ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19110, 31 August 1925, Page 12

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

; It' 1 " VDOMINION TEAM IN FORM.

NEW METHODS OF ATTACK.

LOCAL SIDE OUTCLASSED.

' A Mil exhibition of the League coda was given by the New Zealand touring team in the match against the Auckland roprflsentatives at Cariaw Park on Saturday before an estimated attendance of 15,000. The local team was completely outclassed, being obviously uonpluased by the Dominion thirteeu's methods in attack. Both the forwards and back* of the winning side handled the bill in great stylo, their in-passing and sacking ap being impressive. A feature of the game was the absence ci! kicking by memberu of the New Zealand tearo. Seldom did they reaort to kicking the ball. The backs have greatly improved all round since they commenced theiir tour. Th'.y now show greater speed and versatiii/.y. both in attack and defence. With tho fine materia! available in the forwards there should be no difliculty in selecting six first-class men for the front division against Queensland next Saturday. Ifceni wer? several weaknesses in the Auckland team, but allowing for these factors in their favour the Dominion rearguard gave a most attractive exposition. Jr the Erst spoil Auckland held their own fairly well, but tie Now Zealand thirteen finianed very strongly And eventually won by 41 points to, 1/. The teams were:— New Zealand.—Gregory, Delgrosso, Saunters, Parkes, Kirwaa, Wetherall, Wilsofl-Hall, Herring, Green, O'Brien, Thomas. Dixon, Avery. Auckland—Herewini, Littlewood, DavidBon, Iwdiner, Cole, Riley, Peckham, O'ilrien, St, George,, Sitge, McDonald, Paym, Bass.

Tfrs Opening Stages. A crisp p.wsing movement by the New Zealano banks fgjlowinit the kick-off took there to Auckland's twunliy-fivo. With the sun in his eyos fiere.vini failed to taka cln.valy a long , kick by Gregory, but Cole come to tie rescue. Auckland sot the baa from a scrum and . Peckhaio set his baaks gains. Davidson beat Saunders but was not supported. When Auckland attain got tlso ball Peckham worked the blind side cieverly nud Gammer dasned down uie uue. but Wistherall quickly slopped him. Keeping up the presnuru, Auckland's gacks gave tltsir opponents plenty oi stopping to do. Ave ry aiui Thomas were associated in good passim; that changed the scene of operations, bass made a good opening and on reaching Gregory paused to Davidson, who. howewr. slipped. and Wetherall saved luckily. Wilson-Hall put New Zealand on the attack again wnb a brilliant effort, but an infrinseiaent spoiled a good chance. Saunders Biopsied h dangarous AucMnnil rush and turuec! deforce into attack. Davidson l.rrins to use his pa.ee to catch Welti•rati. New Zealand were handling the bull in fcT(>>it utyla, and Watherali made a brilliant opesing from which Avery scored. De'Eroaso converted. The drop out was mulled by Wilson-Hall and Baas and McDoiimd essayM » passing movement that was carriftii to New Zealand's territory. Then Cole and Davidson beat the opposing inside baciu, carrying the ball ivell into New Zealand's twenty-fivo. Singu gathered the ball from 1 the ground, and although taokled by Gregoi-y managed to pans to St. George, who scored. Singe's kick made the score 6 all. The Dominion team was handicapped by not getting the ball from the sc'.urr.s, but it was not long before Wilson-Hall beM three Auckland men and passed to Wetherall. who soorsdj. Delgroaso added the goal points: New Zealand 10 Auckland .. .. 5 ! Auckland on the Attach.

l3oon aftei-wards Peckham started a passing tout from which Davidson might have c cored, bad he gone on, but no support was forthcoming, »nd Parses sect Auckland back to hiaJf-wiitf, Tne game waa iast and open, the New Zealand forwards showing up in snappy passing. Breaking quickly from a scrwin O'Brien (Auckland) look play back to hull-way. A little later Davidson by straight tunning got Auckland out of a difficult position, but hid pass to Gardinei went astray, and Thornj.a and Dixon dribbled ? 1] vHck, . i/hen Singe mado a dashing nolo effort found Gregory ectual to the ocoaascsu Wileon-Hall showed a fine turn of speed as he raced passed Cole s.nd transfened the hall to Wetherall, who »"an out wide. E»iino»irs, ijcraing fast, took n perfect in-pass, beirt Herowini bitdly, and scored a tine try. Delg.rosso conve.-ijd. Just before the interval Auckland'n forwards, with McDonald and Payna, in the van, rushed the ball to Hew Zealand's territory, where McDonald passed ,to .tattlewocd, but, Gregnry mado a fine sair®, the sDell endsd: N« Zealand .. 15 Auckland, .. .. .. 5 On ruiampHion Davidson put Aucklord in a:apieridici! kick that found the line in New Zealand's twentyfivo From Iha scium Wilson-Hail «,m v, « saolts going ji a fast, bright, passing nqah, v 1 1 " ,rk f? 4'" ost f? Herewiiij tat-kl.ng him, on the line. Herring received *&e ball from the e«suing scrum tnd i|6H»9d to Avery, who dashed over the line. Delgrosso failed with the kick. n9W _ mct i | ode adopted in attack by flhe Now Zna'j.nd team wema watched by ;he spectators with ke«i intertai, Tbe comtiiiiatiori- shown was really first-class. Weth(wall wtia often conspicuous, and was a conJjtani aoui-00 off. trouble to the Aucklandi>rs, and retired. Auckland continued to get the ball from mosi of the scrums, but Watherali watched every movenisnt and frequently nullified passing bouts. f;. ew , we „ ro Penalised on defence ard AucTdand 7 * ° ' N ° W Z6alandl W: Auckland's forwards rnshed play to Gregory, but ho be.it them, and tlo locc.l raaintnin she offenßivo. Wilson-Hall broke away atid passed to Birwan, Vho cleverly beai several oi>iwnentf, Tu the delight of tbe crowd tbe New Zealand forwards lined out in midfield to support Xirwan, and after passing turongh the hands of several players t£« tc ' A ™ T 7-. w Jio scored his third *ry. JJelgrost;o s kick was unsuccessful. Orea.l; jpasslnjj Movezuect.

Auckland wore nonplussed by tho tricky movements their opponents were launching When thn local lean attempted to open up tho play the Kplendid 00-operation between members, of the New Zealand team turned ceionce into attack. When Gregory was praised near hie goal lino lie auickly passed to Saunoe.'n, juia after eight piayara had participated m the movement it was finished off by O'Brien scoring between the pouts. Dcdgrosao kioked the goal. Auckland endeavoured to adopt their opponents' styl.i of play, and their effort! were rewarded. Clever work by Peckham earned on by McDonald. Cole and iOley the last-mentioned scoring a good fay* Singe kicked a splendid goal. New Zealand . , ~ . . 26 Auckland ~ .. .. 12 Auckland were shown another point when Wotherall pli.cod the bill for the kick-off He-nng runijang behind him and kicking toward the oi.her wing. Diron secured tho ball and scored an easiy trv. Dolgros°o ,»gam converted. An Auckland attack looked promjsing when Peckham drihhlH the ball round from the scrum, and Davide~» kicked it over the line, but De!erro-PO bent him for the touch down. Aucklard pressed again, but Siiandars eomoletelv turned the tables by gathering up the ball and racing for the other end. was in support and touched down between tho Posts. Delgrosso made no mistake with tho kiok. After Gregory had stopped, another Auckland attjwk Wetiwall mnda oppo*it*'or* week by cutting through an oneninr and scoring between the potts after n sprint from b""-way Oelgro«">o converted ' T j Da-idfon nnd WHleworad prominent. at last succeeded in breaking through again GardinnV rpv„ P»t"d»on » chance, and th» latter over • th« nnffl, t-fmchmg doim between n o<-t» v -:t- iidSw' goai point 9, and tli<S M"™ New Zealand 47 AB.ckl&nd . . , ' i 7

QUEENSLAND V. NEW ZEALAND. PLAYERS FOR FIRST TEST. h^'6 b , oeß oh '»™ tar th® I*ew Zealand team a the thai in«t Queensland next Saturday;. I^l'''K^£^f""~u??i 80ry b .P«lco«»o. Wetherall 1.™;., Sir"*"' r«k™. tSTSFtESf o ' Bri "' ai "»- , srswtf SIMK <: " ■■: i AUCKLAND TOUTING TEAM. Owing to the inability of Singo/ Gardiner IP ' Ina1 na to travel South with Ue jk M oagn< ! AW 1 -. the,r . P lnceg will 1)0 Bftd' Klrk.^d Un Ud'jjatJ* k :aS * isjnKsian<l3