FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 6, 5 August 1908, Page 11

FOOTBALL.

Auckland ▼. South Canterbury. The Auckland representatives scored an easy win over South Canterbury on Saturday last, scoring 27 points to their opponents’ nil. The attendance was moderate, less than <OOO people being present. Speaking at the dinner given to the teams after the match, Mr. C. Hassall, manager of the visiting team, said South Canterbury had not come after the Ranfurly Shield, but simply to learn something from our footballers. The line-play and passing of the Auckland forwards came as a revelation to the visitors, who would, no doubt, profit by the exhibition. The teams were the guests of the A.RU. at an Excursion to Lake Takapuna on Sunday, and an enjoyable day was spent. The teams crossed the harbour by the Devonport ferry, and were driven from North Shore to the Lake in brakes. The South Canterbury team left for the South on Monday. Their next match will be played at New Plymouth on Thursday next, when they meet the chosen of Canterbury. Matches will also be played at Wanganui, Wellington, and Ashburton before the team arrives back in Timaru. The following are the particulars of the game:— FIRST SPELL. Sou tn Canterbury won the toss aud played from the western end with a strong sun and a slight breeze in their favour, Francis, set the ball rolling at 2.55 p.m., and Fraser found the line a little outside his 25. For some irregularity in the first scrum Auckland were penalised, and S. Canterbury found relief and kicked to centre. A mark by Morse sent play Lack to the 25 line. Morse set the local backs in motion, but no ground was gained owing to the deadly tackling of the visitors. A free kick gave the green and blacks temporary relief, Auckland invading their 25 again within the space of a few minutes. The visitors were kept on the defensive. A likely rush started by Seeling was frustrated by Horgan, who marked a pass. Roddick found the line close to half-way, and after a little loose play, the visitors were awarded a free kick, and Roddick found the line at the Auckland 25. Auckland had the best of the line-out and loose -work. A forward rush was stopped by Horgan marking near his 25. The exchange of kicks left play in neutral territory. A rush, headed by Roddick and W. Scott, took nlay into Auckland’s 25, and what appeared to be a dangerous situation was averted by Murray kicking smartly into touch. A penalty gave Roddick a chance at goal, but his kick went wide of the mark, and Johnston saved, kicking out at centre. Gillett turned a free kick given to the visitors to his own advantage by returning close to their 25. Auckland were giving numerous penalties, and were here again called up for an infringement, Roddick finding the line at centre. Seeling and Francis headed a rush to the opposing 25, but Fraser intercepted, and kicked Well down the line. The visitors were ones again put on the defensive, and) a passing run started by Morse threatened their line, but Bater went too far before passing, and a chance to score was lost. Immediately afterwards, from loose play in front of the goal, Bater kicked across, and the visitors forced in the nick of time. Flay hung on Auckland’s side of the haff for a little while, and then relief came in a free kick, the first given to Auckland. Seeling opened up an attacking movement, but Nicholson hung too long to the ball, aud it pent out at the 25. The visiting forwards showed to advantage, and in subsequent open play took the play down to Magee, who saved with a serviceable line kick. Budd led an attack well into Auckland’s 25, where Bater saved, and forced his way through the ruck, but was stopped before he could get rid of the ball. A scramble ensued, in which Auck. land got the best of it, play going to mid-field. Wilson, following up his kick, reached Scott before he could get the ball to toe. Some exciting loose play occurred in Canterbury’s 25, but nothing came of it. The visitors’ pack kept Auckland ■rail in check, but nevertheless the locale

were all the time asserting themselves. Magee had a shot at goal from a mark, but the ball went wide, and Canterbury forced. The visitors gained by exchanges, and play settled at centre. Both Bater and Renwick attempted to stop a rush, but were collared before they could kick. Wilson ran across and saved by running round smartly, finding the line at half-way. The visitors returned to the attack; Auckland were in a tight corner near their line, when Renwick gathered in and took the ball a few yards down the line. The visitors still pressed, and Magee, stopping a rush, was forced to kick back towards his own line, the ball going out near the corner. The Auckland forwards livening up, took play to centre. Here Herring made a nice opening and took the ball to the 25, where he passed to Seeling. The latter sent to Francis, who passed to Morse who ran along the touch line and scored after badly beating a couple of opponents. Magee converted : Auckland 5 8. Canterbury nil From the kick out the visitors rushed play to the other end of the field, and taking a free kick Gillett kicked across to Seeling, and the ruse might have worked very successfully had the latter player been better supported. Budd saved with a speculator. The Auckland forwards, headed by Herring, rushed down to the visitors’ line, where Scott saved with a clever kick. Johnston got across at the end of a nice passing iGii by the Auckland backs, but was called back for a throw forward. Shortly afterwards the visitors forced, and Magee had a penalty shot at goal, the ball going a little wide of the point, Canterbury forcing as the bell sounded for nail-tune. SECOND SPELL. For a while after the recommencement, play was uninteresting. Auckland held Hie visitors near their 25 until Smith took play down to Murray, who missed an easy ball. Johns’on came to his assistance, and kicked well up the field. Gillett relieved the monotony of the game by opening it up with well-judged kicking, and! from a fast rush S. Canterbury forced down. A rush headed by Nicholson was interrupted by Scott, who got in a quick kiek, but the direction was faulty and the ball went out near the corner flag. A passing run Morse to Magee to Wilson to Bater, saw the last-named thrown out on the corner flag. The Auckland backs followed this up with another passing bout, but the taking of Murray was faulty, and although Auckland rushed the ball across, the visitors succeeded in forcing down. S. Canterbury rallied from the kick out, and, headed by O’Brien, took play close to Auckland’s 25, where Morse saved well with a line kiek. Seeling, Francis and Nicholson were prominent in a forward rush to the opposing 25, where, from loose play Morse whipped out to Magee to Bater to Murray to Wilson, whose pace enabled him to get across. Gillett’s kick went wide. Auckland . S 8. Canterbury nil Seeling returned the kick out with a long punt, Canterbury forcing. Murrayreturned to inside the 25. A rush along the touch line, headed by Francis, was stopped by Bradley kicking out at the corner. Seeling secured from the throwin, and dropped over the line and scored, what looked like one of the easiest of tries. Magee converted from a rather difficult angle. Auckland 13 8. Canterbury . nil The Auckland forwards started a loose rush in mid-field, and kicked hard for Wilson to follow, but the ball went out near the corner before he could reaeh it. The ball was thrown in to Seeling, who again got over the line, hut was called back for an infringement. A speculative cross-kick 'by Morse was well taken by Fraser, and immediately afterwards the Auckland backs set up an attack which ended in Wilson being thrown out near the 25 flag. Morse secured and sent on to Bater to Murray, who cut in and passed to Johnston, who scored near the corner, Francis failed to converts.

Auckland 10 8. Canterbury nil Auckland were now running over the visitors, and it was uot long till another try was down to their credit. Gillett secured from the line-out, and passed to Nicholson, who sent on to Francis, and the latter ran well up to the line before passing to Seeling, who bullocked across and scored his second try. Magee’s kick failed. Auckland 1.9 S. Canterbury nil Neutral play followed, but the ball eventually settled in the visitors’ quarters. Morse retired at this stage. From the line-out Gillett sent out to Bater to Murray to Johnston, who jumped and took the ball above his head, and run-

ning ou towards the line, passed in te his forwards, Reeling scoring bis third try. Johnston converted. Auckland 24 6. Canterbury nO For a good while play was uninteresting, and then from a forward rush J. McGuire (Grafton) scored, Renwick failing with the kiek. Auckland 27 •? S. Canterbury nil The visitors were attacking at Auckland’s 25, when the bell rang, with the score: — , Auckland 27 ’’ 8. Canterbury nil

Wellington V. Aneklnnd. The following players have been selected to represent Wellington in their Northern tour: — Baeks: J. Ryan, M. Ryan, Magee, A. Mitchinson, Evernson, Roberts, McLeod and Green. Forwards: Reedy, Hamilton, A. Wilson, 'A. C. Wilson, Dewar, Alexander, O’Brien, McKellar, Hardham and Rush. The British Team in Sydney. The Rugby Union welcomed the English team, which arrived in Sydney July 31. Mr. Harding, in an interview, said the team had been royallv treated throughout New Zealand, and had been given a really good time, but they had been dogged by bad luck. He attributed the loss of several of the matches to ill-luck. Then, too, the men had sustained a remarkable number of injuries, limiting the eelection, particularly as regards the test matches. In the first and third tests England had been badly beaten, having been undoubtedly outplayed and outgsneralled. The New Zealanders were magnificent footballers, and he would like to dispel any impression that the Englishmen’s casualties were due to roughness. “The New Zealanders play a very willing game,” he concluded, “but they are not rough. Tlie idea that their roughness was responsible for the Britishers’ injuries is certainly a wrong one.” AUSTRALIAN GAME, 'AUSTRALIAN GAME JUBILEE. A team of New Zealand footballers playing the Australian game left Auckland by the steamer Moana on Monday August 3rd to take part la the jubilee celebration which the Council of the Australasian Game of Football are holding in Melbourne next month to commemorate the inauguration of the game fifty years ago. The game, which might be described as a cross between Rugby and 'Association, is tolerably well known in New Zealand, where it has been played successfußy for the past five years. At the close of the celebrations in Melbourne the team will play matches in the principal States of the Commonwealth, arrangements having been made for a seven weeks’ tour, which will entail an expenditure of about £lOOO The team consists of twenty-four players, and Mr i>. Calltnan, of Auckland, has been appointed manager. The programme of matches is as follows:— August 10 to 29: Carnival matches, at Melbourne. September 1: South Australia, at Adelaide. September 3: Horsham, at Horsham. September 5: Ballarat, at Ballarat. September 0: Seymour, at Seymour. September 10: Bendigo, at Bendigo September 12: N.S.W., nt Sydney. Other matches are being arranged at Albury aril Wagga Wagga, N.S.W. A Football Blot. ten and Port Melbourne teams culminated in a riot. During the disturbance the referee was voilently assaulted by enraged partisans, and was knocked down, receiving slight concussion of the brain.