OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 47, 10 August 1907, Page 10

OUT DOOR SPORTS

By Harrier,

ANOTHER attempt will be made on Saturday next by one our provincial teams to lift tlie Ranfurly Shield from Auckland. The challengers will be a team from Hawke's Bay. Two years ago this province sent a team up here, but ■were beaten somewhat easily by 28 points to 3. It is reported that the visitors are a fairly strong combination, and will make a big effort to take back the Shield with them.

Mr D. Gallaher has selected the following to represent Auckland : — Full-back Miller ; three-quarters, Murray, Twiname, Dillamore ; fiveeighths, Magee, W- Wynyard ; half, J Kiernan ; wing, McDonald ; forwards. Dunning, McCormick, Kin- ' der, McGuire (2), Hall, Hayward.

• » • :■ Although Auckland defeated i Northern Wairoa by -24 points to 5, - the game was not as one-sided as the !' scores indicate. Taken all through, it was a good game to watch, and at • times some splendid individual ■efforts were brought off. The Auckland backs got in more concerted work than their opponents, and several tries were secured from smart passing bouts. " Sam " Magee gave a sound exhibition, as full-back, and he should not be long in securing representative honours. The three-quarters did good work, particularly Woodward, on the wing. He has plenty of dash, and plays better in this position than at nveeighths. . Wjlson was somewhat improved, and Hogan made the most of the chances he got. Redwood was erratic at fiveeighths, Stuckey doing the better : work of the pair. '"'•■■-■ Farrant was given a chance to show his prowess, and on the game !is the next best to Kiernan He i passes out very smartly, and his try^ :(. was the result of a clever feinting iE The bhie and white forwards were r dashing enough, and several of them !£' played ; sound v indrvddnal games. f^Pople'is comirigion fast; l and headed a gqpii : rush; : Eationrke6ps go-

ing in great style, and Hall and "hooper were always handy. N. fodd played a willing game," and .put in some rare spurts at times. Tie is no slouch as a hooker, either. The weakness in the "Wairoa team lay in their backs. Repeatedly they got out of their places, and it kept . the full-back, Lowry, very busy. He played as fine a defensive game as has been seen at the- Park this season, and time and again got his side out of difficulties. "Billy" Harrison does not appear to have lost any of his cunning. Having to general his backs he was called upon to more than his share, and he did it well, winding up by scoring a great try. He ran right through the Auckland team. Te Paa, of- pole jumping fame, made some sensational gallops, • and Martin was noticeable for his- saving work. "Waitai and Bassett were somewhat weak. The Northern Wairoa forwards were a very capable set, and although the pace was very hot at: times, they stuck to their work in a» surprising manner. In E. Rope,, the wing forward, the team had a' valuable asset.

The return match between Auckland and Thames again resulted in the blue and whites scoring anothervictory, this time by 8 points to 3.;. It was a well -contested game, and. the Thames men showed a vast im-, provement on their display of the" previous Saturday. For Auckland, Twiname, Magee, JVTurrav and Ladner shaped; well, and W. Wynyard is improving. In the forwards, Kinder, McCbrmick and McGuire (2) were chasing it hard, and " Scotchy". -McDonald, had a day out on the wing. The changes in the Thames team improved it, and in the backs, Floyd, McCollum and Snowling were a conspicuous trio. The latter is the makings of a sound five-eighths, All the. forward?. w.ent, well, and held thelr^ejvcj up alright. ' ; Running -an&^Kfernan could not spare trhe ,time to get away to the Thames sfen oalurday, and^were onjilookers at the match at Alexandra Park.

Auckland and Hawke's Bay ha vie niet on five occasions. Auckland has won four matches, and one match was drawn. Matters in connection with the professional ' ' All Blacks ' ' team afe pretty well definitely settled, and -a couple of weeks hence should see the team in Sydney, en route for England. The Auckland • members of the team will leave for Sydney by next Monday's boat. Prior to the game between Auckland and Hawke's Bay, a curtainraiser will be played between the Auckland B team and a team from the Franklin Union. The following will be the Auckland team : Fullback, S. Magee ; three-quarters, Bogan, Wilson, Redwood ; fiveeighths, Woodward, Bater ; half, Ladner ; wing forward, Mcllhone ; .forwards, Sellars, Muir, Pople, Walsh, Eaton, Hooper, Harris. The second test game between Australia and New Zealand saw the latter team again victorious. Australia had the advantage of 5 points to nil in the first spell, but New Zealand came to light in the second half with four tries-— the finish being 14 points to 5. The third and last test will evenuate next' Saturday at Sydney, and afterwards the, New Zealanders will sail for home." The Petone Club is after a record this season, as at the present time they have (says " Touchline," in the Wellington " Free Lance ") more than a probable ohance of winning the whole of the five championships of the Wellington Rugby Union. They are virtually leading for jbhe seniors, they tie with Melrose in the juniors, in the third-class, should St. Patrick's College be found not to have played sufficient matches to qualify them for the competition, Petone must win, while in- the fourth and fifth-class grades they cannot be : beaten,^thfeir pdwfciojfis such a jgppd ■ one,; ■•••■'■ l ■";■' '-■_■• ■ ; -' ; ' —■••■'•••--"■■ ••■-;

Payne, the Hawke's Bay half, is an ex-Ponsonby junior, and came to Auckland with the last Hawke's Bay team a couple of years ago.

The Taniwha Fishing Club intend making a raid on the hapuka on the 21st of next month, as a preliminary to the opening of their fifth season. The party will leave town in the fine new steamer " Daphne," fetch up at the Kawau for tea, and then leave for Sail Rock, where lines may be cast by moonlight and until the following afternoon. The steamer will then return' to Kawau for the night, and finally land the party in town by nine o'clock on Monday morning. The club s trips have proved most, enjoyable in the past, but the plans mapped out for the coming season give promise of the fifth season breaking records.