FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue VI, 8 August 1903, Page 380

FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND RUGBY' UNION. CITY THE SENIOR CHAMPIONS. Glorious weather prevailed for Saturday’s Rugby matches at Alexandra Park and at Devonport. Saturday was a day of surprises. The City-North Shore, on which the the greatest amount of interest centred, attracted a large crowd, and after a most exciting contest resulted iu a draw, each side scoring three points. Under those circumstances a win to Grafton at Epsom would have given that team the championship, but they were defeated by Newton by 9 to 3. and so the championship goes to City. There is one more series of matches to finish the round, but these will be cancelled to make room for the trial match on Saturday. The third seuior match was that between Suburbs and Parnell, the latter team scoring their first win this season by six points to nil. The following table

SECOND FIFTEENS. North Shore and City played a draw. Tins gives North Shore the Second Grade championship. COUNTRY FOOTBALL. THAMES V. WAI Hl. The return representative match between Thames ami Waihi was played ou Saturday afternoon on the Waihi Reserve. The game ended in favour of Walhi by 3 to nil. The match was iought hard,toe local backs proving rather superior, but the game was confined mostly to the forwards. Both packs were exceptionally fast, Thames proving best in scrum work, but were beaten in the open. Cunningham, Graham, McColl, Flett, and Arscott, five of Walhi s best men, were not playing. Mr White, gi Auckianu, refereed. PAEROA V. PI A KO. The Paeroa Rugby I nion's representatives played a return match w»th the Pinko Union at Te Arolia ou Saturday, and won a weil contested game by 5 points to nil. SOUTHERN MATCHES. SOUTH CANTERBURY V. HAWKES BAY. The football match South Canterbury v. Hawke's Bay was played at Napier on Saturday. The weather was fine, and there was large .attendance of spectators. The game was very even all through, and resulted in a draw, each side scoring a try. ihe Hawke s Bay men were slightly heavier all round than ttteir opponents. WELEI NG TO N FOOTBALL. The Wellington Juniors played a team of Canterbury Juniors at Wellington on Saturday, and inflicted defeat on them, the scoring being 9 to 6 in their .favour. I’etone (21) beat PoiieKc (Hl. CHRISTCHURCH FOOTBALL. Lancaster Park was very soft and muddy on Saturday afternoon, when the senior football competition was resumed. there was a-large attendance. The match between Albion and Sydenham attracted tin* bulk of the spectators, owing to the eftect the game had on the result of the competition. Aiuion did most ot the attacking, and eventually won by 9 points to nil. ihe game between Canterbury College and Linwood” was not conspicuous for orilllant play, and in the end the College defeated last year's champions by G points to 3. The result of Saturday's matches is to give Albion a lead of points for the championship, and as there are only two more games left to complete the round it is probable that •the competition will be closed by the coniiniitce ’ leaving Albion .in the position of champion team for the year. THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. MATCH AT SYDNEY. NEW ZEALANDERS WIN BY 33 TO 3. SYDNEY, July 29. A large assemblage, including the Governor (Sir H. Rawson), witnessed the football match New Zealand versus the Metropolitan Union. New Zealand. —Full-back. Wallace; three-quarters, Asher, V. ood and D. McGregor; five-eighths, Duncan,, Stead; half, Humphries; forwards, Armstrong (wing), Long, Tyler, Udy, Fanning, McMinn, Givien, Cooke.

Metrppoliitan Union —Full-back, Hawthorne; three-quarters, Barker, Oggard, Macnamara, Oxenham; halves, Manning, Johnston; forwards, O’Donnell (captain), Larkin, Burden, Davis, Brown,, R. Harris, Judd, Carew. The only score registered in the first spell was a try secured by Sydney. The second half had not been long started when the hopes of the New South Wales supporters were rudely dashed to the ground, as the New Zealanders got going with a will, and in a few minutes Duncan (their skipper) wound up a good run by passing to Long, who scored an easy try, and the kick at goal was improved by Wallace. New Zealand, 5; Sydney, 3. The gajne was hardly resumed before Duncan was again to the fore, and he canned the leather down to the local 25, where he transferred it to Humphries, who in turn passed it along to McMinn, who scored. The angle was a difficult one,, and Wallace failed to convert. New Zealand, 8; Sydney, 3. The visitors were soon aggressive again, and Stead,, after- a good run, passed to Asher, who dashed for the line, but was pushed out

just on the corner flag. From the throw in a fine pass to Wood and then to Dunean, Stead aud Asher in quick snccession enabled the last named to get over. Wallace failed to improve the score. New Zealand, 11; Sydney, 3. The local side appeared to be demoralised, and were rapidly going to pieces in the face of the fierce onslaught by the visitors. A splendid bit of passing from Long to McMinn, Duncan, Wood and McGregor and back to Long gave the latter a chance to add another try to his credit, which he succeeded in accomplishing. Y\ ullaee was successful in placing a goal. New Zealand, 16; Sydney, 3. The visitors dribbled down the field again, but Udy lost (he ball when on the point of scoring. Humphries, however, came to the rescue, and getting possession handed the ball to Stead, who gave it to McGregor, the latter crossing the line. Wallace was once more successful in scoring the major points. New Zealand, 21; Sydney. 3. The local men were visibly outplayed and hopelessly unable to withstand the rushes of the visitors, who returned to the attack with a fine dribbling rush started by Given and McMinn and finishing with Wood scoring. Wallace’s kick at goal was successful. New Zealand, 26: Sydney, 3. Shortly after the ball was in play again Humphries scored a mark right on the half-way line, from which Wallace, amidst the hearty applause of the spectators, placed a magnificent goal, raising the New Zealanders’ score to 30 against Sydney’s 3. Just on time Humphries and McGregor engaged in a passing rush. Asher passing the line, but Wallace, from a difficult angle, failed to convert, and the game ended— New Zealand ...33 Sydney 3 NEW ZEALAND V. QUEENSLAND. BRISBANE, August I. Great interest was manifested in the opening match, New Zealand versus Queensland, and there was a very large attendance, it being estimated that fully 15,000 persons were present. Perfect weather prevailed, though the sun was rather oppressive to the visitors. In the early stages of the game the New'Zealanders. both backs and forwards, exhibited form much below that shown by them in other matches of the tour, particularly the vanguard men, who displayed sluggishness in their movements. The catching, fielding aud handling and kicking of the backs was very poor in th' first? spell, but improved somewhat in the second half. Wallace, at fall back for the visitors, gave a magnificent display, his tackling, linc-kit king and catching r ising repeated shouts of applause. Kiernan, who Ims recovered from the injury to his knee, shaped well, and McGregor did good service. Wood played below his usual form; but Asher was prominent at times, and Long, Tyler and Cooke were the best of the forwards. In the first spelt New Zealand put on five points, and Queensland failed to score. The visiters increased their advantage in the second half, and the game ended, New Zealand 17. Queensland 0.

•bows the position of the teams —• Plyd. Wu I.st Dr. For. Agst. City .. 11 8 0 3 187 10 Grafton . .. 11 8 2 1 103 10 Newton .. .. 11 7 3 1 85 48 N. Shore .. 12 « 5 1 72 87 Pousonby .. JI 6 0 0 77 5G Suburbs . .. 11 1 10 0 15 134 Parnell . .. 11 1 10 0 0 107