OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 40, 22 June 1907, Page 10

OUT DOOR SPORTS

By Harrier.

THE senior matches on Saturday did not stir \ip much interest in football circles, and the attendance at Alexandra Park was on the small side. Grafton and Newton had a close go, the latter winning by 8 points to 6. City gave Parnell a big beating— 4s to 6, whilst Ponsonby downed North Shore by 16 points to nil.

The play in the Newton-Grafton game was by no means exciting. The black and whites had rather the best of the first spell, and they led their opponents by 6 points to 5.. Newton scored another try in the second half, and although Grafton made great efforts to get across Newton's line they were unsuccessful. Two backs who did the biggest part of the work for Grafton were Sutherland and Kiernan. The former was in his old position as full, and time and again relieved his side by long and well-judged line kicks. This was Kiernan's second game for the season, and he only wants a little more play to put him into his best form. His presence on Saturday made a wonderful difference to the Graftonites. Repeatedly his cleverness saved awkward situations. The first try was the result of a clever piece of work on Kiernan's part. The remainder of the backs were only passable, Marshall doing, if anything, the best work. Stewart and Holden were unreliable. Ponoanga was shaping well until he grot a nasty knock. The tackling of these backs could have been improved upon. The Grafton forwards played a very willing game, .and grot away with many fine rushes. Eaton was very conspicuous in the ot>en work, heing well backed up by Comes and McCormick. Pople is the making of a fine forward, and Bell and Dean were solid scrummagers. " Tommy " Roberts occupied the . position of fullback for Newton, and carried out his part very successfully. The three-quarters were in-and-out. Rowe's kicking was much below his usual standard. He scored . a good try but had the Grafton men tackled properly he never would have got across. "Woolfgram had not many chances. The Gray brothers worked admirably as flve-eiechths. the younger doing some especially fine work. He made frequent opening?, but they were generally mulled. Farrant was going at his best, and brought off some fine all-round work The Newton pack were a^ fairly even lot. In hooking they were easily beaten by Graftrin. Trevarthen was not *>s good as is his wont. Wuters, Taylor and Hooper toiled solidly. City had a very soft snap in the match against Parnell, and were responsible for another big score. The Parnell play has deteriorated somewhat in the last two matches.

The City backs threw the ball about with great freedom, and nuitteroui tries front down to their credit. : V . .■] ',■--:] ' : '■ . Kjfebr^' Smith irai in good form again, and was responsible for a neat AgoaJ^fiiim^ttie' field. "Little, R. Magee and Ladner -wet© iJ all there."

# The City - forwards had a -good - time, making the game -very open. - Seeling, Herring, G. and W. Tyler were the principal scorers The Parnell backs were no match for the Cityites. The' only decent bit of play was that from which Hogan scored. This young player is coming on splendidly. Stuckey was answerable for a lot of good defensive work, and Fox did as well as- he could. Myles was given a place among the backs, but fumbling was a bad feature of his play. The Parnell forwards were never dangerous, although they tried hard to keep up with their opponents. J. McGuire was to have turned out for Grafton on Saturday, but pressure of business upset his calculations. The turn-stiles purchased from the New Zealand Exhibition by the Auckland Rugby Union were worked at Alexandra Park last Saturday. They proved somewhat strange to the usual patrons of the Park, but they are, I think, an improvement on the old system.

North Shore gave Ponsonby a good go on Saturday. Well on until near the end of the game the blue and blacks were only leading by five points. Then Miller, the Shore full-back, had to retire, and Ponsonbv rang on eleven more points, making sixteen in all. There is not much to comment upon in the play of the Ponsonby"backs. Murray made his reappearance and played fairly well Onx was goinor in good style behind the naok. Of fhe forwards. Gillett, Nicholson, Hall and Francis were generally prominent. The Shore backs did tolerably w«H. particularly D. Miller, the full-baelc. He was kicking and saving in great style, till hn had +o retire with a sprained ankle. It was hard luck. Murfitt, one of the Pioneer man-o'-warsmen. is a very fair threequarter, nnd did a heap of good work. It. Wynvard m'adp some dangerous runs, but wanted more backing up. The forwards helrl np th^ir end in stubborn style. "Peter" Gerrard was playing in this depairrnent. and' by no raflans dis^rpned himself. •Toyoe, Yeoland and Todd were a hardworking trio.

An ex-Aucklander, now a resident in Sydney, sends me the following chatty notes : — "I see that Francis (a man of whom I have heard a great deal) is included inthe New Zealand team : also Cunningham, G. Tyler and Seeling. Sportsmen here are very sorry that George Smith was not included. They consider he was the greatest three-quarter ever seen here. "Queensland defeated a strong N.S.W. team last Saturday. Queensland forwards, although light, were too quick and nit>py. H Judd (the cantain of N.S.W.) hroke his leg and will not be able to play again. " N.S.W. will put a strong team in the field against New Zealand. I think it will be : — Fullback. Hedley ; three-auarters, Russell, Messenger, .Daly;. Stuntz (or Oxenhara) ; halves, Matthews and Wo ids . forva«"«V Barnett, Rosewell, P. Burge, Jno. . Hughes. Murnin, Hark-in, I amb, Swannel or Graves. " Daly is a country man — very tricky, with a side-step and a lovely dodge. He is a very dangerous man, and his try against Queensland was a revelation. He picked the ball up about nine yards from goalline, and fairly beat four of the opf)osing side and wriggled over the inc. He will want. watching very closely, especially near the line. Messenger is also a great three-quarter, and a wonderful kick. Stuntz is an even-time man, and a splendid linekick, but has a lot of points to learn about the game. Woods and Matthews area great combination."

Unfortunately for Dive, the Taranaki three-quarter, he cannot make the trip with the New Zealand team to Australia. Booth, of Otago, has been chosen to fill the vacant position. This is quite conclusive evidence that it was not George Smith's play that kept him out of the team. George Tyler finds that he cannot spare the time fco go to Australia with the New Zealand team. Probably Seeling will not make the trip, either. City and Ponsonby meet next Saturday,' and the game promises to be as stubbornly contested as the meeting of the same clubs in the first round.