FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 800, 6 July 1905, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND V. AUCKLAND. The best of weather favoured the followers of the Rugby game on Saturday last, and it was not surprising to see such a splendid attendance as that which witnessed the game of the season—the boys of Jie colony, who are about to tour Australia and England, being pitted against an Auckland fifteen. The teams were as follows : — New Zealand (black): Fullback, Wallace ; threequarters, Thomson, Smith, McGregor; five-eighths, Mynott, Hunter (captain); halfback, Roberts; forwards, Casey, Glasgow, Newton, Nicholson, Johnson, Glenn, O’Sullivan, Seeling. Auckland (blue and white): Fullback, Nicholson; threequarters, Murray, McKenzie (captain), Twiname; five-eighths, Gerrard; halfback, Kiernan; forwards, W. Tyler, Gallaher (wings), Mackrell, Herring, Cunningham, Trevarthen, Hayward, G. Tyler, Francis. Some fast give-and-take work was seen during the first quarter of an hour, and then Auckland commenced a most persistent attack, and on three or four occasions came within an ace of scoring. Francis, Tyler, and Kiernan all nearly getting over. Ultimately a force by McGregor relieved the strain, but soon after Twiname reached the line, but was thrown out at the corner flag. Eventually play was transferred to the Auckland 25, and a fine run by McGregor, Smith, and Hunter saw the latter score a try, which was not converted by Wallace. Auckland immediately resumed the attack, when Gallaher had a great chance to score, but failed to hold the ball, and time after time they pressed back their opponents, but the defence was verv sure, no further score occurring up to half-time. On resuming Auckland again set up a strong attack, and the ball was taken over the line, but Wallace by clever play forced. Again the attack was renewed, the Auckland forwards simply running over their opponents, but chance after chance was lost. - Next Kiernan took the ball to within a yard of the Zealand line, but a moment later, when a try looked a certainty the ball struck the referee. At last the New Zealand men rallied and commenced a counterattack. Thomson made a dash, and then passing to Smith, the sprinter was off at top, and no one having sufficient pace to reach him he scored in agood position, but Wallace’s kick at goal was futile. The New Zealand forwards now showed better play, and McKenzie just averted a try by Thomson, and this was repeated a few minutes later. Thomson then had to be carried off the field, having cut his knee rather badly. Next a passing run by Hunter and McGregor gave the latter an opportunity, and a third try went to the New Zealand team’s credit, but once again Wallace failed to convert. Just before time a brilliant bit of following up by W. Tyler ended in that player beating Wallace and scoring Auckland’s only try, which Cunningham failed to convert. The whistle went a minute later, the New Zealand team thus winning a, good game by 9 points to 3. The game from the start was very fast, but it was soon made apparent that the forwards of New Zealand were out of condition or suffering from want of combination, for the local pack secured the ball almost as they liked, and when the weight was wanted in the pack they simply lifted the “ blacks” clean off the ball. In the line-out also the local fifteen were superior to their opponents; in fact, they played with more dash and vim throughout than did the pack who are to do battle for us in other lands.

Victory for New Zealand was solely due to the combined work of the backs. Their five-eighths handled the ball smartly and cleanly, and fed their backs with “ clock-work” precision, a feature wholly wanting in the play of the local man in the same position—in fact, he was simply useless. Had the Auckland pack had a couple of backs of the SmithHunter calibre to assist McKenzie, I feel confident the result of the game would have been a victory for the local team. For the greater part of the game the New Zealand team were penned in their 25. and it seemed “ hard luck” that the backs could not make use of the splendid openings made for them by their forwards. The play of the New Zealand backs alone saved the situation. .Their defence was sound, their kicking into touch good, and their passing tactics and pace shone out in marked contrast to that of the local men.

It was not my intention to individualise any players, but 1 cannot refrain from ' referring to the grand exhibition of “ back” shown by Wallace. He simply played a wonderful game in the position, such as it has not been my lot to witness since the time of R. B. Lusk. Mynott, Hunter, Smith, and Thomson are also worthy of mention. Roberts did not play up to his reputation, and Kiernan may be said to have shown to greater advantage, owing, no doubt, to being behind a more willing~sack. In the forwards the local men worked to a man, but Francis, Tyler, and Gallaher may be mentioned as playing sterling games.

On the whole the game was a good one to watch, and, bar the accident to Thomson, which I sincerely hope will not prevent him from having his trip Home, there was nothing to mar the game from a spectator’s view, nor was their any attempt at rough play.

The New Zealand Rugby team will play New South Wales next Saturday, and on the 15th inst. A match with a metropolitan team takes place next Wednesday.

In the Secondary Schools’ matches on Saturday, Auckland Grammar School played a draw with King’s College, each side scoring three points.

Next Saturday Grafton meet North Shore, City play Parnell, and Ponsonby tackle Newton. The latter should be the most even ganie of the three.

The New Zealand team witnessed theperformance of “A Moorish Maid” at. His Majesty’s on Friday evening. On Saturday evening they dined with the local players as the guests of the Auckland Rugby Union. On Monday they left for Sydney by the Victoria, a large crowd assembling on the Queen-street Wharf to bid them good-bye.

In this issue will be found several snapshots taken during the progress of the big match on Saturday. A portrait of the Auckland team is also shown, but we are unable to give the New Zealand team owing to the extraordinary action of the New Zealand Rugby Union in advertising for offers for the sole right of photographing and publishing the group of representative players. It looks as though the Union is out after the bawbees in dead earnest, when it stoops tothis sort of thing.

Our Taranaki correspondent writes (Julv 1) :—Last Saturday the first grade cup matches were continued in the southern division. Hawera met Eltham on the latter’s ground, and experienced their first defeat this season. Early in the game, which was played on a heavy ground, Glasgow kicked a penalty goal for Eltham. The game was well contested, but there was no further score. The same day Waimate beat Okaiawa by sto 0. Patea and Opunake met on the former’s ground, the home team winning by Bto 3. Young, an Opunake player, was ordered off the ground for insulting the referee. If the charge against Young is sustained it is hoped that the union will retire him for a long period, as it is necessary that referees should have a full measure of protection. On Thursday last the first grade cup marches were continued in the northern division. Stratford and Tukapa met at New Plymouth. A great deal of interest was centred in this match, for if Tukapa won it would practically place the two teams and Star on an equal footing for the cup in this division. Stratford, however, played a solid game, and came out victorious by 6 (two tries) to nil. The result practically ends the first grade cup competition in this division. The same day Star defeated Inglewood by 5 to 3, the match being played on the latter’s ground. The Star and Tukapa teams will play another match for the Dan O’Brien shield,, presented for yearly competition between the New Plymouth first grade teams. The Taranaki rep. matches will be started this month, the first game being against Wanganui.

Playing under Australian rules at Kingsland, Imperials defeated Victorias by 8 goals 8 behinds to 2 goals 8 behinds.

North Shore, playing on their own ground, beat Tabernacle by 3 goals to nil.

North Shore A defeated Corinthians by 4 goals to 1. Smith and Caughey beat City by 2 goals to 1. * * * *

Austral juniors beat Imperial juniors by 7 goals 4 behinds to 6 goals 4 behinds after a very close game.

The New Zealand Association team played a return match against New South Wales on Saturday, the Sydney men winning by 2 goals to nothing. Neal and Hollin scored for the winners. A curious incident was the fact that two balls burst during the game.

Playing under Association rules on the Domain, Corinthians defeated Ponsonby by 2 goals to 1. Clark and Sale shot goals for the winners, while Taberner put the ball through for Ponsonby.

Next Saturday the New Zealand Association team will play a match against the Northern Districts of New South Wales at Newcastle.

Describing the first Association match between New South Wales and New Zealand. the “ Sydney Mail” remarks that a new era in football was marked on Saturday by the match. This was the first contest between the two countries,

and it was played at Epping Racecourse in the presence of 3000 spectators. Better weather conditions could not have been desired. The result of the game was a win for the visitors, who had 3 goals to 1 scored against them in the first half, but in the second they had matters pretty much their own way, and added 5 goals to I by their opponents. It is only fair to the New South Wales team, however, to mention that they finished the game with nine men, Rae and Moore having to retire, injured. The score at the time was 5 to 4 in favour of the visitors, but the retirement of the two flHtafecrs named materially aided the opforwards, and also lessened New prospects of at least equalNotwithstanding this, it that the New Zealand-ga-vjje in the second w; a decided that of the previous week. passes ‘ of their forwards were very good, though their shooting could have been better. Mawson’s centring was most effective, and was the means of giving Ussher and Foreshaw frequent opportunities, of which they were quick to avail themselves. Of the backs, Taylor and Harrison played best. As the scores indi-

cate, the New South Wales team were seen to advantage in the first half, their short passing rushes giving the opposing backs plenty to do in defending. In headwork, the local team were superior to the visitors, who resorted very little to this branch of play. Of the forwards, Moore, Carey, and Rae were most prominent. In the first spell the backs played well, but the long passing of the visitors in the second half quite beat them.