FOOTBALL

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 56

FOOTBALL

THE ENGLISH TEAM. TWO MEMBERS EX-ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE BOYS. LONDON, April 19. Sivriglrt, the Scottish international! player, is to bo the captain of the football team to tour Australia, and New Zealand. The other members of the team are:— Full-backs—Stanger • and Loathes, Northumberland. Three-quarter backs —V/. Llewelyn, E. Morgan, R. Cabe, Wales;. E. W. Baker, Gloucester; A. O’Brien, P. McEvody, Kent; J. Fisher, Yorkshire. Half-backs —F. Hulme, England; P. Bush, Cardiff: J. Vile. Newport. Forwards-—F. Saunders, Kent; D. Dobson, England; R. Edwards. Ireland; R. Rogers, Somerset; C. Patterson, Ulster; S. Devan, Wales; C. Crowther, D. Traill. Surrey; J. Jenkins, Newport; B. Massey, Yorkshire; T. Kelly, Devon, and another. Undoubtedly the team from Great Britain selected to tour Australia and New Zealand during the coming season, is a very strong one, and a fair criterion of the Old Country’s strength in the Rugby field. The real interest for the Rugby world will be the battles between the visitors and the New Zealand teams. Australia does not count much except from a financial point of view. The Englishmen should be in the pink of condition and have perfect combination when they reach N ew Zealand, and if onr representative fifteen can be given some practice together this country will see some football that will raise more enthusiasm than the relief of Mafeking did. A. B. O’Brien and P. P. McEvedy (three-quarter backs) are both New Zealanders, and were a few years ago students at St. Patrick’s College, Wellington. They left this colony to study medicine at Guy’s Hospital, London, and have made a name for themselves at the game of football. An English writer, criticising the recent match between England and Ireland, says not one of the three-quarters in the" Elnglish line were anywhere near the class of the two Guy’s students. The first match in Australia will be played against New South Wales on June 22 nd. SATURDAY’S GAMES. About five hundred enthusiasts assembled at the Athletic Park on Saturday to see. the opening games in the Wellington Rugby Union’s senior championship contest of 1904. The sky was dull and the weather a trifle on the bleak side, but as the matches proved to be fairly fast and open all till,rough, the public went away in a satisfied state o*f mind. Following are details of the games:—• ORIENTAL v. PONEKE, The Poneke team played • well up to its reputation, and although the Oriental men performed well, the result of the game was not long in doubt. Early in the first spell Abrim got across' Oriental line and touched down. Wallace converted: s—o. Af tea- Wallace had cleverly beaten an Oriental man for a try by diving on him from behind just as the white man was in the act of grounding the ball behind Poneke line, tihe Ponekes again became aggressive, but by hard endeavour the Orientals reached the red ’fives once more, and eventually notched three points by means of a fine penalty goal landed by Higbet: 3—5. Newth notched the second try for Poneke 1 , just on half time. The kick was resultless :B—3. In the second speill, Wallace kicked for Poneke a four-point goal from a mark taken by Stevens, and soon afterwards J. J. Taylor got a try that was not bettered. There was no further scoring, though on three occasions Oriental! lost potential chances, and thus Poneke won by 15 points to 3. Mr D. D. W;eir was the referee. MELROSE v. OLD BOYS. The result of this match showed that Old Boys still lack persistence of endeavour. On the day they were individually the better team, but while they played fitfully Melrose played all the time—.wherefore the final score was Melrose 6 points, Old Boys nil. Melrose gained three points in the first ten minutes of the game, G. Spencer kicking a penalty goal. Old Buys were several, times close to a score without, arrivfingj. In the second half Melrose forced Old Boys several times, after which the Old Boys livened up and gave Melrose a bad ten minutes. There followed some open and interesting play in mid-field, and up and down the ground, till finally King dived over Olid Boys’ line, and soored a Melrose try: 6—o. There was no further incident worthy of notice, save that a Melrose player was put 'on the line for having expressed dissatisfaction because the referee refused to stop the game when the player requested him to do so. Mr D. McKenzie carried the whistle. PETONE v. WELLINGTON. The prophets were not dealing with a hypothetical issue when they “tipped’ 1

Petone to win against Wellington. The game was played On the Petone itecreation Ground, and resulted in a. win for the home team by 14 points to nil. Speaking generally, the conditions under which the match was played were good. The field was well grassed and pleasant to play upon and both teams entered the field under what appeared 1 to be pretty even terms. Undoubtedly Pet one’s victory was- principally, • if not wholly, ascribable to the dashing piny o? the forwards, who managed to get the better of their opponents on moist occasions. In scrum work the yellows .were completely out-classed. Skipper Har diham, Driscoll, Cross and! Sol wood were the pick cf the winning vanguard, while McGregor, Beckett and P. Ilyan showed up to advantage amongst the backs. The forward play of the visiting team was characterised _by great weakness. In- the back division Brebner. at wing three-quarter, created a particularly good impression. ScottWilson also played a hard game. The play, taking it all round, was- not interesting. Early in the first spell Wellington had the best of things. . Play was close and hard, and centred in Petono territory for about fifteen minutes. The blues then moved up, and a prolonged forward struggle near the line ended in Selwocd getting through. ■ 3—o. There was no further score in the first part of the game. Wright opened the account in the second spell by scoring from a passing rush. G—o. Petone resumed the attack with renewed vigour., and more forward play resulted in the last-mentioned player again getting over Wellington's, line. For a third time the attempt at goal was unsuccessful. 9 —o. The fourth, try avals obtained by Hardham, who had been playing brilliantly throughout, and this time McGregor succeeded in converting. 14—0. Petone had the upper hand right up to the call cf time., which was reached without alteration in the figures. Mr P. Maclne was referee. CHRISTCHURCH, April 23. Linwood beat Old Boys by 2G to nil; Sydenliam beat Christchurch by 5 1 o nil; Albion beat Canterbury College by 29 to nil. DUNEDIN, April 23. Alhambra (last year’s champions) made a draw with Pirate©. no score being made. Kaikorai, second last year, was defeated by the Southern by 10 to 9; Zin gari-Ri ohm end heat University by 13 to 3; and Union beat Dunedin by 12 to 6, PALMERSTON, April 23. The senior football shield matches commenced this afternoon, when Awahu.i defeated the Institute by G points *, to 5. Palmerston also . beat College ' street Old Boys by 11 to 6.