AUCKLAND FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 63, 1 September 1906, Page 3

AUCKLAND FOOTBALL.

Although Auckland romped round Southland last Saturday to the plentiful tune of 48 to 12, if they play, m the same style to-day they'll jbe beaten sure as "eggs is egpts." /There was/ a certain, lackadaisical tlon't-care-ardamn . air about the iAucklandeTs 'that, if attempted to,day, willspell defeat. , But then they doubtless soon recognised that the .men from the cold and dreary south no match for them,, and they'll, 'brighten up to meet their doughty 'riyals, the All Blacks. ■ Of course Auckland won and a 36 margin ought to satisfy anyone, but the writer happens to be' wje of the few. who do not judge the toerit of a witf by the final tally. .Form is the thins; and a team which, from repeated victories, begins to tlespise the opposition, is preparing itself to share the fate. of Humpty Dumpty a;id have a great fall. All this apparent . scepticism is. nirritten, not with ariy- : idea of suggesting that Auckland can't or won't Seat Wellington to-day. It is inspired solely to warn Northerners ■that Wellington wants that shield, and Wellington is here on business. Further, that the team from "wet and windy" isn't m the same street with those which have already journeyed hither ; been, seen and been iadly beaten, each and every one. ifo, this latest little lot here present is about two streets the length of Queen-street ahead of the others as jegards form; and when found make a note, ye barrackers who think no team on earth can beat Auckland on its own mud heap. An old goldfields reD. player who left for Wellington a few weeks back saw the Empire City beat Canterbury. The score was &4 to 0. but the »M Northerner hasn't been perturbed apparently. He writes to say that »n the form shown that day, Wellington wouldn't beat Auckland m a jaonth of Sundays, and if Fryer had Sot been injured early. Canterbury ■would have made a close fight of it.

Paper form, which is a damp bad thing to place too much, reliance on, Rives Auckland the upper hand. Playing at home, of course, is a great advantage, seeing it means also a sympathetic crowd. It is impossible to come to any other conclusion Ithan. that, the shield wiil still repiain m Auckland after the, strenuous

stEU-cde at the Alexandra Park today. But Wellington were just as confident when Auckland stole a march on them last year.

To-day's should be the match of the season, but' the sanguine boolfr maker who is offering level money !on Auckland and giving five clear points m, might fall m. For Roberts, Wallace and Co. have played football before—some •!

Given a fine day a record crowd of-J twelve oi fourteen thousand spectators is expected to watch the match this afternoon- So far the Wcllingtonand Auckland teams have played I 16 interprovincial matches, of which the Aucldanders have won eight and Wellington seven, the remaining game having; been drawn. The record is as follows :— IBBO, at Auckland, Wellington won by 5 points to nil (a< flying n-oal kicked by theyex-Auckland er. Joe War brick) ; ISB3, at Wellington, drawn, 5 points , each ; 1886, atAuckland, Auckland won by 4 points to 2 ; 1888, at Wellington, Wellington won by 3 points to l'; 1894, atAuckland, Wellington won by 13 points to nil ; 1595, at Wellington, ■ Wellington won by 9 points to 5 ;;. 1896, at Auckland, Wellington won.' by 3 points to nil ; 1597, at Welling[ton, Auckland won by 3.1 points to 4 ; 1898, at Auckland, Auckland won % by 19 points to nil ; 1-899, at Wellington, Auckland won by 14 points, to "3 ; 1900, at Auckland, Auckland won by 14 points to 4; 1901, at .Wellington, Auckland won by 9i {points' to 3; 1902, at Auckland, Auckland .won by 18 points to 5; 1903, at V/ellington, Wellington won' by 4 points to 3 ; 1905, at Wellin°;.toti, Auckland won -10 points to 6. The Wellington players won the./ Ranfurly Shield from Auckland at ttl « Epsom ground two years ago, b&atfing the holders by 6 points to 3, butlast season the Northern rugby exponents, on tour, regained.! possession -, .of the coveted trophy at Wellington, I defeating their opponents by 10 J points to 6. The Wellington team of v, 1906 is said to be determined to win back the shield, and those who. haye ■• seen them playing m interprovincial matches are confident that they will , succeed. The combination chosen is , credited with being a very powerful, one, possessed of dashing forwards and strong attacking backs, and the easy manner m which tlie Wellington.^ men ' defeated both the Canterbury and Southland teams certainly points to their being fine exponents of the rugby code and one of the best-sides; that has represented Wellington for; years past. ; On the other hand, Auckland supporters hold that although m same -past season the* local' team has been stronger m the back ! division than at present „,the backs* are nevertheless a very fair lot and 1 ? have improved considerably with the matches already played aeainst Canterbury! Taranaki and I 'Southland t while all agree that the forwards are \ a grand lot, probably the finest that: have represented Auckland m- any one <|

year. This being the case at-is/clear- that.the Wellington men will find it no easy matter to- regain the RanfurlyShield, for while they may possibly ibe a little stronger behind.' "the pack, it will come as a surprise' to Auckland football-enthusiasts should' the; 'forwards, prove ouite up to the.-standard-of the local- front division.,