FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XX, 16 May 1903, Page 1356

FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. THE FIRST ROUND. The curtain was rung up on the 11)03 Rugby fool ball season on Saturday, a season which promises to be full of incident for besides a keen competition for the cl innpiouship, the Auckland r«jps. will tiavol as far South as Dunedin, the Now Zealand reps, will invade Australia, and, in all probability. the team which is to tour England next year will be selected. The season opened under very favourable circumstances, glorious weather prevailing, and the principal game bi'ing a contest between City (last year’s champions) and Newton, who, with Crafton, were runners up. Under these circumstances a good attendance was Io be expected, and the match was witnessed by about 3000 persons, an excellent gate for the first match of th? season. The grounds were in capital older, and for an opening day the gain’s were interesting, though the forwards hid latner too much of the game to themselves, Tin City-New-ton match resulted in a draw, each side scoring three points. North Shore defeated Suburbs by IS ro iii., though there-’ was not 18 points differen e between the teams, and Fonsonby def ••.•red Parnell by 23 to nil. COUNTRY FOOTBALL. THAMES. Saturday. A meeting of the Management Committee of the Thames Rugby Union was held this evening to receive entries for the ensuing •season’s championships. For the senior ehampionship there were throe entries—Thames, Rovers, and Native Rose; for the first juniors the entries were Native Rose and Rovers, and for the second juniors True Blue, Native Rose, and Rovers. The drawing for the first lotiml followed, and resulted as fo’lows: —Thames I. play Royers 1.. Native Rose 11. play Rovers IL, and True Blue play Native Rose HI. The season opens on Saturday next. I* AERO A, Saturday. This season’s matches under the Paerca Rugby Union commenced this afternoon, when West and East tried conclusions. The match was a stubbornly contested one, though West were on the defensive most of rhe game. The result was a win for East, by 6 points to nil. Hill and Met tain scored for the xvinneis. Mr W. Moore’was an efficient referee. During the match Chamberlain, at half for West, hail to retire with an injured knee. f > SOUTHERN MATCHES. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The senior matches were resumed on Saturday afternoon in excellent weather, while the grounds weie in a satisfactory condition. A strong nor'-wester hampered kicking and passing. The Old Boys-Poneke match drew a big crowd to the Park. The latter, though

weakened by the absence of four of their beat players, hnd innch the l«eat of the yame, and ultimately won by 15 to 5. Stevens kicked a sensational goal from the Held and converted one try. Melrose and Oriental gave a go-as-you-please exhibition of Rugby, the former winning by » to 4. At I’etou® the Suburban combination romped over Athletics to the tune of 18 points, the latter falling to score. CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. The grounds on Saturday were in splendid order, but a cold easterly wind made matters very unpleasant for spectators. Sydenham v. Chrlstehuich, a fast and exciting game all through, resulted in a draw, five points eaeh. Wood scored a try for Christchurch, which he converted, and Doherty scored a try for Sydenham, which Was converted by Roddick. The Merlvale v. Albion game was slow and uninteresting, and resulted in a win for Albion, three tries (nine points), Merlvale two tries (six points). The Linwood y. OW Boys' game was fairly even. Linwood won by ]5 points to nil. The Lyttelton v. Canterbury College game ended In a draw, neither side scoring. DUNEDIN, Saturday. Ziugari were beaten by Southern by five points to nil. Kaikorai and Dunedin played a drawn game, there being no Score. Alhambra beat Union by 30 to 4. The Pirates v. University game was also drawn, there being no score. THE TEAM FOR AUSTRALIA. s (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WEDDINGTON, Monday. It has been decided that the New Zealand team for Australia shall consist of twenty players. The selectors on tour will be the manager and the captain, and, as the players arc to be elected by the team, the question of who shall skipper the New Zealanders will be left to the team to decide. The choice of a manager was a foregone conclusion, and the past Services of Mr Norris fully entitled him to the honour. The managing committee departed from the former rule of having three selectors to pick the New Zealand team, and two representatives from eaeh island will undertake the task. On this occasion the personnel of the selection committee meets with favour in most quarters,though I believe that the executive body was not quite unanimp.ua in deciding that there should he four selectors; • I understand that the suggestion to have a representative of the Colonial Union in New South Wales has been left to the -manager of the New Zealand team to make inquiries while

in Sydney, aud he will subsequently report to the executive on his return to New Zealand.