ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 38, 17 September 1892, Page 924

ATHLETICS.

Canterbury match is now a thing of the past, and !i Auckland has been badly beaten to the tune of 24 points to nil. This is a most crushing defeat, one which will not be forgotten for many a long day to come, and neither, I hope, will the local players fail to profit by the lesson in unselfishness thus forcibly impressed upon them. In the first spell the game was, apart from the scoring, fairly even. Canterbury secured two tries by means of passing, the like of which has never before been seen in Auckland, but the ball was just as often in their 25 as in that of their opponents, and it was owing not so much to any particular excellence in their defence, as to extremely bad play on the pait of the local team that Auckland did not score more than once. Elliott for instance, on two occasions, missed absolutely certain scores by failing to take passes.

Ul’OX starting the second spell play almost immediately settled down in Canterbury’s territory, and the ball being heeled out from a scrum, was passed to Elliott, but he failed to take it, and thus afforded an opening to Johnstone, who inaugurated a passing rush, which terminated in Balche crossing the line. The kick at goal was not successful, and from the kick-out Auckland again worked the ball into the Reds 25, where they were awarded a free kick, but Jervis’ attempt at goal failed and Canterbury forced. For some time longer the Reds were kept upon the defensive, but all Auckland's efforts to score were unavailing, and finally Canterbury managed to clear their lines—starting their passing tactics again—another try being the result. Balche converted, making the score Canterbury 14, Auckland nil. From this out the Reds had all the best of the play, and managed to increase their score by 10 points, 2 tries and 2 penalty goals ; the game eventually finishing Canterbury 24, Auckland nil.

The game, so far at least as the display of the Canterbury team is concerned, was the best and most scientific display of football ever seen in Auckland. The machine-like manner in which the whole team joined in the passing rushes was generally admired, and was in marked contrast to the display of the local men in this respect. To my mind, the chief weakness in the short passing game, as played by our visitors, lies in the opportunity afforded to smart opponents by the fact of the whole team, with the exception of the full back, being lined out across the ground when one of these passing rushes is in progress. Should a check be experienced under these circumstances and their opponents break through this line, it will readily be seen that there is very little chance of stopping them before a score is obtained. One bad habit to which our Canterbury friends were much addicted is that of lying on the ball. Numerous free kicks were given against them on Wednesday tor indulging in this practice, and if the Auckland place-kicking had been at all good, quite a respectable score might have been put up from this source alone.

As for the Auckland team they were certainly beaten on their merits and would, I believe, have been beaten if every man had played in his very best form, but the fact remains that with the exception of Riley and Kissling the whole of the backs showed very indifferent form. With the forwards very little fault could be found, in the scrum and line work, and in fact so long as the ball remained upon the ground they more than held their own, and this is all that has usually been expected of our forward divisions. Had the Auckland skipper elected to make the game a forward one in the second half (as I think he should have done), there can be very little doubt but that Canterbury’s chances of indulging in their favourite passing tactics would have been considerably lessened.

AFTER an interval of tlnee weeks the Senior Cup matches were resumed on Saturday. At Epsom the only fixture was that between Parnell and City who met for the second time this season. Neither team had its full strength in the field, but City were the worst sufferers in this respect, being short, amongst others, of the services of Stone, Maynard, McConnell and Conway. The game was not particularly interesting to the onlookers, and, perhaps on account of the compulsory idleness of a number of the players during the past three weeks, was not productive of any very brilliant form on either side. Early in the first spell Ronayne secured two tries for Parnell, one of which was converted by Jervis, and towards the end of the term, City were awarded a free kick for Green playing off side, from which Carr kicked a tine goal. Throughout the second half Parnell continued to have slightly the best of the game, and increased their score by 6 points; Jervis potting a goal

from the field Elliott securing a try which Jervis failed to convert. The game finally terminated in a victory for Parnell by 13 points to 3.

For the winners Wright and Speight were the most prominent of the forwards, and Edmondes and Ronayne of the backs. Jervis and Elliott, although showing an improvement upon their Wednesday's display, were neither of them in their best form. For City, O'Connor, Coyle, and Rogers (forwards), and Biewden and Mercer (backs), all put in a lot of useful work. The match Ponsonby v. North Shore was played upon the Devonport Domain in the presence of a fair gathering of spectators. Notwithstanding the fact that Ponsonby won with ease (the score being 23 to nil), the game was an interesting one to witness, by reason of the excellent displaj of passing by the Ponsonby team, who are the first of our local clubs to make a systematic effort to profit by the severe lesson of Wednesday last. The Shore team who played a plucky uphill game from start to finish, were unfortunate in having to find substitutes for Marshall and one or two others of the Hill men, who were unable to get leave, otherwise the result would probably have been much closer. Tries for Ponsonby were obtained by Roberts (3), Langsford, and Masefield. The last-named also potted a goal from the field, and Flynn converted three of the tries.

* Max proposes,' etc. His numerous friends all over the colony will have been terribly shocked at the sudden death of Mr Sydney Hiorns, one of the most popular Christchurch footballers. The sad event took place last Thursday, and was due, so 'tis said, to overtraining. If this is correct, or if overtraining even contributed, it is a terrible warning against the abuse of athletics, and no one can but feel saddened by hearing of a young and promising life so thrown away. He was picked to play in a football match on Saturday. The members of the team he was to have played with followed his funeral, and many members from the various athletic and football clubs were present.

The Prince Alberts - Nelson match was looked forward to with a great deal of interest, for if Nelson won they would be the winners of the Senior Cup for the season, but if the Prince Alberts come out on top, then all the Senior Clubs would be equal, and would have to play off again. The match had been postponed from the 23rd July, owing to the wet weather, so by the time the teams met the • bottled up ’ was tremendous. The ground was in a very greasy state, and for this reason the game for the most part was a forward one. Both teams were weak, several of the best players on both sides being absent. The play at first was very even, neither side gaining an advantage, but the Prince Albert forwards soon began to show their superiority, and by several good rushes kept Nelson on the "defensive. The back play on both sides was spoilt by the pouring rain that came on. The first spell finished with the ball in the Nelson territory, and no score on either side, but the Prince Albeits had had decidedly the best of it. At the commencement of the second spell, the Prince Albert towards rushed the ball down the field, with the result that Hargraves scored, and Barltrop converted. Soon after this a free kick was allowed the Alberts in front of the Nelson goal. Barl’rop again placed a neat goal, thus increasing the Princes' score to 8 points. Just before time was called, Shallcrass, for Nelson, by a smart bit of play, got over the line, and from this Harper kicked a neat goal, thus making the score—Alberts, 8 points ; Nelson, 5. As the Prince Alberts had thus won, all the .Senior Clubs now play over again.

Ox the 3rd September Nelson met the Albions to play oft’ the third round for the Senior Cup. Perhaps the less said about the game the better, as the amount of squabbling and abusive language used on both sides, but more especially by the Albions, was disgraceful. Lorimer, for Nelson, obtained a mark, and Harper converted. This seemed to put the match to the fire, as all the forwards had a set atone ano'her, and not the slightest attention was paid to the referee. The referee had now to stop the play, and ordered one of the Albions off the field, but I regret to say (writes my correspondent) that this player refused to leave the scene. Of course the game was stopped and given to Nelson. After Saturday's exhibition I should think it would be very hard to get anyone to referee for the Albions again. This game was decidedly the worst (in every sense of the word) that has ever been played in Trafalgar Park.

Ox the 3rd September the College met the Prince Albert 11. in the Botanical Gardens, to play off the final for the Junior Cup. It was thought rhat, as the ground was not so slippery as on the previous Saturday, the College backs would prove too fast for the Prince Alberts, and this was the case. At the commencement of the game, the College had all they could do to prevent the Alberts from scoring, as the weight of the Alberts’ forwards told greatly. The superior training of the College soon began to show up, and the state of things was reversed. But they were unable to score, and this spell finished with no score on either side. The second spell the play was nearly all the time in the Alberts’ 25, and some very pretty play was indulged in by the College backs, with the result that Litchfield scored. Blick placed a very neat goal amidst great applause from the spectators, thus making the score—College, 5 points; Alberts, nil. Soon after the kick-off Blick obtained the ball, and ran clean through the forwards and scored, bur the try was not converted. The game, from this to the finish, was in the Alberts' territory, but the score was not increased. The College thus become the winners of the Junior Cup for the second year in succession, deserving it well. The team picked to represent Otago in the interprovincial football match with Canterbury on Saturday next, is identically the same which played against Southland on Wednesday last. A criticism of the individual members of the team is as follows King, fair full back, kicks and takes the ball cleanly ; his collaring has not been put to the test much. Downes, an ideal centre three-quarter back ; feeds his wing threequarters with excellent judgment. Burnside, fair threequarter back ; kicks and collars nicely. Laurenson, fine three-quarter back ; clever kick ; collars and runs well. Crawford, very tricky half back ; passes wonderfully well, but rather weak in defensive play. Cran, half back, the best defensive player in the team ; collars and stops rushes very pluckily. Baker, heavy fast forward, collars and passes well. Duncan, the fastest man in the team, a regular thorn in the side of opposing backs. Esquilant, about the best forward in the team, tine scrummager, and good in the open. Isaacs, perfect scrummager, a veritable nugget. Johnston, a very clever forward ; quite an adept at passing, and follows up well. McLaren, a tall forward, whose height is valuable on the line-out ; hard worker in the scrum. Montgomery, captain of the team, good in the open, being an expert passer, and fair scrummager. Torrance, dribbles fairly well, and works hard in the scrum. Turton, steady, hardworking forward, good on the lineout. The team is considered a good one, and is strong in passing, and I think should be just about able to beat Canterbury.

No better illustration of the difference that weather makes in football can be afforded than the two interprovincial matches played by Canterbury during the last week. With a fine day, their running and passing gained the Auckland contest by 24 points to nil; with a wet field they are beaten in Wellington by 12 to 3. The night previous to the latter match the rain had fallen in torrents, and when the players met the mud was nearly ankle deep. Though the rain held off during the afternoon, a fast game was out of the question, and the exhibition was consequently very poor. Wellington won the toss and kicked oft' with the wind, and it was observable from the first five minutes that the victory was in their hands. Canterbury during the first half-spell was upon the defensive the whole time, the ball only reaching the 50 flag once. Ix the second spell, with the wind in their favour, the Cantabs made the game more even, but at no time appeared likely to overhaul the score. After Wellington had registered the 12 points, F. Hobbs placed a goal from a free kick, and saved his team from the fate of Auckland.