FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13844, 2 September 1908, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME. REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAMME. The following is the representative programme for the season: — September 5; Against Gold fie 1 . As (at Goldfields). September 5: Auckland B v. Wednesday Union. September 12; Against Thames (junior reps.}, at Thames. September 12: Auckland B v. Lower Waikato. September 12: Against Ot-ago. September 19: Against Waikato (at Hamilton). . . NOTES AND COMMENTS. The Taranaki-Auckland match on Saturday last was riot as enjoyable as some held earlier in the season. The weather was boisterous, and patrons of the aujsiliary stands had to spend several hours in the cold wind which blew right into their face.*. The weather affected the game, which was not so bright and sparkling as usual. The play was hard and willing, but very rarely opess, tho Auckland forwards keeping the play close. _ * The Taranaki backs at times gave 1 glimpses of what they were capable of when opposed to a less formidable forward array, the manner in which Mynoit, Hunter, and Co. handled the ball being very pleasing to watch. The Auckland Union had a fair gate, considering the weather, at the Taranaki match, the sum of £466 ITs being taken. AUCKLAND B Y. WEDNESDAY UNION - The following team to represent Auck- | land against the Wednesday Union team at j Epsom on Saturday next has been chosen;— j Fullback: Lowrie. I f Threequarters: Estall, Carlaw, Wolf- : gramm. _ ; ! Five-eighths; Blakey, Gray. : ! Half: Earrant. I Forwards: Armstrong (wing). Todd, Grif- 1 irn, Pople, Rhodes, Williams, Sellars, Hall, j Emergencies: Backs, Freeman, Little} #j ( forwards, Eaton, Muir, Neighbour. •- j The following is the Wednesday Union j team: — , Fullback: Littlejohn. Threequarters: Hunt, Little, Greenwood. \ Five-eighths: Linton, Mcl'enzie. , I Halfback: Burton. Forwards: Roscoe (wing), Graham, j Cooper, Parker. Harrison, .Knight, John- : ston, Griffiths, Saddler, Brjdeon. ' ; ! "Owing to Purdy being unable to ay Lin- : ton has taken his place at five-eighths, and Rosco© will take Jackson's place at wing, Jackson being unable to obtain leave. RUGBY UNION FINANCIAL POLICY. Considerable comment has been made by the "man in the street" lately in reference I to the close-fisted policy of the Auckland Rugby Union. Many cay it will serve the union' right if the players turn professionals for the manner in which they have been treated. These remarks are generally made without '"the book" and in an irresponsible manner. Professional players can hardly be expected to be treated in a better spirit than local amateurs have been this :season. . - The union's, generosity goes out beyond ; the realm of the local player into far fields and into other sports. For instance, the following grants have been made this season: . —To South Canterbury Union, £30; to Taranaki Union, £30; Waikato Unions, £10; Franklin Unions, £5. Grants to the Thames and Wednesday Tradesmen's Unions are under consideration. Loans have been : made by the union to the Auckland Associa- • tion Football Association (£2O) and the Auckland Australian Football League (£2O). Coming from unions to club affairs the , • local union has subsidised each local district . club to the extent of £90, making a total of . £540 absolutely given to those bodies to assist in the erection of training sheds for club players. As a further assistance to , club finance the Auckland Rugby Union issue gratis to each club at the commence- ■ ment of each season 30 vice-presidents' ; tickets, which entitle the holders to free j entrance to all grounds and stands for all matches under the union's control. The clubs receive'£l Is for each ticket, which j means a grant to each of seven clubs of £31 | 10s. The newly-formed 'Varsity Club did not avail itself -of the full privilege of 30 , tickets this season, but nevertheless fully j £200 was given away to the clubs by this means. . - The players are covered while playing under the union's jurisdiction by accident insurance, which entitles an injured player to £1 a week for 10 weeks, if neoeasary, free medical attendance and medicine and hospital and dental expenses. TKe sums spent • by the union on this account are not yet 1 available, but are considerable for a season, hardly a weekly meeting passing without three or four accounts being voted to play- • ere. In reference to touring teams the ' union pays all expenses of players, and the following amounts have been spent for that i purpose-already this season:—Expenses of . team to Waiuku, £10; to Thames, £12; to Northern Wairoa, £33: to public schools ' trip to goldfields, £12. It is estimated that ; the trip to the goldfields on Saturday will • cost the union £25, and that to Waikato on • September 19 another £25. When the union . goes on the long Southern tour to Dunedin ! every fourth year the cost is £350 to £400, I i and every second year the short tour as far , as Wellington^costs £150. A set of caps to ; Cup winners in every championship grade and public schools costs the union £30 to £40 yearly. The members of the representa- i V tive teams partake of all entertainments ! given to visiting teams, and numerous inci- j 1 dental expenses of players are paid. The provincial . members of the representative i team when chosen to play in Auckland have j their expenses paid to and from home for \ 'icli match. An item of expense which the union in- ■ , curred this season was the expenditure of . £900 towards the erection of the auxiliary stands at Alexandra Park. The public convenience was studied, and although the ' policy was subjected to some criticism the 1 union felt that some provision would have ■ to be made for the huge crowds expected even if a loss was sustained. That the ven- ' ture has been profitable is the reward of en- ' terprise. ——— 1 WEDNESDAY TRADESMEN'S UNION. A meeting of the Wednesday Tradesmen's Union was held last evening in the Amateur Sports Club rooms, Mr. Stewart presiding. -- It was decided to play the Permanent Artillery on Wednesday, September 9, at Alex- ' andra Park. A deputation, consisting $rf Messrs. Stewart, Foster, and Wiles, was appointed to wait on the Auckland Rugby Union this evening in reference to arrangements' for ■ 1 .Saturday s fixture. j

The following will represent the Devonport Combined Grocers v. Johnston and Noble at Devon port to-aay:—Needham, Johnston, G. Brown, G. Robinson, J. Jenkins, B. Walker, C. Williams, Magmsty, McKay, Gardiner, Cliffe, Tiche, Grimshaw, Boldcro, Gilchrist. „ .;. , LOWER WAIKATO PREMIERS. ? [from otra OWN- CORRESPONDENT.] • - Hcntly, Tuesday. The final match. Taupiri v. Huutly, in ; the games held under the auspices of the i Lower Waikato Rugby Union, was played at Taupiri on Saturday, and after a strenuous struggle was won by the visitors by 5 . points to nil. The only score was a try secured by S. Gleeson and converted- The Huntly team thus becomes the winners of this season's caps. This is the first time in the history of the Lower Waikato Rugby ! Union that, the representatives of the mining township have held the premier position. GOLDFIELDS V. AUCKLAND. [by TELEGRAPH. — COBRESPOJCDENT.] Waihi, Tuesday. The following players have been selected by Mr. R. McWhirter to represent the Goldfields Rugby Union in the match with Auckland at Waihi on Saturday next: —Fullback, Skillen; threequarters, Morpeth, E. Johnson, and McGregor; five-eighths. Montgomery-; half, Brennan; wings. Truscott and Vincent; forwards, Corbett, Collins, Grace, Hamilton, P.apu, Young. Dare, and Miller. Emergencies: Back, Bines; forward, Murton. THE ASSOCIATION GAME. SOUTH AFRICAN TEAM. INVITATION TO TOUR THE i DOMINION. [by TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Tuesday. A sub-committee reported to a meeting tonight of the council of the New Zealand Football Association that they had gone into the proposal to invite a South African team • to New Zealand in 1903, and recommended i that such invitation be sent. The cost of the j tour, £1000 to £1100, _ should be covered by 1 guarantees by the various associations in the j following amounts: —Auckland, Wellington, and'' Oiago, £250 each; Taranaki, £100; Wangs nisi, Hawke's Bay. Canterbury, and Southland, £50 each: Wairarapa and South Canterbury, £25 each. The committee fur- | ther recommended that four guarantors be j obtained for bank purposes, to guarantee £250 each, that each centre provide boarding accommodation, that the secretary writ to the South African team tentatively inviting a team on the lines of the invitation to the New South Wales Association in 1903, that endeavours be made to arrange matches on the return of the .team in Australia, and thai Australia be invited to contribute towards the expenses of the New Zealand Council. . The report was referred to the conference of delegates to be held at Duncom at the time of the Brown shield competition. |