FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue IV, 25 July 1903, Page 336

FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. There was the smallest attendance of the season on Saturday afternoon at Alexandra Park, when the Hu?by Union’s comjK'titlons were continued. The match on No. 1 ground between City and Parnell was won by the former team by 9 points to nil, after a game which was marked by stubborn defence on the part of the maroons. Ponsonby and Suburbs played a closely contested game. Ponsonby being victorious by 6 points to 3. Chief interest centred in rhe lirafton-North Shore match at Devonport. Grafton won by 11 points to 3.

SECOND FIFTEENS. North Shore l>eat Grafton by default. City beat Parnell. 18 to nit. Ponsonby won by default from Suburbs. COUNTRY FOOTBALL. THAMES V. WAIHL THAMES WIN BY 11 POINTS TO NIL. The inter-union match, Waihl ▼. Thames, was played nt Parawai on Saturday under fine • weather conditions, and before a large crowd. Walhi won the toss, and played with the sun at their backs. During the first ten minutes play was confined chiefly to the forwards Thames being penalised for offside play. Power took the kick, Thompson returning to half way. Thames barks got on a passing run across the field, and. from the throw iu, Autridge got on a good dribbling run, but sent the bail to toiich-iu goal. Waihi kicked off, Johnstone returning to Garvey, who marked, and sent the ball out at Thames’ 25. McCollum, the Thames winy forward, started a dribbling rush; Waihi kicked hard, allowing Johnstone to mark between the 25 and half-way. Newland took the kick, and the attempt was good, but the - ball fell short and Waihi forced. One of the Waihi players (McColi) at this point retired hurt, and Joughlin took his place. On play being resumed Thompson kicked into, touch at. Waihi’s 25. The Thames forwards, getting on a rush, carried the ball to within a few feet of Watbi’s line, where a scrum was formed, aird A. Houghton, the Thames half, getting the ball, scored a try. Newland took the kick, but was unsuccessful. Waihi now rallied, and carried the ball to Thames’ 25. The Thames forwards, how-ever,-got to work, and brought it back to within a few yards of Waihi’s goal Hue, where a hard kick sent it to. touch in goal. In the second spell Waihi being penalised for offside play, Thames had a kick for goal, but was unsuccessful. From a passing run, initiated by J. Houghton, C. Me-. Lean got possession and scored. Newland took the kick from near the touchline and lauded a fine goal. From the return from the kick off, Power started a passing run, which Roto spoiled by intercepting. Towards the end of the second spell Autridge got on a good rush, and following up scored. No goal resulted. At the call of time the scores stood: Thames 11, Waihi nil. The Thames forwards were too good for their opponents, and the Waihi backs had not much chance to distinguish themselves. PAEROA. The annual cup match between Paeroa and Karangaliake was played on Saturday afternoon at Mackaytown, and attracted quite a large number of spectators. The game was a willing one from the start, and though the teams were very fairly matched it was the general opinion that the best team had won. Pueroa left the field victorious by 3 points to nil. A try was secured by Cooke in the second spell.’ The forwards were well matched, but the back division of I'aeroa showed greater combination than their opponents. WAIHI. The junior football match. Suburbs v* Waihi West, played on Saturday afternoon, resulted hi a win for the former by 13 points to nil. '

SOUTHERN MATCHES. * WELLINGTON FOOTBALL. Two trains were sent Into the country by the Wellington Rugby Union on Satnrrthy,- one to- Wairnrsim and the other-to Levin. The first named was Iteaten by 8 points to 3, ami the second by 13 points to fl. ■ . % ' CHRISTCHURCH FOOTBALL. The ground was in fair condition for the senior football matches on Saturday, but the cold easterly wind njsde it very' uncomfortable for players and spectators alike. The Albion-Old Boys game resulted In a win for Albion by 12 points to nil. t) points being registered in the second spell. Linwood defeated Merlvale by 13 points to nil. after a somewhat tame and uninteresting game. Christchurch easily defeated Canterbury College by 35 points to 8. The attendance was very fair. Eleven matches have now been played In the senior competition, and the championship points are: Albion 10. Sydenham 81, Linwood 8), Christchurch 7, Merivale 34, Old Boys 3, Canterbury College 3, Lyttelton 1. DUNEDIN FOOTBALL. In the senior football matches on Saturday, Alhambra and Zingari-Richmond played a drawn game (3 points each); Pirates (6) beat Kaikorai (3). Southern <5) beat Dunedin (3); University (12) beat Union (0). THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. NEW SOUTH WALES DEFEATED BY 12 POINTS TO NIL. SYDNEY, July 18. The campaign of the New Zealand, team opened to;day, when fully 30,000 spectators, including Lord Tennyson, Go-vernor-General, and Admiral Sir Hany Rawson, State Governor, witnessed the trial of strength between the New Zealand and New South Wales Rugby football representatives. There were no alterations made in the selected teams, which were as follows:— New Zealand:Fullback, Wallace:threequarters, Asher, R. McGregor, D. McGregor; five-eighths. Wood, - Duncan (captain); half back, Kiernan; wing forward, Armstrong; forwards, Tyler, Gallagher, Fanning, Cooke, Long', McMinn and Given. New South Wales: Fullback, Maiuid; tlireequarters, White, Johnson, Carew, Fuller; halves, Antezark, Manning (captain); forwards, Joyee, Judd, Hirscliberg, Wright, Moir, Burden, Barton, O’Donnell. McGregor scored two . tries, Asher scored one, and Wallace kicked- a penalty, goal. None of the tries were converted. New South Wales did not .More -and the game ended —New Zea land, 12 points: New. South Wales, nil. NOTES ON THE GAME. The official figures show that 32,000 people were present at Saturday’s match, a record attendance for football in New South Wales. The New Zealanders were aggressive all through, although in the second half their, dash seemed to Hag. due possibly to the faet that they were not yet in the best of condition. Their back play was infinitely superior to that displayed by the local men. In the first half the quickness of the New Zealand forwards in dribbling rushes was noticeable.' Cooke, Asher, Kiernan, Gallagher, Wood and Wallace played finely. Duncan (the New Zealand captain) thinks that with more combination the team is capable of inflicting a severe de--feat. He is not altogether satisfied with.' the scrumming organisation of the team. Manning (the loeal captain) states that so far as he could see the game was played in a very fair spirit on the whole. In the second spell, when the local men were pressing on the New Zealand goal line, the play was a lift rough, but one side was as much to blame as the other. The victory, in-his opinion, was due largely to the quick- - ness of the backs, and to the accurate passing and handling in the rushes. $ Tha “Herald” says that the exhibition of Rugby as shown by the visitors was of a very high standard. On Saturday's play the New Zealanders are undoubted; ; ly in a position to show the home team a good many points in legitimate football, but some of the visitors indulged in work of an objectionable character, such as tackling and throwing wheji there was no necessity at all for it. The game was a hard one all through, but a good deal of desperation was introduced which was quite outside the requirements of this line of sport. The “Telegraph,” while apportioning most blame for any roughness to the

New Zealanders, says it may at once be said that the New Sonth Wales men were outplayed, and that this was the ease both back and forward.