FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue XXI, 25 May 1901, Page 971

FOOTBALL.

Despite the unpleasant nature of the weather on Saturday afternoon over 20U0 spectators made their way to Potter’s Paddock to view the opening games of the cup matches. It can hardly be claimed that the games resulted in much exciting football, not that there was no good form shown, but because the teams competing were rather unevenly matched.

In the City-Ponsonby match, played in front of the stand, the latter team gave a very disappointing display, as it was generally expected that the City men would have to go “all out” to score a victory. In the first spell against the wind the blue and blacks certainly held their own fairly well, and prevented their opponents from running up a big score. In the second half, however, when their supporters expected them to make matters very interesting for City, they went all to pieces, and were completely outclassed in all departments of the game. It may he that their efforts in the first spell had taken all the steel out of them, but whatever the cause, their vollapse was very marked, and was extremely disappointing to their supporters. It appeared to me that the primary cause of their failuie was the inability of their forwards to make any impression on the City vanguard. The Ponsonby forwards are a bit on the light side, and it therefore seemed ridiculous to play tin extra back and pit only six men against the powerful combination opposed to them. No doubt it was argued that an extra man was required behind in order to cope with City’s fliers, but the extra fiveeighths or half did very little good in this respect, whereas if the forwards had been sufficiently strengthened to enable them to hold their own the City backs would not have got. half the chances. As it was Cit y fot wards got possession of the ball nearly every time, and practically did what they liked with it. either heeling out or going right through. For City. Stevens at full back was not over-burden-ed with work, but he did all that was required of him most effectively, taking the ball well and kicking splendidly. Amongst the three-quarters Geo. Smith, played a fine game, and his absence from the game during the past, two seasons does not seem to have caused any deterioration. He was however, inclined to run round too much instead of cutting in, and consequently he several times jammed his wing on the boundary before passing. I know that it is a great temptation to a man possessed of Smith’s pace to run round, but it is a bad habit, and gives the wings no chance. Once or twice, too. Smith did not pass any too well, passing downwards instead of straight. Of the wing threequarters Asher got the most opportunities. and on the whole he made the most of them, playing a very dashing game throughout. Tn the early part of the game he several times failed to

take passes, but as the match proceeded he showed marked improvement in this respect. Thomas, on the other wing, had not a great deal to do. but he made no mistakes and shaped in very promising fashion. McGee was a great success at five-eighths, and took a strong lu ud in nearly all City's passing. and was very clever in beating his opponent, and so made splendid ojienings before handing on the ball to the three-quarters. Young. behind the scrum, got plenty of chances, and made the most of them, getting the ball away well, but. of course, he was playing behind a winning pack. The red and black forwards gave a fine exhibition of the game and were much too good for their opponents. They appear to be an exceedingly strong combination, and it will be interesting to see how they shape when pitted against really strong opponents. On Saturday they all played well. W. Tyler, Bonella and McMillan being perhaps the most prominent. The Ponsonby backs had no opportunity of showing of what they were capable in attack, as they were kept on the defensive practically throughout the game. Stokes, the full-back. did not shape any too well, a-nd was very slow at getting in his kicks. Of the three-quarters. Carlaw was the most conspicuous, putting in a lot of work and tackling with great effect whenever he managed to reach his man. Galloway 1 have seen play a much better game, and he fumbled badly at times and was disinclined to take the hall on the full. Tin- wing halves. Munro and Stephenson, had their hands full at defensive work, lint neither was very successful at smothering the opposing backs, although they indulged greatly in off-side tactics. and should have boon penalised more frequently than they were. The forwards were outclassed by their heavier opponents, but they battled it out. to the finish, Carder and Sadler especially putting in a lot of graft. The Grafton-Parnell match was another one-sided game, although the latter team held their own fairly well in the first spell, and only allowed two tries to be scored against them In rhe second spell, however, and especially during the last twenty min utes of play, the maroon defence felt to pieces, and Grafton finally won by 21 points (7 tries) to nil. During the first spell the play was fairly interesting, Parnell on several occasions being within an ace of scoring, whilst the Grafton team, both backs and forwards, were putting in some very good work, the backs especially getting off some fine passing. For the first twenty minutes of the second half nothing noteworthy (occurred, Parnell bolding their own fairly well; but after this the Grafton backs indulged in a lot of passing, which the maroons seemed unable to cope with, and five tries were rapidly added to the score. The place kicking in this match was very poor. Grafton failing to convert any one of their seven tries, though some of the angles were not

<1 all dittuuD. It vsouhl Im (ar letter to eon Hue the place kicking- to our or two nun, instead of trying a different player on each occasion. For the winners. Renwick played fullback in a very satisfactory manner, although hr had not a great deal to do: his kicking- was first-class, and he also tackled well. Of the threequarters, Ihe palm must be awarded to McKenzie, who gave a fine all-round display. He ran well and passed cleanly, and at the right time, while his long punts were almost invariably in the right direction. Thomson, on the wing, also showed good form, and he and McKenzie make a very strong combination, (’ampbell, on the other wing, has any amount of pace, but at times he displayed weakness in taking the ball, an old fault of his; otherwise he played well. Taylor, the fiveeighths. did a lot of useful work, and took part in most of the passing, but about half-way through the second spell he collided with a Parnell player and crushed his collar-bone. which caused his retirement. Kiernan played a clever game al half, taking* good care of his backs, but he was hardly so good as last year, and appeared a lit lie out of form. The forwards, When they get together a bit more, should prove a decidedly useful lot. In the early part of the game the combination was none too goo<l. but towards the end they were working together better and heeling nut very cleanly. Rod McGregor and “Fut” Brady were a very prominent pair. and Stirling also put in a lot of useful work. J. Brady made his reappearance on the wing, and did good service, and when he gets thoroughly into form will be of great assistance to the black and white*. The Parnell backs did not compare favourably with their opponents. being lighter, and they also lat*ked the pace of the Grafton men. Gillan. al full, played a plucky game, and his tackling was good when he managed- to reach his man. but he found Campbell. McKenzie, and Thontson lather a contract, their puce frequently beating him. Twiname and Shera were best of the other backs, and had Ihe teams been more evenly matched would no doubt have shown up much better. The veteran Hancock was always in the van amongst the maroon forwards, but most of the ♦ >thers are rather inexperienced and light, though several have the makings of really useful players.

At North Short* the hmm* team tried conclusion- with Newton. an<| after a fairly even go proved victorious by 13 points to 3. New ton were rather unfortunate. as one of their forwards. Sandall, was knocked out and bad to retire right at the start of the game, whilst later on having injured his shoulder, had to leave the field. The game, taken right through was not a particularly interesting one. though it improved greatly towards the finish, the play in the last hall hour being a distinct iniprov einent. In the opening half the totals, v.iih the wind in their favour, held the upper hand, though the lawn playt-rs on several occasions reversed matters and took a turn at attacking. During th; earlier part «>i the second spell the shore men were still more than holding their own, and added a couple of tries to their score, but after that the red and whites pulled themselves together and for the last thirty minutes had the better of some lively ami exciting play. At this stage the game was much more open than it had been in the previous stage*, and at time* it wa- very fast too fast, in fact, for some of the players, who at the finish appeared to have had quite enough of

Buddle came out again as full for North Shore, and piayed a g«M»d defensive game, whilst hi* kicking was also Al. None of tin* local three<ft>arter« could Im* termed lirst-class. but. nevertheless each of them played a solid and M>und game. l>eing especially strong on defence. Smith ami Sutton, the wings. showed plenty of pare, and should make an extremely useful pair. Nicholson. at hajf. played his usual solid game, doing quite his share, both in attack and defence. The pack wa« composed of a really hard working lot. ami what they lack in science they* endeavour to make up for by graft. They are a very even lot. and will take a Irementions lot of beating. McClusky on Saturday was perhaps about the !>e«t, Lut Bakeuell au<l Sullivan were little If any inferior. Newton*- back team was weakened by the absence of Robert- nml Hobson. and vnu also «*onsidernbly di»M»rgani*e«! by the re arrangement rendered m*<rssary bv the retire-

mem of Sandall. Their bark play, no doubt trom these cause*. was not up to the mark. Woods being the only one to slmvv any form. A great part of the bark play fell upon his shoulders, nntl hr came through the ordeal very well indeed, playing a tine game throughout. Several of the Newton forwards showed lark of condition, but on the whole they gave a very creditable showing, none more so than A. Wilson, who was especially prominent in the open. Long until his retirement, and McKnight also showed good form. With their full strength Newton will no doubt show marked improvement on Saturday’s play.

Rough play seems greatly in evidence in Christchurch this season. At a inerting of the Rugby I nion recently Dr. Thacker stated that he had not seen a match played this year in which he would not have ordered off at least one player for rough and coarse play-

'rhe Registrar of Friendly Societies has written to the Canterbury Rugby Union stating that the union would (‘ease to be registered under the “Unclassified Societies Act” if it continued its insurance scheme. The Unclassified Societies Act specifies that only clubs and associations that arc not carried on for profit can be registered, and presumably the Registrar is of opinion that an insurance scheme is contrary to this provision.

The struggle for supremacy’ at the Rugby game between Wales and Ireland drew an enormous crowd, and the play, says an English exchange, was of a thrillingly exciting character. For fully three-fourths of the game the Irishmen manifested a marked superiority. and though the Welshmen played finely in the closing stages they were fortunate in winning. Wales won by 10 points to 9.

There was a very large attendance of spectators at the football match between Wellington and Melrose at the Athletic Park on Saturday. The match, which was the best of the season. was won by Wellington by seven points. Each team had altered its three-quarter lines. Laws, an ex-rep. of Auckland, look J. Claridgc s place on the Melrose wing, and Mclntyre, recently from Taranaki. replaced Johnston on the Wellington wing. The honours of the game must be awarded to the Wellington * backs, who were indebted for their success io the indispensible hookers. Their front rank enabled them to lip the scale and score a victory. The match. Athletics v. I’oneke. was won by the latter by 22 points to 3. Pet one beat Old Boy s by 17 points to nil.