FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15915, 12 May 1915, Page 10

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Tin- official opening of the HuE»y football; season on Saturday was not a brilliant affair.: tho seveua-aidc tournament attracting but j little public attention, probably because the followers of the same knew that the ability: of the teams engaged was problemat.cal.. Is would have been difficult to select, on the i form shown, n good senior fifteen from the 6:1 players who took part in the tournament., The inroads made in the- membership of i clubs by enlistments was evident on .Satinclay. VjT,Wev?Us. last Wear's winner?, had nn , entirely new team, and of the sown students, who battled for their alma mater this year, tho most prominent. N. McLean, has volunteered mid been accented for service lit (lie front. I'russinK. Holland, and Forsdick wore a trio who showed much dash, and may be heard of later in the season. The tournament was won by the ( itj Club, whoso A team apnea red the moat formidable on paper. With the solid defence of Moflitt and the experienced attack of D. Stewart. Ban-lay. and O. Stewart, the seven proved to bo distinctly superior to the other teams encountered. A valuable member of. tho team. J. Campbell, is new to Auckland senior play. During the afternoon ho kicked fire goals. W. Campbell and Ca-'hman did valuablo forward work. The Marißt Brothers Old Boys' Club en tercd two teams in the tournament, but only one look part. This team lacked condition, and after playing a good name in the firßt spell against 'Varsity, were eventually easily beaten. The members of the team wore, block hands on their arms in respect to the memory of the Into 13- O'Brien. The I'arncll loam did not survive the first game; they were beaten by Marist Brothers by 10 points to 3. The club is raising a fairly good senior tea n, and it is hoped that during iho season it will make a. fairly good showing. The Pousonby teauiß did not make a prominont showing. University accounted for tho A team, which was composed of now players The students compiled 13 points in the first spell, and were content to let the scoro remain at that figure during the second spell. I'onsonby's notable players of the past. O'Lcary, Murray, and the two McGregors, were absentees.

Tho College Hides Club entered two teams for the tournament, and the A team, with City, played tho most interesting game of tho series. It was in the semi-final, and there was more real Rugby dash imparted in the game than in any ol the others. Weston was tlio key of the College Rifles attack, and he was also successful with his place-kicking. He. however, showed bad judgment in permitting the one-man scrum systom to be followed when defending. The aid© practically gave O. Stewart the try he scored AlcHugh, Barker, and Sellars wcro prominent at times.

The entries for this season's competitions of the Auckland Rugby Union will definitely close with Mr ('. V l.ongsford to-day at 5 p.m. I'onsonby and Marist Brothers Old Boys' Clubs have each entered five teams.

THE LEAGUE GAME.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

'the condition* were all that could be denied on Saturday for ' tho opening ol the League football season, and at all the matches there were large attendances of .spectators. Most interest attached locally to the Grafton Athlctic-I'onsoiiby United match which was decided at Victoria. Park. The League name, like most other branches of sport, liar, lest sonic good players owing to the war. and both the teams under review have suffered in this reaped. The public, therefore, were not prepared for a very brilliant exposition ol the game, but they were treated to a contest that was full of interesting incident from start to finish. Grafton was the popular fancy, but. though :h.\v succeeded in defeating Poll i-onliy by 11 points to '2, their task was a strenuous one, and at no Matte of the game were they able to take matters easy To wards the end Ponar.nby had them hemmed up against tbiir own line, cud only lor tho fine defensive work of the hacks the score might easily have been equalised. Altogether tie game was a particularly good one for an opening day. and the prospects 'or a ruc."»ssful season in this branch of foothill look extremely bright, Some new players figure in the Grafton I thirteen, and chief among them is It. McGregor, the ex-New Zealand Rugby representative, who accompanied the "All Blacks" to California. He is a brilliant back, and, associated with Ifwersen at throcquarters, was given every opportunity to do his best. fie treated the spectators to a fine display, frequently running through the opposing forwards in great style. He was particularly sound on defence, and put in a great after f noon's work Ifwersen and also Isles and McDonald, the two halfbacks, were very prominent. The fust-named was very sound in goal-kicking, and secured all but three points lor Grafton by this means. Winter, who played for City Rovers last year, made his debut for Grafton, and he and Collins were about the best of the pack. Ponsonby was not by any means up to full strength, for included among the players wero Arneil (fallback). Jones (threequarter), and Ccok and L/awry forwards), who have recently been promoted from the third grade, also Turner, a new player, who comes from Wellington. The team did not develop such good combination at Grafton, and their defeat is in a large measure due to this fact. They did very well, however, for only on one occasion was the line crossed during the afternoon. There are a few weaknesses in the team, but for the start of the season it would perhaps be unfair to be too critical. Corby, Jones, and Webb were the most prominent of tho backs, while Turner, Longbottom, laid Lawry played well in the forward divisionCity Rovers played Newton Rangers at the Domain and defeated them by 15 points to nil. The latter have been considerably handicapped in getting a team together this season, and therefore they could hardly be expected to make a good showing. In any raso, both teams lacked combination, and their display was not of a very high order. City was the strongor of the two. and at the conclusion of the first soell had two tries to their credit. They added three more in tho concluding half, E. Ashen Denize Brooks, and Rnkutai played particularly well an & were the most prominent of the City team. Last year's champions. North Shore Albions, just managed to beat Otahuhu by a point after a very keen contest. They held the advantage for the greater portion of the first spell, but then Otahuhu asserted themselves, and after a fine passing rush a try was snored by MoManiiß. North Shore returned to tho attack, and were successful in obtaining a penalty goal. Another was added in {he second spell, and the game concluded in their favour by 4 points to 3. Both teams included a number of juniors, but the North Shore team developed a, great deal more combination than their opponents, and this accounted for their victory.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR SATURDAY. The arrangements for Saturday's matches of the Auckland Rugby League are as follows : — Senior Grade: City v. Ponsonby, at Victoria Park, No. 1, 3 p.m., referee Mr- Ferguson; Grafton v. Otahuhu, Otahnhu. No. 1, 3 p.m., Mr. Nield; North Shore v. Newton, North Shoro, No. 1, 3 p.m., Mr. Murray. Second Grade: City v. Ponsonby. Yiotoria Park, No. 2, 3 p.m., Mr. Eddofs; Grafton v. Otahuhu, Otahuhu, No. 2, 3 p.m., Mr. Dempsey; Mangere v- Rerauera. Otahuhu, No. 3, 3 p.m., Mr. Whitley; Thames v. Northcote, Northcote, 3 p.m., Mr. Tyson. Third Grade: City A v. Ponsonby, Victoria Park. No 1. 2 p.m., Mr Shaw: City B v. Newton, Victoria Park, No. 2, 1 p.m., Mr. Aught™; Richmond v. Thames, Domain, 2 p.m., Mr. Child*; Sunnvside A v. Sunnysido B, North Shore, No. 2, 3 p.m., Mr- Hoirick; Otahuhu v. Manukuu, Otahuhu, No. I, 3 p.m., Mr. Rogers. Fourth Grade: North Shore v. Sunnyside, North Shore, No. 1, 2 p.m., Mr. Ball; City v. Nowton, Otnhuhu, No. 3, 2 p.m., Mr. Rogers; Ponsonby v. Northcote, Northcoto, 2 m-, Mr. Tyson: Grafton v. Manukau, Onchunga, 3 p m.. Mr. Mcintosh; Richmond v. Remuera, Grey Lynn, 3 p.m., Mr. Calthorpc.

Fifth Grade: North Shore v. Sunnyside, North Shore. No. 2, 2 p.m., Mr. Becson; Richmond v Remuera, Grey Lynn, 2 p.m., Mr. Calthome; City v. Newton, Domain, 3 p.m., Mr- Kill ; Otahuhu v. Ponsonby, Otahuhu, No. 5, 3 p.m., Mr. Warner; Grafton v. Manukau, Onehunga, 2 p.m., Mr. Fielding.

REFEREES' ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the Referees' Association was held on Monday evoning at the League Rooms, Shortland Street. Mr. R. Benson presided, and tho following members wero present:—Messrs. Vause, Hill, Eddoes. Mcintosh, Rogers, Shaw, Ball Herrick, Whitley, Ferguson, Dompsey, Calthorpe, Fielding, Murray, Tyßon, and Childs. The sympathy of the Association was extended to Mr. R. A. Spinley in his recent bcreavemont-

Mossrs- E. Hinton and Thompson were nominated for membership. It was decided to again apply to the Now Zealand Council through the Auckland League to have disqualification removed from one of the members.

NEW ZEALAND LEAGUE. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Football League will bo held this evening, when the report and balance-sheet will bo submitted, officer* dented. «nd general business transacted.