FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 741, 19 May 1904, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

The District Championship matches on Saturday drew a large number of people out to Alexandra Park. Two of the games proved very one-sided, but the contest between City and Newton was of a very even character, and provided plenty of excitement for the onlookers.

The match between Parnell and Pon■sonby was of so one-sided a character as to rob it of every vestige of interest. Time was when these teams would have put up a good fight, but in this match Ponsonby simply romped over their opponents in every department of the game, ultimately winning by 27 points to nil. Tries were obtained by Carlaw (two), Polson, Carder, Renwick (two), and Wright, two of which were converted by Francis and Renwick.

Ponsonby played a brilliant game throughout, their three-quarter line, showing to decided advantage. Considering that ie was the team’s first match this season the combination also was distinctly good, and it was this fact and the superior weight of the forwards which made the game so one-sided.

The game between City and Newton drew a great crowd, who were rewarded by seeing what is likely to prove the most even game of the season, for neither side ever really looked like scoring. For •the greater part of the game the play hept near the centre, so that when the whistle went and no score had been made this exactly reflected the state of the game, for more evenly * balanced teams could hardly be imagined.

In a match of this sort it is inevitable that the brunt of the work falls upon the forwards, and this being so the backs had not a great deal to do and none of them showed out to conspicuous advantage. The play was kept too close, and no great attempt at combination was noticeable. Taken altogether as an exhibition of good solid graft the match was a success, but the expected orilliancy was not sufficiently obvious.

Grafton had a “ soft snap ” on in their match against the weak Suburbs team, who went under to the tune of 16 points to nil. Although Grafton proved themselves immeasurably superior to their opponents neither side gave a good exhibition of the game, there being an absence of concerted action, while many of the players seemed too anxious to play the game “on their own.” Tries were obtained for the Black and Whites by Marshall, McCormick, McKenzie and Morley, two of these being converted by McKenzie. SECOND FIFTEENS. Ponsonby v. Parnell : Ponsonby won by eight points (two tries, one converted) to nil. Suburbs v. Grafton : Suburbs won by 11 points (three tries, one converted) to nil. Newton v. City : Newton won by three points (one try) to nil. SCHOOL MATCHES. “ A ” GRADE. Napier-street v. Marist Brothers : Marist Brothers won by 27 points to nil. Nelson-street v. Richmond Road : A draw, three points each. Onehunga v. Ponsonby : A draw, three points each. Newton East v. Mount Eden : Mount Eden won by seven to nil. W r ellesley-street v. Beresford-street : Wel-lesley-street won by six to nil. Newton West a bye. The following were the results of Saturday’s matches at Christchurch : — Albion 10 points (a mark and two tries), beat Merivale, nil ; Sydenham, 23 (two goals, two penalty goals, a potted goal and a try), beat Old Boys, nil ; Linwood, nine (three tries), beat Christchurch, three <a try). .

At Wellington Petone (16) beat Melrose (nil) ; Oriental (33) beat Athletic (nil) ; Poneke (17) beat Old Boys (nil). * • * * At Dunedin the matches resulted as follows Dunedin beat Alhambra by six points to nil ; Zingari beat Southern by three to nil ; Kaikorai beat Union by three to nil ; University beat Pirates by eight to nil. ♦ * * * The team of footballers trow Te Aute College, which is to visit Australia, will comprise the following players Rangi, Momo (backs), Hirote, Tukere, Pcutawera, Kani (three-quarters),. Erekana (five-eighth), Rongo, Wharetini (halves), Huata, Pine (captain), Wanoa, Kaiwai, Erehana, Netane, Tawhai, Kepa, Waaka, and Naera (forwards). The boys are from sixteen to twenty years of age, the heaviest lad, Naera, scaling 14st. * • ♦ * The matches on the Te Aute programme are .-—June 4 : Second School team in the Great Public Schools’ Competition, at the Sydney Cricket Ground. June 7 : Combined Bathurst schools, at Bathurst. June 11 : First School team in the Great Public Schools’ Competition, at the Agricultural Ground. June 15 ; Combined Great Public Schools, at the Agricultural Ground. June 18 : Combined State Schools, at the Sydney Cricket Ground. June 22 : University F.C O at University Oval. June 25 : Fort-street Training School, at Sydney Cricket Ground. They have to play three matches against combined schools, viz. : The Great Public Schools, the State Public Schools, and the Bathurst Schools. In each case, if history be a guide, the visitors will have a distinct advantage .in combination (writes “ The Cynic ”) owing to combined teams in the State being generally sent into the match without a couple of preliminary games. Their meeting - with the Sydney University . fifteen should produce some very brilliant football. The Maoris are credited with great brilliancy, and in the University they will meet a team after their own heart.

A meeting of the delegates to the Goldfields Rugby Union was held at Karangahake last week, delegates being present from the Waihi, Karangahake, Paeroa and Piako Unions. Officers of the newly-form-ed Goldfields Union were elected as follows: —Patron, Mr W. H. Herries, M.H.R.; president, Mr E. G. B. Moss, M.H.R. : vice-presidents, Messrs A. Montgomery, R. Lavery, H. Poland, J. Brenan, 0. F. Pilling, A. Farmer, D. McLean, and the Rev. Father Brodie ; secretary and treasurer, Mr H. Bush ; management committee, Messrs Burke Scanlon, Moore, Niccol, Coorane, Cullen, Lewis, and Johnson ; selectors, Messrs Cullen, Niccol, Lewis and Burke. * ♦ » * The rivalry between the Rugby and the Australian game adherents has been extraordinarily keen during the past month (writes “ Wanderer,” in the Sydney “ Mail ”). The “ Australian ” people, seein’g that they cannot hope for a great deal from those now playing in senior clubs —they are, many of them, too old now to learn a new game—have recognised that they must see to the schoolboys, to rear the tender thought in the game, and thus pave the way for the game in the future, but I do not think we will see

Rugby “ outed ” by the Australian game. There is room for all three branches of football, I am including “ Soccer,” and recent events prove to me that the harder the authorities work at one branch the better it is for the two of them. We could not have better evidence on that point tlign that which is now available. Last year I do not suppose there were more than thirty, at the most, public schools, playing Rugger, and possibly not a dozen following the Australian flag. The “ Australians ” sent out the lecturers to the schools, and then the Rugbeians, genuinely fearing that the other fellow was doing too much, took a hand, and now the result is that bMwecn 110 and 120 schools, public and private, will put teams into the field to play either one game or the other. That competition is the soul of trade has been heard before. The statement applies to sport as well as business. The credit is due to the Australian game authorities that Rugby is just now flourishing so well in the schools, for it was the action of the former that stirred up Rugby to do something. The boys themselves look on in wonderment, scarcely understanding so much attention and accepting the football left by both parties. There is a splendidly humorous side to the whole business, which has possibly assisted those engaged in lecturing with their work. The outcome of the whole matter is that football of all kinds never had a year so full of promise as this bids fair to be. British Association has made progress, but probably it would be all the better if someone came along and tried to introduce some game differing slightly from it. Personally, I appreciate all three games, and hold the opinion that there is room for each. We want something that all our youth can join in, and if the introduction of any good game will bring forth our boys from their retirement, and give them a sound body for a sound mind, then it should be welcomed with open arms.