FOOTBALL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 409, 26 May 1898, Page 7

FOOTBALL

[By

VIGILAT.]

The senior cup matches for Saturday are Ponsonby v. North Shore, Suburbs v. Grafton, and Newton v. City ; Parnell a bye. Judging by the manner in which Grafton have bowled over City and Ponsonby in the last two matches, I should say that they will make a good stand against Suburbs, though I expeet to see the latter win if again operated by the team that played against Parnell last week. Although the rain was coming down in bucketsful at 2 o’clock on Saturday last, the Auckland Rugby Union did not see fit to postpone the cup fixtures, evidently thinking that our players might as well adapt themselves to a greasy ball as be fine weather players If the assumption is the correct one, then the Union acted wisely, as, for all we know, one of our big foreign matches may have to be played on a wet ground. The result was a"huge falling away in attendance, there not being one fourth of the usual number of onlookers present, but those that did turn out got full value for their money in the Suburbs v. Parnell match, a great struggle, won by the suburban players by 7 points (a goal from a mark and a try) to nil. The Maroons, whose front division are un doubtedly a great lot, and had not known what it was to be beaten up to the present match, found their “ Waterloo ” in the heavy, fast dashing pack of the out-district, while their backs could not compare with those of the black fifteen in point of speed, though I must compliment them on the sound defence set up. Add Charlie Speight to Suburbs, and what a great team they are, and how difficult to beat for the cup if they stick together. Sutherland at full-back for Suburbs, has played better games, and, though, on the whole he left nothing to cavil at, he mulled the ball on one or two occasions that might have proved more disastrous than was the case.

The great pace of Absolum, McPike, and Bennett, make them a most, dangerous set of three-quarters, while the splendid drop kicking of the latter is always a menace to the opposing side. They got off some very good passing runs on Saturday considering the.greasy state of the oval, and Bennett had decidedly hard luck in not being given that goal from the field that he; undoubtedly kicked. Everyone who saw it agrees that it was a drop kick, but Mr Katterns, the referee, took it to be a punt, and gave his decision accordingly. While apparently a wrong decision, Mr Katterns must be credited with a prompt and, what he believed to be, a correct award.

Gage, at five-eighths, was the “ daddy ” of the winning team, and times out of number his grand defence wae shown in the manner in which he pulled up the forward rushes of the Parnell front rank. Not only did he work wonders in this direction,’ but was at all times prominent in offensive play, initiating the passing runs and kicking with great judgment down the line. From a mark by this player t üburbs obtained their first score, a potted goal, Absolum taking the shot.

Jones, a promoted junior, played behind the pack, and although somewhat at sea for the first twenty minutes, of the game, made very good use of himself through the balance. That old war-horse, “ Bab ” McKenzie, and J. Gillet proved a tower of strength to the Suburb’s vanguard, and were always in the thick of the melee. Spurred on by the brilliant play of this pair, the younger members of the forward division worked like Trojans, and not a “ waster” was to be seen among them.

Thomson was very safe at full-back for Parnell, Ipit a trifle slow, in getting the ball away sometimes. His tackling was very sound. Of the maroon three-quarters Laws was undoubtedly the best, making good use of his feet and collating well. Hedges and Thomson, the otder three-quarters, played up to form, but lacied the pace of the opposing division, and did not pass too well with the wet ball. Pierce and Richards being behind a beaten pack were nsturally not seen to advantage, yet they 'worked hard. Whitley played with great dash on the wing, and Murray and Sampson stood out as the most prominent of the forwards, who all did their utmost to avert defeat, the task, however, being beyond them. Our Napier correspondent wires: —At the Recreation Ground on Saturday the senior match, Napier v. Clive, came up for settlement, after a keen and exciting struggle the country team proved spccessful by a brace of points, the score at the close of time being Clive 5, Napier 3. In the place kicking and forward work the victorious team were a long way ahead of their opponents, who did not show such proficient or combined work as the country team, and to this cause must be attributed their defeat. For the winners, Geordine, R. Caldwell, and Cheer were the pick of the forward lot, Russell and W. o’Connel being the most prominent amongst the backs. In the Napier contigent, Cameron and Munro (forwards) and Miller, I hompson, and Hallimore (backs) weie conspicuous for good allround, serviceable work. At times a great, deal of off-side play was indulged in, the Clive combination being the principal aggressors against the rules, and consequently the referee (Mr Hislop) had a particularly busy time of it with the whistle. He also had to caution two of the Clive fraternity, Cheer and Caldwell, for rough play. In the senior match, Pirates v. Te Aute, which was to have taken place at Farndon Park, the latter forfeited to the Pirates, the state of the weather,

which was of the cold, rainy sort, pr< eluding them from travelling to the scene of action.