FOOTBALL

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue VII, 15 August 1903, Page 451

FOOTBALL

AUCKLAND V. THAMES. Mr F. S. Murray has chosen the following team to represent the Auckland Rugby Union against the Thames Union’s team at the Thames on August 15th:— Fullback, Sutherland; three-quarters, Absolnm. McKenzie, Plllenger; five-eighths. Gerrard; half-back. King; wings, Kelly and Doran; forwards, Handeoek, McCluskey, Lewis, McGregor. lorns. Eaton, Bakewell. Emergencies: Mays, Maguire. AUCKLAND V. NORTHERN IVA 1 ROA. Sir Murray has chosen the following team to represent the Auckland Union against Northern Walroa at Alexandra Park on August 15th:— Fullback, Stevens; three-quarters, Carlaw, George, Gladding; five-eighths, Magee; half-back. Young; wings, Tyler, Heath; forwards, Sandal). Coaqaer, Francis, Plngge, MacCormlck, Scott, Warbrick. Emergencies: Rowe, Roberts, Twlname, Stuckey, Bonella. Stead, Barlow.

SECOND FIFTEENS. The City-North Shore match was re -p.ay«6 on Saturday, and, aa on the pievious week, resulted in a draw. Each aide aeored aa points. City two tries (Ashdown and CralgJa and North Shore a try (Barlow) and a peo* •Ity goal kicked by 11. Wynyard. North Shore thus win the second grade championr* ship. THIRD FIFTEENS. Ponsonby beat City by 7 to 0, and won the championship. COUNTRY FOOTBALL. THAMES V. KARANGAIIAKE. THAMES, August 8. The inter-union match Thames v. Kara* ngahake was played at Parawai this afternoon. Thames won the toss and played with the sun behind them. At the start Karangahake attacked and kept Thames id their 25. Craig scored a try, wuich was not converted. Play was theu of an even nature until Thompson sent tne ball on to Morgan, who transferred to Keating. The latter beat his man and passed to McCallum, who scored for Thames. Thompson converted the try,putting Thames two point* ahead. Karangahake livened up again afteg this, but the Thames defence proved sound, and the spell ended with the scores Thames 5, Karangahake 3. Thames had the bast of the first part of the second spell, and then the visitors took a bund, the home team being called on to defend. A shot at goal on the part of Karangabake was unsuccessful. The rest of the play was of a fairly even nature, the sides being well matched, and no further score was recorded, Thames leaving the field winners by 5 points to 3. The game was a fast one both back and forward. In the home team Keating (threequarter), Morgan (five-eighth.?), and McCollum and Cameron (wings) weie especially conspicuous. Ant ridge and Arm? were prominent among the visiting foi wards, and Kirkwood, Rockley. and E. McLean among the backs. Mr White was referee. WAIHI CLP MATCHES. WAIHI, August S. The senior cup football match played on the Waihi Recreation Reserve this afternoon between the City and West Clubs resulted in a win for West by 3 points to nil. Bennett scored a try for West near the close of the first spell. This win gives West a good lead for the senior cup. PAEROA CHAMPIONSHIP. PAEROA, August 10. The local matches were resumed on Saturday. The senior contest between East and West was won by East by 24 points to 3. The first spell was very even, Bradley seorIng a try for West, which was converted by Manning; whilst for East, Sorensen scored a try. tn the second spell, however. Bradley and Manning were injured, and West then fell to pieces. Mettam scored three tries and Coote two tries; whilst N. Sorensen kicked a goal from a mark. SOUTHERN MATCHES. WELLINGTON CHAMPIONSHIP. WELLINGTON, August 8. In to-day's matches Poneke beat Athletics by 11 points to nil, Melrose beat Wellington by 13 points to 6, and Petone beat Old Bovs by 0 to nil. CANTERBURY V. WAIRARAPA CHRISTCHURCH, August S. Canterbury beat Wairarapa to-day by 28 to nil. Tries were scored by Ibompson t3>, Menzies, Roddick, and Lavery. Lavery kicked two goals from marks. The match was a one-sided struggle. The Wairarapa forwards played a good game—a better one, perhaps, than the local vanguard. They were better in the scrum ami on the lineout, while they were at least the equals of Canterbury In the open work. The visitors' hacks were weak, their defence was poor, and they had absolutely no opportunity ot displaying their capabilities in the attack. The Canterbury backs played a fine game, but the play of the local forwards could have been Improved considerably. Several of the local forwards were palpably loafing. THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. NEW ZEALAND V. WESTERN DISTRICTS. NEW ZEALAND WIN BY 211 TO 0. BRISBANE, August 5. The match between the New Zealand lootball team and Western Districts ■was played this afternoon in threatening weather. The ground was greasy in places. The visitors completely out-

classed their opponents in the first qx-11. their rearguard once in possession pf the ball running through the Queens* Jaudeis, whose rush-stopping and tackling were weak. The New Zealand pack contented themselves with their strong lead, and took matters easy in the second half, and kept the ball to themHelves, giving the backs little opportunity of troubling the countrymen, whose s< rummers shaped creditably. In the first spell New Zealand put on 20 points and added three points in the second half, the game ending: New Zealand 29, Western Districts 0. Wallace. R. McGregor, D. MeGregor, and Duncan were the most noticeable of the visiting backs. Given, Cooke, Long. Nicholson, and Spencer were the pick of the forwards. Mr Norris, the manager of the New Zealanders, was the referee. C. Redwood, who took his brother's place at fullback, played a capital game for the Western rearguard. The attendance was about a thousand. bEt.OND QUEENSLAND MATCH. NEW ZEALAND WIN BY 28 TO NILBRISBANE, August 8. The return match, Queensland v- New Zealand, was played here this afternoon under favourable conditions. Ihe weather was excellent, and there was no wind, while the ground, contrary to expectations, was in good order. The attendance numbered over 12,000, and included the Governor and Lady Clrcnside. The visitors scored an easy win. the home combination never being actually dangerous; in fact, the operations were confined to their territory during practically the whole of the game. The New Zealand forwards played magnificently, and exhibited far their best form during the tour to date. They repeatedly broke away from the line, carrying the ball at their toes in a solid bunch, twisted the opposing pack, and, with their short, sharp passes, gained stretches of ground. The backs showed capital allround form, their passing generally being accurate and well-timed, and the kicking, catching, and fielding reliable. The home combination’s display compared unfavourably with the previous Saturday’s display, the failure to systematically block the passing of their opponents leading often-to disaster. The defence was fairly solid, but the attack weak. New Zealand won by 28 points to nil. . 1 ’ "I ' . . J NOTES OF THE TOUR. (By Our Special Reporter.) BRISBANE, August 2. The New Zealanders did not look forward with the'most pleasurable feelings to the twenty-nine hours’ railway journey to Brisbane, and right glad were they when the train steamed into the central station in the Queensland capital. A sumptuous Pullman ear was placed at their disposal as far as the border which divides the two States. The continual jolting of the ear and frequent stoppages en route gave little sleep to the visitors, w-ho_ rose next morning with wearied looks. One burly Canterbury representative was heard to remark that he would have prefered the seclusion of a hay-loft for x night’s rest.

capital bi«akfast had the effect, however, of freshening them up considerably. It was just on 9.20 p.m. on Thursday evening that the end of the journey was reached. The New Zealanders were given a hearty cheer as the train drew in. and they returned the compliment with the war cries. The team to play Queensland was slightly altered from that which played Sydney on the previous WednesdayDuncan did not take part, while Spencer and It. McGregor were given further rest. It was decided to play wings, I’orteous and Armstrong being deputed for this duty. The New Zealand combination was Wallace, Asher, Stead, D. McGregor, Wood, Kiernan. Porteous, Armstrong. I'dy, Tyler, Cooke. Fanning, Dong, Given, McMinn. Of the Queensland team which downed Mullinexu’s combination only three, Dixon, Gralton, and T. Colton were playing against the visitors, and the two first-named of these had played against the *97 New Zealand team. There must have been 15,000 people present. The Queenslanders said their team was the strongest that could have been selected, though the loss of Spragge through disablement would be felt. The weather was a trifle 100 warm tor the visitors, and the ground in places was on the hard side. Suminel up, the game itself was a poor one, the exhibition of Rugby being miles below expectations. In every phase of back and forward play the visitors in the first half shaped much below their true form. They warmed up to their work in the last 30 minutes of I he game, and from that out Queensland never had a hops. The wings of the New Zealand team failed to effectively check or spoil the passing of their opponents, and in the second half Wood had Porteous out as an extra half, a plan which gave infinitely better results. The Queensland divisions shaped splendidly in the earlier portion of the game, but eventually the superior scrum tactics of the visiting forwards, and the quick passes, feinting and dodging of their backs, when once they got going, told its tale. The home backs did capital rush-stopping, "but their tackling was of the weakest order. Sound collaring must have stopped at least the trier obtained by Wood and Stead. The Ne v Zealand rearguard were quite at sea in the first spell, their taking, passing and kicking being mediocre. More dash and certainty • was imparted into their work in the second spell, yet at no time did it. reach a high standard of excellence. The listless methods of the New Zealand serunimers underwent a considerable change for the better in the second spell, and at the finish they were walking all over tiie opposing vanguard. A special feature of the game was the splendid display by the respective full-backs, Wallace, in particular, •shaping magnificently. Queenslanders say he gave one of the finest showings that lias ever come from a full on their grounds. Ills bringing down of Colton, the Queensland greyhound, when the Bananalander had the foot of him, was superb, and saved a certain score. Wood’s speed likewise stopped Colton going over the New Zealanders’ chalk-mark on one occasion, the Queenslander being grassed bj - the visiting captain when within a few inches of the line. Reverting to the subject of Wallace’s display, it must be admitted that his line-kicking,

taking, fielding and tackling was flawless. Wood fumbled terribly iu the first half, but was surer and more dashy next spell. Kiernan got the ball away very smartly and cleanly from the scrum* and it was his good opening that gave Wood the opportunity of scoring cleverly. His rush-stopping was weak. Asher made several strong runs, and the Queenslander* found it a stiff contract to stem his progress when once in his stride. His taking and kicking improved as the game wore on. The nuggety Aucklander’s try was the outcome of a speedy sprint round the cordon of Queensland backs. D. McGregor shaped well, his kicking being a strong point. McGregor’s try was the result of the finest bit of passing in the match. Redwood kicked in the direction of Stead, who ran a few yards, then gave a nieely judged pass to McGregor, who, after opening up a good position, transferred the leather to Asher. The latter, after beating his opposing wing, wisely avoided further risks by re-passing to McGregor, who dodged past two Queenslanders and grounded the leather over the chalkmark. The spectators couldn’t help applauding such a fine piece of play. Stead, at centre three-quarter, was wofully but of sorts in the first half, but made some amends in the succeeding part. His fielding and taking were terribly weak in the first thirty minutes of the game. The Invercargill man got his try by a clever dodgy run from nearly half-way. Getting on a heavy pressure of steam in his first stride, he beautifully fooled the three/quarters, arid then, running up to the full, made a feint pass to Asher, who was keeping him elose company down the field. Of the forwards Long, Cooke and Tyler were the most noticeable for prominent work. Long is still keeping up his reputation as one of the most consistent forwards of the team. He made a slashing run down the field on Saturday, which almost brought about a try to his credit. Armstrong shone out, but marred his exhibition in a degree by getting his side frequently penalised for playing off-side. His try came by following up a ground kick, the Queensland left wing three-quarter and full both making a wretched attempt to stop the ball’s progress, and the tall Wairarapite was over the line in * a twinkling. Air. B. Beatty, as referee, did not please the New Zealanders, who aver that his decisions had the effect of completely crippling their play. While not prepared to. quite endorse this assertion, I nevertheless think that his interpretation of certain points which cropped rip in the game were seriously open to question. His repeated penalising of the New Zealanders’ front-rankers for lifting their foot in the scrum was often undeserved. The boot should have been on the other leg. In the second spell Wallace made a great punt from just outside his own 25, which found touch a yard from the Queensland line. This was the prelude to Wood scoring his try Redwood, who played such a fine fullback game for Queensland, is a native of Marlborough, a nephew of Archbishop Redwood. He is now in business at Tourrumba, and is doing well. A small section of the spectators at yesterday’s match took the defeat of their men with a bad grace. Their spleen for some unaccountable reason was directed at Asher. After the game these

hoodlums gathered round the dressingshed and endeavoured to prevent the (players gaining access thereto. The police had all their work cut out to eventually dear a way. The drags containing the New Zealanders were followed for some distance by these hoodlums, who yelled insulting epithets, and in some cases hurled stones at the visitors.