FOOTBALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16037, 14 August 1916, Page 10

FOOTBALL

; THE RUGBY GAME.

:SOLDIEES .V, CIVILIANS.

AUCKLAND REPRESENTATIVES WIN

Destltz the showery weather on_ Saturday afternoon, the football match between the

•earn from the seventeenth reinforcements, j now on final leave, and the Auckland representatives, attracted fully 3000 spectators to l-'den Park. It was announced that the proceeds would be divided between the Children's Hospital Equipment Fund and the Regimental Fund, in the proportion of twoThirds to the former and one-third to the latter. The tram of £91 was taken at the gates, many tickets were previously sold and » committee of ladies raised money by the sale of sweets, peannts and " mysterious " envelopes. It is anticipated that over £100 will be available for division and allotment to the respective funds. The match proved to be an exceptionally good exhibition of the fJtxgby code, the youthful Auckland represent stares showing much dash and cleverness against their older and more experienced opponents. The match wis won by the Auckland representatives by 24 points to 0. end although the ball was wet and the ground boggy their display was high class. 1 - was cue of the best wet-day Rugby matches eTer seen here. The play throughout was open and clever and although the soldiers' forwards were heavier than the local pack, •.he latter were the faster and worried an uneven set of backs by close following up. The match demonstrated that Rugby has not suffered by the self-imposed war restri;tions.

SEVENTEENTHS V. AUCKLAND, j There was practically no wind when the j teams lined out at Eden Park on Saturday. I and a light rain was falling. The ground • was in ft bad state, particularly in on© i part near the half-way line. Auckland won •'-« toss, and decided to defend the western, teal. The soldiers attacked at the outset, their forward rashes being a feature of the jiiay. When the local team came to the attack the tackling of the visitors was noticeably good. The game had not been in progress long when j. sensational incident occurred. Corby, one of the soldiers' team, intercepted a pass from Wilson to Nicholson, and found himself right through the local defence. He set off on the 76yd3 run 10 the goal-line with both teams in pursuit. Near the goal-line Badeley cam© cut of the ruck, and catching Corby, who was handicapped by the heavy ball, downed him two yards from the line. By a series of forward rushes Auckland came to the attack again. i-.nd_ a good opportunity to score after the ■ fallback's kick had been charged down was j lost. Two other chances were lost through 1 Wilson, the centre ihreequaxter. hanging on j to the ball too long. The soldier forwards ! asserted themselves, and an exciting period ' nf play followed in Auckland's twenty-five. Relief was gained, and for some time play j was fast, with the tackling and kicking good ! on both sides. A clever passing run started ! by Lucas saw play work back across the j soldiers' posts, and Herring went across the | line unopposed, with the ball at toe, and ; "Wilson and Piatt in attendance. The lastnamed scored, and McLean converted. Hn't- I time was called a few minutes later, with I the score: Auckland 5 points; Seventeenths, ! 0. I Auckland attacked on resumption, but a < magnificent rash by the soldier forwards carried the ball sixty yards down field, and I the attack was sustained for some time. Eventually Auckland got relief, and Lucas. I who had been playing an excellent wingforward game, scored Auckland's second try. The try was not converted. Play had hardly resumed when the ball was kicked i over the soldiers" line, and Maxwell beat J. O'Brien, who was playing a magnificent came, in the race for the ball. Gasparich -inverted. The pressure was kept on. and Boucher, securing, sent the ball on to Harwell, and it travelled to Badeley. to Wilson. who scored. Gasparich converted an>l Auckland now led by 18 points to 0. The soldiers were not yet beaten, and they made strenuous efforts to score. Sheehan. Marshall, rsmpbell. and O'Brien being prominent at this stage. The local team was not to be denied, and near midfield Piatt received a | r.ass. and running cleverlv. beat O'Brien and Bennett, and scored. Not Ion? afterwards I Maxwell cleverly hand-balled to Wilson, who *ent it on to Nicholson, and he scored Auckland's last try of the match. The game ! ended: — Auckland Representatives 24 ' Seventeenth Reinforcements ... 0 I Mr. A. Nicholson was referee. » j

REFEREES V. B TEAM. ! A team from the Auckland Referees' Association met and defeated the Auckland B representative team by 5 points to 0 at Eden Park on Saturday. The referees, who -were too heavy "for their youthful _ opponents, had their defence severely tried on several occasions, but kept their lines intact. In the first spell Grigg scored » try. which Kelly converted. There was no further scoring, and the game ended: Referees 5 B Team 0 i Mr. "B. Emor was referee. SECONDARY SCHOOL -MATCHES. I SECOND GRADE. Grammar School A defeated Technical College. 17 points to 5. King's College defeated Sacred Heart College, 6 points to 0. THIRD GRADE. Sac Ted Heart College defeated Technical College. 17 points to 3. Grammar School A defeated King's College, 12 points to 0. HAMILTON V. MORRINSYILLE. The first representative match of the setson was held at Hamilton on Saturday, when the local team met and defeated Morrinsrill© by 3 points to 0. The game was strenuous and evenly fought, Hamilton's score being secured soon after the commencement of the game. SOLDIERS DEFEAT OTAGO. j , * . $VZ TELEGBAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] |~„. DUNEDIN. Saturday. ,'The football match. D Company, seventeenth reinforcements, v. Otago. was won , by the former by 10 points to 8.

THE LEAGUE GAME. ROOPE ROOSTER MATCH. The semi-final match in the Roope Rooster competition was played in unpleasant weather londit-ions at Victoria Park on Saturday. In spite of the rain, fully 5000 spectators were present, and, as a consequence, he five charitable institutions to which the proceeds are to be given, will benefit .conuderably. The match, which was spoiled by " . wet ball and slippery turf, was won by < ity -Rovers, who defeated Newton Rangers l>y 16 points to 3. CITY DEFEATS NEWTON. The City Rovers-Newton Rangers match was played on No. 1 ground, Victoria Park, on Saturday, The conditions were neutral there being but little wind, and the sun was obscured by heavy rain-clouds. The turf was slippery. Newton started off at a great pace but City worked back, and Davidson drop-kicked a goal and gave City two points .Not ions afterwards the same player followed up a. long kick and scored a try which was not converted. Rukutai scored a try, and at the spell City led by 9 points to 0. At the opening of the second half Newton again went off with a great dash.* and A. lies finished up a Newton passing run by scoring in the corner. The trv was not converted. A Newton player retired through injuries, and thus handicapped the team lost the offensive City rallied and monopolised the scoring for the rest of the game tries being secured by Francis and Sutton. Davidson converted one try, and the game ended :— City Rovers .. .. .. .. Ifi Newton Rangers .. .. . . 3 Mr. A. Ferguson was referee. SECOND GRADE. Otahuhu won by default from Grafton. THIRD GRADE. -Newton defeated Sunnyside, 8 points to S. City defeated Thames Old Boys, 3 points to 0. FOURTH GRADE. Otahuhu defeated Newton 34 points to 2. City defeated Ponsonby, il points to 0. North Shore defeated Sunnyside, 12 points in a. FIFTH GRADE. North Shore defeated Grafton, 15 points I to Oj

THE ASSOCIATION GAME.

SOLDIERS .V. AUCKLAND.

LOCAL TEAMS EASY WIN.

A te«m of soldiers now on final leave from the training camps played a match at Devonport on Saturday against the Auckland representative team. The showery weather interfered with the attendance, which was. however, satisfactory, and a collection, to provide comforts for the returned soldiers in the annexe at the District Hospital, was taken up by members of the Devonport branch of the Ladies' Patriotic League. The Auckland Football _ Association has held its competition this season under restricted conditions, namely, that no one over 20 years of age on April 1 last bo allowed to play. The result has been bright and clever football, and the improvement in play under the new conditions wis demonstrated on Saturday, when the juniors defeated the soldiers, who are all senior players, by 9 goals to 2. The pace and com. bination of the juniors was super.or to that of the old senior players. The local representatives monopolised the scoring in the first spell, coals being gained by Perrett. Dacre (2). Sharp* and O'Connor. The play was more even in the second spell, and almost immediately after resumption Chamber* scored the soldiers' first goal. Shortly afterwards he scored again from a penalty. The Auckland team then asserted itself, and goals were scored by Perrett. Spinley, Dacre and Sharpe. The final scores were : Auckland 9 Soldiers 2 Mr. Hodgson was referee. SECOND DIVISION". Mount Albert defeated Everton. 2 eoals '.o 0. FIFTH DIVISION. Devonport Presbyterians defeated Technical College, 2 goals to 0. SIXTH DIVISION. Devonport Presbyterians defeated Takapun*. 4 goals to 3. North Shore B defeated St. Heliers. 1 goal to 0. North Shore A and Belmont drew, 1 goal each.