POSITION OF AUCKLAND SENIOR CUP MATCHES.

Observer, Volume XI, Issue 707, 16 July 1892, Page 9

POSITION OF AUCKLAND SENIOR CUP MATCHES.

The Marines had again the best of most of the scrums on Saturday. This branch of the game is evidently one of their strong points. The City forwards were well represented in Cole, Stone, Maynard, Rogers, Downs, and O'Connor, who played a consistent combination game. NcNiven, North Shore half, played a grand game on Saturday, and was constantly in demand ; he shows promise of becoming one of our future • reps.' The City-North Shore match on Saturday was undoubtedly one of the keenest contests this season, the Marines fighting desperately to retrieve their fallen fortunes. Grattan, who played at half for Shore on Saturday, and Golding, who took up a similar position for the City team, did useful service for their respective sides. In the first spell of the Shore match, City had rather the best of it, obtaining two marks, and a free kick, the result of off side play, which by the way, was a noticeable feature in Saturday's match. C. Marshall is well worthy of the Committee's consideration in choosing our reps. As skipper of the Marines, he has pluckily fought a losing cause, and proved himself a strong player. If Charlie Marshall can muster as strong a team as he had on Saturday foor the matches in the second round, there is no doubt he will yet be able to Bhow a creditable record at the conclusion of the season. Peace and Herrold were the mainstay of the Suburb back division on Saturday, the former's kicking and" running as usual being first-class. I have seen him more successful in his place kicking, and at more difficult angles ; but the wet ball might easily account for this. Why did the constables, on the Shore ground on Saturday, show such | utter indifference to the encroachments of ' the onlookers ? Were they so very deeply interested in the game that they could not lend the line umpires a hand to keep the crowd back ?, O'Connor, in the City forward division, was conspicuous in the Shore match, leading several strong rushes, which nearly resulted in scores. The try he obtained, however, was no credit, as he was, c* lied back by players on both sides, the Marines protesting while he was scoring.

Spraggon, North Shore back, did good service in the match against City, saving his side repeatedly. Montgomerie seemed to play a hard game, and McMillan, though not so brilliant as usual, did some useful work. Major played a useful game for Suburbs, though a little inclined to off side ; and Leathart and Wilson were also good, the latter especially so. Williams, with his great length, shone to advantage on the line out, and got some very good passes, away to his backs ; he was very fair in the open and seemed to work well in the scrum. The match on the Shore ground on Saturday wa3 considerably marred by the onlookers persistently encroaching on the players, who had no show of .distin--guishing themselves in' the immediate .vicinity of the lines. Mr A. E. Stoddart, the Middlesex cricketer, returned to London on the 10th of May, from Australia. Like r>r. Grace,, he was no sooner home than he turned to his favorite pastime. Playing on the following day for Hampstead against Kensington Park, he scored 133 runs. In the Newton-Ponsonby game, the superiority of the former's forward division was very apparent, but in the back division, the latter more than made up for the weakness in their vanguard, and mainly through their efforts, they managed to secure a win by 7 points to 5. Despite the wet weather last Saturday, the committee decided to go on with the matches, and about a thousand people ventured out to Potter's, and were rewarded with witnessing two very good games between Newton— Ponsonby, and Grafton — Suburbs, and both resulted ins close finishes. The Governor is very fond of the water, and it is stated on excellent authority that he intends to purchase a large yacht for his own use on Wellington harbour. His Excellency has heard a" good deal about the beauties of the Waitemata and 100k 1 * forward to many pleasant cruises when he visits Auckland at the end of the session. The Wellington Rugby Union have taken a departure which is thoroughly appreciated by the footballers of the Empire city. A large room in a certain building has been leased for the season, and there all the meetings of the various clubs are held. The secretary of the Union is to be found at the room between 12 and 1 and between 5 and 6 each day, so that footballers who have business with him are certain of being able to interview him during those hours; Again the matches were delayed in starting last Saturday. . The wet, of course, is held out as an excuse, and last week was a reasonable one ; but this fault is growing rather weak. Some of the players, though they knew they're behind •time, never seem to thpm^elvps in the least, evidently thinking that fchpir comrades will wait for thun, so it doesn't matter. I was told of a system in vosue in Melbourne, in connection with the Victorian gamp., which I consider a sond one. If- a tPam is k quarter of an hour late, they are fippd £5 ; if half an hour has elapsed before they arrive, they forfeit the match. I fancy if our local Union would enforqe something of the sort, we would have our players up to time. A Sydney paper, speaking about a match between Zealandias and Bandwick, says : — If anything, the Bandwicks had a shade the best of affairs, and they were rather unfortunate to lose. It has always been a moot point whether a goal from the field should place a team ahead of one which secures a try, but according to our code of scoring it is so, and thus the New Zealanders won by one point. The Zealandias put a really good team in the field, and one stronger than that pitted againßt the 'Varsity. Everyone, except perhaps the most ardent Band wick ' barrackers,' were pleased to see George Lusk in the field again, and his fine piece of work won the match for the Stripes. Re had only one real chance to bring in bis great drcp act, and it carhe off trumps. In addition to Lusk, the New Zealanders were immensely strengthened by the inclusion of M'lntyre, who replaced Gallo way, and, good as the latter ie, the newcomer was, if anything, better. While condition lasted M'lntyre was here, there and everywhere, and the Dunedin roan shone out conspicuously. He whipped up the ball fast and cleanly, and not only ran well, but passed beautifully.

Of the City three-quarters, Blewden and Mercer showed to best fid vantage in the contest against the Marines. The Marines' forward division played well together, Marshall, Ingles, Harvey and Chamberlain being the most conspicuous. The excitement over the City — North Shore contest at times rose to a high pitch, as did also the dulcet tones o! the bafrackers. Whiteside did not seem so much at home in the wet as Brady, the latter making some very useful runs. They both tackled fairly well. Both Branston and McConnell were sure on Saturday, the latter making some useful dodgy runs. The kicking of each was good as usual. Gordon and Barton were both very fair, ar> also were Caulton and Penalligan, the last named as usual converting the try secured by Tracey, Bruce played a fine game in the open, heading some telling rushes, which carried the ball from one end of the field to the other. His tackling was also good. Stewart, among the Suburbs' forwards, was very good, and JDacre played his usual game, his dribbling at times being noticeable, especially in the second half. Herrold again exhibited his dribbling powers, and proved a tower of strength to Suburbs, leading some strong rushes, from one of which he managed to secure their only score. The Senipr contests all proved close as regards points — the Graf ton .winning by three points, the Ponsonby by two, and the City by two, so that none has much to talk about. Roberts did some good running for Ponsonby on Saturday last, and secured two tries, one by fast following up, and the other after a very good dodgy run ; his kicking was also good. Binney, as usual, shone in the open, and spoilt his opponents' backs on feveral occasions, and Tracey, besides working well in the scrum, did some useful work in the fast rashes, and secured Grafton's only try. Gaudin, at three-quarter, played a useful game. I was glad to see turn use his kicking powers more frequently than usual, gaining lots of ground without much exertion to himself ; kicking at a rolling ball is a fault he should rectify. Taylor had a great amount of work to do for Grafton last week, and he did it right well. He hesitated on one occasion rather much, which nearly cost his club the match ; but with this exception he was very safe. Hales was not so brilliant as usual on Saturday, and Black, one of the juniors, seemed a little strange ; also, the Suburbs full-back, who seemed to lose his head when pressed. No doubt the latter two will improve with experience. In the Suburbs - Grafton match, some very good football was displayed, but neither side has much to boast of in the result. Penalligan was more successful than Peace with hia attempt at goal, making the difference on the right side of the ledger. " Ehodes was a little indifferent in the first spell, but fully*tatrieved himself in the second half, making some strong runs, and he certainly had hard luck in not securing a score. I was sorry to see him lose his temper on one occasion, which caused him to go so far as to scrag one of his opponents. The Zealandia (Sydney) Football Club (who had secured another win over the Rondwick team on June 25th.) have since met their first reverse at the hands of the ' University ' Club. It is only fair, however, to state that George Lusk and Galloway, two of their best men, were absent, and this doubtless was to a great extent the cause of their defeat.

A special meeting of the Eden Terrace Eoad Board is advertised for Tuesday, 26th inst., when rating matters will be under consideration. Tenders are invited for catering and music for the Auckland Caledonian Society's annual ballj to be- held on Thursday, 18ih August. Mr J. A. Pennalligan (Ireland-street, Ponsonby) is the secretary, Irom whom all information may be obtained.

Played. Won. Drawn. Lost. Parnell 6 4 11 Grafton 7 5 0 2 Ponsonby ... 7 ' 4 1 2 >'cwton 7 3 13 Suburbs ... 7 3 0 4 City 7 3 13 North Shore ... 7 U 0 7