FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15981, 28 July 1915, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME. NOTES AND COMMENTS. The Rugby Union matches were continued on Saturday in fine weather, and on grounds which showed but little effect of the heavy rains of the week. In the senior grade City beat Ponsonby. Marist Brothers Old Boys beat University, and College Rifles won by default from Parnell. The results *eft College Rifles in the load two points ahead of Marists, and three ahead of City. Next Saturday's matches may clear the atmosphere a little. City and College Rifles are drawn to meet, and also Ponsonby and ; Marist Brothers Old Boys. A win to City would add considerable interest to the competition, but, on the other hand, a win to College Rifles will still leave the issue fairly open. The City-Ponsonby match was given pride of place on Saturday, but there was nothing out of the ordinary in the game. With City weakened by the absence of Sainsbnry, Bruce, and Castles last-named was playing the Northern Union game —and Ponsonby strengthened by the inclusion of G. Murray, from Trentham, and Clark, from North Auckland, it was thought that Pon- j sonby might win, but the team never looked like a winning side. The backs lacked combination, and, in fact, the fifteen players never worked as a team. Barclay, the City five-eighths, was responsible for a lot of spoiling, and, as one of the spectators remarked, he was more of a destructive than a constructive back. The pick of the City backs were Moffitt, he was not so sure as usual, 1). Stewart, .Barclay and .Lang, an '. oi mo torwarus <J. Stewart, French, A. Campbell and Rasmussen. Wilson played a good sound game as fullback for l J onsonbv and the boat ol the others were O. Murray and Tremain Of tho forwards, the best were Brown on the wing, Schars, anion and Avery. The University-Marist Brothers U.d Boys match developed into a really fast game in which there was plenty of incident and in consequence tho crowd deserted the match on No. 1 ground. University asked for and obtained permission to play F. Wilson and Ross and this, no doubt, brought about a better state of affairs in tin team. The first spell ended 6 all, but in the second half of the gamo Marists had the best of the scoring and won by a margin of 3 points. Holland , continued m scoring mood and gained six of the 'Varsity's nine points. The Parnell Club officials, after many weeks of battling, found it impossible to put a team in the field on Saturday. Only eight players were present and the club reluctantly defaulted to College Rifles. Many expressed regret that such a determined oflort to keep the maroon jersey on the senior playing field should fail. The third grado match between the Parnell and Grafton teams at Eden Park on Saturday was not a curtain-raiser in name only— it really lifted the veil and showed the public and Rugby Union officials the sort of football that is played by at least one junior team. . Early in the season wo called attention in these columns to the undesirable practices which were creeping into junior matches, and the necessity which existed for the better control of these competitions. Again, after the sports carnival at the Domain on July 3. the attention of the Union was called to the misbehaviour of some members of two particular teams. The referee of tho match in question thought that as the game was not part of a regular competition he had no power to report, and did not obtain the names of the players he ordered off the field. The Union officials, however, assisted by the club secretaries, identified the players, and. in tho circumstances, did all they could —severely reprimanded the offenders. Evidently it requires more than a caution to stop the practices complained of. On Saturday there was i some bad language, a lot of punching, much indiscriminate kicking, and. worse than all. numerous instances of " putting in the boot." The referee must have seen some of | the kicking, and must have missed a great , deal more than he saw. otherwise he would have acted more promptly. Punching on a football field is bad enough, but > the dei liberate kicking of an opponent, either pros trate or standing, is infinitely worse; the result of a punch is usually harmless, the : result of a kick may be a lifelone injury. The parents of boys playing football do not ! hold the referee responsible for preventable ; i accidents: they look to the Union officials, and therefore, when the officials present on , i Saturday saw how far one team was allowed to go by the referee, they should have, for the sake of the opposing players, stopped the match. j MORRINSVILLE UNION. The final match for the championship was Stayed on Saturday between the City and oiumaoho teams, and resulted in a draw. I As Motumaoho was leading previously by one noint, the team has now secured the . championship. The game was (undoubtedly I the best of the season, being very evenly | contested, but on account of the ground I being wet, it was confined largely to the forwards. THE LEAGUE GAME. NOTES AND COMMENTS. The final of the League senior competition will bo decided on Saturday, when Grafton Athletic will meet City Rovers. Both teams are now level with 13 points each, and a really good game should result, 'xneir performances throughout the season are identical in that they have only lost two matches and drawn one. The Management Committee has decided to maice a charge lor admission and judging by the attendance on Saturday, a good gate should result. The league has donated about £300 of its takings this season to the Hospital Ship and Wounded Soldiers' Relief Fund, an excellent contribution seeing the limited number of occasions on which the committee can collect a small amount for the privilege of witnessing its i matches. However, on Saturday, the whole of the proceeds will go into the league's funds for tho future maintenance ot the game. Trevarthen, a former Newton player, is now serving with the motor reserve in Flanders. About 4000 people assembled at Victoria Park on Saturday to witness the play in the I two senior matchesGrafton Athletic v. I Newton Rangers and City Rovers v. North I -hore Albions. Chief interest centred in ' tho former match and spectators were treated to a really excellent game of football. Graf- ; ton eventually won by 15 points to 9, but. it was not until well in the second half that its opponents were beaten. Newton tired perceptibly in the last twenty minutes, and Grafton then quite outplayed them. Newton, though defeated, was not by any means outclassed. The team played excel- , lent football throughout, and seeing the way i it has struggled on from tho commencement of tho competition it deserved every credit for its performance. The backs missed some great opportunities in the concluding stages, but as they had been run off their legs by injudicious long kicking it was not to be ; wondered at that they could not quite see . the game out. Grafton, with the exception I of one man—D. McGregorplayed no better ! football, and if it had not been for the j alacrity and ability he displayed the result might have easily been different. He Bhowed more capability both in individual effort and combined play, than any other back on the ground. He ran almost through the opposing team time and again, and altogether played a brilliant game. Haddon, who was on the opposite wing, played his first game for Grafton, and altogether made a very creditable showing. Ho made the m6st of any opportunities that were offering and scored a really good try. Ifwerson played probably his best game this season. He is good on a winning sjde, but defensive work is not by any means his forte. However, on Saturday he was ono of the most ; conspicuous of the backs. His goal-kicking : was rather indifferent. The club showed ; wisdom when it made J. McGregor fullback, I for he played a very safe game indeed and I got his side out of difficulties on many I occasions. Pes and Roope, at five-eighths. , were also prominent and put in a good i afternoon's work Of the forwards. Mitchell. Warner, and Collins were the most conspicuous of a hard-working set. Dealing with the individual men"? of the members of the Newton team one jg forced to the conclusion that tho weakness lay in I a largo measure in Virtue, the fullback. Ho was at times slow in gathering up trie ball, while his unsuccessful line-kicking tended to exhaust tho team. He played a i good game against Ponsonby United on the ! previous Saturday, but gave quite an indif- | ferent exposition in tho game under review. ! The threequarter line. Clarke. Rope, and Williams, was very good. The first-named put in a tremendous amount of work, and his brilliant dashes down the line were' very fine. Rope made one mistake during the game, and that was when ho failed to field tho ball and allowed Ifwerson to score Virtue, however, was equally to blame in the matter as he also had ample opportunity i to remove tho danger. Rope put in some ' really solid work during the match and it j helped to quite counter-balance this error The five-eighths, Biggs and Potier. played good games, as did Fnrrant at half-back Bennett was the pick of the forwards, but only one good opening came his way during the match, and a. try resulted Castles and Simpson were also prominent Bowern put in a fair amount of work, but he threw away one try by holding on to the ball too longCity Rovers defeated North Shore at Victoria Park by 13 points 1o 7. The game was fairly even during the first half, but City showed its superiority during the concluding stages and outplayed its opponents. The Asher brothers were the most prominent of the City team, while Mason, Paul, and Nicholson put in a good afternoon's work for North Shore The Ponsonby-Otahnhn match, at Otahuhu on Saturday, was well patronised by local supporters, as the proceeds of the gate were going to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. A good sum was realised, and this will be handed over immediately to the treasurer of the local committee. Those who attended were treated to an exceptionally keen game, in which the local team surpassed itself in opening up the game. For this they are to be complimented, at they would have

had. a much greater chance of winning by forcing a close game. The visitors handled the oval with great precision, and in the concluding stages outstayed the home team, although tho pace sot had told on both sides, and neither seemed sorry when the final whistle sounded. Of the Ponsonhy backs. Cross at first five-eighth was most noticeable, although McClymont and Jones also did good work, which was, however, minimised by the solid tackling of their opponents. Corby and McCallum, on the w.ngs. Played well, although they got comparatively few chances Tho forwards were a good, even lot, who played a very sound game without anything of outstanding brilliancy. McWhirter was perhaps most noticeable in the hard work, but all played well. The home team did not work as well together as their opponents, but some of them did brilliant individual work, and occasionally some pretty combined movements were indulged in. Fischer, at centre-threequarter. was the best back on the ground. He was prominent in attack, and in defence seemed to be everywhere O'Connell, -at fullback, played a fine defensive game, and frequently, in following up his kick, caught an opposing back in possession. Spence also showed a, good defence, but the speedy wing got few chances in attacking movements. Donohue and Farrelly both played well, but both showed a tendency to hold on to tho ball too long. Of the forwards. a good first, but Richardson and Wrightson each played good football throughout the game. REFEREES' ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the Auckland Rugby League Referees' Association was held at the league s rooms on Monday evening, when tho president, Mr. R. Benson, presided over an attendance of 22 members. Mr. A. C. Gallagher, well known as a referee under the Rugby Union code, was nominated for membership. A number of well-known players and supporters of the game were present, and asked various questions on the laws of the game. The offside rule especially came in for a good deal of discussion, and the law referring to offside play was explained to the players by tho president. ' A very pleasing function was held at the conclusion of the business, when Mr. R. ASpinley. the secretary of the league, was the recipient of a presentation from the members, as a small token of their esteem Mr. Spinley was recently married, and the members joined with the president, who made the presentation, in wishing him and_ Mrs. Spinley every prosperity and happiness.' THE ASSOCIATION* GAME. NOTES AND COMMENTS. The senior matches on Saturday did not produce any unexpected, results. The chief attraction was the senior game at Bayswater, where Brotherhood secured a fourgoal victory over Tabernacle. There was not this difference in the teams, however, but tho Tabernacle forwards were utter'y lacking in combination, and until they improve they will not secure victories | against teams of tho stamp of last Saturday's opponents. The Tabernacle defence was safe, but Tugby in goal was indiscreet in several attempts at saving. He was inclined to leave his goal. Everton had a good game at the Domain, and the final score justly represented the run of play. Y.M.C.A.'s half-backs were not capable of holding their bustling opponents. Adult School had a difficult task in raising a team last week, and it was a groat pitv that the match was not officially finished. North Shore had a substantial margin, and just on the call of time the Adult School team left the field. It was a great pity the matter could not have been seen in a different light by the school team. The players jKero ill-advised to leave the field. _. The juniors have had a good season. The third grade contains some good teams, and Brotherhood delayed winning their first match till last Saturday, when they defeated Adelphian by 5 goals to 0.