LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Observer, Volume XXXIV, Issue 47, 1 August 1914, Page 10

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

The long.expected English Northern Union team of footballers made their first appearance in Auckland on Saturday last, and continued their victorious career by decisively beating the local thirteen by the handsome margin of twenty-two points. In spite of the inclement state of the weather, a large crowd of enthusiasts, estimated at • nearly 20,0(X), made its way to the Domain, and, although suffering with cold wet feet, remained to the end of tlie game, which, though the score board was so greatly in favour of the visitors, was a very interesting and exciting game to watch. The state of the ground was all against good back play, and the handling of the ball by the locals was not up to their best performances during the past season, while on the? other hand the visitors did not seem greatly hampered by the greasy state of the ball and ground, and some of their combined passing movements were of a very high order. Out-weighted as they were by the burly English pack, the Auckland forwards may be considered to have put Tip a creditable fight, but at no stage of the match did they appear to have the slightest chance of getting the ball from the scrums, and it is in this department that the New Zealand team will have to improve if it is to have a reasonable chance in the test match next Saturday. It is unnecessary for us to give any account of the game itself, as it was one-sided throughout, the combined work of both the visitors' forwards and backs completely demoralising the locals, who were α-uite unable to reproduce anything like it when occasionally a chance came their way. The play of the Auckland backs was frankly disappointing, and it is doubtful whether the team of this year compares favourably with that of last season. Ifwerson, at was, as usual, the life and soul of the team, and was ably supported by McClymont, but the others were very mediocre, and) the display given by Cross, at full-back was not at all im-

pressive, his tackling being lamentably weak, although it is only fair to .say that his kicking abilities were at times useful to his side. AVebb's display at half-back was not alwve club standard, and he suffered greatly by comparison with his vis-a-vis on' the visitor's side. His play throughout was of the orthodox order, and lacked originality. Hardgrave, the Otahuhu player, performed creditably, and, with a few more games in good company, should 1 develop into a useful back, as he is fairly reliable in defence. The same remarks apply to both Woolley and Fox, biit none of these players impressed the writer on Saturday last as being much above the average. The forwards, on, the other hand, although considerably outweighted, played gamely, and, with a dryer ground, "might have held their own in the loose work. Conspicuous amongist the Auckland vanguard were Savory, Clarke, and Bennett, and if the former were only possessed of a little more pace he 'would have scored on two occasions. Hayward did not play as well as he has done in ifche past, but on a better ground may show to more advantage. As to the English team, it would be idle to make distinctions as all gave a first-class display, and the combination of both backs and forwards was the feature of the game, all individuality being sunk for the sake of combination, and how effective this system is may be gauged from the result of the match. A regrettable feature of the game, however, was the amount of talk which passed between the team and ■the referee, Avhich was very noticeable and much commented upon along the line. Mr Benson controlled the game vel '. v capably, and it wns rather surprising that the visitors, who are sufficiently .superior to the locals to afford to be magnanimous, should have questioned his decision when he had occasion to penalise them. As a matter of fact, evidently owing to the bad state of the ground and ball, the referee allowed several minor breaches of the •ules to pass unnoticed, and the visitors were a.s much ibhe gainers from these as the locals were. Given fin© weather during the coming week, and a dry ground to play on, the forthcoming test match should provide a fine struggle, and

it is practically certain"that the gate will easily constitute a record, for League football in the Dominion.