ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 3, 16 August 1890, Page 5

ATHLETICS.

FOOTBALL.

TARANAKI V. AUCKLAND. As the daily papers have given a full description of the play in this match, I will simply confine myself to a few remarks on the players. On the Taranaki side the players showed a great want of combination, and to this must be attributed the large score made against them, as individually they are not inferior to the Auckland boys. Of the backs A. Bayly was the best; his tackling was very good, while his kicking was as good as we have seen here for some time. A. Good made two splendid runs, and the way he walked round our boys the first time was a treat. Hempton did not play so well as when here before, but nevertheless did good work, especially in tackling. The half-backs worked hard, but were not so brilliant as the three-quarters, though 0 Bayly had very bad luck, not scoring right, under .the posts, being brought down by Jervis within a foot of the line. The forwards, of whom Sangster, A. Good, Barford, and Lye were the best, played a hard game, but, without any combination, which is the essential thing in forward play. Of the Auckland backs, Rees was undoubtedly-the best; in fact, he was the test back on the ground, and played the finest game we have seen him play . here his dribbling, tackling, and passing being all that could be desired. Elliott played in fine style, though suffering from a nasty knock on the eye, while Braund, notwithstanding his weakness, played very well. Jervis and Madigan divided the honours at three-quarters. Breen at centre did not play so well as was expected J—in fact he was the weak spot in the back division. Stichbury at full-back was a decided success, and, with the exception of missing D. Bayly, he never made a mistake, and got out of difficulties remarkably well. The forwards nil played very well, combining in good style, but in the second spell were rather selfish, not allowing the backs much show. H. Poland and Wells were the best, though the others were not far behind them. Heffernan played a good game, but is inclined to play offside a little. The Auckland place-kicking was very poor, with the exception of Jervis, who was bnly allowed one kick with the wind after making two splendid shots against it. Wells scored his first try in a rep. match on Saturday, and is very proud of it. Rees and Hefferman scored two tries each, while Elliott, Breen, and McKenzie got one each.

Grafton and Gordon meet in the first match of the third round to-day. Both Clubs will put good teams in the field, and an interesting match should be the result. • Grafton are slight favorites.

P-onsonby play a match with the Thames Wanderers, and will entertain them at the Central Hotel in the evening.

A football match was played at Ellerslie on Monday last between the Kapai and Rhodes Boot Factories, Mr. J. Conway acting as referee. After some interesting play the Rhodes team won, the score being 14 points to 1.

£238 was the total amount taken at the gates and Grand Stand on Saturday last, at the match Taranaki v. Auckland.

From a private letter received from Wellington I hear that J. M. King, of that city, has signified his intention of retiring from the running track. This is a pity, as now that Reeves has retired for the present, King should give Macpherson all he knows in the 440,yards.

“ Rover,” in the Canterbury Times, says.— “Nat. Hall, the champion New Zealand rider, is blessed with a splendid physique, and he can stand the ordeal of a proper training; therefore I say to the Pioneer Bicycle Club endeavour to make arrangements to have the club represented at the Melbourne races in. November, for in your champion —Mr. Hall—you have a men who will do the club and New Zealand honour.”

Mr. James H. B. Coates has been elected President of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association.

Kemp and O’Connor are arranging for a match of a side and the championship of the world, to take place in America, about March next.

The New Zealand ’Cycling Alliance have decided to hold their Championship Meeting in Auckland at the same time as the Amateur Athletic Championship Meeting here. The Mascotte Skating Rink (late Columbia) is now the favourite resort of those desirous of enjoying an evening on the roller skates. Mr. Rhodes, the courteoas manager, is indefatigable in his attention to the visitors.

Our cablegram from London, dated July 28, states that Gadaur has won the sculling championship of America, beating nine other competitors. Perhaps Gaudaur has not yet learnt that the holder of the title, William O’Connor, has recently lost it to the Australian oarsman, James Stanbury. — Town and Country.

Carney, the Englishman, who has done a tremendous amount of talk through the columns of the London sporting papers since his drawn battle with the American M‘Auliffe, has issued his latest. He wants to fight W. Reader, an English lightweight, and offers to stake £3OOO to £2OOO. “It does not pay me,” (writes this bombastic individual) “ to make a match for a small stake, and I have no time to waste in paper controversy with men who have yet to earn a solid reputation by fighting for it. You hold £ 100 on my behalf, and if anyone really wishes for a fight, and not an advertisement, they can readily ensure a match by covering my money.”— Christchurch Star.

News has come to hand that the Wingfield Sculls have been won by Mr. Gardner, an undergraduate at Cambridge. The race, which carries with it the amateur championship of the Thames, was instituted in 1830. It was originally rowed from Westminster to Putney, and nineteen years ago was altered to a course from Putney to Kew, and again in 1861 it was changed to the distance from Putney to Mortlake. The sculls were won for the three years previously by G. Nicolls, of Oxford, and he was opposed on each occasion by Gardner, whose persistency has been rewarded. In 1887 S. Fairburn, now of the Melbourne Rowing Club, competed. Gardner has rowed in winning eights for his university, and has also held the Diamond Sculls. — Australasian.

Messrs. Greenless Bros, have presented, through Messrs. H. A. Farrar and Co., their representatives in Melbourne, a trophy valued at fifty guineas, for competition among the amateur oarsmen of Victoria. It is designated the “ Lome Whisky Trophy,” and has been given through a well-known old oarsman, with a request that he would arrange the most advantageous conditions for all amateur oarsmen. He submits that the trophy should be raced for in clinker eights over a two miles course from the city end of the Coode Canal to Queen’s-bridge, and to be won twice, but not necessarily consecutively, before it becomes the absolute property of the holder. The idea of prescribing clinker boats is that all clubs throughout the colony should be in a position to compete, which would not be the case if best eights were permitted to be used. The first competition will be fixed for about December 10 of this year. A small committee consisting of about five members will be appointed to manage the contests. This will no doubt be done forthwith, and their first care will be to communicate with all clubs throughout the colony, so that they may have ample time to prepare for so important an event. There is no doubt that such a valuable trophy will attract a large number of crews, and it must be seen that a date is fixed which will not clash with events already decided upon. Besides acting as an inducement to oarsmen to excel, the trophy cannot help but attract a great deal of attention to rowing, and will tend to make it a more popular sport with the general public. Messrs. Farrar and Co. have promised to present individual trophies to the successful crews in each competition.— Australasian.