OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 42, 6 July 1907, Page 10

OUT DOOR SPORTS

By Ha-rkibr,

SATURDAY'S trial match at Alexandra Park caused but little interest in football circles. The attendance yas on the small side, probably owing to the counterattraction of tlie Day-McLachlan running match. • • • The teams that took the field were vastly different to those selected by Mr D. Gallaher, and a number of prominent players were absent. In fact the B team started with fourteen men, but after a while a King's College forward came on and filled the vacancy. Those players who do not think it worth their while to turn up for these frames will find themselves ignored when the selection of our rep team comes on. • • • The game was not remarkable for any sensational play, and, as is usually noticeable in these contests, the B team came off victorious — 11 points to 3. Both full-backs — Sutherland and Miller — played sound games. Miller does remarkably well, and it is a pity that he is liot a couple of stone heavier. Hughes, from the Waikato, played centre three-quarter for the A's, but his display was hardly equal to senior form. He should learn to run straighter. Coote played a fairly cood game, but failed to stow anything better than our local men. " Dick " "Wvnvard made some nippy runs, and Dillamore and Redwood were fair. Kiernan promises to come back to his best form, and this means a big help to our rep. team. The forwards were evenly matched. For the B team Hooper played a fine game, particularly in the open work. Pople is a forward who should be heard of in the future. Mackerell is now playing in great " form, and he did some really good work on Saturday. McOrmiek showed of dash, and MeDonnld again had a hand in the bulk of the work. Cox was half for the Bs, and his play was better than anything he has shown in the Cup matches — proh- ' ably due to the fact that he was not hampered by playing to instructions. Of the B backs. Todd.stodd out as the best. W. Wynyard was somewhat weak . > t* *+■ •»•

■y m -- Hughes, the Southland frontranker who is filling G. Tyler's place in the N.Z. team, played for the South Island a, little time back. It is expected that the balancing of accounts in connection with the late inter-Island match at Christ- . church will sliow a surplus of something over £100. Sydney footballers have had (remarks the " Referee " scribe) practically three weeks of heavy rain, occasionally accompanied by severe squalls. Two Saturdays were wet and sloppy, and one Wednesday was impossible for football. The rain is likely to continue throughout June, • after which it" is hoped the New Zealanders will come along and make their bow toa "beaming, crowd in {bright weather. Rain and treacher- ■\ 'pus turf bring together football '•■■/' teams of different strength.; They .:>: J^eyel talently making scientific . cxi.V positions of their passing, so effective: ? • iit fineweather, extremely difficult - and frequently ludicrous. " v •-.*■■'

Guscbtt, a Wangariui forward/ wEo is playing' against the N.Z. team oii : Saturday^ is; .spoken- of as being a player who will secure high honours in the football world. Thames meet the Goldfields reps, at Waihi on Saturday, and Mr D. Gallaher will go down to witness the game, to see if there is any likely, talent for our representative team. George Nicholson, the Auckland and "All Black " forward, leaves for Sydney on Monday next. He is on pleasure bent, .and will be able to witness the New Zealand team play in Sydney. The Ponsonby Football Club members gave Messrs Cunningham, Gillett and Francis, of the New Zealand team, a send-off in the Training Hall on Tuesday night. A first-rate programme was run through, and altogether the function was a very enjoyable one. The New Zealand Rugby Union .. have decided that the match between the Auckland and Buller Unions for the Ranfurly Sbield will bo a special challenge match. This means that after all expenses are accounted for, the N.Z. Union will take what surplus there might be. But I believe that the Atickland Rugby Union will not bow down to this decision, as their correspondence from the Buller Union points to the fact that they are not making a special trip for this game, but simply taking Auckland in on a tour up the West. Coast. The New Zealand team will mpet a team selected from Wellington, Wanganui and Wairarapn Unions on Saturday next at "Wellington. After the game, the N.Z. rops. will sail for Sydney. On Saturday next a benefit match will be played at Alexandra Park hetween the City seniors and a team from the combined clubs. It was intended to pit Ponsonbv against City, but the blue and blacks would be without the services of Gillett, Cunningham and Francis, thus robbing the game of all interest. Anvbow, a strong combined fifteen will be put in against City, and the game promises to be as keenly contested as the Ponsonby and City fixtures were. The proceeds will go to aid a player who was incapacitated two years ago, and all privileges allowed to ticket-holders will be cancelled for this game. The following paragraphs from an article in Fry's Magazine by Arthur J. Gould, the famous "Welsh player, make interesting reading : — "The New Zealanders won their matches not because of their formation, but because they were individually great players. Their formation had advantages for them, became they had at their command scientific exceptionally powerful, and perfectly trained scrummagers, and backs of wonderful pace and dodging power. Their individual average was much hierher than the, individual average of the United Kingdom. " As for combination (which is not necessarily affected by special formation), the New Zealanders were not the equals of the average first-class Welsh or English team, and though they took passes wonderfully, they ■ gave them badly. They could teach us nothing in the larger strategy of the game, and in the match at Cardiff their defeat was due to the triumphant tactics of the Welshmen. Individually, the fifteen New Zealanders were better men than the fifteen Welshmen ; but Wales won through superior strategy, better tactics, and more accurate combination."

The running match between Day and McLachlan attracted a big crowd at the Domain on Saturday last. The contests were well worth witnessing', and the running of both men came in for much admiration. MeLachlan won the 130 yards, but Day turned the tables on him very decisively in the 175 yards and 300 yards..- . Considering the heavy stats of the ground the times were marvellous. The clocking was in able hands, but were the distances correct ■?- 'Anyhow, Day has shown Atsclilanders what a great runner he fcr- *■■ ■:'-• '.-;■.- = -'■ -■ ■•■ - ■'"-■: ■ ■'-■"' ''- .