FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 192, 17 September 1909, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

THE NORTHERN UNION GAME.

AUCKLAND v. TARANAKI.

The public of Taranaki were yesterday given a second opportunity of -witnessing nn exhibition of football played irnde r the Northern Union rules, the Auckland team meeting Taranaki o-.i the Recreation Sports Ground. Last year the game was played on the TV kapa ground, the Nc w Zealand Rugby Union at that time declining to allow the match to be played on the Recreation Sports Ground, in which the Union was financially interested. At that time the New Zealand Union took activ: stcpsto prevent the game finding favor, and they went no doubt justified in their action by the strenuous effarcs that were being put forth by the promoters of the game in New Zealand and the great prominence given to it as a fast and spectacular game. It will be remembered that a Taranaki-WellingtJn amateur Rugby match was hastily arranged to be played in Wellington, wi f h the evident intention of spoiling the "gate" at the Aucklad Wellington provincial fixture. The game was played on another ground that afternoon, 'i'h • game has come, and yesterday the match was .played on last year's forbidden ground. It is ('juite clear, if yesterday's match is any criterion, that amateur Rugby has nothing to fear from the Northern Union game. Of course, the game may grow in popularity, but it will have to grow in ex- | I'cllcnce first. The fixture under noli',i> | was played between the teams which

arc supposed to be the "crack" exponents of the game in New Zealand. We know that many of those taking part were once high in the New Zealand amateur world, some of them being on the top branches of the tree in their respective positions and generally considered indispensable members "of their various provincial combinations. But can anyone gay with'an atom of veracity that yesterday's match could hold the proverbial candle to the TaranakiAuckland representative Rugby match played a fortnight ago? The conditions were ideal. The day was fine, not too cold for thte spectators, not unduly warm for tfic players. The ground was in splendid order. About two thousand people witnessed the match. The allegedly strong points of the game we.e its weakness. One of the big arguments used in its favo r is thai every man is a back. Yesterday there were too many hacks, and many of them were forwards recently transformed into backs, ~,i that their exhibition lacked finish. Another alleged improvem. :.t----upon the Rugby game is that a player tackled with the ball in his possession may fall upon it, retain possession, and may not be further interfered with until lie lias played the ball with his font. This is an excellent rule in theory, but in practice it has tEe tendency to make the game slow, for the privilege is too often abused. Catching and grassing a man with the %all in his possession should surely bring some advantage to the tackling side, but instead of that it generally resulted yesterday in disadvantage. One feature that' did not impress the spectators unfavorably was the absence of the bulloeking that is describetTin Rugby as "line-out" play. But there seemed to be too much running aimlessly about, faulty passing, ridiculously high tackling, and "gallery play" by a few of the. leading lights. Early in the game the visitors discovered that the"crowd was breathlessly ~.| lowing "Opae" Asher, and that eventime lie ran and was brought down after one of his wonderfully clever runs the crowd went mad. The "galleiy play" was a natural sequence.

THE TEAMS. Taranaki (amber and black)— Fullback, A. Hardgrnvcs; three-quarters, E. Buckland, C. Moir ami C. Mac Lean; five-eighth, W. McLean; halves, B. Frcvin and W. Morey; forwards. L. Wa'sh. \V. Morris, S. Stroud, E. Haskell, X. Smith, and P. Allan.

Auckland (blue and white)— Full-back. Neighbour; three-quarters, •' Asher, Woodward, Carlow and Smith; five'eighth, Jackson: half. It. Wynvard; lor. wards, Mackrell. Tyler, Wells, Seagar. Griflln and Bradburn. THE PLAY. Auckland set the ball rolling, and within a couple of minutes Asher let Moir in, Hardgraves kicking a good goal amidst great cheering. The game was opening in promising fashion, the plavers making the pace that onlv thoroughly (rained men could hope to mainiiiin. The tricks of Asher nonplussed the local men, ami soon Taranaki freed. I lie Aiicklaiffl full-back was mulling the ball frequently .and be had, several"narrow shaves, W. McLean being his principal worry. A nice passing run by tlm visiting backs ended in some unpcimllscd forward play, but it was as well that the whistle kept silent for C. McLean got the ball away and had haul luck in not scoring. Auckland force.l. Allen, playing o a his own, got within striking distance, but kicked too haid and Asher got in before him. Auci;lad forced again. iScgar, Wells, and Wynyard, by a tricky run, got the yel iows out of their end of the field, 'the local collaring being very poor. Morey and Buckland changed 'the scene, and T. Smith made for the line, being* called buck' for a "knock-on just when the line was close. "Opae" got in a piece of his dangerous hurdling just afterwards, Jumping clean over Moir after heating buckland, but the latter got him low. One of Hie features of the next few minutes' play was a nice passing effort by Wynyard, Jackson, Woodward and Neighbour, Hardgraves stopping in time. The amber-aml-blacks were now hard pressed, and all the ingenuity "f Buckland, McLean aud Co. was needed to keep the Aucklanders out. Several times the line was cleared, but the visitors returned, and eventually Carlow got over, Neighbour kicking a goal. Auckland 3, Taranaki 5.

Tiic local men were not doing so well now, and seemed to be leaving dangerous openings, of which Auckland «os slow tu take advantage. At length Woodward cut through and scored Bradbmn goaling. Auckland S, Taianaki 5. Now was Taranaki's turn to attack, and they made a solid rush into the Aucklauders' end, where a score was lost In- the hall touching llard"ravcs offside. The respite was brief, McLean streaking across at the comer. Stroud's attempt at goal was not successful, and ilie hrst spell ended with the scores ai S all.

Soon after the opening of the second spell it was apparent that the Taranaki men had had nearly enough of the pace. Bradbury kicked a penalty goal, and a few minutes added another from a soft mark by Ashcr in front of the posts A vigorous Taranaki forward nHi "of in amongst the Auckland backs. Xemlilionr returning a long kick, which was taken Hying 'by Smith, who scored bringing the' points to 12—11. Smith almost placed another three points to Ins credit, beating Neighbour and bein<r almost certain of a try when Asher overhauled him. llackr'cll and AYV.Is took play (o the other end. and Griffin scored. Tiradburn placing another <r o al to his credit. 17—11. The game was now monotonously one-sided, the s> oailed serums giving Auckland the advantage every- time, and their backs completely outwitting tin. locals. Wvnyarn's try \va« a splendid one, and a«'ain tSradbmn goale,!. The crowd had thinned out considerably when the last trv was given to Auckland bv the referee as a penalty for deliberate obstruction. Bradburn added (he major' points bringing the final scores: Auckland 27 Taranaki .. .. 11