FOOTBALL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 689, 25 July 1914, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

CHALLENGE SHIELD MATCH

The competitions under the auspices of the Maniapoto Rugby Union, which concluded on Saturday last resulted in Te Kuiti coming out on top in the competitions, with Otorohanag a close second one loss behind. Interest in the meeting of Otorohanga and Te Kuiti ia always maintained and a gani9 for the Pukeweka Challenge Shield is to be played lat Te Kuiti on Saturday next. The Te Kuiti Club has held the Shield since it was presented to the Union, but there was no match played for the trophy last season in consequence of the restrictions on railway travelling. The meeting of the old rivals on Saturday next is being looked forward to with the keenest interest, and given a fine day an extremely close and interesting game is anticipated. The clubs in question haVB met on three occasions this season. In the first match Otorohanga won by 3 points to nil; the second game at. Te Kuiti . aaw the local team reverse that result, while thß last meeting between the pair at Otorohanga resulted in Te Kuiti winning by 5 points to 3 after a very close game. i

A supporter the Te Kuiti Club suggests the following team to defend the Shield against Otorohanga on Saturday next:—Full-back, Crean; threequarters, Matthews, Boles, Cola; five-eightb, Rowlands; half, Brumby; forwards, 3. Gray, J. Kite. D.. Gray, Hunt, Delaney, Reid, Shearer; wings, Rothery, McKinnon.

TE KUITI v. ONGARUE The game between Ongarue and Te Kuiti at Ongarae last Saturday, resulted in a win for Te Kuiti by 14 points to nil. ongaru9 was without some of their best forwards, notable absentees being Warren and McKay, while Te Kuiti also had to do without the assistance of two of the regular pack in Meares and Reid. The game was played in a good spirit and was much more evenly contested than the score would indicate. By winning this match the Te Kuiti team wins the championship. They deserve their success as the players have this year taken more interest in their club and paid some attention to training, but in this respect tere is still lots of room for improvement. In extending hearty congratulations to the players We must add they deserve the greatest credit both on ard off the field; Winning or losing the team has this year played the game, and taken everything smiling, and their supporters admire them more for this than for coming out on top. The players can be assured they have gained ttle respect of the public and supporters for the excellent sporting spirit in which they have played the game.

In commenting on the form displayed by the various clubs during the season a spacial wcrd of encouragement is due to Ongarue and Nehenehe teams. In the second round Nehenehe played a draw with Otorohanga and h?.d, if anything, the best of the game, while on the same day Ongatue drew with Te Kuiti. This indicates that there is not a great deal to chose between the four competing teams, and next season there is every likelihood.of keener interest than ever in the meetings at the various centres. The Ongarue club intends obtaining a new ground and carrying out various improvements thereon, and this should have the effect of improving the standard of play at that centre considerably.

NEW ' ZEALAND TOURING TEAM The New Zealand Rugby football team in Australia inflicted a severe defeat upon New England at Armidale on Wednesday. The scores were: *New Zealand 35, New England 6. At half-time the scores read New Zealand 8, New England 6. The visitors played brilliantly in the, second half, and prevented the local team from scoring again. O'Brien, the New Zealand back, had the small bone of bis leg broken during the match, and it is expected he will be incapacitated for about a fortnight, and is now returning to Sydney for treatment. There is a possibility that he will be able to play in the Sydney matches.

TEMPTING THE ALL BLACKS OFFERS IN AUSTRALIA [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Auckland, This Day. A letter from a member of the All Blacks, now in Australia, refers to an attempt to convert some of the members of the team to the League game. It stateß negotiations have certainly been in progress, and the All Blacks were offered £3OOO to play the Australian League. The writer added he was doing his best to keep the boys amateurs, "but £2OO in the palm of the hand was a devil of a temsptation."