FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 9, 26 August 1908, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

The Auckland schoolboy roprescnl|atlvea under the management of the Schools' Executive, journeyed to Waihi on Saturday to play « team chosen from the Goldfields eentree. There seems to have been some misunderstanding as to the weight limit, the local boys being decidedly big compared with the town lads. A keen coutest, however, resulted with honours in Goldfield’s favour in the first half. But in the second the Aucklanders played with great dash, and were decidedly unlucky in not scoring on several occasions. The match resulted in a win for Goldfields by 7 to 3. For the winners Johnson scored a try, and MeGeejian potted a fine goal, while Handcock kicked a penalty for Auckland. Thanks to the generosity of the Auckland Rugby Union the team had! a most enjoyable trip. ~ A Win for Thames. The return match, Auckland v. Thames, was played at Thames on Saturday in fine weather. About 200 excursionists arrived from Auckland by the p.s. Wakatere shortly before the match, and the ttpCOuntry trains brought in a large number of visitors. There was a large attendance at Parawai ground, which was in Ifpod order. Hall was unable to accompany the Auckland team, and his place was filled by Williams. Thames won by 11 points to nil. The better team won! On that point there aro no two opinions. After the first spoil Auckland never looked like a winning team. Thames played the forward game, and it is high praise for ibom indeed to state that they outplayed Auckland in this department. ■The first spell was evenly contested. •Auckland frequently got the ball from the scrum, but the Thames wingers were bn to the backs before they could do anything with it. Both sides appeared to advantage in the loose, and while Auckland excelled on the line-out, ■Thames forwards generally pul more life into their play. It was thought that the condition of the homesters would not hold out, but they lasted well, and the dreaded second spell debacle, which happens to most teams which oppose an Auckland pack did not make its appearance. The Auckland men certainly did not appear at their best, but it is doubtful if under more favourable circumstances they would have won. They played with a strong sun in their eyes in the first spell, a disadvantage under which Thames did not have to labour, for, during the interval, rain set In, and continued to the end, making the atmosphere overcast. Then it seems that the referee’s decisions freOuentiv gave annoyance, the goal which f’ranefs is alleged to have kicked, and which was disallowed, being a noticeable instance. This undoubtedly affec•ted the play of the men, but, of course, cannot bo held out as an excuse for defeat. Thames won on their merits. The incident which led up to Maguire ’(Grafton) and I. Smith (Thames) being ordered off the field could not be seen from the touch-line. Of the Thames forwards, H. Hayward stood out prominently. The remainder ably supported their leader, and of an even, hard-working lot, Crawford, Griffin, and MeDuff were about the best. The two wingers, F. Hayward and McCollum, gave the Auckland backs a deal of trouble, and coped very successfully with the übiquitous Gillett, who was a marked man. Hayward’s smart follow-ing-up was a feature of his play. Francis and Herring stood out among the Auckland forwards for the solidity of thetr play. The Auckland backs were disappointing. Twiname gave his forwards a lot of unnecessary work by faulty holding, and in the second half he was sisnt back to full-back on this account. Itoapriek gave a fine exhibition of linekicking, and Wilson’s pace got his side but of many threatening situation*. The five-eighths. Gray and Bader, were closely watched, but. even so, did not play well. However, Baier’s aptitude in kicking up from the ruck and kicking to touch was ft, redeeming feature in Ids play. Webb played a sound defensive game. Hnow-five-eigbllis. for Thames, played • ■aeful game, and was about the beat of

the local Ladka. Smith, a junior, who gave a poor display at full-back in the first match, made up for that failure by playing a good game at centre-threequar-ter. He is regarded on the Thames as a coming player, who will make a mark for himself. Kinghani and Hitching, on the wings, were fair, and Newdick was safe at fullback. Auckland Juniors defeat Taranaki At Alexandra Park, Auckland, on Saturday, the sole interest of those loyal to amateurism was in the match between the junior representatives of Taranaki and Auckland. To say that the football public disgraced itself badly describes the lamentable position. Whatever the grievances against the Auckland Union, on the principle that two wrongs do not make a right, there is no excuse for the meagre, the disheartening attendance which turned out The teams were as follows:— TARANAKI, Full-back, J. Ryan. Threequarters, Koru, J. Stohr, and I. owe. Five-eighths: Stannering and Pearce. Forwards: Taylor (wing), Helier and Maslin (front row), McDonald (lock), Winters, McCallum, Robinson, and McGivcn. AUCKLAND. Fullback, O’Brien. . Threequarters: Sargeant, Smith, Cross Five-eighths: Wynward O’Brien. Half: Dick. Wing-forward, Dervan. Forwards: Baker, Frioker, McKinnon, Galligan, Grundy, Shaw, Hayward. An interesting game ended in favour of Auckland by 14 points to 5. The Northern Union Game. The first match played in Auckland under Northern Union dules took place on Saturday at Victoria Park, when a thirteen representative of Wellington met the local team, and suffered defeat by 16 points to 14. The weather was fine, and there was an attendance of about 7000 spectators, who were rewarded with a fast and exciting game, which was won by Auckland, 16 points to 14 points. “What do yon think of it?” was the be heard on every hand, and the reply was, “A great game, and sure to take the place of Rugby.” Although this opinion was generally expressed, there were numbers who were still strong in their allegiance to the old game, but it cannot but be said that from a spectacular point of view, the Northern Union game is far ahead of Rugby, and throughout the whole ninety minutes spectators are kept on the qui-vive of excitement, so fast does the ball travel from on® end of the ground to the other. At one minute one side would be attacking hotly, when a slight mistake would let the other side in, and in a twinkling play would be at the other end of the ground, and interest is thus sustained until the bell rings for the final cessation of play. In the match, bo keen was the interest in the game, that practically the whole of the large attendance waited until the bell rang. Taking a fair and impartial view of the question, there is no doubt that it is considerably faster than the Rugby game, and from a spectator’s point of view, considerably more exciting. Another strong point in favour of the Northern game is that the risk of accident is considerably minimised, and, although the pace at which they are compelled to play is more distressing to the players, they do not feel the soreness, they do after a hard Rugby match. The game was very evenly contested, both sides attacking in turn, while the manner in which the attack was turned into defence was an eyeopener of the individual players, Rowe was easily the best of the Auckland backs, and his display wa* first-class, and a big improvement on anything he has yet shown in Auckland. In the forwards, MackrcU and McDonald wore the pick. For Wellington, Kelly in the back and. Spencer in the forwards, were seen to most advantage.

Taranaki v. Auckland. Mr. I). GaHaber baa ohobe* the following team to represent Auckland against Taranaki at Alexandra Park on Saturday next, the 29th inst. :i Fullback: A. Renwick. Three-quarters: F. Wilson, G. Murray, J. Johnson. Five-eighths: G, Bafer, R. Magee. Half: F. Morse. Wing-forward: G. Gillett. Forwards: F. Herring, J. McGuire, A. Francis, W, Cunningham (lock), G. Nicholson, 0. Seeling, H. Hayward. Emergencies: Coote, Maguire (Grafton). The team will meet at the City shed for training on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, while as many as can manage it are requested to attend Victoria Park during the day. Auckland B. v. Northern Wairoa. Auckland B. went to Dargavillc last Saturday and met the Northern Wairoa. fifteen, the gams ended in a win for Wairoa by three points to nil. Whangarei Football. At Rugby football on Saturday at Kensington Park, the game, Hikurangi v. North Ward, junlons, was won by North Ward by 27 to nil. Hikurangi played four men short. < k— — Thames Results. Thames juniors beat Thames Old Boys by 25 points to nil. Rovers defeated a team of Auckland juniors by six points to three. Waihi Matches. Ideal weather prevailed for football on Saturday, and the attendance was perhaps the largest of the season for the Cup fixture. Great interest was taken in the final cup fixture between Waitete and Mataura, ami those present were treated to a good exhibition of the winter game. Mataura winning by 16 to 3. The game was more even than the score would indicate. Pow'er’s kicking added no less than 10 points to Mataura’s score. Wellington v. Maaawwt*. There was glorious weather for the Wanganui-Wellington match, and a good attendance of spectators. H. Tilley refereed. The game resulted in a rather easy win for Wellington by 25 to 13, which could easily have been larger, for they were far and away cleverer than the locals, who played without spirit or vim. Professional Football. There is every likelihood of Northern Union football being played in South Canterbury next season. Several prominent footballers who head the movement state that sufficient support will be forthcoming to start three -senior teams. It is proposed to pay teams on tour for loss of time, and assist clubs in erecting training sheds, and to pay part of the expenses of junior teams travelling. Already £ 100 has been promised to set the game on a footing. New Zealanders in Australia. Victoria beat the New Zealand footballers at the Australian carnival by 171 points to 40. Heavy rain previous to the match interfered with the attendance and made the ground wet and slippery. The Victorians allowed ft much better knowledge of the game than the New Zealanders, and from the outset the visitors were outclassed. At the end of the first quarter the pcores were: victoria 10 goals 8 behinds. New Zealand 2 behind*. Each separata quarter the visitors were left farther Ip the roar. As in the previous match, the New Zealanders played a better game In the second 'half Sian in the first, but the result wa* a foregone conclusion after the first few minute*.

Improvements to the Rugby Game. Another meeting to tonsita the qnnfii tlon of Rugby reform yvM held tart week at Christchurch, when the following alterations in the Rugba game were discussed seriatim an* approved. (1) All goals to Count two point*, except potted goals ( three points/. (2) Th® ball, when kicked direct into •touch (except from a penalty) to be brought back to th® place Where it was kicked from, and there scrummaged. (8h AU line-outs to be abolished. (4) When a kicker is taking lu* kick (from a try, penalty, force down, or kick offfi the opposing side shall not be allowed to charge or in any way interfere with ths kicker. (5) All players must keep behind their back row of forwards when the ball is being scrummaged. (6) Following a force dowu, the side forced must kick out from where the ball crossed the goal line, opposing players to stand ten yards from the goal line. (7) Where possible, all injured players must be removed immediately from the field of play. (Sjf The referee to place the baU in the scrum in all cases. It was resolved, after further discussion, that the delegates bring the pray posals before their clubs at the earliest possible opportunity, and that another meeting of those present be held with ft view to further action being taken. The chairman said that if the Canterbury Rngby Union could not get satisfaction from the New Zealand Union, they could go past the governing body to the •ister unions. British Footballer* in Australia. The British footballers visited Newcastle on Aug. 19, and defeated the repre(the Newcastle branch of the N.S.W. Rugby Union) by 32 paints to nil.