OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 43, 13 July 1907, Page 10

OUT DOOR SPORTS

By Hakbier,

ON Saturday next the first interprovincial game of the season will be played at Alexandra Park. Our opponents will be the Buller Union reps., who have come to try and wrest the Ranfurly Shield from our boys. The visitors are spoken of as a good team, therefore the game promises to be a very interesting one. • * •

Mr D. Gallaher has selected the following to represent Auckland : — Full-back, Newdick ; three-quarters, Murray, Smith, Dillamore ; fiveeighths, Magee, R. Wynyard ; half, Kiernan ; wing, W. Tyler ; forwards, G. Tyler, Dunning, Hayward, McGuire, Trevarthen, McDonald and Hall.

(•> *• •— The match between the City seniors and the Combined Clubs on Saturday drew a very fair attendance. The proceeds of this fixture will go to benefit a player who has been laid up for a long period, and a good sum was realised. After one of the most interesting games seen at the Park this season, the combined players defeated City by 15 points to 6. City did not have, their strongest fifteen in the field, two or three of their best forwards being absent. Still, they put up a good fight, and were by no means disgraced. Amongst the City backs, S. Magee has made great strides in his latter play, and he did some splendid saving on Saturday. G. Smith was well marked, nevertheless he got away with some good work. " Bob " Magee also went really well, and we have not a better five-eighths amongst our locals. The City pack were beaten for weight, but in the open held their own. G. Tyler and Mackerell toiled solidly, and Herring and McGuire were a prominent pair. W. Tyler is still keeping up his dash. "Scotty" Bonella was putting it in for all he was worth. On the combined side, Wilson showed a big improvement in his play, and his try was a smart piece of work. Dillamore has been going most consistently of late and will take a lot of beating for rep. honours. His try towards the finish of the game was the result of a splendid run. H. Rowe played a dashing game, as also did Murray, and "Dick" Wynyard opened up the play to great advantage. The combined pack was a pretty formidable one. Nicholson was again at his best, and McCormick followed up in great style. Hall also stood out very conspicuously. His potted goal was well done. " Graf ton " McGuire took Bigelows' place in the second half, and it is a pity he has had not more opportunities of playing mis season. He is a rattling good forward when in form. McDonald was always to the fore on the wing.

"* "* "•■ "Buff" McPike will renew his acquaintance with Aucklanders on Saturday. He is a member of the Buller team. The North Shore Club have dono veyy well in their junior matches this season. The second fifteen have won the first junior competition, and the thirds have scooped the second junior competition.

George Bater, the popular secretary of the Ponsonby P.C., left for a holiday trip to Sydney on Monday evening. The curtain-raiser for the game against Buller on Saturday next will be a trial match between our junior reps. Said that the promoter of the New . Zealand Professional team has received as many as fifty applications for places in the team. Goldfields and Thames had a great go at Waihi on Saturday last. The play was of a high order at times, and finally resulted in a draw — 6 points each. The many Auckland friends of " Jocky " Breen, an old representative, will be pleased to hear that he is to be married at Wellington tomorrow (Friday). Great sympathy has been expressed in football circles at the serious illness of Mr Alf . Bayly, President of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and it is sincerely hoped that he will pull through. Dufty does not appear to have lost any of his art in goal-kicking. He put over a great goal for Goldfields on Saturday — right from the boundary line. He also hit the post in another attempt. Newmarket Schoolboys have again come out on top in the B section of the Public Schools' matches. This team played with good combination all through, and Mr Ohlson, their master, gives them the best of coaching. O'Meara, the ex-Newton player, was one of the shining lights in the Athletic back division against Petone. He had (remarks a Wellington writer) a very heavy day's work and came out of the ordeal with considerable credit. City 11. put up a great go against North Shore 11. on Saturday last. The result was a draw — 8 points each. Had City won this game, they would have been level with North Shore, and a play-off would have been necessary. As it was, the draw gave North Shore the Cup. The New Zealand team will start their Australian campaign on Saturday next. The first game will be against New South Wales. On the following Wednesday, a return game will be played against New South Wales, and on Saturday, July 20th, the first test match will eventuate — against Australia in Sydney. The New Zealand reps, proved a trifle too good against a combined team at Wellington on Saturday, the result being in favour of N.Z. by 19 points to 6. Wallace and Seeling were not playing for the "All Blacks." Fryer, the Canterbury rep., was in scoring humour, and promises to shape well on the Australian tour. The Ponsonby schoolboys have won the A competition of the Public Schools' matches. This is the third year in succession that they have been victorious. Ponsonby's win is largely due to the play of Ifwerson. This young five-eighths should have a bright career in the football world. Against Onehunga on Saturday he potted a beautiful goal from the field, and another attempt by him hit the uprights. Our Wellington correspondent sends the following, re the New Zealand professional team : — "The personnel of the professional football team is being kept a close secret, and it is not intended to be disclosed, unless by leakage, until the close of the Australian tour, if, indeed, any authoritative announcement is made until the party are on the water for the voyage Home. From this it is quite evident that some, at least, of the present New Zealand amateur representatives have contracted to make the English pothunting tour. When the arrangements of the team become public property, it will be found that it is largely recruited from the ranks of the original " All Blacks," and that out of the twenty-five, all but two or three are interprovincial players. Further, in spite of various professions of a few weeks ago 2 I can state with confidence about a dozen Auckland players will be numbered amongst the adventurers, and all of them men of foremost football rank."