FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2181, 4 May 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

.The opening of the football season took place on Saturday, when a Maori team met a- Pakelia team and defeated it by 15 to 11. There was considerable alteration in both teams from the published teams, and as the players were all now to one another,'a very ragged game eventuated. The play was fairly open and last, but was seldom interesting. Mr. W. Hay refereed. The Saturday competitions - will commence next week, when Kaiti-City and West End will meet on tile Domain. The Gisborne Club will held a practice game on the Domain on Thursday next, and it is anticipated the Thursday" competitions will commence the following week.

AUCKLAND COMPETITIONS, Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 2. Tho Rugby football so icon opened here to-day an glorious weather. The following are the results: City beat Parnell, 1G points (two goals and two tries) to nil; Ponsoiiby heat Grafton, 3G points to nil; North Shore and University drew, 5 points (one goal each). PllO-BLACKS DEFEATED. United Press Association—Copyright (Received May 2, 7.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 2. New South Wales defeated tho Now Zealand professional team by 18 to 10. (Received May 3, 8.15 p.m.) There was glorious weather yesterday when the Pro-Blacks met a New South Wales team under Northern Union rules ■ at tho Agricultural Ground. About fifteen thousand spectators were present. The following were the- teams: — New Zealand: Turtill, Tyne, Rowe, Kcllv, Wriglcv, Bander, J. AVynyard, Mackrell, Lile, Johnson, Pearce, Cross and Wright. Now South Wales: Hedley, Stunz, Messenger, Devercux, Cheadlo, Roseidield, Butler, Graves, Hennessey, Lutgc, Rosewull, O’Malley, Davis, Moir and Holloway. In the first spell the Welshmen played the better game, ami there was more dash and lire in their work. For the first fifteen ' minutes the Blacks kept the play in their opponents’ ground, Bander drawing first blood with a pretty drop kick which sailed over the bar. This aroused-the Welshmen, who, with a fine passing rush, carried the ball into the New Zealand twenty-five, where Messenger marked and kicked a good goal. Tho local men were not long in following up their advantage. A fine combined rush ended in Stunz crossing the line, Messenger adding tho extra points. A few minutes later New South Wales was penalised ill a scrum, and Turtill took a shot at goal, but was unsuccessful. Wales again had the Blacks bustling, and were passing excellently. Cheadlo got away, and after a feinting run crossed tho line, Messenger again converting. After an interval of good play on both sides, a penalty goal for interference resulted in Messenger scoring another goal. Tho Blacks with a good rush took the play to tho homo liue, where Bander the' ball from AVynyard and scored, but the angle was too difficult for . Turtill. to make anything of it. The

score at half-time was: Wales 14, I Now Zealand 7. T | In the second hall New Zealand played against the breeze, bill did not show any form. Messenger, oft a mark, added a goal. His kicking was splonclid. Tlio Welshmen were down on tlio Blacks continually, running all over thorn. Tlio N'mv Zealanders were slow in handling tho ball, and in passing woro outclassed by thoir opponents. Off a penalty Messengor, with a great kick from over ball-way, added another couple of ]>oints.' I lie Blacks fought lull'd in the last few moments, and in a rough-and-tumble rush, during which tho Blacks displayed some roughness, Kelly managed to get ovor at tlio corner, ino angle, liowovcr, was too awkward for Turtill to convert. Tlio whistle then sounded with the score: New South AA’nles 1.3. Now Zealand 10, Tlio clitics approve of the Northern gamo, and the opinion is expressed that from a spectator's point ol view it outclassed the old Itugby game. There can be no wusto of time on tlio part of the loading team. In connection with tlio vicious play yesterday, tlio referee is considered more to blame than the players for allowing the outburst to go unchecked.