THE FOOTBALL WORLD.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 910, 15 August 1907, Page 12

THE FOOTBALL WORLD.

(BY

“SCRUTATOR.”)

Auckland went mighty near losing the Ranfurly Shield last Saturday. ’Tis many a long day since such a weak rep. team essayed to uphold the laurels of the Northern province as that which took the field against Hawke’s Bay. With Smith, Kiernan, Gillett, R. Wynyard, Seeling, Trevarthen, G. Tyler, W. Tyler, Francis and Cunningham out of the team, it was anything but the redoubtable combination of previous years.

It was a crowd of thorough Rugby enthusiasts which assembled at Alexandra Park on Saturday to witness the match between Auckland and Hawke’s Bay. The game was very keenly contested —too keenly, in fact, for the peace of mind of the big crowd, and for the greater part of the match they were in .suspense. When, however, towards the end, Auckland’s victory became assured, they gave way to suppressed feeling, and the stand became a seething mass of excitement.

The visitors had by far the stronger team, and the heavier. From the outset, it was patent that Auckland was going to have a rough time of it. The display in the first half was simply shocking. The Hawke’s Bay men run over the Aucklanders, and for at least two-thirds of the time had them on the defensive. The home team seemed altogether at a loss as regards combination. The backs gave an expositioii that could, only be classed as a parody on football. Fumbling, for which there was no excuse, occurred again and again, and there was not a redeeming feature. Likewise the forwards failed to shine out with any semblance of brilliance.

It was simply pure good luck that Hawke’s Bay did not register a point in the first half. Early in the game the referee penalised Auckland right in front of their own goal. Walshe took on an easy kick, -but failed to put the ball over the cross-bar. Time and again the visitors invaded their opponents’ 25, but though they tried hard, failed to notch a score. One or two apparently certain tries were lost through bad passing. Auckland was playing with a strong wind, almost am minting to a gale, behind them. Yet they were entirely kept on the defensive for the first 30 minutes. Towards the end of the first spell, they rallied somewhat, and the forwards began to show out more forcibly in loose play. Carrying the game to a neutral zone, the defenders of the shield managed to hold their own there, and then relieved the tension by assuming the aggressive. W. Wynyard and Magee carried the ball into Hawke’s. Bay territory, and then the forwards took it up. Hayward and McDonald headed a nice forward rush, and Hayward;, securing the leather within a few yards of the line, ploughed his way through the thick of his opponents, scoring a meritorious try. Magee made a good attempt to convert from a difficult angle.

Though Auckland had the advan-; tage of three points when play was resumed after the spell, supporters of the home team were inclined to consider their prospects in rather a glum light. AU the honours of the first half were with the visitors, and on resuming they had the sun and wind behind them. Magee reorganised his pack in the second spell, putting City Maguire into the front rank. The change was unquestionably a wise one, and had a good deal to do with subsequent developments. Confident of their own abilities, the visitors attacked smartly, and immediately had Auckland in trouble. All the Auckland backs were out of position, and Miller essayed to take the ball from a kick by Mclntyre. Failing to get underneath it in time, he fumbled, and Mclntyre, following on, had a clear run along the line, enabling him to score. Tomlin failed to convert.

With the score even, there was no end of excitement. Hawke’s Bay barrackers —and there were a few — were wildly confident of victory. Had the Auckland team continued to play as wretchedly to the end as they had

up to the time of Hawke’s Bay’s score, it is certain that Northerners would have to-day been bewailing the loss of the shield. Fortunately, however, a miraculous change seemed to be worked. The home team rallied in a manner that was out of all comparison to their previous play. The backs retrieved themselves, and effected some brilliant rushes. Again and again they tackled their opponents’ stronghold. W. Wynyard, who had shone out above all the other backs right through the game, got in with a brilliant run. When tackled, he passed to Twiname, who in turn transferred to Dillamore, and amidst the greatest excitement another try was scored. A few minutes later, Hall got hold of the leather, and with a lovely run, dashed over the line.

From this out the game was fast and furious. Hawke’s Bay tried hard to equalise matters, but Auckland was just as keen, and the last 20 minutes of the game was a revelation. Magee, who skippered the home team, and Walshe, who captained the visitors, both received injuries which necessitated their taking up positions as fullbacks to their respective teams. In the last ten minutes Wynyard was responsible for a very fine score. From the line-out he got possession, and passed to Murray, who, when tackled, passed back to Wynyard, and the score was added to by a neat try. Shortly after the bell rang, and the home team retained possession of the shield by 12 points to 3.

As before remarked, the exhibition in the first half by the Auckland team •was beyond understanding. Miller, as fullback, was the only player whose form was not disappointing, and it was due to his cool, heady, defensive work that Hawke’s Bay played a scoreless first half. In the second spell the Auckland backs retrieved themselves. Murray was the pick of a very poor threequarter-line. Magee was suffering from an injured shoulder, received at the Thames the previous Sa u- day, and his work at fiveeighth, though safe, was not as brilliant as usual. W. Wynyard played the game of his life, and was responsible for a deal of brilliant work. Kiernan’s place behind the scrum was taken by Ladner, but his play was mediocre in the extreme. Of the forwards, Hayward Kinder, Hall and Grafton Maguire were the most solid. Hayward’s work throughout was deserving of the greatest praise, and in the open he was simply a tower of strength to the Auckland team.

Of the visitors it was not an easy matter to sort out any player except Mclntyre for individual mention. Hawke’s Bay has certainly a stronger representative team this season than any previous year and went very near wresting the coveted Ranfurly Shield from Auckland’s possession. Walshe and Tomlin, as five-eighths, played dashing games, while Payne was a model half-back. McCarthy and Struthers were more than a match for the opposing hookers in the first half, though matters were equalised somewhat in the second spell. Caulton and Scullion were perhaps the smartest in the loose of a very fine lot of forwards.

As a curtain-raiser to the big match on Saturday, Auckland B’s met a rep. team sent down by the Franklin Union. The visitors began by making things very lively in Auckland’s 25, and within ten minutes of the game’s commencement had worked the ball by a forward rush over the home team’s line, D. Blake notching the try. The visitors’ first advantage was their last, for the blue and whites bad it all their own way in subsequent play. Wilson, by a decent run, carried the leather into Franklin’s 25, and from a scrum on the line Farrant repeated his performance of the previous Saturday by taking the ball from the scrum and wriggling through the opposing team, thus equalising the score.

For a while play centred about a neutral zone. Then Farrant secured from some line-out play, and after a

tricky run passed to Hogan, who swerved through the opposition, and though he collided heavily with a goalpost, succeeded in planting the ball over the line. Within a few moments, Hogan had scored his second try. Wilson, with his usual pace, got clear away from the field, and with only the fullback to beat, passed to Hogan at the right moment, with the result that another three points were added to the score.

The teams did not leave the field, but simply changed ends for the second spell. Play was not of a very interesting nature, and the only try scored was placed to the credit of Pople, who darted across from a convenient line out. Wilson converted, and the game resulted: Auckland B’s, 14; Franklin, 3.

Auckland secured a triple victory on Saturday, the junior reps, visiting Waiuku and downing the local union by 8 points to 6. Rough weather was encountered by the juniors on their trip doiwn the Manukau, and on arrival at Waiuku many of them did not feel much like football. In the first half Hardwick scored for the juniors, and in the second spell Bater got over the line in a good position, and Paul converted. Towards the end of the game the home team showed out to better advantage, and Bennett and Bright both scored. No further scores were added, however, and the game resulted in a win for 'the visitors by 8 points to 6.

For the juniors, <all the hacks played splendidly, while of the forwards Wright, Baker, Flicker, Vosper and Shaw were the best. Of the Waiuku team, Bennett, Herrold, Middleton, Brockless and Mellsop played good games. In the evening the visitors were banqueted at Molloy’s hotel, when toasts proposed by Messrs. Barriball, Rossiter, Herrold, Hardwick and Molloy were duly honoured, and a very enjoyable time spent. The team returned to Auckland on Sunday.

NEWS ANO NOTES.

Who is Mr. Hopkins ? Taylor, an old Grafton player, was a member of the Franklin team which visited Auckland on Saturday. * * * * Exit Todd, R. Wynyard, Mackrell, Rowe, Trevarthen, and W. Tyler from New Zealand football. * * * * A big crowd assembled to wish the professionals “ Good-bye” on Monday, when they left by the Victoria. As the boat left the tee, “ Toddy’s” call for “ Three cheers for good old Auckland” was intermingled with the strains of “ We Parted on the Shore,” played by the ship’s bugler. * * * * George Smith, W. Wynyard and Dunning expect to leave for Sydney on Monday next, to join the professional team. Wynyard is a clever five-eighths, and has skippered the North Shore team for several seasons past, while Dunning is a fine Ponsonby hooker. The reason of their inclusion is that several of the “All Blacks,” who were expected to remain in Sydney and join the professionals, failed to do so.

The N.Z. Rugby Union has the right to appoint the referee in all challenge matches for the Ranfurly Shield. A Mr. Hopkins, of New Plymouth, was their selection for the Hawke’s Bay match on Saturday. The appointment wasn’t a happy one. The gentleman in question is very fond of the whistle —so fond, in fact, that one wasn’t enough to last him through the game. They certainly play different football in Mr. Hopkins’ country to what we do in the North.

It is asserted that one of the trickiest backs in Auckland refuses to go South with the touring team unless he receives compensation equivalent to the amount Ke would lose while away from his work. The fact that the player in question: was absent from last Saturday’s ’ team lends colour to the report.

On the strength of Saturday’s display by the Auckland reps., the selector must have been somewhat perplexed, such was the inconsistency, of form It is rather a pity, after his fine performance in Auckland the previous Saturday, that Harrison, the Northern Wairoa threequarter, was not given a chance.

How is the Auckland team going to fare on its Southern tour this month? This is a question which has more than one Rugger enthusiast by the wool. With the exception of Bob Magee, and perhaps two others, there are no first-class backs in Auckland this season. Likewise the forwards have been greatly weakened; the retirement of Tyler and Seeling is a big blow, while the professionals have carried off three of the best. The opportunity has been provided of filling the ranks with younger players, but the promotion of Miller, Kinder, Hall and McDonald seems to have exhausted resources. Just how the team which goes South is going to prosper is a question of moment, for it is indisputable that tjie combination is not as strong as that of previous years.

The display of the Auckland reps, in the match against Hawke’s Bay last Saturday must have been very much like a repetition of what took place in Sydney in the first “ All Black” match. Until within the last 20 minutes of the game, Hawke’s Bay had all the best of it. Then in the closing stages Auckland made a wonderful rally, and after defending for close on 60 out of the 90 minutes, turned the 'tables and fairly romped over their opponents.

“ Shylock” writes as follows: — “Does the Rugby Union already feel the pinch of professional opposition, that they have decided on retrenchment, or is it really that their munificence in encouraging players has been such this year that they find it essential to dispense with a band, as an expense beyond their means ? Hitherto it has been customary, on auspicious occasions, such as a Ranfurly Shield match, to add to the enjoyment of proceedings with a little band music. What’s the reason of the sudden change this year ?”

The sole selector to the Auckland Rugby Union (Mr D. Gallaher) has chosen the following players to represent Auckland in the tour South as far as Invercargill:—Backs: Miller, Murray, Twiname, Dillamore, R. Magee, Stuckey, Farrant, Hogan, Ladner (of Auckland) Snowling (Thames), and Coote (Waikato). Forwards: McDonald, Gillett, Maguire (2) (City and Grafton), Nicholson, Seeling, Francis, Hall, Cunningham, Kinder, MacCormick, Williams (of Auckland), and Hayward (Thames). Emergencies: Backs—Wilson, Woodward (Auckland), and Newdick (Thames). Forwards —Pople, Walsh, Hooper, and Smith (Thames). The team will probably leave Auckland next Tuesday.

At the Auckland Opera House a series of biograph pictures, showing the “All Blacks” in their first match against New South Wales, is creating no end of interest. Some of the snapshots are really good.

At the time of writing it is expected that the Goldfields will pay a return visit to Auckland next Saturday.

A match in which considerable interest is centred is that between the Ponsonby and Newton fourths, for premiership honours, which eventuate on Saturday.

It is gratifying to find that Rugby , is making such splendid strides in Australia. The final test match on ’ Saturday, which was really a third > contest between the waratahs and sil- ’ ver ferns, brings us no nearer a solution as to which team is the superior. In the first match New Zealand was . victorious by 9 to 3, and the win was generally accounted a lucky one. In -: the second contest the New South Welshmen had the best of it by 14 A points to nil. The third combat last Saturday resulted in a drawn game. Controversy is therefore no nearer a settlement.

WELLINGTON CHATTER.

My Wellington correspondent writes: —

Championship matches were brought to a conclusion last Saturday, Petone, for the fourth year in succession coming out on top. The match between Petone and Poneke was the deciding one, and it was played at the Athletic Park. From the fact that whichever team won the game would win with it the championship, a great deal of interest was taken in it, but the fates were unkind to the players and the Rugby Union. The weather was so bad on Saturday morning that many followers of the game hoped that a postponement would be necessary, as nothing but a two hours’ shiver could be looked forward to, as the rain was accompanied by a keen sooutherly blow, which has only to be felt on the main football ground of Wellington to be appreciated

It must be confessed, however,, that those who felt this way were mainly supporters of the Poneke team, for if the match was put off foi' a week, Wallace and Mitchinson would be back from the Australian trip, and thbir presence on the field would considerably enhance the chances of victory by the red and blacks The game was played, however, and a strenuous one it was, too, the lads from the village winning by 9 points (tries by Green, Clark, and a penalty goal by Reed) to 3 points (a try by Sutherland) Th,e play was mainly confined to the forwards, the Poneke team being more expert in the loose, and Petone hooking the ball with the more success. The former had much the better of the game, and should have won if they had been handled properly. Their backs let them down badly, while their opponents in the same position handled the ball and used the wind and touchline to greater advantage. To this they owed their victory, and they deserve it because of the finer defence and better judgment of their backs. The following table shows how the various teams performed in the contest for the senior championship: —

Championship points: Petone, 20; Poneke, 19; Athletic, 18; Oriental, 14; Melrose, 14; Old Boys, 9; St. James’, 8; Wellington 8; Victoria College, 0.

The success of the Petone team of late years has been on the phenomenal side. -In 1902 they were so badly off for players that they were disqualified for the senior championship through forfeiting more than the permissible number of matches, and the outook before the club was very sombre indeed. Between the end of that season and the beginning of the next, Mr W. Hardham, the only V.C. man in this dominion, returned from assisting th>i Mother Country in the war against the Boers. He immediately got to work, and gathered round him kin dred souls in the persons of Bill King, Dan Fraser, George Davis, Pi Wynyard,. and many others, and a big effort was made to put the Petone Club on its feet. Old players and young players rallied round them; and so pronounced was the rally that when the, numbers went up at the end of the 1903 season, Petone were the runners up for the championship. To jump in one short season from the lowest team to that position will indicate pretty clearly what vim the boys from the village had put into their efforts to uplift the club. The next year—l9o4—they got right to the top, and, despite many close calls, they have retained their position, and for four successive seasons have had their names inscribed as the champion team in Wellington. Every club in this dominion can learn a lesson from the success of the Petone Club, and it is—encourage your junior players and look after them and the club must go ahead. In the suburban club they have many men who know a likely footballer, and right from their schooldays onwards they watch their lads improving, and give the needful hint where necessary, with the result that as the years go by, and vacancies happen in the senior team, there are tried juniors to take their places. It will be readily seen what I mean when I say that in the champion team this season .there are players who were schoolboy representatives when Petone won the championship in 1904. The real lesson to be learnt is never

to mind the imported reputation player, but look well after the promising junior talent in your own club.

At the time of writing it is more than probable that the Petone Club will win the whole of the five championships of the Wellington ' Rugby Union —a performance never before approached by any other club in this district.

The Wellington and Canterbury members of the professional team got a hearty send off when they left by the Warrimoo last Friday afternoon for Sydney. In addition to those mentioned by me last week the Wellington contingent included Lile (who was a member of this year’s North Island team) and Gilchrist (who has represented Wellington on many occasions, and was one of the team that tripped to Auckland last year). Both of them were eleventh-hour selections, and were included as the result of a cablegram received from Sydney.

A good yarn is told of Lile. He was a member of the Permanent Artillery, and last Sunday was cook’s orderly for the day. At half-past eleven in the morning, Baskerville came up to him and said, “We want you, Fatty!” “Hurroo! they can cook their own blooming chops, I’m off.” And away he went, and bought his discharge from the Permanents, and the next afternoon was speeding away on his journey to England. Quick work, truly!

The departure of the professional team is going to weauen the Wellington representative fifteen, although by thus giving many younger players an opportunity of gaining their caps it may do the game more good. Cross was out of action, but Wright, Tyne, Byrne, Lile, and Gilchrist were all certain of their places in the forward division. Rush, who was reckoned a certainty to fill the back position, was put out of court last Saturday through an injury to his shoulder, and, altogether it looks as if the Wellington selectors are going to have a merry time marshalling their forces. Tab Wynyard, the old Auckland and Wellington representative player, has been transferred once again to Wellington, this time to a position in the Chief Inspector of Stocks office. Warbrick, eldest son of Alf of- that ilk, was coaxed to show his paces once again for Oriental on Saturday week, and by potting a goal from the field showed that he has not forgotten what his feet are for.

There are many people in Wellington rejoicing that Fred Murray is coming South as the manager of the Auckland team. All who have come in contact with him during the many years “the Doctor” has been connected with football in Auckland have a good word to say foi’ him, and his many acts of kindness to Wellington footballers while in the northern city are held keenly in remembrance. If Murray and his team do not have pleasant recollections of their trip to Wellington this year it won’t be the fault of his many friends. Wellington is well off for halfbacks this year. Fred Roberts, the “All Black,” still retains his form, and in Clem Green; the Petone youthful player, he has a splendid understudy. If he doesn’t win his cap this year it will be hard luck. Still another lad who is going to make his mark in this position is Tilyard, who, in the last few matches, has been showing his paces behind the Poneke pack. He is only a boy, but is cleverness itself. Both Green and Tilyard have had the one mentor —to wit, Jimmy Lynskey, who represented Canterbury in his day, and is one of the best schoolboy coaches at present in this dominion. A great deal of the success of the Petone Club referred to in an earlier paragraph is due to the solid grounding in the principles given the schoolboys by Lynskey, who for years has taught the Petone boys how to play football as well as the other things necessary for a schoolboy’s education. A book entitled “Modern Rugby Football” made its appearance in Wellington this week. At the time of writing I have only had a casual look through it, but it is interesting to know that the author of it is A. H. Baskerville, who has been one of the main factors towards getting the professional team together to tour the Northern Counties of England. The Auckland match, fixed for the 24th instant, is the first of a big series of representative games here. Trial matches in Wellington are a weariness to the flesh, and in all probability next Saturday will be devoted to the Charity Cup match, in which the winner of the senior championship has to play one of the other competing teams whichever one’s challenge ,is agreed to by the Rugby Union.

ONE OF THE OLD BRIGADE.

AN AUCKLAND AND N.S.W REP. A FINE FOOTBALL CAREER. ’Tis frequently i&aid that not only is there a dearth of good 'backs in New Zealand, but also that back play is deteriorating, and becoming a lost science. It is certainly true that Auckland is badly off in this respect. In past interviews with men like Bob Whiteside and Tim O’Connor, the “Review” has been able to draw some fine parallels of the play of a quarter of a century ago, compared with the pre-sent-day tactics of Rugby. In this issue we publish an interesting interview with O. N. Riley, one of the trickiest and cleverest backs of his day. As half, five-eighths or threequarter, “ Oily” Riley was one of the cutest, nattiest, and most versatile exponents of the game we have had in New Zealand. It is 20 years ago since Riley first made his appearance in competition football. When the district scheme was inaugurated in 1892, he played with the first Ponson'by seniors, and in the same year won his rep. cap, taking part in the game against Canterbury, when a team of Southern players came to Auckland and showed what a combined team could do against a fifteen lacking system, by licking the Northerners by 24 points to nil. The Auckland rep. team of that year included Jack Kissling as fullback, Reg. Masefield, Doss Jervis and Riley as threequarters, Elliott as five-eighth, and Alby Braund behind the scrum. These men were mostly considered star players, but Canterbury absolutely over-nan the Auckland team, simply because they had combination, while the home team had none. The following season Riley represented Auckland again, but was debarred from taking any part in the interprovincial matches, as the result of an injury to h:s knee.

In 1894 Riley was probably at his best. At that time he was a resident of Sydney, and played on the three-quarter-line for Randwick, then the champion club of the N.S. Wales metropolis. His form was so consistent that he found his way into the New South Wales rep. team, and visited New Zealand. His work as fiveeighths with that team was one of the strongest links in its mechanism. Riley took part in the match at Christchurch. when the light 'blues downed the “All Blacks,” much to the surprise of everyone. Asked to what reason he ascribed that victory, Riley replied that pure strategy won the game for the New South Welshmen. Knowing that the “ All Black” forwards would play to their backs, the light blues allowed the wearers of the silver fern emblem to secure the ball in the scrum, and set their backs. The policy might sound queer, but it worked, and the visiting team left the field victorious.

The following season Riley found his way back to Auckland, and striking form again, was once more included in the Auckland reps. The team went South that year, but met with scant success. Rather reticent on the (subject, Mr. Riley vouchsafed that football was near 'being ruined in the North that season, a narrow spirit of cliqueism having prevailed over the truer sentiments of the game, and to this reason he attributes the non-suc-cess of the team with which he went South.

Like a man attracted by-two loves. Mr. Rfey was anything but settled in his movements, and 1896 found him again in Sydney, once more donning the jersey for the Randwick fifteen. The succeeding season, however, found him back once again with the old love —Ponsonby—and playing at his best. He was a member of the “ Pony” team which won the senior competition cup that year, and was also one of the Auckland team which gave such a drubbing to the “ All Black” team after its victorious tour

of Australia. With the Auckland reps, he also went South that season, when Taranaki and Wellington were administered pretty severe defeats. During 1898 Riley was located at Coromondel, but assisted Auckland in all outside engagements. The 1899 season found him at the Thames, and he was a member of the fifteen which gave such a memorable licking to the Auckland reps, that year. Though selected to go South with the Auckland team, the veteran threequarter was beginning to show some sign of the strain of 12 years’ hard football training, and through indisposition was unable to participate in the tour. The following season (1900) saw Oily Riley’s last appearance in rep. football, when he played against Wellington and Otago. Asked what he thought of the game of to-day, as compared with a decade of years back, Mr. Riley says he does not believe Rugby is so attractive (as it was in the old days. The backs are not nearly up to the standard of the old-time players. The principal reason of the game losing its brilliancy, in his opinion, is because there are no half-backs of the Alby Braund and Buff Caradus type. These two exponents of the halfback game—'than whom it is doubtful if New Zealand has ever known better —used to play the cute, clever, opening-up tactics, and were responsible for the passing runs which would invariably send the crowds into ecstacies. “ To-day you don’t get much of that,” he .said. “It is usually a tussle of sheer strength amongst the forwards, with the backs ever on the look-out to relieve the monotony should the ball 'by chance

come their way.” Kiernan, in the old Auckland rep.’s opinion, is the only halfback we have had during recent years who possesses the subtle art necessary in filling this position, which is generally regarded as the key to the mechanism of the whole combination.

Riley was always known as a tricky player, who never hesitated, . but seized an opportunity. He. would hold the ball at arm’s length' in front of him, and pretending to pass: every move in close play, would swerve and wriggle his way through an opposing crowd before they knew what had really happened. In Oily’s opinion, the tackling is not nearly so effective as it used to be. His motto always was to never deliberate, but rush a man as fast as possible, and dive low —and, above all, never to hesitate.

It is rather a noticeable thing that most of the old players, who devoted their time to amateur Rugby, have a decided leaning towards the professional element. Perhaps.it is (because players like Bob Whiteside are to-day compelled to pay for entrance to the football ground, and fight for a seat amongst the crowd. Most of these veterans carry scars won in past battles, and still suffer from the results of injuries received on the football field. With the glamour of health, youth and strength, supplanted by the reflection of middle age, they are inclined to look on the glories of amateurism from a different standpoint. Anyway, Mr. Riley argues that when Australian cricketers can go Home and clear £2OO and £3OO a man and yet retain their amateur status, the definition of amateur Rugby suffers very much by comparison. As an all-round sportsman, few men are (better known in Auckland than Oily N. Riley, and as a yachtsman he has won dozens of races on the Manukau, Waitemata, Coromandel, and Whangarei Harbours.

THE “ALL BLACK” AUSTRALIAN TOUR. RESULTS. July 13, v. N.S. Wales. Won by 9 to 3. July 17, v. N.S. Wales. Defeated, by 14 to nil. July 20, v. Australia. Won by 26 to 6. July 24, v Queensland. Won by 23 to 3. July 27, v. Queensland. Won by 17 to 11. August 10, v. Australia. Drawn —5 points each.

Team. P. Matches. Points. W. L. D. For. Ag. Petone . . . . . 12 9 1 2 171 49 Ponpkfi . . . . 13 8 2 3 146 .61 Athletic . . . 13 7 2 4 158 79 Oriental . . . 12 6 4 2 141 63 Melrose . . . 13 7 6 0 143 86 Old Boys . . 12 4 7 7 46 169 St. James’ . 12 3 7 2 67 75 Wellington . 12 3 7 2 57 134 Vic. Collej ;e 11 0 11 0 26 249