FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14751, 5 August 1911, Page 9

FOOTBALL.

NORTHERN UNION GAME. DOMINION CHALLENGE CUP. ■; • AUCKLAND" .V. WELLINGTON. - The first contest for the int-erprovincial challenge cup presented to the New Zealand Rugby League by the English Northern Union for competition among the provincial. leagues of the Dominion, will bo played at Victoria Park to-day, when the Auckland team (holders) will defend the trophy against , the Wellington challengers. The : local team , includes some noted exponents at the new codes, who may be relied upon to show their best form. The Wellington team, composed mostly of .Wanganui players, is said to be a strong, fast side, capable of extending the local thirteen. A curtain-raiser will be played between the Northcote Ramblers . and Combined juniors. The Wellington team arrived by Main Trunk train yesterday in charge of Mr. Perrett. They were accorded a reception at the Waitoinata Hotel by the Auckland League. Mr. J. S. Dickson (president), in extending a welcome to the visitors',. emphasised the fact that they were anxious to i stamp out any suggestion of professionalism in the sport. :He was confident the game had come to stay, and it depended: on the players to make a . complete success of it. 'Mr. Perrett, in replying on behalf of the Wellington team, thanked the local league for their efforts regarding the team's comfort during their stay in Auckland. He repudiated the professional side of the game, and said that the visitors had each contributed £6 towards the cost of the tour, with very little hope of petting their money back. The gam© was growing rapidly in the Wellington province. Mr. Seeling (captain of the visiting team) - spoke in regard to the chano© of his team winning, and Mr. Oakley, on behalf of the Auckland, League, welcomed, the Southerners to Auckland. The teams for to-day's match are .as follow : — WELLINGTON. , ■ '■ • Fullback: ;■ - . "• , ' H. Quartermain.; Threcquarters: R. Siddells, K. Buokland, A. Gibson. Five-eighths: • A. Seeling, R. Mitchell. . , - '' .Halfback: , J. Braid. Forwards: _ E. Lambert, M. Prideaux, T. Pridcaux, T. Irwin, J. Hogan, W. Storey.' « AUCKLAND. . Fullback: . ' ■ . -f; i: Childs. . ■ • ' v : , • Threequarters: V . Asher, Robinson, McKay, E. Asher. Five-eighths: . ' < // ' . Morse. Halfback: ' Jackson. . Forwards: Griffin, Dunning, Bennett, , McDonald, : Rukutai, Seager. ' ' • THE RUGBY GAME. TO-DAY'S MATCHES. The principal Rugby matches to-day are as follows 1 . ' 1 SENIOR GRADE. (At' Alexandra: Park.) J- ~ . Grafton v. Marist Bros.' Old Boys (No. 1 ground), referee Mr. S. Conway. Parnell V. City (No. 3 ground), referee Mr. P. <MoNamee. Newton v. Ponsonby (No. 4 ground), referee Mr. C Johnstone. ./■ SECONDARY SCHOOLS PINAL.-; ' "V ' (At Alexandra Park.) • '. Grammar School v. King's College (No. 1 ground), referee Mr. P. McNamee.. NOTES AND COMMENTS. ■;;i The Auckland Rugby Union, assisted by the Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, is providing a liberal menu for athletio enthusiasts at Alexandra Park to-day, which includes • the final oi the secondary schools championship, the finish of the Auckland five-mile: crosscountry championship, and the senior grade matches. Tho proceedings will commence at two o'clock with the match between the keen scholastic ' rivals, ■ Grammar ' School , and King's College teams. To-day's match will decide the 1911 secondary school ; championship, and is sure to attract a large attendance.- The games 'between Grammar School and King's College Rugby events of the season, to which • additional interest is infused by the whole-souled support of the schoolmates of the contesting teams, p The Auckland cross-country championship, whioh will be started at Ellerslio Racecourse at 2.20, will finish in front of the grandstand at Alexandra, Park about three ■ o'clock. The V distance to -be covered is five miles, and 14- competitors will take part in this event, which is a preliminary to the -New Zealand cross-oountry championship. The latter will bo held over , the same course next Saturday. - _ ' Tho Grafton-Marist Brothers' Old Boys senior grade match will bo given pride of place at Alexandra Park to-day. The first round game between these teams was won by Grafton by tho narrow margin of three points (a try) to nil. Th© form on that occasion was no criterion, because tho match was played on a . publio holiday (June 3), and several players were absent from each side. The result of the match is open according to recent form, and a closo game should result. . The City-Parnell match will be played on No. 3 ground, and should result in a win for the former team, who beat, Parnell in the first round by 24 points to eight. The most interest is being taken in the result of the match by football followers, by reason of City's leading position. A win to Parnell— a likely contingencywill place City and University level. Ponsonby should have no difficulty in disposing of Newton today. The wearers of the red-and-white hoops are pluckily battling the season out, and will only need to make another appearance to complete r their list of engagements. Much credit is due to the players, who havo responded against overwhelming odds to the call of the club enthusiasts, Messrs. S. Hinton, A. Crawford, and " Sandy McElwain, to keep the flag flying. >... ; Auckland representative teams will be engagod in two matches next Saturday. The A team will play Thames at Alexandra Park, and the B team will play Franklin at Pukekohe. The Auckland Union has submitted to the Thames Union the names of Messrs. A. Campbell, C. W. Oram, A. Plugge, and J. Williams, of tho Auckland Rugby Referees' Association, for the selection .of a referee for next Saturday's game. 0 . The Newton fifth grade football club will hold a smoke social this evening. Players in last Saturday's matches at Christchurch wore black or white bands on their arms according to the respective colours of their jerseys, as a mark of respect to the late Mr. T. E. Taylor. COROMANDEL UNION. [BY telegraph.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] : Coromandel, Friday. At a meeting of . the Management Committee of the Coromandel Rugby Union. on Wednesday, an invitation from the Thames Union- for a Coromandel .team ; to play' at Thames on August 26 was accepted, and an offer from the old boys to play a match in Coromandel on August 12 was also accepted. The Kuaotunu Club was granted permission to continue engagements made with th© Whitianga and Mercury Bay Clubs, and also invited to play a match at Coromandel on August 19. ; • HAMILTON RUGBY UNION. [HI TELEGRAPH.OWN CORK DENT.] ..Hamilton, Friday. At a meeting of the Hamilton. Rugby Union' it was decided to call a further meeting on the 17th inst., to consider the question of the abolition of the present district scheme and introduce the club system,, it is probable that if tho proposal is carried, a round of club matches will be played at. the end of the present season. The question of playing members being on the Management Committee of the Union will bo dealt with at the same meeting.

THE M&NIOPOTO TEAM. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ,\ : : ' ' Te Rum, ■■ Friday. . The Maniopoto : Rugby; football team' left . this morning. for Thames, where they will play to-morrow. Mr. Scholes, chairman at Waitomo County Council, is manager. THE ASSOCIATION GAME. TO-DAY'S MATCHES. Tho principal soccer * matches to-day are as follows: — . FIRST DIVISION. Eve.rton v. North Shore ' (No. 1 ground, Eden : Park), referee Mr. Fench. ' ; Caledonian v. Carlton (No. . 2 ground, Eden Park), referee Mr. Tagart. W.Y.M.I, v. Corinthian (No. 3 ground, Eden Park), referee Mr. Aitkin. ' FIFTH GRADE ARRANGEMENTS. ; Edendale v. Northcoto (No. 1 ground, Kingsland, at one p.m.), referee Mr. Gil- ■ snore. Church of Christ v. Y.M.C.A. A (No. 2 ground,'at one p.m.), referee Mr. Fowler. Rovers v. Beresford (No. 3 ground, at one p.m.), refereo Mr. Charteris. St. Luke's v. St.. James's (No. 4- ground, at on© p.m.), referee Mr. Bennett. Tabernacle v. Mount Eden (No. 1 ground, at two p.m.), referee Mr. Cjdwallader. Y.M.C.A.'B v. St. Holiers (No. 2 ground, at two p.m.), referee Mr. Atkinson. North Shore v. Remuera (at North Shore, at two p.m.), referee Mr. Stewart. NOTES AND COMMENTS. i Baker, the Evert-on captain and centrehalf. will make a welcome reappearance this afternoon at Eden Park against the North , Shore olub. During his absence Everton struck a bad ; patch, losing four points out of a possible six, and their, chances of winning the cham- > , pionship of the senior division. They, may be relied on to make a good show against the Shore team. Everton have good ; cause to remember their _ last meeting, Cantell, their goalkeeper, being badly injured. Supporters of the rEverton 'club would like to fee a third game arranged with the Ponsonbv club this season. Such a match (the losers to pay for a dinner for both teams) would draw a good' crowd, and help to swell the funds of the association.. ; . y ; Cantell is now well on his way towards full recovery. He wishes to thank those who subscribed . toward the fund got up .for his benefit.' . - •' t '■'[• Ponsonbv showed their worth by. defeating North Shore at' the latter team's ground last Saturday by 5 coals to 1. The •winners' footwork and combination was. much too good for the North Shore men. It is scarcely possible to single out any of • tho nlayers : for special mention, except, perhaps, Drake, at centre-half, who was beyond any .doubt the. best player on the ground. H. Webster, at -centre, was unfortunately hurt just after the interval, previous to which he rlaved a vcrv pood game. Ponsonby played the last 35 minutes with only •10 men. Just on ' time • North Shore.' were. ; awarded a penalty, from which they'scored their only goal. , .\ / ' - _. r .". To commemorate . their success in winning the championship of tho - Southern League, Swindon hav> presented with a unique , - memento. V It takes the form of a ; beautiful . model' of 'a - Great Western train. " The. en-: gine ;is an exact reproduction of a./ locomotive of the 4.4.0 Athar?.! cla c s, and is. narrted • " Fleming.", The carriages - are adorned with : the refer- 1 ? of the various ' clubs in ' the competition _ for 1910-11. . and leaning out of t>»e first window' i«a snip-d wearing the ; Swindon colours, while welkin# in. the rood in the roar of .the t v ain are figures marked . "Southampton" - and " Portsmouth.": The nre«ent /was given byBrighton and Northampton. \ ■ ' - s'■Y' • - i