KARANGAHAKE v. PARNELL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 459, 11 May 1899, Page 7

KARANGAHAKE v. PARNELL.

The opening match of the season at Potter’s Paddock was a game between® the Parnell Club and a team representing the Karangahake Rugby Union. The weatherjwas rather rough, and this, coupled with the fact that Parnell had a team largely made up of last year’s juniors, prevented a large attendance of the public. However, when lhe game started the stand was fairly well filled, and there was a sprinkling of spectators round the ground. As the Parnell men had had very little practice, public opinion favored the chances of the country team, who were known to have played together on several occasions. There was, therefore, not a very great deal of interest in the game. Mr Angus Cambell had charge of the whistle, while Messrs E. Binney and G. Katterns were the line umpires. Very early in the game the Karangahake men displayed the better combination. The forwards packed better than the Parnell front division, and the visitor’s backs were a lot ahead of the maroons in judgment and speed. Quite the feature of the game was the admirable kicking of Gillett, the Karangahake skipper. Time after time he got his side out of difficulties, always doing the right thing at the right moment. McLean and Reid, the other three quarters, showed good form, the first-named especially shining. He gained all the points

scored by his side, his try being the result of some good passing by the backs, and his dropped goal —a very pretty kick —was the result of excellent long passing by Rockley and Gillett. Reid, who has a lot of pace, did not manage to handle the ball very well, but as all the backs were handicapped by the greasy state of the sphere, there is not much in the fact that Reid did not take-the ball well every time it came his way. Houghton, at half, put in a lot of good work, whipping the ball out to Rockley in good style. He was very quick in following up any advantage. Rockley, at fire-eights, was as smart as ever, and put in a great amount of sterling work. The full-back, Johnstone, did not have very much to do, but generally he acquitted himself very well. The forwards were a useful lot, a conspicuous feature of their play being the quickness in following up. On the Parnell side Hedges was the best of the backs, and Hume was responsible for very useful work on several occasions. But the team was really quite out of form, so that it would hardly be fair to criticise the players individually. They all did their best under the circumstances, and with plenty of practice will show very much imcroved form The game ended in a win for Karangahake by 7 points to nil.

ASSOCIATION. A match between the bluejackets of the H.M.S. Mildura and the Grafton Club was contested in the paddock opposite the Captain Cook Brewery

on Saturday last, and ended in a win for Grafton by 7 goals to nil. The most prominent of the local men were Wright, Goldie, McDougall, Hulme, and Offer. Knott, in goal, did not have a Iball to stop during the progress of the game. Mildura’s goal-keeper let some very easy shots through. Considering the bluejackets had had no practice, they played very fairly. The combination of the Graftonites was very gcod. F, The United and Y.M.C.A Seniors journeyed to J'the marine suburb, and played a friendly match on Saturday. The game was decidedly in favor of Y.M.C.A., who won by 6 goals to 2. By the manner in which Y.M.C.A. played up on Saturday in the United match they should take a lot of bea ing this season. Charlie |Hemery (Y.M.C.A.) is a greatly improved man this season. He played a splendid game on Saturday. A little suggestion might not be out of the way before the season commences. In practice it would be better if the players would indulge in passing instead of consistently having shots at goal, and seeing who can kick a ball the highest. Shooting at goal is very well in its way, but passing rushes are very important during the progress of the game. A good forward passing rush is always more dangerous to a goal-keeper than individual attempts at shooting a goal from a difficult angle. I would warn both senior and junior players to bear this in mind. Another important matter is the manner in {.which some players, when an appeal is made for “ hand ba 1 !,”

or off-side, etc., stop playing, instead of playing on till the whistle goes. The referee has charge of the game, not some - of the players, who consistently keep up a bowl of appeals for different breaches of the rules, thinking by so appealing t v at they may bluff the referee.