FOOTBALL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 168, 28 June 1909, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

Te Kuiti v. Oparure

Te Kuiti won the toss and Oparure kicked off, playing down the hill. The game was very willing and even for the first twenty minutes, when Black secured and hopped over the line, Spragg converting. A few minutes later Spragg scored after a fine run and converted his own try. Just before half time Williams getting a long pass, ran right round and scored near the corner flag. No goal resulting, the spell ended Te Kuiti, 13, Oparure, nil. The Oparure team again started well in the second spell and for a quarter of an hour rather more than held their own and from a scramble in the centre of the field Pratt picked up and passed to " Whitikau who outpaced the Te Kuiti ; backs and scored in a good position Gray failing with me K:c!:. This livened the Te Kuiti men up and from this out :h': e v.-a = only one team in it. From •.-. near the line Vause picked u; i.n : fed over the line, Spragg v.ktk the kick. Then Thomson :rhk.e : c,-.-.-. ; - coring between the no.-t.-n .hdnck ■.:. vc r.ir.g. The hall ha : ha:\: y '. • e: ivk •':':' when the Te Kuiti forward d-i:.;kv ; the hail right down the lie; ; and Thornton secured his second try. Just before the close of the game Spragg fell over the

line near the corner,scoring Te Kuiti's seventh try. The whistle blowing no time a few minutes later left Te Kuiti winners by 27 points to 3 points. Mr McMicken efficiently acted as referee.

Notes. The state of the ground was all against good football, there being two or three miniature rivers running over the ground. Taking this into consideration the game was fast and good. H. Rothery played a great garr.e on the wing for Te Kuiti, and Pratt and Thomson were the best of the forwards,both of them doing excellent work. Of the backs Black was as clever as usual,and Spragg played a hard game, but was rather apt to get out of position and with the forwards. This applies to most of the backs, who had they been in their places would have prevented Oparure's score. Of the Oparure team, condition was the cause of their defeat. In the opening of both spells they more than held their own. They have the men, weight and pace, and Captain Gray would do well to get his men to do a little training both for condition and combination. With this I think they could more than hold their own with any team in the competition. They are also to be commended for being good sports who have put up a good fight against winning teams on every occasion.

The remarks about training also apply to other teams, as there are several outside matches in view and condition is one of the essentials of players desiring to be chosen.

On account of the bad state ot the weather the Mokauiti - Nehenehenui match was not played on Saturday, only nine or ten of the Mokauiti team turning up,, and the Nehe's therefore won the game by default.

A meeting of the Maniapoto Rugby Union was held in Messrs Gordon and Fox's room on Saturday evening last. Mr Young occupied the chair. The Union decided to donate £5 towards the purchase of caps for the winning club.

Mr R. B. Lusk who was present, was asked to use his influence with the Auckland Rugby Union in connection with arranging a match with the Auckland B team.

Mr Nicholson was appointed to the referee selection committee in the place of Mr Coburn.