FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14721, 1 July 1911, Page 10

FOOTBALL.

I THE RUGBY GAME.

REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. AUCKLAND V. THAMES. The representative programme of the Auckland Rugby Union will commence to-day, when inter-union matches will be played against Thames and Northern Wairoa. The former match will' be played at Thames, the players leaving by the steamer j Wakatcre at 7.15 this morning. These matches are always interesting,. and last I season Auckland was beaten by Thames at i the Pnrawai Racecourse. The same fate 1 seems probable for to-day's team, which is | not vorv representative, many prominent I ' players being unable to make the trip. A j further alteration has been made in the J team, J. P. Maguiro (Grafton) now being ; included in place of Cunningham, who will j probably play for the B team. Tho Auckland team, which will be accommodated at the Royal Hotel, will go under the management of Sir. F. J. Ohlson. The teams are as follows: — AUCKLAND. Fullback: Fitzgerald. , Threcquarters: Wolfgramm, McGregor, Stewart. Five-eighths: Power, Dr. Borric. Halfback: Webb (City). Wing-forward: Wilkes. Forwards: Herring, Sellers, Bruoe, Maguire (Grafton), Poplo, Fake, Barrett. Emergencies: B. O'Brien, Smythe. THAMES. Fullback: Dufty. Threcquarters: Montgomery, E. Hay ward, E. Rickit. Five-eighths Joyce and McGolluin. Halfback: Griffin. Wing-forward: F. Hay Ward. Forwards: Crawford, McLean, White, T. Crawford, M. Hay ward, H. Hay ward, . ■ Boles. Emergonoia;: Backs, Dovell and Burrett; forwards, Brownlee and Molloy. Mr. Rudman will act as referee. AUCKLAND V. NORTHERN WAIROA. The Auckland B-Northcrn Wairoa match will bo played at Alexandra Park to-day, and should provide a good game, the team representing Auckland being a particularly good one, many of the beat players, who wore unable to make the trip to the Thames, being included. The Northern Wairoa team is said to contain many good players. The match , will be played at Alexandra Park, commencing at three o'clock. Tho team from up the river arrived in town yesterday morning, under the control ,of Mr. Kelly, manager. They will stay at the Waverley Hotel during their visit to Auckland. An interesting match will be played as a "curtain-raiser" to tho big game by tho King's College and Grammar School teams. Tho meetings of theso teams always provide tho brightest of football, and tho keen rivalry between tho players and their supporters gives zCet to tho game. The teams for v the representative match to-day are as follows: AUCKLAND. Fullback: J. O'Brien. Thrcequarters: Murray, R. Magee, Maoky. Five-eighths: Barclay, O'Lcary. Halfback: Thomas. Wing-forward: flail. Forwards: Tyler. Rasmussen, Grace. Wilson (Parnell), Nicholson, Harper, Clarke. Emergencies: Gcddes, 'iwiname, Colic tt,Buttenvorth. NORTHERN WAIROA. Fullback: J. Martin. Thrcequartors: Pivott, Harrison, Watene. Five-eighths: Haywood, Bradley. 1 Halfback: Cox. Wing-forward: •Montgomery. Forwards: F. Smith, Jackeon, W. Snowden, R. Lowe, Bone, C. Lowe, O'Brien. Mr. Katterns will act as referee. Brake* conveying the teams to Epsom will leavo tho Waverley Hotel at 1.45 p.m. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS. Tho principal matches to-day are as follow : SECOND GRADE. University v. Newton (No. 3 ground, Alexandra Park), referee Mr. liridjes., Pennon I v. Manet Brothers (No. 5 ground), referee Mr. Parker. Parnell v. College Rifles (No. 4 ground), referce Mr. Maekie. SEOONDAHT schools MATCH. King's College v. -Grammar School, No. 1 ground, at 2 p.m. NOTES AND COMMENTS. ■ Harrison.- one of the Northern Wairoa ! team to-day, has been representing his union, for 16 years. • The Welsh Rugby Union are giving inkstands—not to exceed three guineas in valuo —-to tho players who won the Triple Crown. In the programme for tho Olympic Games to bo held in .Tune, 1912, in Stockholm, no Rugby game is included, the only football on the list, being British Association. This action has been taken probably on account of the luke-warm support accorded the llugt>y competition in 1903, when only two teams entered, viz., the ' Wallabies" and; Cornwall, tho premier county team, who represented the United Kingdom. Tho; " Wallabies" won easily, and as this was: the first Rugby competition included in thceo classic games, and will probably be, tho last for many years, Australia is and will probably continue to bo for some time the Olympic Rugby champion. Besides tho usual inter-State games between Now South Wales and Queensland, other matches of an inter-State nature will bo played by Now South Wales teams this year. Tho New Zealand Universities' team will visit Sydney to take pdrfc in their bi-; ennial contests with Sydney University, and j tho matches on July 1 and 5* between these j teams should prove very attractive. On i Jul" 8 both Sydney and Now Zealand teams ! will be, pitted against metropolitan fifteens. j Mr. W. G. Talbot, secretary of tho Wellington Rugby Union* who has been suffering from appendicitis, is now recovering. Ho hopoa to resume his duties next week. Fred*. Roberts, tho Wellington halfback, had the bad luck to meet with an acojdent during tho week which will keen him off the football field for at least a month. While preparing the wood for the daily j firing, Roberts had tho misfortuno to cut; off the top of the thumb ,of his left band i with a saw, tho wound being severe enough to necessitate the services of a doctor. Ellison, a young brother of tho late lamented Tom Ellison, who was recognised as one of the finest forwards in New Zealand of his time, promises to develop into a.' really first-class player (says a Dunodin cor- ; respondent). In tho Otago University- ! Canterbury College match on the Caledonian ! Ground on Tuesday, Ellison stood out for , some fine work in the loose, and displayed I a koon sense of intelligence and football > values. At present lie nrobaEly lacks a little • in weight, but in his case this is scarcely a deficiency, particularly in heavy going on 1 a treacherous ground, making pace where j a heavier man is inclined to flounder. I Referring to tho close call Wellington had I against. Marlborough, a correspondent says I that their forwards played , splendidly, and i onco again demonstrated that there are j many good players among the smaller ■ unions, who only want the opportunity to ! .prove that they are worthy of inclusion in 1 the better class of football as we know it in New Zealand. There are many in Marlborough who have often expressed the opinion that their players could shift the Ranfurly shield from Auckland if they could onlv get a gallop :on Alexandra. Park. It would not surprise ma greatly, therefore, to | see a challenge go forth from Marlborough at this. stage, . with the objeot of relieving the Au a do re of their trophy. The Campbells are coming! In a junior match played at Alexandra Park last Saturday, between Ponsonby and University teams, the captain of each" side was named i A. Campbell, and by a curious coincidence the match was controlled by Mr. Angus Campbell, of the local Referees' Association. There is no relationship between the | , trie* 1

A North Shore third Grade player n&mea MoGlashan had the misfortune to break his collarbone in the match ' against a City team Lost Saturday. ' J. Armstrong, of _ tho Parnell senior loam, met with a piece of bad luck last Saturday, when he hurt his shoulder playing against Ponsonby. Armstrong's ohanco for | inclusion in tho representatives this season was very bright. An interesting third grade match -will fee played to-day between the College Rifles and Parnell teams. Neither has been beaten this soason. The No. - 2 ground at Alexandra Park has been ' allotted for this game. At tho Management Committee meeting of the Auckland Union this week a curious state of affairs and unique performance by a fourth grade team was mentioned. Marist Brothers' team oh two Saturdays had wins by default, and their own third, grade team being unable to place a fifteen in the field, tho fourth played their match, and thus won two matches .in one day in two different grades. Tho alterations at Alexandra Park were not appreciated by the largg> crowd last Saturday, tho grass approach to tho stands quickly becoming a sea. of liquid i mud. The Union officials havo been unablo ■ to help the situation. No. 1 ground will be i moved 90ft further away from the stand, the | Trotting Club requiring this extra space for i tho purpose of laying down a lawn. Tho . arrangement of the grounds is being al- , tered. " ■- . • I _ Very careful arrangements will be made I in future by the Auckland union with those I seeking Kanfurly shield matches. An. _ acute position has arisen out of Hawkc's Bay's claim for expenses for their team's' trip ito Auckland. The local authorities understood tho East Coast representatives were on tour, and were surprised when asked by tho committee of tho New Zealand Rugby Union to forward a financial statement of tho match, and to make an allowance for Hawke's Bay's expenses. When the correspondence was laid on the table on Wednesday evening some free expressions were made as to the course of action taken by Hawke's Bay and the policy of the appeal council of the New Zealand Union. Members generally considered thoy liad been smartly caught, and as there could; be no anneal they would have no alternative but to pay up and look pleasant. . ~ •