OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 39, 15 June 1907, Page 10

OUT DOOR SPORTS

By Harrier.

FOOTBALLERS were treated to another beautiful day on Saturday, and the attendance at Alexandra Park was fairly large, seeing that there was a counter-at-traction in the races at Ellerslie. On No. 1 ground, Ponsonby beat Parnell by 17 points to nil. City downed Newton by 24 points to 3. Grafton caused a bit of a surprise by beating North Shore by 5 points to nil.

Ponsonby and Parnell met for the second time this season.. With the improvement which the latter team had made, it was thought that they woud put up a good fight against the blue and blacks. As it turned out, Parnell were hardly ever in the hunt. This proves how much superior the City and Ponsonby teams are to the other senior teams. True, Parnell had the disadvantage of playing with a glaring sun in their eves in the first spell. All the same, in the second half, Ponsonby had far the best of the game. "Jack" Phillins took his old place as full-back for Ponsonbv, but was called udou to do very little saving. His kicking was fairly good. The Ponsonbv three-quarter line consisted of Wilson, Ken von and Dillamore. Dillamore played one of his best games, taking his -passes in great style. He showed himself a dangerous man near the line. Kenyon went well, hut was apt to get out of his place at times. Wilson was not overworked, hut scored a nice try in the second half. Bater's passing was erratic, but he made some fine dashes in the open work. » Blakey came up to half in place of Cox, and proved that he was no novice in the position. Ponsonbv' s first try .resulted from his working the blind side in clever style. ' Gillet was. as usual, wherever the hall was. He had a sort of roving commission, and in the second half he engineered one of the cleverest tries scored at the Park this season. Hall was on the wing, hut shows to more advantage when playing in the pack. Of the Ponsonby forwards, Nicholson stood out on his own. How this player came to he left out of the N.Z. team is a matter of surprise, in view of the form he is displaying this season. Francis did well, and for solid graft McDonald takes a power of beating. For his weight, he is one of the best. The Parnell backs failed to repeat the form they displayed against Newton the previous Saturday. Todd was not nearly so conspicuous. He was rarely seen on the attack, but did some sound stopping. Of the three-quarters, Smith did as good work as any, and Cleave, at full, was also noticeable for some useful saving work. Stuckey helped his side out of many difficulties, and Fox played a plucky defensive game. There was much, evenness about the Parnell pack, and they all toiled honestly, Rhodes is a good worker, but bis offside habits frequently get bis side into difficulties.

Newton caused a slight sensation 1 by drawing first blood in the match against City. This, however, only spurred the red and blacks on and they wound iip by running up 24 * points; whilst Newton failed to get more than the first try.

When the City backs got going they took a lot of stopping, and V. Little, "who replaced G. Smith in the centre, filled the position with much credit. Gladding was safer than ustial, and R. Magee played soundly. One forward who stood out very prominently in the City team was Seeling. He fairly levelled in his work, and played as well as ever he did. Herring was another forward who made the pace -dy willing. Newton started well, but failed to keep it going. There was nothing sensational about their backs. Rowe scored the try for Newton, and all through stood out for good work. Woolfgram's play was patchy. The forwards fought an up-hill game, and did fairly well, seeing that they were_ at a disadvantage in weight. Lewis filled a gap in the team but that is about ah he did. "When he wasn't talking, Trevarthen put in some fair ulay. In this match it was noticeable what a lot of talking was indulged in — a fault usually prominent on the No. 2 ground. After the game an ex -representative p]aT<-r made the remark that " a lot of them ought to be in the House of Representatives," and he was not far wrong. And a number of old players, who ought to know better were the worst offenders.

Seeing that Grafton went through the first round without a win to their credit, their victory over North Shore came as a bit of a surprise. Last week the Graf ton Club held a meeting to consider their position, and it was decided to make a strong effort to improve the senior team. This seems to have stirred matters* up, and fairly good team was put into the field on Saturday, with the result that the frame ended in Grafton's favour by 5 points to nil. Perhaps +he best of the Grafton backs was T. Marshall. He did a heap of good all-round work. Perov pud Ponoanga also did fairly well. The forwards r»layed with plenty of dpsh, and " Koss " Eaton was a willing goer. North Shore's r>lay was spasmodic. They appear to be getting worse ps the season goes on. 8,. Wynyard is not playing in his true form, and the other backs were only passable. Tn the forwards, Joyce is showing much improvement. " Pat " Sutherland was not playing for Grafton on Saturday, having met •with an accident on the previous Saturday.

The team to represent New Zealand in its coming tour to Australia is as follows : — Full-back, G. Spencer ; threeauarters, Wallace, Mitcbinson. Dive, Fryer; five-eighths. Hunter, Mynott, F^kholrl ; halves, Roberts, Colman ; wing forward, Gillett ; forwards, Casey, Tyler, Cunningham, Paton, O'Sullivan. McDonald, Johnston, Seeling, Francis, Hogan, and J. Spencer. The above team contains five Aucldanders — four forwards and a wing forward — but not one local back. G. Smith has been ignored, and this is a matter that has caused much discussion in local circles. Smith undoubtedly deserved a place in the team, for he is playing this season as well as ever he did. Another man whose non-inclusion has caused much comment is G. Nicholson — at the present time easily one of our best forwards. Seeing that Seeling and Francis were considered good enough to be selected, Nicholson has been harshly treated in being left out of the team. Take his game on Saturday, it was the best exhibition of forward play seen in Auckland this season.

After a deal of consideration, Harry Porteous, the well-known Otago representative forward, has (says a Dunedin writer) decided to retire from the game. He has a record of thirty-two representative games. Porteous was a member of the New Zealand team of 1903, and played twice for South Island.'

The New Zealand team will leave for Australia about 10th July. Sydney University football team was defeated for the first time this season by the Eastern Suburbs Club on Saturday week last, in the presence of over 20,000 people. , Among the rumours going round about the professional team is (remarks a Wellington scribe) t^at George Stephenson, of erstwhile Otago representative fame, would manage the .combination on its English tour. It is also stated that one of the principals concerned in the movement has offered his services to Stanford University (America) as Rugby coach, for a consideration of £500 a year. Speaking of Cross, m the PetonePoneke game, " Tou.ihline," in the Wellington "Lance," : "Cross is one of the best grafters we have in the senior compoti/i-m. although he is probably one of he weightiest. How he keeps his ; uvenility surprises me, for ' Angry ' was a veteran when he first came to Wellington, and, after many years, he is still one of our best forwards. From the beginning to the end of the game he keeps on the ball or thereabouts all the time."