HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18471, 7 August 1923, Page 4

HOCKEY.

: 'notes and comments.--!||H i ■ • ' 'ft I'*"'-1 '*"'- ; ——-« ', i TOUR IN AUSTRALIA. '.. . ■ \ ■ The tonr of the first New ; Zealand representative hockey team in Australia has opened in the most gratifying manner. ■".','' The first three matches, all of -which were : < won by New Zealand, resulted as follows :— Metropolitan, s—l; v. Goul- M burn, 15—0; v. Kenmore, .7—l. Of course, the side has not met a State team yet, and > , the hardest matches have still to be -. - s played. At the same time the margin against the' Sydney side, which was de-" scribed as fairly strong, is sufficiently r£g greali for one to assume that the touring . team will be very difficult to defeat. The . first spell in the match against Sydney was probably difficult for the visitors. ; The men would be. unaccustomed to the , ; pace .the ground and the combination would, probably-be. shaky. The, score at, ; half-time was two goals to one in New Zealand's favour, but in the second spell ftfts the visitors clearly showed their superiority, and added three gods. In the other two matches the Australian teams were ■ '■'.' clearly outclassed. A score of 15 goals /-'ftft to nil is rare, even in a schoolboy match, and for a first-class match is probably un- .ft precedented. ' - ■ The most important contest of the tour, the test match against Australia, will be > played at Sydney on Saturday. The match against New South Wales will be played to-morrow. ' • -{; The most unfavourable news . is, «i 5J| course, the report that Watts has sprained his ankle and will not play ■ ior . ; f some lime. It is to bo hoped,; however, 1 that the injury will not prove alssß-". / as reported. His absence from thevieatD. would weaken the forward line very con-' siderably, beside robbing him of valuable " experience. -, ft j ;_.', ~vft -. - ft-The Shield" contest, Auckland -v. Mana- " 1 watu, is set down to be played at Palmerston North on Saturday, August 18. y$ Although Auckland will be represented ■ -,ft by an efficient combination the "absence '-ft| of the local players with the New Zealand -• team is sure to make a difference. Manawatu also have a representative in the AH ft Black team, Hanson, who has played full- j f 1 back for - Manawatu. for several years. - .-":,' Much interest has been attached to the -! matches in the third grade, and the pie- -, sent position leave matters very open. The four leading teams have all to play each other, and some exciting contests &>: should result.' Mount Eden have a com- ? : : manding lead in the second grade and ?§ ' should annex the honours. The following ■-" 1 tables show the positions of tTie teams in ' 1 the second and third grades:— 1 1 ' .

SECOND GRADE, ,J_V. i _ _ „ „ Goals- dtp, ,, • - P. "W. D. L. For Agt. Ft*. ) ,V Mount Eden .. 11 9 — 3 42 12 ISi'Sfife ; 'North ' Shore - v. 11 5 ; 1 ■ 5 20 . 17 ' U :?f§? , Training College 0 4 'V 1 4'■ 20 21 9 University ..-10-4 1 5 29 ; S"4 9 r## ' St. Albans . . 10 4 — 6 21 ./ 20 8 #® 1 Somervell ' - r . . 10 3 2 5: 17 ••lS-: r 0?M| Epiphany .. 9 3 — 8 IS 40 3' > . ■ THIRD GRADE. " ■' , ' Otahuhu .. 12 10 — 2 40 17 20 ' $$ Grammar - . . . 32 9 ; 1 2 47 25 ' 19 ifesSs Waitemata. . . 12 8- 2 2 36 22 • 18V'''- > , Devonport Cong. '11 9 — 2 41 19 lg<|^ Mount Eden - . . "12 6 — 6 23 48 12 v:-J DHjnholrae , . 11 3 — 8 29 33 v6 if Wesley .. ' .. 11 2 ' 1 ' 8 12 29 8 ■ University * .. 11 1 -10 15 49 8 ; j|