FOOTBALL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 370, 26 August 1897, Page 5

FOOTBALL

[By

Vigilant.”]

THE AUCKLAND REPS

The result of the recent match between the Auckland representatives and the returned New Zealand team gave local enthusiasts heart of grace, and consequently when our boys left for Taranaki and Wellington the prospect of success against the Southerners wore a more roseate hue than previous impressions—formed on the somewhat weak and uninteresting series of fixtures fought out this year in connection with the Rugby Championships- —which were by no means encouraging. On Wednesday afternoon of last week, at New Plymouth, the lads turned out to try conclusions with the champions of 1896 — Tai-anaki —and in Auckland the opinion was that the game would prove decidedly close and ininteresting. Patiently we waited for the result of the first spell, and when the news came along the wire that the blue and whites had run up six points to nil in the first forty-five we thought they would manage to keep in the van during the remainder of the journey, though nobody felt inclined to lay long odds on their ability to do so, knowing, as we do here, what a determined lot the Taranaki boys are. To say that we were surprised —and of course at the same time hugely delighted —when the final telegram came through, to the effect that the Aucklanders had beaten the home team by the overwhelming majority of 23 points.to 3, would bfe putting things very mildly indeed ; as a matter of faet, we felt inclined to doubt the good news. However, it proved true, and for the first time in the history of the meeting of the provinces was twenty-odd points reached by the winning team. Details of the match show that the Aucklanders played brilliantly, and with splendid combination — in fact, their play was perfect. The forwards always held the scrum, and did wonders in the open, and the backs played together like clock-work, the home team being beaten in all departments of the game. The Aucklanders are to be congratulated on their victory. At the same time, viewing the result calmly and without prejudice, it seems only reasonable to assume that the Taranaki team is hardly the same

brilliant fifteen that mastered the colony ; in fact, it is hardly likely that anyone will suggest that they are, when it is mentioned that football has been practically at a standstill in that province during the 1897 season. The regular fixtures were, I understand, suspended, and with the exception of the men travelling with the New Zealand team, none of the other players had done any playing to speak of this season. Hence it may be understood that Auckland inflicted such a severe “drubbing” on their opponents. The following is the list of matches and results to date: —lBB7 —-At Auckland, Taranaki won by 1 point to nil; 1889 —At New Plymouth, Auckland won, 6 points to nil ; 1890—At Auckland, Auckland won, 8 points to nil ; 1891 —At Haw-era, drawn, 3 points each ; 1892—At Auckland, Auckland won, 5 points to 4; 1893 —At New Plymouth, Auckland won, 4 points to 2 ; 1894 —At Auckland, Taranaki won, 14 points to nil; 1895 —At New Plymouth, drawn, no score ; 1896— At Auckland, Taranaki won, 16 points to nil ; 1897 — At New Plymouth, Auckland won, 23 points to 3. Played 10 matches, won 5, lost 3, drawn 2. Points scored : For, 49 ; against, 43. The New Zealand greyhound, as Smith has been called by the Australian football writers, scored two tries against Taranaki, Harrison two, and Speight and Absolum one each, the last mentioned also landing a penalty goal. In the back division special mention is made in the report to Smith, Abs >lum, Harrison, and Braund, and in the forwards Speight, Murray, and Wilson claimed the New Plymouth critics’ attention. Almost immediately after the Taranaki match the Aucklanders left for Wellington by train, to try their luck against the players of the Windy City for the eighth time, and on the home team’s ground, where the Wellingtonians have not been whipped by visitors since 1877, in which year Dunedin proved too much for them. With the Taranaki match as a further guide, and the cry from Wellington that the home team was unusually weak — having lost Pauling, Roberts, and

Calnan, while the ’97 team had been selected from outside, and was almost entirely composed of new men—it was generally here, and for that matter in Wellington football circles, that, given a fine day and a dry ball and ground, the visitors would prove too strong for the opposition. Our hopes, however, received somewhat of a damper on Friday when the news came through that rain was falling and the ground was under water, it being a well-known fact that the Wellington men are more used to a heavy ground and a wet ball than the Aucklanders. We were again somewhat relieved on the morning of the eventfid day when the wire stated that the weather was fine, though the ground was still somewhat heavy. The relief was, however, short-lived, as the telegram concerning the first spell said — Wellington 4, Auckland 3, and from this to the final news we were at fever heat, when we again breathed freely, for Auckland had carried the day by 11 points to 4. The battle was a stern one, and what surprised us most was the manner in which the Wellington forwards galloped- over our front rank, the pack we had so fondly believed could hold its own with anything in New Zealand being beaten from end to end, and shattered by the gallant and determined onslaughts of the brilliant forwards of the Windy City. They must be veritable giants, or they would never have treated the Aucklanders as they did, and if the form on both sides is true, they are the best pack in the colony. Their backs, however, have no comparison to those in front of them, and it was here that the home team was so badly beaten by the visitors. Time after time, says the report, the Aucklanders were driven before their doughty opponents, and just as often the fleet-footed visiting backs came to the rescue, and averted a score just when matters looked extremely blue for Auckland’s line. Had our backs not played so magnificently throughout Wellington vould have passed through their second decade v.ichout a defeat on their own ground. Right up to the last five minutes of play Wellington led the

way—a goal from a mark to a try—and the large assemblage was preparing to congratulate the home players on another victory to their already long list, when Smith, the fleet-footed Auckland three-quarter, filled the breach by scoring two tries from mid-field in rapid succession. Hie turn of foot and dash paralysed the opposing team, and to him alone goes the credit of having pulled the match out of the fire at the last moment, and snatched victory from the Wellington men, and to the brilliant Aucklander I must offer the congratulations of the Auckland football fraternity at. large. The results of the matches to date are as follows :—lBBO, at Auckland, Wellington won, 5 points to nil; 1883, at Wellington, drawn, 5 points each ; 1886, at Auckland, Auckland won, 4 points to 2 ■ 1889, at Wellington, Wellington won, 3 points to 1 ; 1894, at Auckland, Wellington won, 13 points to nil; 1895, at Wellington, Wellington won, 9 points to 5 ; 1896, at Auckland, Wellington won, 3 points to nil; 1897, at Wellington, Auckland won, 11 points to 4. Played 8 matches, Auckland won 2, lost 5, drawn 1 ; points scored, for 36, against 44. Masefield, Smith, and Absolum are specially mentioned amongst the backs, and Murray in the front rank. McKenzie, of Wellington, was the forward of the day.

The managing committee of the Auckland Rugby Union, at their meeting of last Wednesday, discussed the advisability of introducing a series of tournament matches, seven men a-side, before the close of the season. These tournaments are of frequent occurrence in the South, and have always proved most successful. The Wellington Rugby Union has re-instated D. Gage, but considers his explanation unaatisfactory. If it is unsatisfactory, why on earth did they re-instate him ? The total receipts of the three test matches played in Sydney between the Maorilanders and Welshmen is said to be about £2,900. This will mean about £l5OO to the N.S.W. Union.

The last New Zealand representatives that toured Australia were presented with footballs all round. Are they going to receive anything this year as a momento of their successful trip ? Surely they deserve recognition. The following is the programme of the Wellington representative team that goes on tour : — Wairarapa, August 28; Taranaki, September 1; Napier, September 4; Canterbury, September 11; Soutnland, September 15 ; Otago, September 18. It is probable that they will not go further south than Canterbury. The Auckland Football Association’s representatives meet a combined team from Thames and Coromandel at Potter’s Paddock on Saturday afternoon. A very interesting match should be provided followers of the “ socker” game. The senior championship under the Auckland Rugby Union have been declared closed, and I presume that if the tournaments are arranged the proposed match. between Parnell and Ponsonby will fall through. The association football authorities will send a team to Wellington to compete in the annual championships this month. Last year they carried off the shield. It is to be hoped that the selectionists wilt keep an eye on the country players on Saturday next and give any of the men worthy a place a chance. This sort of thing encourages players and advances the game. The next time a New South Wales team tours New Zealand (says a Sydney writer) part of the cost ought to he borne by the New South Wales Union, owing to the small gates (due to the small population) at matches in Maoriland. Another thing, New South Wales teams in future must do less travelling ; and they must be less unrepresentative of the strength of the colony; and the men must be allowed proper travelling expenses. Establish the ,\ew Zealand v. New South Wales matches as the matches of the tour, treat the players as gentlemen; and you’ll lift football higher in the opinion of those whose good opinion is worth winning.