ITEMS OF SPORT

New Zealand Tablet, 20 August 1914, Page 43

ITEMS OF SPORT

RUGBY.

In the final test in Sydney, the All Blacks had an easy win over Australia, winning By 22 points to

Wanganui played a representative match with Wairarapa on the Recreation Ground on Saturday. The weather was gloriously fine. The first spell was very even, the scores being 6 to 3 in favor of the home team. Wairarapa equalised the points soon after resumption. The Wanganui backs then got to work. Eighteen more points were added to the Wanganui total, and when the whistle sounded the score was: Wanganui 24 points ; Wairarapa, 6 points. - ’ The Canterbury-Auckland representative* Rugby football match was played at Auckland on Saturday in fine weather, and before an estimated attendance of 7000 spectators. The ground was in good order, but, contrary to expectations, the game was not a good exhibition. The Auckland team, which won by 11 points to 3, seemed disorganised, back and forward. The play of the backs showed want of understanding, while the scrum work »was not convincing. The visiting backs gave occasional indications of individual brilliance, but there was no finish to their attack. The visitors’.scrum was better balanced, but the local forwards were much in advance in loose work, and to this superiority Auckland’s win must be ascribed. In the first spell Canterbury was first to score, Crawshaw kicking a penalty goal before the spell ended. Macky finished up a char-' acteristic swerving run by scoring a try, which was not converted. The gam© was 3 all when the teams changed ends. In the second spell McDonald scored a try and converted it. Sellars also scored.

Celtics fittingly ended their first season on Thursday, August 13, by placing to their credit the most emphatic win they have yet had, defeating the High School by 18 points to 5 (writes our' Oamaru correspondent). The Celtic forwards were much too good for the Blacks, whom they kept busy throughout the game. Harper, on the wing, was a thorn in the flesh of his opponents, and O’Donnell at centre three-quarter played his usual sound and solid game. At half-time the score stood 9—o in favor of the Celtic, and though in the second spell the School rallied for a while and obtained a try, 'which was converted, Celtic were not to be denied, and they added another 9 points, the match ending in a win for them by 18 points to 5. Mr. Joe Reid was an efficient referee. A collection taken at the entrance to the Park realised 25s lOd, which was handed over ‘to the secretary of the general war fund. The call for volunteers for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force has thinned the ranks of the local football clubs-very considerably; The Excelsior-Old Boys match yesterday had to be abandoned, and the senior North Otago representative team is likely to be ill ‘ queer street ’ for its remaining fixtures. Already five certainties for the fifteen are out for King and Country,’ and it is likely that more will follow.

THE LEAGUE GAME.

'■: ' The cup final resulted thus: Auckland 35, Taranaki 4. The English Northern Union team defeated a team representing New South Wales by 21 points to 15. The Taranaki Rugby League representative team played a challenge match- Saturday against the Auckland representative team. There were 4000 spectators. 'Auckland won by -35 points to 4, and thus retains possession of the New Zealand* Challenge Cup. A feature of the match was the place-kicking of Savoury, who converted six of the seven tries Scored, and kicked a penalty goal. - In the first spell the scoring- was fairly even. Hooker kicked two goals for Taranaki; ! and Bennet scored a.* try for - Auckland, which Savoury converted. In the second spell Auckland monopolised the scoring, and tries were , scored ,by Savoury, Clark, Seagerj Walters, Fricker, - and Rogers. ' 4 Savoury converted five of these and kicked a penalty goal. ” Each of the six f orwards and the scrum half scored tries. '

HARRIERS.

The St; Joseph’s Harriers held* their Five-mile Championship at Wingatui on Saturday. A fair field faced the starter (Mr. T. Dawson), who got the men away satisfactorily. The' result was:-—J. Cameron, 3min 20sec, 1; J. O’Farrell, 31min 26sec r 2; C: Maloney, 32min 18sec, 3. A sealed handicap which was held rgsulted as follows: Roughan (3min lOsec), 1; C. Maloney 20sec), 2; A. Ahern (6min), 3.

GENERAL.

Mr. Allen Doone has been demonstrating his versatility as a sportsman down at the Melbourne Gun Club grounds at Brighton, within the past week. He is a crack shot—be it rifle, pistol, or shot gun. Recently he fairly ‘ scooped the pool ’ at the gun club, to the surprise of many of. the spectators, while his mother was made the recipient of several valuable trophies-which he won.

Like the Canadian game of lacrosse, America’s national sport of baseball has secured a firm hold in Australia, and the recent visit of two of the leading teams of the United States did much to encourage enthusiasts, and place it on a sounder footing. When a game assumes the dignity of being able to hold interstate carnivals, it has come to stay. Last* Saturday a carnival was opened at Petersham, and New South Wales, which appears to be usually at the fore where new sports are concerned, quickly demonstrated her superiority over the sister States. .

Some Home critics db not like Paddon’s style.! They complain that his elbows sticx out awkwardly, and that he imposes too much strain on his arms in consequence. But no two , men scull alike, and Paddon’s . arms are of the red gum variety, and do not know what fatigue is. The big Australian learnt his rowing on the Clarence, and built up his stamina whilst pulling a great barge of a trading craft from settler to : - settler along the river. After his race with Arnst he hadn’t .turned a hair, although he politely praised his rival’s effort. Paddon, by the way, is a Catholic, and a fine, modest and unassuming fellow. 1 ’ ••’ -' - 4 * J '

The suicide of Albert Trott at his residence, Harlesden, England, unfortunately closed the career of one of Victoria’s best all-round cricketers. Recently Trott entered St. Mary’s Hospital, but complained of. tedium and dreariness of hospital life, and on Tuesday week he said he could stand it no longer. The doctors tried to dissuade him, but he insisted on being-discharged, so he was placed ,in a taxi-cab and the fare to his home was paid. He was 41 years old, and came into prominence in 1894-5, when Stoddart’s team visited Australia. He then scored 331 runs in five innings and took 19 wickets at an average cost of 24 funs. Failing to get a place in the. team that went to England in 1896, he went on his awn Account, and joined the ground staff at Lord’s. Two years after he began to, play for Middlesex, and it was largly .due to his bowling that Middlesex, then came second in the county championship competition. In 1899 he made a score .of 164 against Yorkshire, and on six occasions in the following five years he made centuries. His batting earned him fourth place in' the county tables, and he was easily first as a bowler, taking 146 wickets,- whilst J. T. Hearne, who was runner-up, captured only 68. In a match against Somerset in 1907 he took four wickets with - four consecutive balls, and later in the same innings he did the hat trick. Seven years before he had taken' all the ten wickets of Somerset in a match at Taunton.,: . ■*, -'•--■■t* v-.., ;'VV-L .■ j