FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 134, 17 June 1901, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

[Notes by “The AVhistle.”] Quite an average number of spectators attended at Tucker’s Paddock on Saturday aftornoon last to witness tho soven-a- * side tournament arranged by tho Poverty Bay Rugby Union. At 3 o'clock, to the keen disappointment of those present, it was discovered that not a singlo district had a full team on tho ground, though Haiti and Huia had a sufficient number of men on tho ground to make up a sido had it been decided to start tho tournament. We only noticed ono City player in harness, and failed to observo a single West End representative. The Union certainly made an error in judgment in arranging the tournament. Neither the districts nor the players took tho least interest in tho matter,, and it would have been much wiser to have rung on a good senior match on Saturday—say Kaiti and West End v. City and Huia. After a brief consultation among the Union officials present on the ground, it was decided’ to abandon the idea of the tournament and allow the juniors to play on No. 1 ground. JUNIOR MATCH. The Huia and Kaiti juniors then took tho field, and provided tho nftornoon’s -amusement. They played two 35-minute spells, and shaped, at times, very well indeed. Bright captained the Kaiti lads, and Driller had charge of Huia. Huia had pretty well tho best of tho gamo all through, and kept Kaiti penned in their twenty-fivo during the greater portion of the first spell. D. Scott and Albort both scored for Huia in this spell, and W. Sharp converted tho latter try, making the score 8 points to nil at half-time. In the second spell, Sharp scored a clever try, after some combined play amongst tho Huia backs which would have reflected credit on a senior fifteen. There was no further score, and Huia thus won by a goal from a try and two tries (11 points) to nil. The Huia lads had the bettor combination, and played a good deal tho better game. They had a clever little player in W. Driller at half-back, who got the ball out cleverly to his backs, and who kicked really well. Bayly, at centre threequarter, also did a lot of useful work, but lie should learn to tako the ball better, and has a bad habit of running into the ruck, instead of sending tho ball on to his wings. Garrett played well at wing-threequarter, as also did Nepia on the other wing. The Huia forwards were a willing lot, D. Scott, W.’ Sharp, P. Cockery, Albort, McCullough, and L. Buscke aro all good men, and will be seen in the senior ranks ere long. The Kaiti team played without tho least combination, but they had some good individual porformers, and they played a plucky uphill game throughout. W. Coleman, G. Witty, Bright, Hansen, and Moore all played well. A feature of the game was the suddenness of the tackling on both sides. Mr W. Howard controlled the gamo most capably, and the players appeared to have the greatest confidence in his judgment. Wo wero very pleased to notice that tho lads played to the whistle liko veterans, and not a word was spoken by the players throughout tho contest. Wo trust that some of tho seniors present at the game on Saturday will take the lesson in silent play taught by tho juniors in this match.

Messrs Arthur Rees and Claudo Hamilton acted as touch-judges. There was an exceptionally largo attendance of ladies present; they wero greatly disappointed, as, in fact, wore all present, that the tournament did not eventuate. , .