FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12070, 13 September 1902, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

THE NORTH V. SOUTH ISLAND

MATCH.

. THE match between the representative teams of the North and South Islands will }, played at Wellington this afternoon, and the result of the contest will no doubt be awaited with considerable interest by football enthusiasts here, as the Northern team* is largely composed of Auckland players. Only one inter-island match has been played „o June 26, 1897— on that occasion the match was won by the North by 16 points to 3. Victory will probably rest with this island again to-day, as the Northern selection committee have put , a strong fifteen in the field and one that should show very fair combination owing to the largo number of Aucklandcrs who are included. The South Island selectors appear to have been considerably handicapped owing to several prominent players being unablo to get the necessary leave of absence, and therefore the side chosen cannot be said to be thoroughly representative of the island. This is to bo regretted, but in the circumstances could hardly have been otherwise, as the .Southland," Otago and Canterbury teams only recently concluded extended tours through the North Island, and naturally several of the players likely to.have been approached could not see their way to seeking further leave of absence. A notable absentee from the back division of the combination chosen to represent the .South Island is I'. Jacobs, the Southland threequartcr. who was mentioned by the critics down below as almost certain to find \ inclusion, while another back who, on recent form, was looked upon as possessing strong claims, is also numbered among the missing. I refer to Knowles, the Otago centre-half, whose play in recent interprovincials was highly assessed by Southern football scribes. Probably both of these players were unable to make the trip, and, like our old friend "Jimmy" Duncan, answered the question in tho negative when approached by the selectors. After the nice tilings said by Dunedin writers it also comes as a surprise to find only one Southland forward iMeNic) in the South Island team, lis both Purdue and Taylor were said to be worthy of inclusion. In this division, as among the backs, the difficulty with regard to leave of absence has confronted the selectors. Tho New Zealand Rugby Union hiving allocated the Ranfurly challenge shield to Auckland. His Excellency the Governor, who has notified his intention of being present, at the match, will hand the coveted trophy to the Auckland representatives during the afternoon. The teams will he as under: —

North Island: Fullback. MeKcnzie (Wairarapa): thrwquarters, Asher (Auckland), V\ai!aeo (Wellington), Tregear (Wangaliui): five-eighths, McGregor (Auckland); half hack. Kierna-n (Auckland); wing forwards. Idling (Auckland), Armstrong (Waiiwrapa): forwards, Tyler (Auckland), Dodd (Wellington). Cunningham (Auckland), MeDuff (Auckland). Long (Auckland). Nicholson (Auckland). O'Dowria (Taranaki).

South Island: Fullback, Booth (Otago) J ttreequarters, Smith (Nelson). Harper (Canterbury). I). McGregor (Canterbury); fiveeighths, M. Wood (Canterbury); half-back, P. Harvey (Canterbury): forwards, A. MeNie (Southland), W. Duggan (Canterbury), Fenwick (Otago), Fanning Canterbury), .Roddick (Otago). Cook (Canterbury), Drake (Canterbury), Porteous (Otago), Brunsdcn (Canterbury).

PROPOSED NEW ZEALAND TEAM FOB ENGLAND.

Mr._ A. M. Do Costa, late secretary of the New Zealand Rugby Union, has had a. private interview with Mr. Rowland Hill, hon. secretary of tho English Rugby Union, with regard to the proposed visit of a New Zealand football team to England. Writing to Mr. W. G. Garrard, hon. secretary of the Canterbury Rugby Union, under "date London, July 16. Mr. De Costa, says:—"Today I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Hill at the Sports Club, St. James' Square, and conversed with him for over an hour. He pointed out that there woujd be serious objection taken to relaxing the rules of professionalism, not only by his own committee, but by the Irish, Scottish and Welsh unions. The latter unions would be equally strong on the point as his own union. Tho unions are dead against anything in tho nature of professionalism. Of course f placed our position before him very clearly, and he listened to my arguments very attentively, ami 1 have not the least doubt that if I appeared before Lis committee (which he wanted me to do), I could overcome the difficulty. In this direction, however, I could not act, seeing that I have not authority to do so from the New Zealand Union. Mr. Hill stated that his union has no objection to a team being allowed at the rate of 2s per day per man for refreshments, provided the money is not paid to the men themselves. His union objects to any money passing to the men. To overcome the difficulty the money must be paid to the manager, and the latter disburses it on the men's behalf. This practice was adopted in' connection with the visits of two English teams to South Africa. He also pointed out that the English Union would not do anything to assist a team financially. That is a rule which has been laid down, and from which they never depart. If the English Union would assist financially, then Mr. Hill said that his union would first assist a team to come Home from South Africa, as two English teams that were got togctho/ under the auspices of the English Rugby Union had already been entertained there. _ Shrewsbury's team went out to the colonies against the wishes of the English Union, whilst they had nothing whatever to do with sending out Mullineaux's team. In regard _to the latter, however, the English Union simply obtained a guarantee from Mr. Mullineaux to the effect that nothing would be done to break the professionalism regulations. Coming to the question of probable gate receipts of Now Zealand matches in England, Mr. Hill expressed the opinion that he did not anticipate they would be a hip draw, because the great counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire were practically closed. These were the two great centres in the past, where—previous to the "break-away" from the English Union taking place—two "r three matches could lie played and good -Rates realised. For a good international match. New Zealand v. Enarland. Ireland, Scotland or Wales, Mr. Hill had not the least doubt that a good gate could be obtained, but club gates would bo poor. ■Speaking, of course, unofficially, Mr. Hill stated that his union would always assist a New Zealand team to make its arrangements for a tour in England, and to obtain for it the best terms possible from the clubs or counties to be played against, but beyond Ihat the English Union could not go. j

HERE AND THEKK. This afternoon fifteen?: chosen from the various school teams under the Auckland Public Schools' Rugby Union will hold a practice match with a view to the, selection of a team to play the schoolboys of the Northern iWairoa district. It is interesting to note that two provinces furnish no less than 18 of the 60 players who take part in the inter-island match to-day, Auckland contributing nine to the North Island team and Canterbury a similar number to the South Island fifteen- Canterbury would not, however, have contributed quite to many had the whole of the players originally approached been able to take part in the match. . ~. N. Kelly, the well-known Wellington representative, assisted City in the match against the Rotorua team at Alexandra Park, playing at five-eighths, and giving a capital exhibition. It was rumoured prior to his leaving Wellington for Auckland that lie intended, retiring from the game, but it is more than probable that lie will don the jersey again next season. Both the City and Grafton District. Clubs are endeavouring to secure his services. It is stated that the members of the Graft on senior fifteen have not been working altogether in harmony during the latter part of this season, and that it is on the cards that the club's "skipper." Kiernan. will be found assisting one of the other district fifteens when season 1903 rolls round. The loss of the, wack halfback would be ? severe blow to Grafton. Some of those who profess to be "in the know" pay that Kiernan will wear the red and white uniform of Newton next year. It is a long cry to season 1903. but what a Strong senior team the City District Club will then have if their present hopes are realised. Harrison is said to intend to come to town, and Wallace, of Wellington, talks °f taking up his permanent residence here before next season. If Geo. Smith decides to don the club's colours again, and they secure the services of N. Kelly, the following would probably be the back team :—Fullback, Harrison; thnvoquarters, Ashe;. Wallace, N'ntth; five-eighths. Kelly: halfback, Young. This would he ;•. back division fit foi any ** "P." team.

win V a rp T? nc ! a footbal! season closes K,™ Southland-Otago return match, to oe played at Invercargill on Wednesday next. lir l" ly t > we , ek ' s notes I Penned an article urging the Auckland Rugby Union to assist the district clubs as far as possible by allocator ms towards the building funds for training sheds. I have since been informed by v\%r° Loc mßnlbers of the committee that £i<X> (±,25 each) is to be divided among the tr. e clubs that have sheds erected or in course ol erection. This, according to figures, is every penny the union could devote to the purpose. The gross takings for the past season amount to £1563, and after meeting all expenses and wiping off an overdraft of upwards of £100 brought forward from last year, a balance of £498 remained in hand. Of this fc-wO has been ear-marked for the Southern tour of next .season, and after distributing ±-l£> among the club?, only £23 has been loft in hand to meet current expends. The union has, of course, upwards of £2000 to its credit in the ground trust account, but tins cannot be touched for any purpose other than the purchase of a ground, unless the law is set in motion' in the matter. Oliphant, the well-known New Zealand representative, has decided to retire from the football arena, and by his retirement the game will lose a sturdy exponent. He has a' record to his credit of which he may justly l>e proud. lie played his first senior game in the Manawatu as far back as 1882, and graduated from there to Wellington, where he joined the redoubtable Poneke Club. During the 1592 and 1893 seasons he was chosen in the union's representative team, and in the latter season played in the New Zealand team against New South Wales. He was then transferred to Auckland, where lie continued to make his mark as one of the best wingforwards the colony lias seen, being chosen to play in the North v. South Island match. In all his football career Oliphant had never met with a. single accident till the one which laid him out during the Canterbury-Haw ke's Ray match —truly a record worthy of the player.