FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 227, 18 September 1908, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

THE NORTHERN UK lON GAME. AI'CIvIANJJ v. TAItAXAkI. A damp ,ni(l drizzly day. u distant and to many jnople a n uukuown ground, conspired against the chances ot a by crowd at IJie Aucklaiid-Taraiiaki mat m uuder I hi; Mortheni tnion rules vestc ■ day. Tiie attendance totalled about six hundred, tin: ga ine lie: ug played un tie; Tukapa cricket lield beyond Western Park. The promoters oi "the match li.t.i the field well marked oil, but th»\ underestimated the we.ght of the crowd which soon pushed over, trod undel'iout. and finally !<■([ some feet behind Ilia single wire which bail been stretch-d as a dividing-line betwixt players anl public. By- some misunderstanding, for which the management wishes to apologise, no seats were provided, thou.'h they had been advertised.

About the game, Picture amateur Kugbv without line-outs, without even the usual speed ill forming scriiuma«es. and without the '•saeks-on-tlnvmill" performances which render the. wanic tedious and encourage rough |ilav" imagiue penalty for line-kiting, 'and rule giving to the play er who has fallen with the ball the right to get up and play the ball without interference from the other side; and to all intents and purposes you have the .Northern Union game as played yesterday, except that teams comprised thirteen instead of lif teen men a-side, and there was a three' two-one scrum formation with one out

side front-row mau swinging clear ot his mates. For the merits of the teams, call up the Taranaki-South Canterbury performance, which i s still a burning point with those who saw the Taranaki representatives playing the "silly gam.-:' that day, and you have it; except that there was a surprise score by Hardgraves that upset the preconceived notion ol how the game should have concluded. The Aucklanders did not seem to extend themselves, and for the most part put no ."ginger" into their work, whilst they also let chances pass by unheeded. This was the more conspicuous in the first spell. Nevertheless, enough was seen to convince the spectators that when they became more accustomed L.i

I the rules and thus able to understand the finer points 01 the game, a couteit botween two evenly - matched teams would produce a rapid and interesting game. The game, however, would be such as to require constant training on the part of the players to do it justice through two ordinary spells, and the ■forwards would need to be as fast as the backs. Yesterday's game was controlled by Mr. H. Gilboy, of Sew Plymouth, a recent arrival from Yorkshire, who certainly did not overload the game wilh ■ whistle. Sight from the kick-off Taranaki as sumed aggressive tactics, but play trav elled rapidly from, end to end for sonn time, until Taranaki was awarded a fr« kick and Hardgraves placed a goal

Taranaki 2, Auckland nil. Shortly afterwards lie tried iipim, bill the ball fell short. The local men continued to press, but the tackling on the other side was sound. In fact, the collaring was distinctly .sudden right through the game. Then the locals left an opening which Tyler took advantage of. He booted across the line, and, following fast, touched down over the line. Cladding's kick at goal was unsuccessful. Auckland 3, Taranaki ,2. In the second s|>eli, there was a little more vim than in tin, opening hall, and Taranaki was kept well within its own 25's for some minutes, Chollv, on Auckland's lc;t wing, was giving no end of trouble to the home players, making nice openings that Tyler or Aslier was quick to turn to good account. On one occasion "Opae" made a determined sprint up the line, and Hooker came in hot pursuit, just overhauling in time. The backs on both sides put in s onis good passing, the short, crisp work of Redwood, Aslier, Wynyard. and Dillamore being very attractive. For the Taranaki men Li!e was a tower of strength, knowing ilhe game fully and often intercepting the moves of his late confreres. He was well backed by Frewiu, Buckland. and W. McLean, and their movements, together with Ifardgraves' correct kicking, often placed Riley (Auckland's fuilback) in difficulties.. Finding that he was unable to keep his feet, the Taranaki men played.to him regularly, but he usually saved by falling on the ball and not bothering ai>ont regaining his feet until someone came up to support

liim. Towards the cud of the game Stroud had a shot at goal, and failed. Just afterwards a long kick was followed up by Hardgraves, and he kicked it irom Riley's grip. The ball went over the line, and Hardgraves scored. The kick at goal failed. Taranaki 5, Auckland 3. Auckland tried liari to equalise or head the score, but the effort came too late, and the game ended without any further incident of note. For tin: winners Lile was the pick. Hardgraves Frewiu, W. McLean, Buekhuid, and Hooker were also prominent, the for wards not being so conspicuous, for ii was a game for backs. For Auckland Tyler, M-Jckrell, Cliolly, and Wynya.'i were the uest of a heavy and fast team Before the kick-off and during half time the Garrison Band played selee. tions.

PREPARATIONS FOR NEXT SEASON; By Telegraph.- Press Association. Wellington, Sept. 17. A ineotiDg of footballers at Petone, passed a resolution affirming the desirnlbility of 'establishing the Norther | Union game in Wellington. A committee wa 3 appointed to make arranNegotiations are proceeding for obtaining the use of four grounds ntxt season. One speaker advisedi those present to wait and see if the New Zealand Union took steps to improve* tile game, and also reminded them that the New Zealand Union held £lO, 000, wliicli it would be foolish to throw away by seceding. His advice was not accepted.

A. Lile, one of the professionals who toured England under the Northern Union football rules, lias a grievance against someone connected with the conduct of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and, secondarily, against the Railway Department. Lile was approached to join the Wellington "pro." team to visit Auckland, and withheld his answer until he got four days' leave on the grounds of "private business." Someone—it is alleged that the "someone" was ill the same service, but a red-hot amateur - communicated to the Railway Department the nature of the "private business," and upon Jjilo admitting that he was going to Auckland with the professional team, was told that his leave was camelled. This was late oil Wednesday alternoon. and the team was to leave for the North on Thursday morning. There was no time to make arrangements for a substitute, and the stationmaster took no notice of the plea that Tjile had sunk his cash in the venture only after being given leave of absence, or that he was bound to stand by bis fellows. Tfne, another railway man in the same predicament, drew out of the team, for, being a, married man, could not afford to incur the displeasure of the officials. Lile stood by the team, made the trip, and lost his billet ill Ilkrailway service.