FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 749, 14 July 1904, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

(By “ Scrutator.”)

CUP FINALS.

The Rugby Union Cup competitions were proceeded with on Saturday at Alexandra Park. There was a large attendance, between 5000 and 6000 people turning up to witness the finals in the .first-grade divisicn. NORTH SHORE V. CITY. This match came off on No. 1 ground, G. Katterns handling the whistle. During the first spell the game was fairly ■even, and neither side found it easy to break through its opponents’ defence, but the staying power of City was evident in the second half, when nothing seemed to interfere materially with their dash, though the Shore fought stubbornly. The score at the conclusion of the game stood, City 11, North Shore 3. The City forwards distinguished themselves greatly, and the team in this respect was much superior to their opponents, who have yet to learn how to organise effectively. NEWTON V. PONSONBY. This game was played on No. 2 ground, ard the result was much the same as the foregoing, the Newton team winning by 12 to 3. r lhe play was practically void of genuine interest, inasmuch as there was an apparent want of earnestness amongst the players themselves. The forwards did most o F the work, but their play was not characterised by confidence, and there was a lack of concerted action. The only difference between the inferior play of both teams was that Newton’s inferiority was not quite so pronounced as Ponsonby’s, hence the former’s victory. PARNELL V. SUBURBS. This match, on No. 3 ground, was sharply contested throughout, with the result that the score refused to mount rapidly or high. Suburbs got 3 for a penalty kick, and Parnell got a goal from a try, and that was all, the scores being : Parnell 5, Suburbs 3.

SECOND FIFTEENS.

Ponsonby v. Parnell. —Ponsonby won by 14 points (three tries, one converted, and ■a goal) to nil.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS COMPETITION.

St. John’s I. v. Grammar School I. — St. John’s won by 11 points to nil. These teams met a fortnight ago, when St. won, but the match was ordered to be played over again.

L’UBLIC SCHOOLS’ MATCHES

Newmarket (11 points) beat Wellesleystreet B (nil. Onehunga won from Nelson-street by default. Ellerslie (20 points) beat Mangere Bridge (nil). Epsom and Bayfield played a draw (no score). Parnell (6 points) beat Beresford-street (3). Mount Eden (4 points) beat Richmond Road (nil). Wellesley-street (15 points) beat Marist 'Brothers (3).

THE AUCKLAND-THAMES MATCH

The annual inter-union match, Auckland v. Thames, will be played at Alexandra Park next Saturday afternoon. Mr F. Murray, selector of the Auckland representative team, has chosen the following players to represent the local union Full-back, Renwuck ; three-quarters, Asher, Gerrard, McKenzie ; halves, Wood, Ward, Kiernan ; forwards, Gallaher, Tyler, McCluskie, Nicholson, Lewis, Seeling, Trevarthen, and Joyce, The Thames team' is as follows :—Fullback, Newdick ; three-quarters. Kingham, Morgan, Keating ; five-eighths, Winder ;

half-back, Price; wings, F. H. Hayward, McCollum ; forwards, G. Smith, Baker, White, Autridge, H. Hayward, Newland, Plant ; emergencies, Clark, Mullins (forwards), Dufty, Houghton, Taylor (backs).

31 r F. Murrav has chosen the following team to play against Northern Wairoa next Saturdav week, at Wairoa : Fullback, I hillips ; three-quarters, Absolum, Murray. Carlaw ; five-eighths, Magee; half-back, Poananga ; forwards, Wells, Doran (wings), Irvine, Herring, Pihama, Eaton, Scott, Francis, MackrelL Emergencies : King', Lendrum. V arbrick, MacCormick, W. Heath. * X. * * The Manawatu football representatives beat Wanganui by 13 points to nil on Saturday. The score consisted of three tries secured by Archie McMinn, Baker, ard Alex. McMirZn, and a goal from a mark. The game was played in the mud, and was pretty evenly contested throughout. In the senior rugby games on Saturday, Old Boys (6) beat Wellington (nil); Pone' e (24) beat Athletics (5) ; Petone (6) beat Oriental (3). * « » ’ In the senior football on ■ aturday, Southern beat Union by 12 points to 3 ; Dunedin beat Zingari by 3 to nil ; Uni\erity beat Alhambra by 16 to nil ; Pirates beat !•ail orai by 3 to nil. « * * Commenting on the first I est Match between the British Team and Australia, the well-known Sydney writer, ‘ Ihe Cynic,” has the following : — The public here is still quite hopeful of seeing the New Zealanders meeting the Britishers at the Sydney Cricket Ground, though those in the inner circles may be animated by no such hope. New Zealand Rugby Unionists may be disinclined to look upon a match of the character as possible, but the football public here, wanting’ it very much, is not so sceptical as to the possibility. It is felt that the New Zealand Union will require all the money that can be possibly collected to defray the expenses of the visit to England next year, and that a match against the Britishers here would materially help in that direction. Whether New Zealand sends a team to Sydney or not, it is now felt here that the British team have a tolerably tough programme in New Zealand in front of them. It will appear peculiar that persons who have seen New South Wales beaten by 27 to nil and 29 to 6 should feel that the British team will go down before New Zealand. Nevertheless, it is a fact, and the view has since been strengthened by the Australia match. The backs of last year’s New Zealand team were not quite so brilliant, nor so versatile in their methods of attack as the British backs, but in defence they were sounder, and the forwards were a bit better all-round than the Britishers are. The latter may yet improve, though even in that case, if New Zealand get together a vanguard equal to that of last year, they will give our visitors a gruelling Line. I honestly believe that if the New’ Zealand backs of 190.3 had been behind the Australian forwards on Saturday the British team would have been just about beaten. .But the 17 to nil is a big beating, and it is as likely as not that one is not allowing sufficient for the possibilities of the British backs in at tael-:.

“ The first half of the Test match was as fine a display of Rugby football as anything we have seen in Sydney for some years. Of course, more brilliant, but less even, play has often been seen. With the breeze the Australian forwards played with really great dash, and if the side had been as clever in the fine points of concerted attack as their opponents, a few tries woidd have gone up against the British team before ends were changed. The Australian forwards played grand 1 to the end, but the extra back on the British side, allied to their superiority in attack, brought the team through in dashing style at the close. It was a very hard game, grimly fought out from start to finish, with the tackling of the . forwards, and especially the Australians, very deadly. Some very hard knocks were given and taken, and once or twice in the heat of battle an inclination to retaliate was observable, though, on the whole, for such a fast and strenous display. the spirit of the men was admirable. In at least one instance a blow was struck, but no one seemed to bother about it, the pace of the play at the time distracting attention. “ The 'British backs won the match. 'They were as quick as in the earlier matches, but given less room to move in than usual, they were not very dangerous until the closing stages, Colton, playing a sort of wing-forward game, was so •ouickly on to Bush, that the nippy ha > (notwithstanding that he stood from four to five yards straight behind the pack) was quite unable to get his three-quarters moving with him. In the second half one try was got from the scrum, but it was Morgan who did the damage after getting the ball from Bush. Hulme pl.wed solid football, and was very gritty and able in defence, and in this respect superior to his dangerous half-back mate. Bush was ‘ marked,’ and did not shine to such advantage as in the previous matches ; in fact, his play left an impression that in defence he is not nearly so sound and resourceful as he is in attack. It was a good thing that there was a Gabe behind him. “ Morgan and Gabe were the best of the three-quarters, though the other two men. O’Brien and Llewellyn, shaped neat]v. Llewellyn being quick to junto into an opening. Vorgan is a beautiful player, quick as lightning on his feet, quick to see what is best for his side, and. unlike the average wing three-quarter, playing for his side’s success all the time. There was a wee bit of luck in the way the ball bounced for Llewellyn when the last try was got, but Morgan’s centri of the ball just then, it is hoped, will not be forgotten by our players. StangerI eathes, as full back, kicked very powerfully. but his catching was not quite faultless, and more than once the forwards got to him, though his strength of limb helped him. to pet out of tight positions with credit. So far 0 Brien has shown no dash ; it may come in later matches. “The British forwards were extended from start to finish. They were just a bit more staunch than their opponents in the pack, but in the loose and on the line-out they were not so dangerous. They tackled well, but not better than their rivals. They played solidly to a man throughoutj but if the result of the game had depended solely on forward play, one is inclined to think that the Britishers would have just about lost.”

There were quite fifteen thousand spectators on Saturday in the match in Brisbane between the British Team and Queensland. For the first half of the game there seemed but little to choose between the teams, the visitors leading by three points to nil when ends were changed. In the second half, however, the Britishers fairly ran over the Queenslanders, winning by 24 points to 5.

ASSOCIATION

Corinthians v. North Shore : This game was contested at North Shore, and ended in a victory for Coi mthians by 8 goals to 1. W.Y.M.I. A v. Tabernacle : This match resulted in a win for W.Y.M.I. A by 2 goals to nil. St. John’s v. North Shore B : This match was played at Kingsland, and resulted in a win for St. John’s by 12 goals to nil. 'thistle v. Alexandra : The match resulted in a win for Alexandra by 3 goals to 2. W.Y.M.I. v. Grafton : This game was won by Grafton by 1 goal to nil. Ponsonby v. W.Y.M.I. B : This match took place at Narrow Neck, and ended in favour of Ponsonby by 6 goals to 1.

NEW SOUTH WALES V. WELLINGTON

VISITORS BEATEN BY 2 GOALS TO 1. Miserable weather prevailed on Saturday for the representative Association football match between the New South Wales team and the eleven representing Wellington province. A heavy mist fell throughout the greater part of the game, and the ground was in a very sloppy condition, making it difficult to play upon. The New South Wales team never seemed at home, and failed to make the most of several good chances ; their chief weakness lay in their shooting in front of the goal. Although the visitors undoubtedly had the best of the game right through the second spell, they were forced to accept defeat. The teams were as under : — New South Wales. —Goal, Spencer ; fullbacks, Thorpe, McMahon ; halves, Condon, Hilder, Timms ; forwards, Harris, Moore. Waddell, Medcalf, and Carey. Wellington.—Goal, Webster ; full-backs, Roberts, Amies : halves, Taylor, Clarke, McWhannell ; forwards, Nelson, Cunningham, Mouat, and Reddy. The first spell was chiefly remarkable for the luck of the home team, and the first noticeable incident was a great centre by Condon, but Carey headed safely outside. A mis-kick by Amies nearly ended in the visitors scoring, but Clarke eventually relieved, and passing briskly upfield Mouat got possession, and shot a beautiful goal : Wellington 1, New South Wales nil. Splendid exchanges amongst the forwards ensued, and Carey, at the critical moment, narrowly missed scoring for his side. Less than two minutes after the opening score Mouat again got goini . and passed out to Reddy, who dribbled up the field, fooled the full-back, and shot what was really a lucky goal : Wellington 2. New South Wales nil. The visitors then took charge, and gave their opponents an anxious time defending the goal, but seemed at sea on the greasy ground, and could not keep their feet. They continued the attack, however, and some fine combined work saw W r addell with a goal to his credit, the score being earned after a particularly brilliant piece of

work. The second half was entirely in the visitors’ favour, although they failed to equalise the score. Nearly the whole of the time they had their opponents crowded round their goal, and Webster was given a warm time keeping the ball from the nets with hands and feet. At the call of time the score stood : Wellington 2 goals, New South Wales 1 goal. McMahon was the best back on the field. Reddy, for Wellington, played, a fine game. The head work of the visitors was particularly good. THE AUSTRALIAN GAME. The Australian game, Victoria v. Austral, was played on Saturday, and a very hard-played game resulted. The Australs proved a bit too good, and in the end won comfortablv by 13 points. McColl and Pratt were the pick of the Australs, and were well assisted by Ayles, Ton ue, Hobday, and Griff.ths. For the Victorias, Jim Charles was the pick, and Hay, Buttle, Morrison, Fisher, Monk, and Grahame also did well.