HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15652, 4 July 1914, Page 10

HOCKEY.

CHALLENGE SHIELD MATCH. WAIKATO V. AUCKLAND. This afternoon Auckland will be called upon to defend the New Z "aland challenge shield, won from Wellington in the last match of last season. The challenger is Waikato, holder of the Nordcn cup, and champion of the minor associations throughput the Dominion. The visitors are reported to have a strong team, and arc confident of mailing a big hid for the coveted trophy. The team contains three forwards with big .reputations, in G. Hunter, Dr. Gower, and N. R. Jacobsen, and has a prolific record of goals for the season. Auckland is represented by a sound team, probably a little better than that which lifted the shield last year. and* if it plays up to best form the country challengers should find it a difficult proposition to win the trophy. The match is set down to commence at three o'clock, and will be'controlled by .Mr. E. E. Madden and a referee to be nominated by the Waikato Association. The teams are :— Waikato (challengers), colours green: Goalkeeper, A. C. Rees; fullbacks, H. Humphries, 0. Anderson; halfbacks, A. T. James, A. Davies. G. Hinton; forwards, R. Menzies, G. Hunter, Dr. Gower. N. R. Jacobsen, Somers. Auckland (holders), colours navy blue and white -.Goalkeeper, R. B. Sparrow; fullbacks, H. B. Sneight (captain), J. H. Raker; halfbacks,"J. M. Alison, L. G. Robinson, J. C. Rennio; forwards, D. Smythc. W. H. Johns. E. A. Whittakor, J, Mahoney, C. N. Jacobsen. NOTES AND COMMENTS. j 'Hie New Zealand Hockey Association i has definitely arranged the date of the North and South Island match for Sep- \ tembcr 12, and it will be played at j Wellington. Mr. L. H. Norton has been j appointed a selector for the North Island . team. ! It is probable, in view of the above that ' the Auckland-Wellington Challenge Shield i match will be played on September 5, , providing the local association retains the Shield. The Taranaki team which suffered such a crushing defeat at the hand? of Waikato | in the Norden Cup match at Hamilton on Saturday last, met an Auckland representative team at Romuera on Wednesday, and. was beaten by six goals to nil. The visiting , team was strengthened by the inclusion of j Sparrow, a local goalkeeper, and on the j whole its play was much better than ex- | pected. Indeed the defence was very j lair, and many of the forward movements were good, but a weakness in ■ the circle was very apparent, the forwards being | quite unable to drive home their attack. Nevertheless there was nothing about the play of the visitors to confirm the weakness! indicated by the Waikato score of 15 I goals to nil, and it can only be assumed that the players from Taranaki did not show their proper form at Hamilton. The game was clean and open, and fairly well contested, but the standard of play never reached anything very high. Mis-hitting by the Auckland players in the early spell gave the opening play a ragged appearance, but matters brightened considerably as the game wore on. Several weaknesses were very noticeable in the local team in the half and forward lines, and with these eliminated a very I fair showing- should bo made. Of the I Taranaki team Sparrow played a splendid '' game in goal, stopping shot after idiot in J business-like and confident manner. Both j fallbacks had a great deal of work to do. I and managed to frequently beat I Inopposing forwards, clearing with powerful hits. Curtis was the pick of the halfbacks, playing a hard effective game, and he was seldom beaten for the ball. The forwards were more or less patchy, and a weakness in the circle, mentioned above, spoiled their work. Some of the shortpassing runs were- really good, Ranch doing particularly good work (and frequently beating the opposing fullback cleverly.

Cotton had little to do in goal for the home team, and appeared somewhat undecided. Speight was not as sure as usual but made good recoveries. Jones disposed of 'anything that came his way in a very convincing manner. Rowe as centrehalf was out of place, and wandered too much. Rennie played a stubborn game, making some nice reverse strokes in passing to the outside forward. Johns did not show up as well as in the trial match. He occasionally crossed to the' left side of the field with the ball, while! he was rather slow at recovering after j being beaten. Much of his work was good, and he fed the outside-right consistently. The forwards were below the nccossary standard, and much improvement is necessary. The inside men were often out of position which hampered the movement of the line. Smythe did not main-! tain a proper right-wing position, and ! unless this fault is remedied mi Saturday! disaster will surely follow. Jacobin on the left played a very clever game. He was fast and beat the opposing half and back well, whilo his throe scores were the result of good clean shots from difficult angles. Whittakor as centre made most of the openings for the line, but many of these were not availed of ■ by the inside men. He could pass to the right-wing a little harder to advantage, while he shojld cultivate shooting on the fly when connecting with centres from the right. The ball should only be stopped when there is plenty of time to get in a shot at goal before the opposing backs get into position. Murray was below form, and not infrequently off-side. Thomas crowded on the centre, and missed many chances through being out of place. Generelly there was a lack of crispness about the work on the circle edge, and a need of good hard shooting. LADIES' ASSOCIATION NOTES. With the exception of two postponed fixtures, all matches are off to-day on account of the shield match Auckland v. Waikatc. Tho executive committer has decided to play another round in the second grade competition, commencing next Saturday. ENGLISHWOMEN'S TEAM. [BY TELEGUAI'D.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Friday. Owing to various reasons tho original itinorary of tho All-England women's hockey team has not been found acceptable to some associations. Tho following itinerary has been definitely decided upon, tho New Zealand Association intimating that no further alterations will be pc mitted:— August 1, play Wellington, at Wellington; Wednesday, August 5, Manawatu, at Palmers ton North ; Saturday, August 8, Hawke's Bay, at Napier; Wednesday, August 12, Poverty Hay, at Gisborne; Saturday, August 15, Auckland, at Auckland; jLUureday, August 20, Wanganui, at Wanganui; Saturday, August 22, Taranaki, at New Plymouth; Saturday, August 29, Nelson, at Nelson: Wednesday, September 2, West Coast, at Greymouth; Saturday, ' September 5, Huller, at Westport; luursday, September 10, South Canterbury, at Timaruj Saturday, September 12, Canterbury, at Christchurch; Wednesday, September 16, Southland, at Invercargill; Saturday, September 19, Otago, at Dunedin; Saturday, September 26, North Otago, at Oamani; Wednesday, September 30, New Zealand! at Wellington; Saturday, October 3, New Zealand, at Ohristchurch; Saturday, October 10, New Zealand, at Auckland.