HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13798, 10 July 1908, Page 7

HOCKEY.

AUCKLAND V. CAN - rIRBURY. Tlie defeat of Taranaki by Canterbury at New Plymouth yesterday by three goals to nil has given local "players some indication of the strength of the visiting combination. There is every indication that a great struggle for supremacy will ensue at. Victoria Park to-morrow afternoon, when Canterbury meets our local representatives. The first tour of any magnitude taken by a hockey team in New Zealand was in 1903, when Canterbury came to Auckland. The game was hi it* infancy in this province in those days, and, even though suffering from this disadvantage, our representatives were only beaten by two goals to one. When the 1906 team from Auckland toured the Dominion, although not thoroughly representative of the local association, yet Canterbury only succeeded in defeating them at Christchurch in the closing stages of the game by three goals to one. The team will arrive from New Plymouth this morning, and are reported to be a' fine combination, being particularly strong in the halfback line. Players are invited to meet the team on arrival at Auckland station about 10 o'clock and give them a cordial welcome to tte city. TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW. The following teams have been supplied for tomorrow 'a matches :— Epsom (v. Training College, tournament final): Easthope, Mi-Cowan, Becroft, Williams, Gibson, Roberts, Piper: emergencies, Morland, Harvey, Spooner. The match will be played at the close of the shield match at Victoria Park. North Shore v. Y.M.C.A. : A team picked from the following North Shore plav.-vs will meet. Y.M.C.A.. on the Devonport ground to-morrow : — Turner. MeCluskev, Newman, Farquliarsoii, Duncan, Gist, Grace, Porch, Trayes, Gittos, Wildman, Ching, Strude (2), Craig. CANTERBURY DEFEATS TARANAKI. FINE COMBINATION BY WINNERS. [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION".] New Plymouth, Thursday. Taranaki and Canterbury met at New Plymouth this afternoon. The ground was slippery owing to the heavy rains of the past few days. The game ended: Canterbury, three goals Taranaki, nil. Four-fifths of the play wire in the neighbourhood of Taranaki's circle," and Canterbury made at least 15 very close shots at goal, while only • once did Taranaki appear to have a good chance of scoring. Canterbury played with good combination, their forwards in particular outclassing Taranaki, who did not play as well as they did against Auckland last Saturday. Their fullbacks (Avery and Anderson), however, were very sure, and their efforts averted the higher score thirb must otherwise have been registered." Canterbury's goals were scoied by .Jacobs and llulbert in tim first spell and one by llulbert in the second. The visitors halfback line was very strong. Oram being the best 'pack on the field. Jones was the pick of the forwards.