. The team for the first fifteen contests will,' however, consist mainly of exjuniors. and although supporters do not hold out strong hopes of their prospects this year, they are- cf opinion that if they all stick together, the club has material to develop into a good team in the course of a season or two. I think they may be depended upon to (do this, as the club has, during the past two -or three years, fought- an uphill battle with great garaeness. If Suburbs succeed in mustering the team thev anticipate, they should show a bold front to the best of our district clubs this season. Jack Gillett is said to have proraised to don the jersey for the outside district again, and among the recent additions are three Home players— Stuekey, and Meredith—all of whom are expected to play. The first-named is said to have found his way into the final 18 of the Scottish International team. " Sid" Rilev is back in Ponsonoy, and as the western club boasts a number of the most promising first juniors in Auckland, there should be no difficulty in placing what one might term " a smart little fifteen in the field to do battle for the first-grade competitions this year. . "Hube" Dacre, who is residing m tho Mount Eden district at present is said to intend to turn out again this season. His services will, of course, bo at the disposal of Suburb?!. There seems to be some doubt as to whether the crack threeqiwrtor. "Dick" McGregor, will remain at Waim during the winter months. An enthusiast who knows McGregor very well informs me that it is quit-? on the cards that he will return to the Xha.Ee* shortly. Tie Newton boys consider it probable that "Junbo" Pillenger, who went to _ South Africa- with one "of the early New Zealand continents, will be buck in Auckland before many moons. No doubt the district would bj glad to welcome the nuggety little threeauarter back again. . . The Auckland Referees' Association hope to be able to send a representative to the forthcoming conference of Now Zealand referees, to be held at Wellington at an early McKniffht, last vear of Suburbs, is said to be talking of playing fur Grafton this year. f was not aware that he bad changed his place of abode. Rumour has it that Harry Smith, the exrepresentative fullback, now residing in the Suburbs district, will play again this season. He was on the retired list last year. Would the appointment of Mr. F. M. Jer•is as successor to Mr. J. Arneil as solo selector of the Auckland representative teams find favour with footballer? generally? Personally, I should say that if tho old crack threequarter could be persuaded to accept, a happier selection could not be made. Newton district first fifteen reckon on having a strong forward team tins year. Wray, who wore the red -and- white jersey a couple of years age, is again back With the old cii-b, and should strengthen the vanguard. The Ottgo Referees' Association is strongly in' favour Jof the conference of referee-; at Wellington. . ]' have to thank the hon. secretary and compiler (Mr. W. G. Garrard) for a copy of the Canterbury Rugby Union's annua! for 1901. As timid, this handy little volume is bound in a stiff cloth rover, and contains a large amount of information of the greatest value to footballers. The rub-: of the game ore brought right up to date, space is given ' to the new accident fund regulations, and full details of all pa«t inierprovinci.ils and intercolonial* are published. There are also many other matters of interest. Trie New Zealand Rugby Union, at its last meeting, instructed the management com mitteo'to close the arrangement- for the vis to this colony of the New South Wales team Sit tho earliest possible date. At a meeting of the International Board, held on March 9, an amendment to the duties of touch judges was carried adding to law 3 after the words "to hold up their flax when ftid where the ball goes into touch, the words "or when it goes into totich-m-goal. It was also decided that it be an instruction to reforcw in international names, " I hat in case of an injury to -i player the game shall no! be stopped for more than three minutes. The Newton Club is said to hare been interested in summoning the special general meeting of the Auckland Rugby 1 nion on Tuesday evening next to discuss the rule bearing on residential qualifications. If the meeting reverts back to the old system compelling a six months' residence in the district, tia said that Newton will suffer the loss of one of the oldest members of their back divisionM. G. Louisson and A. O'Brien, ate of Christchurch. played for Guy * Haspital against St. Bartholomew's Hospital in the semi-final for the hospital challenge -tip on March 12. Guy's winning by two goals ami three tries (19 points) to nil. The sensor, proper opens in Now South Wales on Saturday next. Tho suggestion put forward by the Arrow, "that an all-Australian team be sent across to New Zealand, is a splendid one. ana should not stop at suggestions, but be pushed for all it is worth until an Australian fifteen Decome* an accomplished fact (says the Queensland correspondent of the Sydney Referee). Regular yearly contests. New Zealand v. Australia," in the cities named in the Kotereo, with return games the following years, say, r,t Brisbane and Sydney, would, I am sure. be heartily supported in this colony, and l trust thai" the powers that bo will not Stop until some arrangement such as that sugcestxl is ratified.