Out Door Sports

Observer, Volume XXIX, Issue 47, 7 August 1909, Page 10

Out Door Sports

By Harrier,

A.R.U. FIXTURES. August 7 — Auckland v. Thames, at Thames. , August 14 — Poverty Bay v. Auckland, at Auckland. August 21 — Thames v. Auckland, it Auckland. August 21 — Auckland v. Rotorua, at Rotorua. August 28 — Auckland v. Northern Wairoa, a/t Auckland. August 28 — Wellington v. Aucklan. i , ,at Wellington. August 31 — Wanganui v. Auckland, at Wanganui. September 2 — Taranaki v. Auckland, at Taranaki. September 11— Taranaki v. Auckland, at Auckland. August 26 — Auckland v. Marlbor--6 ough, at Blenheim. SATURDAY last saw the commencement of the Auckland Rugby Union's inter-union fixtures, when a team from the Maniapoto Union met the local reps, at Alexandra Park. The attendance •was very fair, and those who journeyed out had the satisfaction of seeing a good display of football — on the part of the Auckland men. . ■ » The visitors had the advantage of the wind in the first half, and for a little time the play was up and down the field. Then the Aucklanders got the first score, and shortly after they rang on another. Maniapoto next managed to break through, and registered their only score of the day. Auckland got across again before half-time, and the spell *tnded — Auckland, 15 ; Maniapoto 3. • • • The second half saw the local men open up the play in great style. The visitors were hopelessly beaten, and the Auckland men rang on tries in quick succession. Altogether nine tries were registered in this half, and at the end Auckland's score amounted to the huge total of 54 points, whilst Maniapoto's stood at 3. * ■ • The Auckland team were in great form, and time and again the ball went through half-a-dozen pairs of hands, backs and forwards being equally in it. The backs were cutting in, side-stepping, and dodging in a way that fairly paralysed the Maniapoto men. a • • Miller was hardly at his best as full-back for Auckland, but Saturday's game Should sharpen him up. Renwick and Wilson fairly revelled in the attacking work, whilst Robinson was not far behind them. This player's centreing tactics invariably resulted in a score for his side. R. Magee and Skillen worked together in great style, and the latter beat his opponents repeatedly im his cutting in. Young had a fairly easy task as half, and never missed an opportunity to open up the game. The forwards went at a great pace, amd none did better than Williams. Waddell and Seeling were all there, and the latter was racing about like "a back. ), The Maniapoto team have several a good men in their ranks, but when ; it came to combined play they (were ; fairly lost, Amongst the bpcke,

Tuheka did some fair work in the three-quarter line, but Howarth was a weak spot as full-back. Moir shone at times as five-eighth, but was given no backing. Black played a plucky game as half, 'and did some serviceable marking . Amongst the forwards, Rothery, on the wing, played a hard game. This player ie an ex-Taranaki rep. One good point about the visiting pack was that they did a lot of sound tackling, being much better than the backs in thie respect. Smith, Houghton and Thomson were a prominent trio. • • • Next Saturday, the Auckland team will travel to the Thames and will meet the local reps, at Tarawa!. So far this season, the Thames n_-tn 'have an unbeaten record in their fixtres, so the match should be especially interesting. Mr D. Gallaher has made but little alteration in his selection, which is as follows : — Full-back, Miller : three-quarters, Robinson, Wilson, Twiname ; fiveeighths, R. Magee, Skillen ; half, Young : wing forward, Wilkes ; forwards, Herring, McGuire (2), Williams, Waddell, Seeling, Capill. ■ ■ • " Bob " Magee kicked five goals on Saturday, and scored a try. One of his penalty kicks also struck the uprights. The Taranaki Union is forwarding the "retrenchment" scheme in regard to rep. matches. „It has written to the Otago Union, intimating that the Taranaki team will not visit Dunedin till 1911. The Three /Kings College boys were unevenly matched against City JV. lon Saturday, and went down b" 16 points to nil. The City team is a well combined one, and thoroughly deserved its win in the fourth grade competition. Newton 111. and North Shore 111. B. played a bloodless draw on Saturday last, and the result leaves Ponsonby 111. winners of the third grade championship. Thus the Ponsonby Club has the honour of winning three of the four A.R.U. championships for the season 1909. The New South,' Wales Rugby Union has decided to allow the five Newtown players to leave Brisbane immediately after the match with Queensland on Saturday next, in order that they may be in Sydney to represent the club against Ponsonby on the University Oval, on August 11. I have been told a good yarn about a match at the Lower Hutt last Saturday (temairks " Touchline," in Wellington "Free Lance"). The field of play adjoined a private residence, and, to help matters along, a small boy wa6 posted in the grounds attached to the said residence to throw the ball back again to the field of play when it was kicked over the fence. Things went on all right for a while, but presently the lady of the bouse arrived on the scene, and chased the boy away. The next time the ball went over the fence she confiscated it, and , despite emtreaties by the players at the time and after the game was finished, she kept possession of the implement of play, and does so at the present time as far as I know.

A. Renwick will not be playing against Thames on Saturday next. The reason is that "Albie" is taking the matrimonial step. Conigratulations. With referenoe to the proposal ...- that Otago should challenge Auck^ . land for the Ranfurly Shield this year and journey to the northern city to fight for it, no further reference has (says a Dunedin writer) been made, and the presumption is that the bottom has fallen out of the scheme. The Ponsonby team did tolerably well in winning their first game in Sydney against the Metropolitan team by 13 points to 10. The blue and blacks had a rough trip over, and only arrived early on Saturday morning, so the players could hardly have found their legs. The second match of the tour was to have been played yesterday (Wednesday), and on Saturday Ponsonby will play a return game against the Metropolitan team. The following was the Sydney Metropolitan team that was defeated by Ponsonby on Saturday last : — A. ■R. Dunbar (Newtown), full-back ; F. Lnsoombe (Newtown), E. E. Booth (Newtown), V. Farnsworth (Newtown), H. Smith (Sydney), threequarters ; A. J. McCabe (South Sydney), five-eighth ; F. Wood (Glebe), half ; N. E. Row (E.S.), M. Fraser (Glebe), R. R. Craig (Balmain), L. S. Reynolds (University), W. Joass (St. GeorgeV J. Cla.rken (Glebe). H. Baulkwell (Balmain), and A. Buckley (Manly), forwards. The South African authorities invited the English Rugby Union to send a team to tour South Africa next season. The English Union had the matter under consideration for some time, and have at length decided not to accept the invitation. No reason is given for the refusal, but (remarks the London " Sportsman ") it is quite possible that recent decisions of the governing body on the subject of expenses have rendered the task of raising a representative team more than usually difficult. » • ■ On Saturday next at Victoria Park the Auckland and Taranaki teams will engage in a game under Northern Union rules. The visitors are spoken of as a sound lot, and a good exposition of football may be looked forward to. The following is the Auckland team : — Full-back, Houghton ; three-quarters, Cholly, Woodward, Carlaw ; five-eighths, R. Wynyard, McDonald ; half, Jackson, forwards, Marshall, Dunning, P. Wells, Griffin, Seager, Linkhorn. Emergencies — backs, Tyler and Stanaway ; forwards, Percival, Neighbour and Allen. Pallid, thin, and passing weak, Shivering in the cod wind bleak, Coughing till he scarce can speak, This is man without it ; Laughing at each cough and cold. What In this that makes him hold ? Stuff tbat 'a worth it's weight in gold — Woods' Peppermint Cube— don't doubt it.