FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15933, 2 June 1915, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME.

PATRIOTIC MATCH.

TRENTHAM V. AUCKLAND.

The match between the Trentham camp team and the Auckland representatives, set down for decision a; Eden Park on Saturday, is attracting considerable attention in Auckland. The proceeds from the match will be demoted to the Hospital Ship and Killed and Wounded Fund. The Trentham loam contains some of the best player? the Dominion has ever produced, and their appeu ranee here should result in tho raising of a considerable sum. The team will como north in charge of Lieutenant Christopher, a member of the Wellington Union.

An added attraction will be the presence rf the band of tho 3id, Auckland, Infantry Regiment, Countess of Ranfurly's Own. It has also been suggested that the National Reserve should parade and march to the ground, led by the Infantry Rand.

One of the conditions under which the Trentham team is coming north is that the Auckland Union pay its expenses. In order to raise as much money as possible for the fund the local officials endeavoured to minimise expenses. The Waverley Hotel proprietors have invited the members of tho team to stay at their hotel while in Auckland, but an application made to the Defence Department for concessions in regard to railway fares has been declined.

The arrangements for the match are now well in hand. The Auckland team held a successful practice at the City Club's training hall last evening.

The Rugby Union match on No. 1 ground, Edeu Park, on Saturday, between City sad College Rifles, was quite the best game wo have had this season, both in point of play and strenuotisness. There was some exceedingly good play by both backs and forwards of each team, and the forward work was willing without actually developing undue roughness. The other senior matches were also well contested, and it will piobably bo found before the season closes that the standard of football will be good and the senior grade competition a scries of interesting matches.

The College Rifles team by its victory over City, earned the leading position in the senior grade competition. There was not a great deal of difference in the run of play, and had City's back division been as capable in handling the ball in passing runs as the dark blues there would have been another tale to tell. It was just that ability to score, to put the finishing touches on attacking movements, that led the writer to anticipate College Rifles' victory. Some of the Rifles' passing rims were very pretty, and Scantlebvtry's try was the direct result of combined back play. On the other hand the winner's forwards showed considerable dash, and they excelled in loose work. From one of these characteristic* dashes Pooley scored. The City team's strength lies in it=< pack work, and in tho good individual play of some of the backs. That division, however is unevon, and lacks combinit'on. Of tho College Rifles' backs the pick were Scantlebury, flnrkor, and King. Gilmore, the fullback, has played both hockey and Association football. He was anything but weak in the position, and as he becomes ir-ore used to the game should make a fine Rugby player. He does not take the ball from a high kick too well, but his fielding of the ball when low, and bis kicking—he has rather a pretty low drivo—are both good. L. Xosbit made his reappearance on Saturday, and played wing-forward. Of the forwards McHugh gave the pack a good lead, and he was ably assisted by Sell ik, Gar!., and Pooley. McHugh, however, as. lock appeared to bend up when the ptesseve was put on in the scrums. The best of the City backs on Saturday was Moffitt. The red and black fullback was called upon to do a lot of work, and without him City would have been in a bad way. He takes a. ball so well, and kicks with such judgment, that his forwards are saved much running. He cleverly extricated his side from several extremely dangerous positions. Lang was probably the next best of the backs, and Barclay also did good defensive work, but bo far this season he has not been good on the attack. G. Campbell was absent, and this somewhat disorganised the team, for 0. Stewart was played at five-eighths, and J. Gibbons put in as wing-forward. The change did not enhance the team's chances. Of the forwards, the best, were Bruce, Johnston, A. Campbell, and Rnsmtissen.