FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 493, 4 August 1902, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND GIVES CANTERBURY A BIG BEATING. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, last night. Tho ninth interprovincial match Auckland v. Canterbury was played at Alexandra Park yesterday afternoon, in the presonee of some soven thousand spectators, including His Excellency the Gjvcrnor. The woathor held up, and although tho ground was a bit hoavy, the ball was dry, and gavo tho backs a ebaneo to handlo it.

Auckland bad a bit the best of tho first spell all round, with the exception of forward rushes, in which tho visitors came away with tho ball with moro combination, but in tho second spoil tho Aucklanders sot n cracking pace, and outclassed Canterbury representatives in practically all departments of the gamo, the backs being altogether too brilliant and spoody for tho Southornors when tho ball carno their way. The gamo onded— Auckland ... 19 points Canterbury ... 8 points For tho winners, trios woro obtained by Asher, Thompson (2), Kiornan, and MeKonzio, two being converted, while Canterbury’s only try was scored by Revoll just on tho call of time. ANOTHER ONE-SIDED GAME. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, last night. Tho match between tho Rugby teams of Woffington and Wairarapa juniors was played yesterday. Wellington had all the best of the game, and won by 19 points to nil.

WANGANUI DEFEATS MANAWATU (By Telegraph—Press Association. Wanganui, last night. The representative football match, Wanganui v. Manawatu, was played yesterday afternoon, and resulted in a win for Wanganui by 17 to nil. Manawatu was outclassed generally, but particularly in the forwards. WEST END v. KAITI-CITY. |Notcß by “Old Boy.”J Tho following teams took the field in tho obovo contest for tho local Rugby Union’s banner, on the Domain on Saturday aftornoon last:—

West End : Hopburn, Skeet, Watone, Nolan, Brown, Poananga, Miller, Bonnott, L. Shorriff (captain), Williams, Davitt, L. DeLautour B. DeLautour, Gray, and Wepiha, Kaiti-City: Coleman, Baker, Porter, Third, Glonnio, Bathgate, W. Hay, J. Hay, Colebourno (captain), R. C. Murphy, Hanson, Martin, Brown, Bright, Newton. A groat deal of interest centred in the match, as the clubs were within a point of each other for tho championship, and the followers of each woro confident of success, There was a largo crowd of spectators present, and tho weather conditions were cxcollont. Waitai was absent from tho West End team, and Georgo Reynolds from tho combined fifteen.

Colebourne won tlio toss, and defended tho Hapara goal. Williams kicked off for AVost End, and play immediately becamo fast. Tho playors appeared to have at last got into something like condition, and tho game was tho best display of Eugby football soen this season. The forwards on both sidos worked well, and wore evenly matched, whilo tho backs handled the ball with moro certainty than usual, and at times troatod tho spectators to sorno really fino passing. Tho reforeo was particularly sovero unnecessarily so, many of tho spectators thought—with regard to hanging to tho ball, and awarded several penalties for this offenco. Tho result was that the game was kept fast and opon, tho toon getting rid of the ball immediately when collared. J. Hay, Bathgate, AV. Hay, and Porter got on a splondid passing rush oarly in the game, and looked like scoring till a forward pass brought them to a stop. Tho AVest (End forwards soon afterwards invaded Kaiti-City territory, and Portor, in stopping tho rush, was collared close to tho posts with the ball in his possession. Tho roferoo awarded a free kick to AVest End, and disallowod tho charge on tho ground that tho defending sido encroached beyond tho mark. AVilliams kicked a good goal. On resuming, tho ball was carried up and down tho ground at a brisk pace. Both sides played finely, and tho forwards put in some firstclass work. Martin, Nowton, Murphy, and Colobourno, for .Kaiti-City, and AVepiha, L. DcLautour, Gray, and AVilliams, for AVest End, were particularly prominent. Tho backs also showod up to far greater advantage than they have hitherto done this season. Poananga, Brown, AVatene, and Skect, handled the ball well, ran, passod, and kicked in first-rate style, but they had almost as good a set of backs opposed to them, and J. and AV. Hay, Glennio, Bathgate, and Porter returned their kicks and runs with interest. The excitement was kept up throughout the wholo of the first spell, and the barracking was about tho livliest over heard on tho ground. No further score was made in the spell, though both lines were menaced on several occasions. Good passing and strong running were met with fino tackling and effective kioking, and a fino display endod with the ball in midfield. The second spoil was, if anything, moro exciting and moro stubbornly contested than the first. Every inch of the ground was fought ovor. Kaiti-City mado desporato efforts to overtake tho score of their opponents. The combined team had, if anything, slightly the better of the second half, but Poananga, Brown, AVatono, and Skeetset up an impenetrable defence. Tho spectators were roused to great onthusiasm at times, and heartily cheered tho fine passing of tho backs and tho sweeping foot-rushes of tho forwards. The spoil ended without a score, after tho best display by both backs and forwards seen this season. West End wore fortunate in winning by a penalty goal (3.points) to nil, as they beat a side as good, if not superior to their own. A draw would have been a fitting conclusion to a fine game, stubbornly contested from start to finish, in which tho standard of play was never low, and which holds out hope that tho local men will yet be able to put a strong fifteen in tho field against Hawke’s Bay. For the winners, Watone, Poananga, and Brown played finely, and did splendid work both on attack and defence. Skeet, who was shifted up from forward to wing three-quarter, also put in most effective work, and we have an idea that he will develop into a first-class three-quarter, if retained in that position. Hepburn was safe and reliable at full, and G. Nolan

kicked and ran well at times. Of the forwards, L. DeLautour, L. B Sherriff, Williams, and Gray played well throughout. A few showed a tendency to hang about, the outside of the

pack at times. For Kaiti-City. Porter, J. and \V. Hay, Bathgate, and Glennie were the best of the backs, and did a lot of useful work well. Coleman, Baker, and Third (a prominent junior) were not seen to advantage. . j Of the forwards, Martin was a good way ahead of the others, and played a fine game. He was in the thick of it always, and ran, shoved, kicked, and passed with whole-souled vigor. Newton, Murphy, Hansen, Bright, and Colebourne were the next best oi a fine set of forwards. Two spells of forty minutes each were : played. Mr W. Gibson was referee, and Messrs Waitai and G. Witty line umpires