RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11305, 2 September 1922, Page 13

RUGBY FOOTBALL

AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON THE FORTIETH FIXTURE. There is a wonderful charm in the association of these, two names, especially in regard to the playing of an interprovincial Rugby match. Although the appearances at present are that the fortieth match between the representative Rugby players of Auckland and Wellington set down to be played this afternoon may not reaoh the standard of many similar games' in the past, yet the fact that it is an Auckland-Welling-ton match is bound to draw the sporting public to Athletio Park, and also to cause the representative players in the game to give of their best. The first match between representatives of these provinces was played in 1875, and since 1894 have been annual fixtures, while in some of the years during the war period two and' three games were played. THE AUCKLANDERS' TOUR. The tour of the Aucklanders through the Dominion has been' a disastrous one from their viewpoint—easily the worst performance an Auckland representative team have given on tour. There are many reasons to account for this, the primary one being the fact that a fully representative side of Auckland could not get the necessary leave to make the extended trip, many of the best players having to. be left behind. Another cause is that in Auckland they have been playing rules of their own ror the last five or six years, and, having to drop a lot of them this season, their players are not as conversaht as they should be with the methods of playing Rugby football that prevail in other parts of the Dominion. KICKING INTO TOUCH. • The new kicking into touch rule should be given a fair trial this afternoon. The Aucklanders have been playing it long enough to be experts at it, and if it is any real value in opening up the play its finer points in this direction should be fully displayed by the representatives of the ' Queen City. We in Wellington are inclined to write it down ns of no use in this connection, and it is for the Aucklanders to convince us, by practical methods on the field, that it is for the ultimate good

of the Rugby game that this alteration should become part and parcel of the rules. THE PROSPECTS. Although Auckland have done so poorly on their trip through New Zealand, the Wellington representatives cannot be eaid to have done any better in the few matches they have played so far. It would be foolish, therefore, to run away with the idea that the Queen City representatives are bound to be defeated. In all probability they will, when they are pitted against Wellington, rise to the full measure of their form and the balance may be in their favour at the finish. This may be in the nature of a prophecy—an unwise thing to indulge in in connection with a Rugby football match—but it is a safe thing to .say that the play this afternoon will be open and fast if the Aucklanders can possibly make it eo, and it is up to Wellington's representatives to assist in showing off the. possibilities of the Rugby game. THE TEAMS. WELLINGTON. Full-back, S. K. Siddells; three-quar-ters, J. Malfroy, Harold Nichplls and W. Mahoney; F. Tilyard and W. Udy; half-back, H. E. Nicholls; wing-forward, C. Gair; forwards, S. W. Shearer, A. Swain, J. Moffitt, C. B. Thomas, U. P. Calcinai, W. Ryan and E. Pringle. AUCKLAND. Full-back, V. Badeley; three-quarters, W. Perry, K. Ifwerson leapt.), and B. Thomas; five-eighths, J. Hirst and A. Grant; half-back, D. Wright; wingforward, J. Nicholas; forwards, W- Bagnall, L. Casey, A. McWilliams, A. Marshall, J. Taylor, F. Arnold and K. Helander. W. Perry, the University wing threequarter, and D. Wright, the half-back, Have been brought down from Auckland especially for. this matoh, and should strengthen the backs considerably. Mr G Bradley will act as tho referee. AUCKLAND’S . POOR SHOWING. Chatting with Mr .Ifwereon, the .Auckland captain, he give as one reason for their poor showing on tour tho fact that many of their players had met with accidents, and had been forced,to play when they were not thoroughly fit; also, the rules are interpreted differently in other parts of New Zealand to what

they are in Auckland, more particularly as regards the forwards breaking away from the scrummage. The advantage rule*, also, is viewed differently in Auckland to what it is in. the south. A little history. AUCKLAND v. WELLINGTON. As indicated above, Auckland and Wellington at Rugby football always mainages to excite the pulse a little. The first match between the two provinces was played as far back as 1875. • As a matter of fact, Auckland was the first province in New Zealand to send a team on tour—long before the Rugby Unions of Auckland and Wellington had been brought into existence—and they met selected players in Wellington, ChristChuroh and Dunedin It was a disastrous trip from the standpoint, the whole three games being lost. The Wellington game was played on the old Albion ground, at about want is now the corner of. Courtenay place and Tory street, the Albion Hotel still preserving the name of the old ground. The next game was played in Auckland, on what is favourably known these days as the Albert Park. It was called the Barracks Ground in 1880, and was adjacent to two fine schools—the WeflJesley street West Public School and the Auckland Grammar School. This time Wellington won by 4 points to nil, J. A. Warbriok, who’ had previously played for Auckland, potting a fine goal from the field.

Auckland returned the visit in 1888, the two teams meeting on Newtown Park. This match appears in the records as a disputed draw, Wellington's claim to have soored a try as well as a goal Auckland would not agree with. There was no New Zealand Rugby Union those days to settle disputes, and the referees' finding was not so absolute as it is LOW.

Dilworth's Paddock, Auckland, was the scene of tho 1886 match. All roads led to the junction at Newmarket that Saturday afternoon, and it was probably as exciting a match aa has ever been played the two provinces. Feeling ran. very high, with a culmination after the return home of the Wellington team that was not desirable. The Aucklanders had got _ together a fine team of backs, including Whiteside —a great scoring three-quarter—the brothers W. and J. A. Warbcck, C. Madigan, and J. Braund, with J Arnal and W. Meldrum as wing-forwards, and such men in the pack as O. Wells, J. Lecky, J. Lindsay* E. Mills, C. Marshall, and M. Murphy, to quote some of the names of the giants of the middle /eighties. , Wellington were very strong in the forwards. T. R. Ellison, G. Pearce, D. G. A„ Coooer, H. Mclntyre, L. Storey, and G. Williams being in the pack, with J. M. King and J. El Smith as wirwforwayds. Amongst the backs were F. Fairbrother, B. McCnusland, H. Roberts, and H. Stock. A fine game ended in a. win for Auckland by four points (a try each by Moldrum and Whiteside) to two (a jry by Smith). . Auckland scored its two tries first and when Wellington essayed to kiok the goal from their try an awful

lot of time was wasted. For, be it remembered, that a converted try counted five points--one more point tiian two tries —and when the Wellington man missed the kick the whole of the Auckland enthusiasts sighed with relief. It was such a pleasing thing to them that the subsequent happenings had but little interest to them. The match in 1888 was .played on Newtown Park on a very muddy day, luck favouring the Wellington team in that Lecky's attempt to convert a try by Jervis for the northerners struck the cross-bar. Wellington only scored one try, Ellison being the try-getter, but £5. Nicholls converted it, and that was the margin Wellintgon won by. The 1895 match at Newtown Park was a good one, Wellington's win being • 9 points to 5. Two fine teams opposed one another on this occasion, and the result wa« in doubt right uip to the finish. T. darken—probably as good a forward ,as New Zealand has produced—was amongst the Aucklanders on this occasion, aanl amongst the others were such well-known players as D. It. Gage, W. T. Wynyard,, C. Brady, H. G. Absolum, F. S. Murray, R. Mansfield, O’Riley and C. Speight. This was ' one of the first games H. W. Kelly played for Wellington, and others in the team were J. Poland, T. Pauling, J. Pudney, J. Bauznber, J. Caiman, A. Campbell, O. Crawford, H. Davidson. W. Hardcastle, J. Kelly, C. A. McAnally, W. McKenzie, W. Roberts, and F. B. Young.

The 1897 game, played on Athletio Park, was the beginning of a series o* disasters. Wellington nad the match practically won, when George Bzntih, the champion athlete to be, scored two great tries, and Wellington were beaten for the first time on their own ground for twenty years. W. J. Wallace, the great player to be, represented Wellington for the first time in this match. Matches were then played annually, and it was not till 1908, that Wellington again defeated Auckland, and in the following year they repeated the performance, winning the Ranfurly Shield for the first time by; 6 points to 8. The matches since then have been of varying degrees of performances, and the record now reads Matches played, 39; Auckland, 18 wins; Wellington, 18 wine; with 3 drawn games; point© for Auckland, 321; for Wellington, 350. Just to correct a wrong impression that i* being scattered abroad: This afternoon’s match will not be the first time on which Auckland and Wellington teams have played under the new kicking into touch rule. A© a matter of fact, at least three matches have been played between the two provinces under wbat are known as the Auckland modifications, and on the last occasion—at Athletic Park in 1917—there was very nearly a big burst up over this matter.