FOOTBALL

New Zealand Mail, Issue 849, 8 June 1888, Page 13

FOOTBALL

By Electric Telegraph—Copyright THE ENGLISH TEAM IN SYDNEY. (PER PKES3 ASSOCIATION.) Sydney, June 2. The first match which the English football team have played in Australia took place today against fifteen of New South Wales. The weather was all that could be desired, and 10,000 visitors were present, including the Governor and party. The English toam played a cap tal game, and had the best of the play throughout. The passing of the local team was very weak, and the forwards .were slow iu fol'owing up the ball. In the first spell Eagles, Sed:lon, Burnby and StoddarC secured tries, only one of which was converted into a goal by Andorton. In the second spell Hasiam and Burnby were successful in crossing thoir opponents’ goal line, and from one of the tries Paul kicked a goal. Hales, of the local team, made a brilliant run during the latter part of the spell, an.i, passing his opponents’ backs, secured the only try for New Sou ;h Wales. The kick at goal was a failure. The scoring was under the old rules. The Englishmen thus won by 18 points to 2. Sydney, June 6. The football match between the Bathurst team aud the Englishmen was played to-day. The latter won by 13 to 6.

PONEKE v. UNION; The first of the championship inatchds Was played at Newtown Park on Saturday afternoon between the Poneke and Union Clilbs, the former proving victorious by 14 points (four goals and two tries) to nil. The weather Was very fine, and the gtound in excellent condition. There Was a good attendance of spectators; l*he teams that competed were the name as those already published, with the exception of Kent, who played three-quarter for the Unions in ulaco of O’Neill, who was unable to get away from his employment. The game was started by McLeary kicking off for the Unions, and Barr mulling the return, the first scrimmage was formed in the Reds’ territory. For the first few minutes the play was fairly even, but the Red forwards, by a series of good rushes, which the Union backs were utterly unable to check, soon had the Blues in difficulties. From a neat pass Gage took a kick at goal, but the ball went wide. He, however, followed up very smartly, and fell on the ball amidst a crowd of Unions, who were unable to get hold of it and force down. Moore converted the try into a goal. After this the Blues rallied a little, and some good running enabled McLeary and Kent to take the play close to the Reds’ line, and after several sciimmages there Roberts was obliged to force-down for the latter. From the kiok-out the Ponekes, by excellent passing and good "combined work amongst the forwards, of whom Elli. son, Storey, Nicholls and Astill were noticeable, rushed the play info the Blues’ quarters again. Some long kicking by Kent, aided by good work by Cockroft, Sheehan and Parsons, enabled the Blues to clear their line, aud for a few minutes they held their own. The Reds, however, who were playing brilliantly, removed the scene of play, and a rush of the forwards, which the Union backs made bat little effort to t-top, resulted in I’.llisou securing a try behind the posts. The kick at goal was a failure. Fur the remainder of the spell the play was fairly even, which was mainly due to the individual efforts of one or two of the Blue forwards. In the second spell the Unions were completely overmatched, and_they made but a poor to the fine determined rushes of the Reds. McLeary, Riddler, Sheehan, aud Cockroft (forwards), and Smith and Kent (back), however, worked very hard, and but for them the Poneke’s score would undoubtedly have been much larger. From a loose rush Reich gained possession of the leather, and ran in. The kick at goal by Roberts was a failure. Shortly nfterthe kick out the Reds' forwards agaiu rushed the ball in the Blues’ twentyfive, anil, as showing the danger of a playtr net making sure of his punt into touch when dose to his own line, Ellison secured an ea>y mark off Hill. The kick was entrusted to Williams, who placed a splendid goal. On resuming, the Blues were again in trouble, the passing and combined play of the Reds proving too much for them, and another rush ended in Sim getting over near the corner flag. Although the angle was a difficult one, Williams again succeeded in kicking a goal. Shortly before time was called Roberts made a neat pass out to Gage, who was requested to pot, and he obeyed the order to the letter. The Ponekes played splendidly throughout, aud they manifested their superiority over their opponents in every department of the game. Better combiuation and dash amongst the forwards could not be wished for, while the passing was. generally excellent. Gage fairly excelled himself, and it is doubtful if ever he has beeu seen to better advantage, whilst Roberts was no less brilliant. Both Moore and Sim also played well, but Barr was certainly a weak spot. Amongst the forwards Ellison, Storey, and Astill were about the best, although all of them played well. Taken as a whole the play ot the Union forwards was disappointing. Thera are some excellent players amongst them, and the nine as a whole may be considered a good one, but they need to do more work and play with more combination before they can expect to do any good. One or two certainly did play well, McLeary es. pecially. He worked very hard and played with a lot of dash throughout, his following up at all tiinea being excellent. Of tho others Cockroft, Sheehan, Parsons and Riddler did well. Considering that ho was clean out of form Sheehan played splendidly, and when he gets into proper trim he should take his place amongst the best forwards in the city. Of the backs Kent and Smith are the only two worth ; mentioning, ff’he former’s kicking proved very serviceable, and the latter did good work in stopping rushes. Of the others, the least said the better. They are a poor lot. The game was played in a very friendly way, and it reflects to the credit.of the losers that they took their defeat in a propor spirit. Messrs Moorhouse and MoCardell were the umpirea, and Mr C. A. Knapp referee.

JUNIOR GUP. A start was made with the Junior Cup contests on Saturday last. The Rival second fifteen met tho Athletic second on Newtown Park, and, contrary to expectation, defeated them by a try to nil. The Poneke second and Epuni first played a draw at Pitone. The Melrose and Union second fifteens were to have played a heat at Island Bay, but we understand the match did not take place. By mutual agreement the two teams decided to declare the match a draw —certainly a rather peculiar proceeding.

Ellison and Gage will proceed to Napier this week to join the Native team. There is some talk of Williams, the sturdy Poneke forward, also accompanying the team. A London correspondent, writiug by the mail, says: -1 see the great Lancashire authority on football, tbouglj confident that the team on its way to New Zealand will do Old England credit, expre33e3 a wholesome dread of tho Maori twenty at Napier. The Melrose Club held a general meeting last night week, when the following resolu. ti'ms were adopted That the Club protest against the classification arrived at by the Management Committee of the W.K.F.U. j that the Union Gymnasium be rented on Monday nights for the use of junior members. Mr A. Brown, the captain, stated that he did not intend to play again this season, but would retain office till thejend of the year. The following are the championship fixtures for the season June 9, v Athi

letic ; June 16, Melrose v Wellington ; June 23 Porieke v Wellington ; Jtiue 30, Union v Melrose; July 7', Rival v Wellington ; July 14 Union v Athletic ; July 21, Rival v Melrose; July2S,WellingtonvAthletic; .Angust4, Poneke v Melrose ; August 11, Union v Rival ; August IS, Poneke v Athletic; August 25, Union v Wellington ; SeptemPoneke vßival ; Septembers, Athletic v Melrose. , ■■' . _ „ . s The following are the Junior Cup fixtures for Saturday:—Athletic second v Epuni first at Pitone ; Poneke' second v Rival second, at Island Bay ; Wellington second v Oriental first, at Newtown ;'St. Patrick s College v Wellington College, at the latter s ground ; and Melrose second v union second, at the former’s ground. . A meeting of the Management Committee of the Rugby Union was held at the Empire Hotel Wednesday. The action of the Melrose and Union second fifteens in declaring their match for the Junior Cup, which was to have been played last Saturday, a draw, was considered, and it was decided that the team 3 had acted contrary to the ru.es of the Union. It was decided that the teams should play their match next Saturday. The question of a representative team paying a visit to Nelson was discussed, and it was eventually resolved not to send a team this year. It was decided to refer the questions of issuing an “ aunual, and procuring a ground at Island Bay, to a sub.c immittee. There was also some disoussion with regard to procuring a suitable clubroom, but nothing definite was settled. | The following will represent the Orientals in the Junior Cup match against the’Wellinoton second at Newtown Park on Saturday : Full-back, Denton ; three-quarters, McLean, R. Smith,- Hcmingman ; halves, C. Young. L. Jordan ;. forwards, Parsons, \V Smitli, Sanderson, tiormley, Diddle, Mitchell. A. Smith, Baird,; and E. P. Dunne; emergencies back, 'Dixon; forwards, Collins, Taylor.

[(niOM OUR. OTO CORRESPONDENT.) Mastekton, June 2. The first of the season’s Cup matches was played to-day, when the Red Stars met the second tifteeu of the Masberton Club. Each had the strongest possible team in the Held. The match was very exciting throughout, the Mas teuton forwards having a little the best of the scrimmage?, while the backs of v tjie Red Stars were somewhat better than t'<eir opponents. Neither side managed to score, and the match, therefore, was a drawn one. ‘ , ■ i .