FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 265, 22 August 1895, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

Though we have no reason to crow over the victory recorded by the Auckland “ reps.” in the initial match of their tour at Hawkes Bay on Saturday last, it is nevertheless gratifying to note that the first struggle has resulted in our favour, as the win may be expected to brace the boys up to further efforts down the line where teams of weightier calibre are awaiting them, and where they will needs put their best foot to the front if they are going to uphold the reputation of the province they have been chosen to represent. Very knotty problems await the Aucklanders at Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, and Taranaki and if they are to be solved in our favour the boys will have to be at their very best as the quartette in question bear the reputation of first-class exponents of the good old Rugby game, and though we up North are naturally anxious to see our own at the top of the tree it can hardly be said that the local representatives are as strong a travelling combination as we should have liked to have seen doing battle for the honour of old Auckland ; rather let us admit that in bygone seasons we have been able to show a better front than is the case this year. Though a very fair team on the whole the “ blue and whites ” in the first instance have left our shores on very short notice, the actual team having been only chosen at the last moment, with a result that they will naturally lack that essential so necessary to an exposition of first-class Rugby, viz., combination, and then when they do get away we find Wynyard unable to go and Surman and Clarkin both unfit to play. Fortunately Wynyard has managed to get away, as has also “ Davey ” Gage, both having sailed for South by the s s. Takapuna on Monday last in order to overtake the team at Dunedin and participate in the contest against the Otago “ reps.” This is somewhat cheering certainly as the pair, if in the best nick, will greatly strengthen the team, but will they be, for Gage has only just comeoff the grass (so to speak) after a spell of something like two months, whilst “ Tabby ” on the other hand is not yet quite himself, and Clarkin has a bad knee. On top of this comes the discouraging news that our scoring man, Surman, has met with an accident in the Hawkes Bay match that will probably prevent his playing during the remainder of the season. Coming back to the team itself, the principal weakness lies in the wings, the chosen men, Whitlev and Mills being somewhat light and hardly clever enough for this position compared with the weighty, fast, and clever men played on the wing by the Southrons. Already the weakness has thrust itself forcibly upon the travellers, for did not the Selection Committee exclude Whitley in the Hawke’s Bay match in favour of Brown, who it appears from report was all at sea in the position allotted him. This being so it only stands to reason that the opposing wings will overrun the local men and hamper the movements of our half and five-eighth, and if such be the case our fine back combination will have very little opportunity of showing up in their true colours.' However, it will do no good to look on the gloomy side of the question, therefore let us hope for the best. Commenting on the Hawkes Bav match, my correspondent writes as follows:—“The visitors can hardly be said to have impressed us favourably on Saturday’s play, for though the forwards did yeoman service for Auckland the back division, to say the least, were disappointing, they fumbling badly and throwing away many good chances by erratic passing, whilst their defensive tactics at times were, to say the least, hardly up to rep. form. Though Auckland were returned victors to the tune of 10 points (two tries, both converted) to 3 (a try) they can hardly be said to have had much the best of the game, which on the whole was a very evenly contested one, our vanguard proving quite as good as that of their opponents, whilst our backs also compared favourably with those of the Auckland team- Speaking of individual play. Absolum was undoubtedly the plum of the visiting back division and Stevenson, Masefield, and Braund being next best; the most prominent of the forwards being

Mills (wing), Murray, Brady, Clarkin, and McMillan. For the home team McDonnell and McFarlane shone out amongst the backs, and Woodward, Toohey, and Jago did good service for. the vanguard.”

The Auckland “ reps ” will contest one of their toughest matches of the tour against Otago at Dunedin on Saturday next. Speaking of the Southrons “ Referee ” in the Dunedin Star treats the Otago selection as follows:— W. Ross (Alhambra). —A reliable full-back, whose principal point is his tackling powers ; he kicks with either foot, and is safe at stopping rushes. W. Hay-Mackenzie (Dunedin). —A fast runner and a good kick ; tackles well, and never fails to take the ball, while he is the only three-quar-ter in Dunedin who studies his full-back. T. Cunningham (Kaikorai). — A centre threequarter, who passes cleanly and accurately, but is a weak defensive player. G. Stephenson (Dunedin). —His form during the season was only moderate. He is a smart kick and a strong runner. Played last season with the Munningham Club (England). J. Duncan (Kaikorai). —A player who has but few r equals in the colony ; possesses great speed, and is a difficult man to collar. Will probably act as captain of the team. A. Mason (Dunedin).—A smart sesum halfback, who passes quickly, but is inclined to be selfish ; a good place kick. W. J. Cran (University).—A good offensive and defensive player, who has done yeoman service for the province. J. Torrance (Kaikorai). —A “hard grafting” forward, who is always on the ball. D. Torrance (Kaikorai). —An old “ rep ” player, who, like his brother, is an untiring worker. A. Esquilant (Alhambra). —An honest forward, with a good knowledge of the passing game ; is a fine dribbler, and a fair place kick. H. M’Farlane (Zingari-Richmond). —a forward who plays the game from start to finish ; a good place kick. S. Ballantyne (Kaikorai).- —An old-time player, who is second to none for scrum work. W. Beadle (Union). —Another experienced forward, who shines in the open. F. Given (Alhambra). —The youngest forward in the team, this being .his first year as a senior player; he understands the game thoroughly; takes the ball well on the line out, and follows up smartly. P. J. Priest (Pirates). —a forward who well deserves his place in the team ; is good in the loose work, and a fair place kick.

The match of Saturday last between the Auckland second fifteen and the Wairoa “reps.” was one of the most interesting and closely contested games local enthusiasts have been treated to for some time past. Though the visitors were defeated (20 points to 15) they were by no means disgraced; in fact, if their back division had been more proficient in passing tactics the visitors would probably have won the day, as their forwards were superior to those of of Auckland.

Smith at full-back for Auckland, played brilliantly at times, and to see him pick the ball up from the toes of the opposing forwards and get his kick was a treat. The only objectionable point in his play was his endeavour to kick when near or behind his own goal line, which resulted disastrously for Auckland. D. Gage, who has been an absentee, from the football field for a couple of months, played in place of C. Hay,- with a view to getting his hand in for lhe Southern matches. He undoubtedly played the game of the day, both his offensive and defensive tactics being greatly admired, and though he did not actually score this sterling player made most of the openings from which tries were obtained.

Roberts, who was responsible for no less than three tries, played a dashing game, one of his scores being the result of the finest run of the day. Though he made one or two mistakes, and his defense was a trifle weak. To'mmy must be admitted a better man than many give him the credit of being. Breen also played a safe and serviceable game, never missing an opportunity, and was responsible for a try. Flliott came out of his shell, and played a fine scientific game right through, using great judgment. His try was obtained after a clever run from outside the 25 flag. . . Caradus. at half, was responsible for several of the fine runs initiated by the Auckland backs, and had our forwards heeled out more frequently the back division would have shown out moreprominently. Williamson, Gallagher, and Freeman were the pick of the local vanguard, who, taken on the whole, did not compare) favourably with the dashing forward division of the visitors. Williamson may be said to have excelled himself, his line

play being very fine* whilst he, was always at the head of the local rushes. lie “ deserved his try. . The trio of three-quarters, L. Kitching, Jutland, and Harrison, all. played sound serviceable games, both their offensive and defensive tactics being good, though in passing they evidently have a lot to learn.

The five-eighth man, Smith, played the best game for the visitors, kicking and collaring well, besides being responsible for a neatly potted goal from the field. E. Phelan, at half, also did yeoman service for Wairoa, and may be said to have shared honours with Smith.

The play of the visitors’ vanguard, was characterized by great dash right through, the local division being smothered in all points of the game Their line play, combination, and fine dribbling rushes were worth witnessing, and they may also be said to have had all the best of the scrum work. The whole pack are to be congratulated on their play, though C. Molloy, Matthews, Barker, and Baker were perhaps the most conspicuous.

On Saturday next our second fifteen will play the Waikato Rugby Union representatives at Potter’s Paddock, Epsom, and if anything like fine weather prevails

a very fair attendance should be present, as the match should prove quite as interesting as the fixture of last week. The Waikato boys are said to be stronger this year than last, and this being the case they may be expected to make a strong bid for victory. 'The following team (which differs very little from that of Saturday last with the exception that Gage’s place will be filled by Hay, and one or two alterations in the forwards) has been chosen to do battle for Auckland : —Full-back, Smith ; three-quarters, T. Roberts, J. Breen, C. Hay ; fiveeighth, W. Elliott; half, C. Caradus; forwards, Williamson, Eaton, Hogan, Flynn, Sterling, McConfiell, Gallagher, Freeman, and Hancock. Emergencies, Sutherland, Warnock, D. Hay, Ramsay, Cole, and Thompson. The representative match, Canterbury v. Wellington, played at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, on Saturday last, resulted in a win for Canterbury by 6 points to 4. There were between two and three thousand spectators present to witness the contest, though on the whole the game was somewhat disappointing from a spectator’s point of view, the play being confined to the forwards, a lot of uninteresting scrum work resulting. The Canterbury vanguard, though somewhat

lighter than the front division of the opposing team, held their end up in great style, and on the whole may be said to have had somewhat the best of the struggle. The representatives of the Windy City are credited with having played with hard luck, the. over-eagerness of their forwards being to some extent responsible for the verdict, they, after initiating fine dribbling rushes, would either overrun the ball or kick too hard and a force down would result. The victors played a dashing game right through, and if they had. possessed a decent place-kick, should have added the major points to the two tries obtained. The Wellington score was a goal from the field. The final contest for first junior championship honours between Ponsonby and Newton resulted in a w r in for the former by 18 points to nil. The game was fast and interesting throughout and though the Ponsonby lads had far and away the best of the go the Newtonites played a good game. The victors are undoubtedly a smart lot, and have just reason to feel proud of their - achievements during the season, they having played eleven matches in all, in ten of which they were returned victors, whilst in the exception they drew with Suburbs. I hear that host Buck, of the Ponsonby

Club Hotel, who is a vice-president of the Ponsonby Football Club intends giving the boys a befitting wind up to their season in the shape of a banquet shortly. The Wiaikato reps, play Franklin reps, to-day (Thursday) at Pukekohe. The Otago v. Southland match of Saturday last resulted in a win for Otage by 3 points to nil. The weather was anything but conducive to good Rugby, and the winners are said to have had somewhat the best of both spells. The N’tu Ahuriri Maori team, who carried off the junior honours at Canterbury this season, are now on tour and will play Kotahitanga (a Maori Club) at that place to-day (August 22nd), and the Wairarapa junior representatives at Masterton on the 24th.

The Queensland Rugby Union have written to headquarters at Wellington urging that the New Zealand team should meet Australia next year, notwithstanding the Queensland visit this year having been postponed. That old battler, “ Bob ” Whiteside, is credited with a great game in the semifinal round of the Sydney Association’s Cup fixture between Pirates and Randwick, in which the former won by a potted goal (4 points) to nil. Whiteside played for the losers.

The well-known Wairarapa back, A. D’Arcy, has retired from the football field. A great loss to the district this, as Archie was a tower of strength to the back division. The decision of the New Zealand Union Appeal Committee, establishing an arbitrary centre of the scrum and enacting that any player outside the scrum going beyond it shall be penalised, which was referred back to the Committee last week, is to be modified. It will now read that all players run to their own side of the ball when it is put in the scrummage, and players are not off-side when behind the ball.

The North and South Island match, which was to have been played at Christchurch on the 22nd inst., has been postponed until next year, This action was decided upon by the Management Committee of the N.Z.R.U., owing to the fact that Auckland and Otago were unable to play on account of their pending match of the 24th.

An old Otago “ rep.,” who has been attending the practice matches of the Canterbury Probable and Possible teams, gives it as his opinion that Otago is stronger this year than Canterbury. This being the case, our lads may expect strong opposition down below, as Can-

terbury defeated Wellington onSaturday, and the latter have a strong team, whilst Otago is looked upon by the above writer as better than Saturday’s winners. The committee of the Canterbury Rugby Union are evidently on the right track. If players chosen by the selection committee do not put in an appearance they want to know the reason why, and very sharp, too. If the result of the investigation does not suit their palate the delinquint rugbyite gets into trouble. And quite right, too ! No half-hearted reasons seem to appease the Southrons.