LEAGUE & LEAGUERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1825, 11 August 1913, Page 9

LEAGUE & LEAGUERS.

GREAT SCORING.

CANTERBURY t AUCKLAND. (By T«]cEr«ph—Preis Association.). Auckland, August 9. A oro'wd about 7000 witnessed tho Northern Union cup match, Auckland v. Canterbury, at Victoria Park to-day. Although beaten by a very largo number of points (48 to l'j), Can tea-bury played a plucky game, and wore at times brilliant. The game was very open and spectacular. 'Canterbury held its own in the forwards, but the Auckland backs were too good, although some of the Canterbury backs, notably Smith and' Hardingham, played well.

Auckland 1 set tho game going against a strong wind and sun, and a groat Canterbury rush had Auckland penned on their line, but a frec-kick brought relief. Shft*ks made a great attempt at goal from halfway, ana Auckland forced. A line rush by Canterbury backs ended in Harddngham finding the line at the twenty-five, whore S'hanks had another shot. On his own line, Ifworson got tho ball, and, beating all the Canterbury backs, got to tho fuill-back and passed to Weston, who put in a great rum and scored. Auckland, 3: Canterbury, 0. Immediately after Shanks kicked a magnificent goal from tho touehiline. Auckland, 3; Canterbury, 3. Even play riiarked the next few minutes, and then. Hardingham fielded Grubben magnificently, and shot through to the line. When' tackled, Stokes was handy and scored at tho corner. Shanks goal-ed. Canterbury, 7; Auckland, 3. Immediately after Shanks goaled from a penalty neai- 'halfway. Canterbury, 9; Auckland, 3. Play remained in the Auckland twenty-fiv-o lor eomo time, and then Ifwerson got away and reached the lino before passing to H, Hay ward, who dropped over. Canterbury, 9; Auckland, 6. Auckland kept up the pressure, ami, after a great rush, in whicli the l'orwiards and backs took part, Mitchell got ever. Webb's kick put .the 'homo team in 'the lead. Auckland, 11; Canterbury, 9. With the aid of free-kiolis, Auckland worked their way back to tho Canterbury line, and from a 6ot-um in front tho ball went out to Cooke, who scored. Auckland, 14; Canterbury, 9. Canterbury now woko up, and a long kick wont over tho lino, but Mansell missed, and Hardingham, following up fast, touched down. Auckland, 14; Canterbury, A 2. Cooke intercepted .well, and set off, but fell a.fcw yards from the. line. From the resulting sorum A.uckland got Uh'e ball, and a good passing nigh saw woodward scoro. Auckland, 17; Canterbuiry, 12. Aucktad continued on the offensive, and a iiMt oentre by Ifwerson, beat the oppositioin. It waa token by H. Hayward, who fodl-ed tho Canterbury bacits, and scored, Well converting. Auckland, 22; Canterbury, 12. Half-timo eaw no further alternation. 1 Canterbury started off true second spell with great dash, and for some time had Auckland hard defending, 'Then Webb instituted a Tush, which ended in Cooke soaring between the posts. Webb converted. Auckland, 27; Canterbury, 12. Play now beoame very fast, and some olever work was cxecutcd on both sides. Each team had the advantage alternately, but safe tackling prevented any score. Cooke had a pot, which wont dangerously dose, and thou Weston out in prettily, and Woodward finished oft' tho effort, Ifwerson converting. Auckland, 32; Canterbury, 12. H. Hayward broke through on resuming, and passed to his broth or, who scored. Auckland, 35; Canterbury, 12. Ifworson exeouted ono of his lightning dashes, and beat five men, passing to Woodward, but Cooko spoiled the movement by [fitting off-side. Canterbuiry now took a turn at attacking, but could not break throuigh, and Cooko eventually relieved. Then Mitchell came to light with a great run, threading his way through tho whole team and touching down betiyieen tho posts. He converted. Auckland, 40; Canterbury, 12. A few minutes before timo Weston got across after a pretty piece of , ■ Ifwerson scored a minute later, Walters converting. The final scores were Auckland, 48; Canterbury, 12. THE TRIAL MATCH. FAST PLAY: PROLIFIC SCORING. Considerable interest was evinced in the performance of the respective players forming the two teain9 from which tho thirteen were selected to meet Canterbury next Saturday, and tho natural grandstand at Newtown Park was well occupied with enthusiastic spectators. The game opened most promisingly and continued fast to tho very end. First on& team and then the other scored, tho lead changing no fewer than seven times, thirteen additional scores being made to tho scoro in the first half and ten in tho second. Strickland and Bradley surpassed themselves iu goal-kicking, taking kick for kick, tho former placing tho ball between tho posts three times out of three before the interval, and the latter four times out of five, whilst in tho second half Bradley kickcd tiro goals out of four attempts ond Strickland one out of four, this failure on Strickland's part at easy kicks being responsible for his team's defeat by the odd point out of 59. Bradley was tho first to score from a free kick, and the same player added another goal as the result of Wilson's offside play. B team, 4; A team, 0. l'inlayson then intercepted an opponent's pass when near his own line, and, running along the touch-lino almost tho full length of the field, grounded the ball under the posts—tho cleverest try of tho afternoon. Strickland easily converted. A team, 5; B team, 4. Probstel broke through and scored near the corner. Bradley landing the goal from a very difficult anglo. B team, 9; A team, 5. Kelly then scored twice in rapid succession, Strickland improving both times. A team, 15; B team, 9. Before tho interval B took the ler.'d again, Bradley kicking a goal from/nis own try, but failing from Chapman's, tho ball striking tho upright. B team, 17; A team, 15.

On resuming A took the lead for the lost time, Kelly grounding the bull near the corner and Strickland's kick going outside. A team, 18; B team 17. T,awler made his mark, and Bradley landing the goal, B wns airnin one tip, nnd two more tries being scored bv Chapman and House, both of which Bradley failed to convert from easy positions, B took the biggest lead of the afternoon. B team, 25: A team, 18. Strickland also missed two shots «.t goal from tries scored bv Finlarson and again only one point divided the teams. B team, 25; A team, 24. Bradley then converted his oivn try. B team. 30, A tram, 21. Just: on _ time Strickland improved one of Manning's. B (earn, M, A team 2!). Thus ended one of the fastest and mu-t exciting games seen on this ground and flie plovers were accorded finite an ovation. Mr. IT. Hey was referee. TEAM SELECTED. Later in' tho evening the followins team was selected to represent Wellington against Canterbury, at X civ town Park, on

Saturday next, August 16:—Full-back, Finlavson (Petone); three-quarters. I'robstel (Petone), Kelly (Athletic), Strickland (Newtown); five-eighths, Bradley (Athletic), House (Petone); half-back, linrber (Petone); forwards, Tmner (llutt). Spencer (Newtown), Parker (Petone), Benzinan (Newtown), Manning (Newtown), Wilson (Athletic). Emergencies: Back, cieorge (Newtown), Sullivan (Newtown). Any player unablo to lilay is asked to notify tlio secretary as soon as possible. The toani will train at tho Douglas Street gymnasium on Tuesday a,ml Thurrfay evening, and tho selectors reserve the right to replaco any player who fails to attend. JUNIOR MATCHES. In both the junior matches at Hutt on Saturday one particularly noticeable fault was the inability of tho backs to kick either foot. Timo after time the backs would take tho ball well, but in kicking would lose ground on account of this fault. T ho match Petono A v. 0 was, on the whole, an interesting game, liecause the victory for the former gave them the championship. Haddock, Miles, Davis, Langridge, Finlay, and Johnston wero prominent for A. De Phillipo was perfectly sate at full-back, lost no cnances, and found the lino in good style. The scoro was 16 points to 8, victory going to tho A team, Mr. L. Ishwwooil was refereo. In the match Petono B v. Hutt, tho latter won by 19 points to G. Franco played a very fine game for Hutt. Mr. K. Barber was referee. QUEENSLAND DEFEATS NEW SOUTH WALES. By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyTlehl (Eeo. August 10, 5.5 p.m.) Sydney,' August 10. The Queensland Northern Union Rugby team defeated Now South Wales by 22 to 21. THE TEAM FOR NEW ZEALAND. (Rce, August 10, 5.5 p.m.) Sydney, August 10. Heath, Hughes, MacMahon, and Cody replace Duffy, Massie, Willcocks, and Lloyd .in the Union team for New Zealand,