ATHLETIC SPORTS. FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13583, 12 September 1908, Page 7

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME.

TO-DAY'S MATCHES,,

Auckland v. Otago, at Alexandra. Park. - Auckland B v. Lower Waikato, at Alexandra Park.

Auckland v. Thames (junior represent* fives), at Thames.

TO-DAY'S RANFURLY SHIELD FIXTURE.

At Alexandra Park this afternoon tl* Otago touring team will meet Auckland U an endeavour to wrest from them the Ran« furly shield. The visitors possess a strong forward division, but the rearguard is'no* regarded as any too strong in attacking work. When it comes to defence, however, they ar« right in it The capabilities of the Auck-, landers, both back and forward, are well* known, and the team has withstood every shield challenge this season. The Otago men are capable of putting up a good fight, bub I think that (to use an Americanism) "they have bitten off more than they can chew." The match will commence at 2.45 p.m., and as a "curtain-raiser" a game will be played between the Auckland B and Lower Waikata teams. Mr. Geo. Howe, of Wellington, will refereo in the big fixture, and the following are the teams: —

OTAGO.—(Colours, Blue.) Fullback: Clarke.

Threequartcrs: Stalker.

Chambers, o'SulliT»n

Five-eighths: Eck&old, Don. . Halfback: Sutherland. "; Wing-forward:> McDonald (captain). Forwards: Casey, Fitzpatrick, Johnson* Paton, Patterson, . McKenzie, Ivimey " . AUCKLAND.—(CoIours, Bluo and White. J. Fullback':, Miller. Threequavtcrs: llenwick, Murray, Wilson. Five-eighths: Bator, Magee. Halfback: Morse. Wing-forward: Cillott. Forwards: Herring, Maguire, Nicholson, Cunningham, Francis, Seeling, Hay ward. Tho contest between the Auckland B and Lower Waikato will start at one p.m., »nd the teams are as follows: — < . LOWER WAIKATO. . . ~^" Fullback: H. Pcckham. ~..,. ■? '■' Threequartcrs: S. Gleeson, F. LittiewoodV M. Vincent '' -;, *'.^ 1 ? •*> Five-eighths: Hinton, J. Clout. ■' .'■■> '* Halfback: Hayes. Wing-forwards: F. Haddon, G. McCaulef. Forwards: L. Welch, Henderson, B. A, Smith, H. Henwood, J. Hall, J. Dunm. Emergencies: Backs—W. Powell,' W« Peaoh. Forwards— Hall, Gillander. AUCKLAND B. .",',' Fullback: Lowrie. ,;•■.-, .-'. : . . ;-^W Throequarters: Wolf gram n, Twinamey Hogan. ■' ■ ■ . Five-eighths: Blakey, Woodward. ? Halfback: Webb- , '' ' -'. .' ~, Wing-forward: Wilkes. Forwards: Sellars, Todd, Bamford, Ki»» der, Pople, Hall, Williams.: : . J, ,1, Emergencies: Backs— ray, Hardwicke, Estall. Forwards—Griffin, Rhodes, " Armstrong. ■'•'"' ..••=.--•'-

RUGBY UNION'S "SMOKER." PRESENTATION OF PRIZES. ~ ...[, " INTERESTING SPEECHES." "''^ The Auckland Rugby Union launched out in a fresh direction last evening, when they held a smoke concert, at which the prizes won during tho season were ; presented. Heretofore it has been the custom to hands over tho trophies as the various winners claimed them, but the Union thought that' as a fitting .finale to a most successful season an opportunity should be afforded the jdayers of meeting ono another, in social intercourse. The innovation was successful beyond all doubt, and the Auckland Rugby! Union's smoke concert will now. have to be regarded as an annual affair. Mr. A. ,E. Devore (president of the. Auckland Union) presided, while Messrs. M. : ' J.' Sheahan, (chairman), C. V. Langgford (secretary),sand the other members of the Management Com-* mittee were also present. The various other branches of athletics were well' represented, and amongst those present were the members of the Otago football team, whose'; arrival was the signal for an outburst of .enthusiasm. Altogether about 100 person* were present. The first portion of the evening was devoted to music and humorous recitations, those assisting being Messrs Alan McElwain, W. B. Eyre, Geo. Chevis, James Lonergan, W. Dervan, and Val. Atkinson. A .verypopular item was that provided '.'.by Mr. G. Van Heck, late of South Africa, who shewed himself to-be an adept with the violin. The prizes won during the year were then presented by Mr. Devore, who"prefaced his remarks by expressing his pleasure at seeing the Otago team amongst them. (Cheers.) He hoped that in to-days match they would play up to their reputation and make! things warm for the Aucklanders. (Laughter.) Such a gathering as the present he thought very appropriate in view of ,\ the succesi which had attended Auckland's efforts on the football field during the season. Ther* had been some talk of rough; play, but; ha had watched the games most careiully, and had never seen any, signs of it. u Ho had, however, seen any- amount of hard play. -~ Ha had not seen any "pointing," as alleged I by a recent visitor to the Dominion, but he , had seen tho game played strictly in ac--1 cordance with the rules for all it was worth* i Mr. Devore then handed the senior cup; over to Mr. George Nicholson, of thai Pon son by i team, and in doing so congratulated the blue and blacks on their -success in} having annexed tho championship., : 'Mr, Devore mentioned that he himself had presented the cap for competition as far back-vasj 18ob, and the present occasion was the second on which he had handed it over to the; winners— Ponsonby Club in each inv stance. ' . ..-'■-- •'■' Mr. Nicholson was then handed- the «H ver football, a' trophy which is awarded- ; tfl( the club whose teams are the most success* ful in all grades during tho year. . In pre* renting this trophy Mr. Devore said that . ho thought it the most important of? aIL as it included the juniors, and they wer* the players who had to take the placo oi the ueniors in a few years' time. He the*went on to speak of public school football, and mentioned how liberally the union bad treated the schoolboys by providing them with grounds and tho best of referees every Saturday. By means of Rugby the boy* were being disciplined thoroughly. .. Regarding tho proposed amendments to thai Rugby game, Mr. Devore said that if carvied into effect they would ultimately do good, but it was not desirable that th« Northern Union game should bo copied. (Applause.) _ . The cup for the first-junior grade charm > pionahip wae then handed to Mr. J. R. D« Baker, captain of the North Shore Club. ■ It was intimated that the second juniot and fourth-grade championships, had beei won by the Ponsonby and Newton team* respectively, who would bo awarded cape. In response to a request for a speech, Di\ Hardie Neil, the union's medical officer, imparted some interesting information regarding the accidents which had occurred to players this season. There were 700 players engaged in the various competitions! every Saturday during the season, and of that number only 17 had been placed on the casualty list, and their, names had no* remained there on an average for more than two weeks. The longest 6pace of tints any player had had to remain in bod was three days, and there had not been * case reported where the injury was due ta a direct blow, such as a kick. The junto* players woro usually the ones who got knocked about, and their injuries were either brought about by padlocking the ball under their arms while on the ground, op-l»y putting their heads down and trying v bo butt through an opposing team , on theil own. (Laughter.) He had found that th« . more skilled and trained a man was the, tea* : liable waa he to injury. Those who had the misfortune to sustain aecidonts_ w*r< mOftt attentively onred for by the Rugby Union, and ho was pleased to see-the ~ l«<r of old player* who shared the iv«ponsn bilitics of that body and assisted .Jf» i'- co» tro'l. (Applause.) ," <- • t u Messrs. Munro ; and xDutißO.jWintxmamMiw gors of tho Otago team.. theTi;.thnnkedah< ;; Aueklanders for tho indues*, winch that , had shown their men while in this city, ana the gathering dispersed 'withi the tinginif <A ' tho National Anthem. . ' .' '"■!■■ ■ "'•■ : -."' : ;' .■:'■■■ ; ;" ■'■'"'■:'i:'''<-:f: : vfy--S^ BS'vSS

HERE AND THERE. " Otago play Taranaki at Hawea on Wednesday. The referees propose to hold a reunion 'Before tho close of the season. It is improbable that a return match between Auckland and Taranaki will be play«d at. New Plymouth on September 29, as suggested bv the Southern body. Several of the leading local players have stated that they would be unable to make the trip. The question will be referred to at. the next meeting of tho union. To-day's game between Otago and Auckland is "tho last representative ixture to be plared at. Alexandra Park this season. Next Saturday the local union's programme will include, when Auckland meet Waikato at Hamilton. , * ~ , It. has been decreed ivy the Auckland Union that players who take part in outside matches in which professionals are engaged render themselves liable to disqualification. " The players are costing us as much again as they used to." declared a delegate at Wednesday's union meeting. "Tilings are going from bad to worse." he continued. •'and the "more pleasure they got. the more they want." The junior representatives asked through » delegate at Wednesday's meeting of the Rugby Union whether they could keep their jerseys after to-day's match at, Thames. The Rugby Union said " No." The Auckland Union unanimously decided at their meeting on Wednesday to donate £5 5s towards the cost of the erection at, New Plymouth of a memorial to the late Air. AIL Bayly. The New Zealand Union will hold a special meeting at Wellington on October 1, when the advisableness of altering the laws of the Rugby game with a view to its improvement will be discussed. As Mr. Sheahan said at. the mooting of the Auckland Union on Wednesday evening, this gathering will prove the most important yet held in New Zealand, as far as Rugby football is concerned. NORTHERN UNION GAME Auckland will play a return match with Wellington at that centre to-day. The local men left, for the South on Thursday. The annual general meeting of the Northern Rugby Football League was held at Huudersfield, Mr. J. B. Cooke (Wakefield) presiding. The report ami statement of accounts, which were adopted, allowed a balance in hand of £343. The committee was • pleased to note the marked improvement in the character of the game as played during the past season, and this, along with tha visit of the New Zealand team, had given 3 decided fillip to the gamei A vote of sympathy was sent to Mr. Palmer, manager of the New Zealand team, with respect to. the untimely death of Mr. A. H. Baskerville, late organiser and secretary of the Now Zealand team.

A team to play under the rule* of the Northern Rugby Union has boon formed in Taranaki. Arrangements to play a match in New-Plymouth with a foam from the Auckland Rugby League received a little .sot-back from the refusal of the Recreation Sports Ground Committee to allow the match to be played on the sports ground, on account of the attitude taken up by the New Zealand Rugby Union, which had lent a large sum of money for the improvement of the ground. But the promoters of the match determined that it. should !>e played, even In a " cow-paddock," in order to show the people of Taranaki tee advantages of the Northern Union game. On Wednesday morning Mr. Horace J. Jones, manager of the Auckland team, arrived in New Plymouth, and arrangements Lave now been made to play the match on Thursday next on the Western Park, No. 2 ground, used by the Tukapa club as a practice ground. The Auckland team will lie the same as that to play at Wellington to-day. THE ASSOCIATION GAME. It has been decided not to call the Management Oommitteo together for next Tuesday evening; the next meeting is to be held or. the 22nd. Knight, a Brown shield representative, and who has been playing at half for the North Shore Club, left for Sydney last week to join his parents. The recommendations which the delegates to ttit> conference have decided to forward to the New Zealand Council for consideration are in the right direction, and should be carried into effect, by the council. The proportioningof the proceeds'of the shield contests, viz.,'s per cent, to the council, 70 per cent, to the challenging association, and 25 per cent, to the, bill Red association, is much ahead of the old scheme, and should meet with the approval of the council. It is. pleasing to nolo that the delegates to the conference have recommended to the council the abolition of the present system under which the Brown shield is played, and recommend that it be played for on lines similar to the Ranfurly and Plunket shields. Had the challenge system been in vogue this season Auckland would not have had to forfeit the shield (through lack of fundi, to send a team away to Dunedia). but would have had the pleasure of witnessing matches here; and it is a standing disgrace to those follower* of " soccer" wbo did not see fit to "try" to raise funds to seud a team away. The encouraging of in terprovincial school .matches is a good recommendation, and will be the means of schoolboys taking on the "soccer" game. The uuieh-di.->cu*sed question of. payment, to representative players for loss of time has been reviewed at the conference, and I sincerely hope that the recommendation of the delegates will be carried into effect by the council. The final match of the tournament will be played to-day between Ota go and Wellington. From'result* already shown by these two' teams against, their opponents, this match will be a great contest, and fr»m what I gather there is every chance of Wellington winning. From « Northern point of view, I hope they will, as the amount required to send a team away to challenge the shield will be considerably mirnmisod. Mr. Smithy man (secretary A.F.A.) telegraphed to the association's delegate (Mr. R. Takle), at the, conference in Duncdin, stating that the local association would not. guarantee any amount for the South African team. I think, it would have been more to the point if the council sub-committee had recommended the ways and means of getting an English eleven to tour the Dominion, and I think "the Homo authorities would send out a team and finance it themselves, if approached.