LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16049, 28 July 1924, Page 2

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

ENDEAN SHIELD MATCH. LOWER WAIKATO WIN. A DISAPPOINTING GAME. The Endean Shield match between Hamilton (holders) and Lower Waikato, played at Steele Park on Saturday before a good attendance, proved a veil disappointing exhibition of the code. Hamilton played a wretched game and compared with some of their previous showings their display seemed too bad to be true. On the day's play Lower Waikato were easily the better team and fully deserved their win. The teams were as follows: — Lower Waikato (red, white and blue) : G. Raynor, D. Johnston, G. Hall, S. Raynor, Jackson, Paki, Lornie, Stephenson, Hutt, Allen, Welch, Miki, and Wilson (captain). Hamilton (black and white) : Jacques 7 Appleby, Hemmihgway, Grogan, McGerty, Buffett, Cains, Dent, Vernall, Duncan, Dufty, and Payno (captain). s Challengers Open Well. Dufty kicked off for Hamilton, but Johnston took the ball on the full and led play back to midfleld, a good passing movement being spoilt by Jackson, who failed to take a pass. Lower Waikato pressed and Jacques fumbling they were nearly over, Hemmingway forcing. The tri-colours maintained their pressure and Dufty being caught off-side they were awarded a free, Hutt goalihg nicely. Lower, Waikato ,—.. ■—2 Hamilton .. -. .- 0 Almost immediately afterwards from a scrum at midfleld the ball came out to Paki, who ran through to score. Hutt failed to convert. Lower Waikato ... >. 5 Hamilton % .. •• .. 0 A good kick by McGerty took play to Lower Waikato's end, but faulty handling lost the black and whites a great scoring chance. From a scrum at half-way McGerty broke through, but the visitors' defence was sound and the pendulum of play swung back to Hamilton's end. 'Jackson raced through but a knock-on spoilt a great scoring chance. A succession of scrums on the Hamilton line followed and Dufty again infringing Lower Waikato were awarded a free, but Hull's effort failed. Lornie fed out to Jackson from a scrum, the ball being passed out to Johnston, who was grassed within a few feet of the line. Welch, however, picked up and dived over. S. Raynor's kick just failed. • Lowcf Waikato -.., .. 8 Hamilton 0 S. Raynor came down the line at a fast pace and again Hamilton was hard put to it to defend their citadel. Payne intercepted a pass and with a strong run completely changed the venue of play. Hamilton were awarded a free, Dufty, however, failing .to raise the ball. G. Raynor kicked powerfully into Hamilton's end, but Hcmmingway saved well. Lower Waikato, however, maintained the advantage thus gained. Paki dribbled through, but lost a certain try through knocking on. Hamilton cleared but Johnston, with a line individual effort, stemmed the forwards' advance. A scrum was ordered on Hamilton's line, but Cains saved well. Lower Waikato were awarded a free, S. Raynor's effort, a good one, just failing. Duncan led a forward movement that relieved the pressure- on Hamilton's citadel and the half-time bell went with play in neutral territory. The Second Half. Immediately upon the ' resumption Dufty secured possession from a scrum break-up and transferred to Appleby, who scored near the corner. Buffett converted. Hamilton .. >.- .. 5 Lower Waikatu .. :.. 8 Lower Waikato came through at a past pace, and as Hamilton - were busily defending, G. Raynor dropped a beautiful goal from the field. Lower Waikato ..'._ •• 10 Hamilton 5 Jackson, Hall, Paki, and Johnston were associated in a nice passing movement, but the latter was run out in the corner. Appleby, with a lucky kick; found the line well into Lower Waikato's twenly-flve. Play was gradually sent back to midfleld. Grogan was nearly over, but met with obstruction and a penalty was ordered against Lower Waikato, but Dufty's effort failed. Hamilton continued to press, but could not go on with their attack and play went back to midfleld. At this stage Cains was injured and had to leave the Held. G. Raynor found the line well into Hamilton's region. Miki made a nice opening, transferred to Allan, who dived over between the posts. Hall added the extras. Lower Waikato ..- ... 15 Hamilton 5 Hamilton kept' the visitors busily defending their line and on several occasions the shield holders were unlUcky in not getting over. S. Rayhdr, however, eventually cleared. Wilson, from a scrum, opened up matters nicely for the visiting forwards. Miki and Allan handled In turn, the latter again getting over between the posts. Hall, however, failed to convert. Lower Waikato .. .. 18

Hamjiton 5 Hamilton held the upper hand but lacked the ability to put the finishing touch on their efforts. Paki, picking up in the midst of a Ilamlltou rush, transferred to Miki to Hall to S. Raynor, who after making a good run along the line "was run out by Payne. Wilson sent the ball out smartly to Paki and the leather travelled thi'Bugh Hall's hands' to S. Raynor, who "dummied" the opposition to score. The same player added the extras. Lower Waikato .. .. 23 Hamilton .. .. . . 5 Paki made a spirited dash which again put Hamilton on the defence and proceedings waxed- hard and furious for a time in front of the holders' goal. Johnston picked up from Hie ruck and ran along the line to score in the corner. S. Raynor failed to convert and the bell then went with the final scores— Lower Waikato _ .. 26 Hamilton 5 Mr S. Saunders was referee. CURTAIN RAISER. A curtain raiser was provided by the Newton (Auckland) juniors and the Hamilton juniors, the game resulting in an easy victory for the local team by 31 points to v>. For the,winners tries were scored by Browit (3), Spencer (2), Jury, A. Taylor and Andrews. L. Taylor goaled oii four occasions and C. Taylor once. For Newton Phillips scored and Thompson converted. TEAMS ENTERTAINED. In the evening the Hamilton Rugby League tendered a dinner to the members of the trams in Lowry's lea rooms. Speeches wore made and the Endean Shield won by Lower Waikato was handed over to the victorious team. " . _... .

The toast of the Newton junior team was enthusiastically honoured, it being pointed out that the members had foregone the privilege of witnessing the big game at Auckland to assist the Hamilton Rugby League. ENGLISH TEAM'S WIN. AUCKLANDERS OUTCLASSED. 24 POINTS TO 11. AUCKLAND, Saturday. A orowd of over 20,000 spectators at Carlaw Park greeted the first appearance in Auckland this afternoon of the English Rugby League team, and witnessed a wonderfully fast and brilliant game, in which the visitors outclassed the Auckland thirteen, and won by 24 points to 11. The game was- full of incident, but its outstanding feature was the perfect understanding .between the English backs and forwards when they got into their stride in handling bouts. These came frequently, and had the crowd up to their feet with excitement, as they broke right through the Auckland defence in thrilling style and It was only a tendency to pass offside which kept the score against the local team down to its ultimate moderate dimensions. Features of the Game. The Englishmen made the pace a cracker from the jump, and scored in-, side the first five minutes as the result chiefly df a dashing run by their fast wing three-quarter, Ring. Then the Aucklandcrs made their best showing, *and the visitors lost ground regularly as the result of scrum infringements, and Auckland equalised the scores at 5 all. From this point onward, however, the visitors opened up in scientific and brilliant bouts of passing that kept them continuously attacking.' Despite a desperate defence, they finished the spell leading by 13 points to 8, and going on with it in the second, they established a final win by a margin of 13 points. There were two features of the visitors' play which were outstanding, tlieir brilliancy in passing and their continual infringements in the scrum. Time after time the referee penalised them' when the ball was put into the scrum, and obviously he and they held varying opinions about this p/iint. Its effect was that Auckland got ah undue share of free kicks awarded them, as well as most of the ball from the serum. It was a decided factor in keeping down the score against Auckland, for.once the ball was In the open the local men were outclassed, except in footwork. One of the visitors became obviously out of temper with the regular ruling against him, and at the rlose of the game was .sent of the field by the referee. Minor incidents were supplied when Davidson was hurt in a tackle, and failing to come out after half-time was replaced by Brown, when the visitors objected to the replacement, and Brown had to go off. Davidson returned to tlic field later and finished the game This a slight hostile demonstration by a portion of the spectators, but is' strictly in accordance with the English League rules, which do mot allb,w replacements in the course of a match. In general team work the visitors were so brilliant that the Aucklanders appeared to distinct disadvantage in comparison. Bright, nippy and versatile Parkin, in conjunction with the stand-off .half, Whitty, and the backrow forward, Gallagher, engineered numberless openings, and the other backs, with Burgess, and Darwell of the forwards, frequently, bewildered the - Aucklanders' with their clever concerted work in both attack and defence. Parkin was the life and soul of the backs, and Darwell, Burgess and Gallagher amongst the forwards showed line versatility and initiative.

TO PLAY ENGLAND. AUCKLAND PROVINCIAL. The following team has been selected to represent the Auckland province against England at Auckland on Wednesday:— Full-back: C. Dufty. Three-quarters: B. Paki, W. Brisbane, D. Johnston,. , Fivc-eighlhs: S. McClymont, W. Wethcrill. Half: J. Laing. Forwards: O'Brien, Lowry, Herring, T. Avery, Te Whata, S. J. Wilson. Reserves: Backs, Dclgrosso and Davidson. Forwards: McDonald and Bass. Of the team three players, Paki, Johnston and Wilson are South Auckland representatives. THE FIRST TEST. NEW ZEALAND TEAM. Messrs' Liversagc, Pearce and Hill, the selectors of the New Zealand team to meet Britain in the first test on Saturday next, have chosen the following players' to go into training:— Backs: Stewart, Fitzgerald and G'lroy (Christchurcu), Dufty, Brisbane, Wetherill, McClymont, J. Lang, Poison and Delgrosso (Auckland), Paki and Johnston (South Auckland). Forwards: Ellis and Peterson (Ohristchurch), Mouatt (West Coast), Tut Wilson (South Auckland), Lowry, Somcrs, Herring, Avery, Te Vv'hata (Auckland). The final selection will be made on Wednesday evening after the Provincial match. SOUTHERN MATCHES. CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. Marists A 0, beat ilornby 0. Sydenham 23, beat Wbolstoh 10.