FOOTBALL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 39, 19 July 1907, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

The Maniapoto Rugby Union Representatives are engaged to play a match against the King Country Union on Saturday, at Taumarunui. The Maniapc'.o team will leave Te Kuiti on Friday, July 19th, and will probably return on Mci:d ;y morning. An effort is being made to have a special carriage attached to the Parliamentary train en Sunday. If successful in this the footballers will be able to return- a day earlier than was expected. The King Country Union players are .training hard in preparation for the match, and ma3 r be expected to show good form. Their forwards are a heavy, fast let, and among the backs pre the names of well-known players who may be depended upon to render a good account of themselves. The Maniapoto team is bound to suffer from a lack of combination to certain extent, and the forwards will probably be somewhat lighter then their opponents. However, they are all grafters, and the backs only require decent chances to render a good account of themselves. The team is not quite the strongest that could be got together, but is fairly representative of the playing strength of the Union. The following is the final selection : Full-back, Connell; three-quarters, Mason, Hetet, Coburn; fiveeights, Moir (2); half, V. Elliott; wing, Cleaver; forwards, Munro, Elliott, Keeley, Old, Searancke, Pavitt, Guilford. Emergencies : Rata, Rora. The players who are proceeding to Taumarunui should note that a special carriage has been provided for the footballers. Accommodation has been reserved at Taumarunui for a party of twenty, so that members of the team will be fully provided for. The Oparure players who have not already delivered their jerseys to Mr Power, should do so without delay, as there is still a shortage in the number. The junior match played at Te Kuiti on Saturda}'" last between Te Kuiti and Oparure, resulted in an easy win for the former by 20 points to 13. Oparure were unfortunate in having to play with only ten boys, and thus gave Te Kuiti a big advantage. The ground was in a very damp condition, and the 3-oungsters all had a good drenching, but that did not prevent some of them from showing that they possessed a good knowledge of the game. The arrangements for a return game with the King Country Union, to be played at Te? Kuiti, and a match with the Rotorua representatives, at Rotorua, are well in train. In all fixtures with the Unions mentioned it 1 has been arranged that the gate money be divided. The dates for the matches are not yet decided, but the return game with the King Country Union will probably be on the second or third Saturday in August. The visit to Rotorua will come later, that Union having signified that any date suitable for the visitors will be acceptable to them. A telegram has been received from Mr W. T. Jennings, stating that he has made arrangements for the football carriage to be brought to Te Kuiti by the Parliamentary train on Sunday. Visitors to Taumarnnui will thus have an opportunity of returning a day earlier than under ordinary circumstances.