THE AUCKLAND MATCH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 4 September 1909, Page 12

THE AUCKLAND MATCH.

A GUNCE AT INDIVIDUALS. JBt OtF-SIDE Mit) Tho chief feature of the* Auckland back? i* , was their, defensive qualities. Although J they started none too well, they eventually proved themselves to bo a safe lot Itent wick, thoir full-back, scorned to gain oonfidenco as the gnmo progressed. Ho made » / ono mull shortly after tho kick-off, but after that gave a first-class exposition. Ho fielded difficult kicks like a. conjurer,- and ' made Eomo 'prodigious punts into touch His tac'cbnp powers wore well tried when ho collared F. and H Roberts In the case of ' F. Roberts (he collared him twico) tho Auck--1 lander , on tho first occasion waa the only re- , mainiug bulwark of his side, and the Wolr > lineton skipprr was making straight for tlio goal-posts. AVhen ho collared H. Rob- " erte, his comrado,. Webb, to spratchjng' tho Wellington boy'a jersey, but Kenwick'e tackle effectually saved th? situation, and.

.n[;foot of tie . ltoo.. . M'Gregor was tho most prominent of. a • very ; gooii line. • This/player; is,'ft diminutlw'individual of the "Dicky" I/ockwood stomp: Ha is a • f,as,t. runnor, : a good ;kick, and a-determined" tackier.;' ; Ho paid marked atientioj; t<) His nlay, on; Saturday' 'm'.marked'contrast to Ills, exhibition on -Wednesday, and''l thero' fa "no" 'doubt, that ho htQ'l&'lkitto attributes , of ■ a-firstrclass threeguartor'ibaok.' ' It; would not bo surprising ■if Gf.-.Smitli's mantle 1 should eventually fall ■Oft^i%i^..^il^n t : i ftt|;;ccßtroVthr.eerquartsri played;' a' -very sound dofensivb!>gamoY Ho also 'osoellod ;in ; -: tackling,' ''and, on one .β^j™: b I ■.-ft>Howlng..uE. fost, Jie_caraod the f "lay; fifty.- yards on to the Wellington gpal_inPj;;and;.,smojhor'cd' Ryan..' It' was in the immediate sequel to this'move that Mag'eo was_ knocked, out,". Murray^.did ;--a '..certain aifViuiit ; of '■'sale kicking.' -Mage'e,- the-Auck-land captain, ; af fine game; when .lie i'Jiyas.forced..to ; retire. 'Ho-liad been very prominent, in-the attacking rushes,; Q'Leary, ;whe is one'o J; the. best weif- weather- backs, in. /New ■ Zealand ; sb -'faivas kicking! and'"fieldihg are'con(^ri\ed, : wag prominent all through the '.'''Hβ.' fielded and kicked in almost' any position," ; 'and,finiaddition7'-he..wpn the.''game • for; His side .'.with' a'-penal ty-kick.' ;Hig:collaring on.'the ; weak' ; 'sidc. .■ Webb, ■ at' , ,-half; did -'a-lot of defensive work, 'andj on two occasions,' he-.'gave, a good helping hand, to Eenwick;in;tackling the;.two.Roliertses. ..In the-! Auckland, forward .ranks, Wilkcs'played game on the wing. ril'Gnire was the. ■better all-round forwar.dj'and ho excelled on the,.line-out. .-In the loose, play ho was, well supported by -Seilars, Williams,. Francis, 1 and Nioholson.. Fran'ois.didCnpt play up to his reputation,'and.he was seen.:'in'.."-'desperate work .'only, at times. .'.:■{•■'..' ■:■"■":v- ...':>"!■ . . ; Byau...th6.: Wellington' full-back; got.' his .s,ido; into; a..; lot ;of .;tr,publethrough ■ keeping :too.'close';. up-,-',tp": ""'has ; three-quarters! .--.The result.-,wju; that;'.in'..spn;e'..pf.-.the. bursts by; the- Aucklandors, tho /Wellington man" : did 'not ••anticipato ' tho- play, and -several:.times >had to 'chase back 'yards !after. the 'ball,- i with-,' the Aucklandors. right o.n his ; track. ' .Possibly the, reason; of,Ryan' 3' ;errbr was.,tlia , t:his, : prpper.p6sition''is"not full-' '.back/-and.ho'.'has'-not nad chough .experience' .iri'',tn6? position''to know" the. requirements. ■Evensott;Tvas' the ipick. :of the threo-quart-ors. : :Hejstarted'.off arid, ninning,: aid ho was, ,-very : iwith ■Rpbprte/i-M'^eod,-"and- Mitchinsori- in" , 'the! second "spell., v'Mitohinsbn.,was ! 'not;.'his':;Usual 'Eclf,:'.and,he-and; Walsh wefe'good only rlii splashes.;'; Hβ nearly let score:.at :the' 'end. of th.6' game. , '? v ; • "'. V ; \.;; ;;; >V\) : :>,Walsh would,"'.'no.-.dpnbt,"have,;been ; seen .to. 'better' advantage 'generally on a- dry' ground. ,H© ; ;gavo .Awklaiid '.their, '.scoroitlirough an act.of-illegal'-,pbstructi6h;. His-fielding''was l W«iS^;bu^..vhe\-.was':.:fa^^ood''frpm i -Bri.'ag'- ; gressive' , : is. jio vdoubt that* ho" is' '• bettor ; as. | fife-eighths' than, i' as ; . a three-qnarter.'.-'.M'Leod was : not so 'success', ful'as was.anticipated,'.but;H. Roberts did somie; pretty. JVprk at i ;tiraes,.:i;-Ho,'-,liowev.er,. seems lardly-fast pnoogh for a ; tiiree-quarter;'-at'present'somewhat:light,for a; -oh-! the 'light Vside'i as: fiye-oighths "against.' big ; ■''■ As F;/Roberts;filled the .bill .'in hisjisual capital stylo," but ids a .skipp.er.hb ; h,ayp;. ; mised■■■his/game;,:•' ;S.omo-' exe'eptibn'■_■ w,as: ; .taken',.to. ; tho, strength;of tho '. Wei-'. lingtqn;-''scrum,' 1 in i .tho- first, spell, , ■' but 'there is doubt; that attimesin the scpond half it..niofe.-than'held.'its own. against; the heavier, "Auckland■ plia'lau?:Vlh'-the loose,.''Avery.'-inade;' an. exceUpnt.^wing-forward,'-'except, that::his. jnucK'jnleyidence: .fle,.was.ioh,the ball all aad worried-..the .Auokland^ba^ks^.cphsiderably.--' < The xemain-. ing AyellingUnforwards/seeniedtp.bo' a;very 'equal : lpt.;-;-Ready.-;and ;nennpoy.,.ivere all r .tliat "could:!.bis^^v-reqiiired i.as'- 'frpntrraiikersjvand ' "Itanji.",-. \Wi'lsoii';'M»--ndtJeo;(liisnJHg-..as , ,'usual, 'but. he ■\\'h& ithey^fift'iflashes , :'(!;Wilspn;' the pivot); '•not!i'^sen; : .inuch[.'put-.-J6f:his, , departmeht. ■Ho .the ■art '.bf','jjrpperly.J!s«rewng-'-thor.seram'i:'sTaiinaliiHi'. M'Kc-llar wero all; prdminpnt' ,16psdVwprk',-VTannahill .-possibly :-imoro',';,"ofte'ii thin; the' ■pth : ers I ; ; :. : a]t'hough;': ho'-jniight. have been '. 'more^^effeoti've ■'-■ at, |.'.;tjie endl , Thcro .were- 'iwp good.'.taliidVoin ,t-hp stcpiid ■spell, ■,in,- ; .,whi9h:',bpth; forward.:teams played figh'fr. ■•-.';'/■.:/■'-; ':')"';■. '■'• '< ; ■-■■■>?■ ' :r";''(' -.';; : v,".; ; i : ? '■'■i; Auckland! 'iweroj:ppnalis.e'd ;:'4bout 'twice'.: aa many '•'tidies /-ast'were.'; Wellihgton,. iiut-'thofe ~woro;! . ,'riot,: niimerous • The. igamo'; - was -.played ~. iii' the r , best. spirit,; \ind with! -'ari'Jeitiro. abseheo;"of Reeling. feree, MrvJJames.^^ipuncan^iahipldvOtago.rey , presentative-player.,-."received an ovation,from !tho! spectators ; !bn ''intering -the grounds.;, Hβ kavq.a.-yery. gopd : exppsition' with'tlio-.whißtle.'-Th'e,crowdV<)u fthe-bank'.in:the ; second- spell to : the ;of: Mr: D; , JBaUnhor/-;ith,ej' , .'Auck]a'nd^'fo'uch-judge;' : -':-' ! And the prp'wd, was -irightv' v.fi'.' ! .-,,,; ): -;' ; '■ -'- ;, : ' : "'■