FOOTBALL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 95, 26 August 1913, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

I THE LEAGUE GAME. TARAXAKI v. N.'s.W. League football at its best ig promised by the X.S.W. team in the matci, to-morrctw at Hawera with the Taranaki representatives. The match commences at 2.30 and travellers by the morning train.will travel at excursion rates. The. .evening train from HaWeVa will be delayed to enable, patrons to see the finish of the game. Mr T. Cunningham, of Auckland, will referee. Concerning the X.S. Wales team of 26 players, there are only eight players wlto have never before received their international caps. The others have all had considerable experience of big football, Curran 'was in Xew Zealand last year. Craig went Home with the Wallabies and with a League team i,the Kangaroos). Murray was also in England with a League team, and Haddock visited the Dominion ..last year. Cann was a: member of both Australian League teams in England.

and came to these shores last year. McCue (the captain has played in England with both Union and League, teams, and has also been in the .Dominion, before. Courtney has paid two visits to Knglaud.with League teams. Barnett was in England with the Wallabies. O'Malley went to England with the Kangaroos, and subsequently played for two English clubs. So. it will be clearly seen.that the team is a very strong one. Speaking in Wellington, the manager, Mr Ball, said: "The team was faster tha-u that which visited New Zealand last year, but, on the

other hand, they helieved that the Dominion teams had also improved. They had been greatly impressed by the play of the !sew Zealanders who had recently visited Australia. They were undoubtedly the best team that the Dominion. League had ever sent across, and amongst them were some real

stars—Kelly, Tfwerson, Manning, King, and Shadbolt—all of whom had played great games." King (said the manager) was one of the best New Zealand forwards ever seen.in Australia. King will lead the Taranaki forwards on Wednesday. THE RUGBY GAME.

AUSTRALIANS IX AUCKLAND. {.Per Press Association. 1 Auckland, August 25. The Australian Rugby football touring team, which arrived by the Ma--1 heno yesterday, was tendered a reception this morning by the Mayor and officials of the Auckland Rugby Union. Seen- after the reception, Dyer (captain of the visitors) said that, they.had a strong side, although eight of those originally selected were unable to make the 'trip. Ten of the team had visited California last year, and taken all round, the combination was a good one. The forwards were a fairly heavy pack and the backs a nippy lot. The general opinion in Australia was that Rugby had succeeded in regaining its lost position, and the present teaTii compared favorablv with other team*, that had visit-

eel the Dominion; The trip across was a fairly fine one, but several of the team suffered from sea sickness. Morgan (the manager), Thompson and Roberts had unfortunately contracted influenza and the two former were confined to their beds. The team practised at Alexandra Park this afternoon, and will practice again to-morrow morning.

ITINERARY OF THE TEAM. The following tour has been arranged for the visitors:— Wednesday, August 27.—Versus Auckland, at Auckland. Saturday, August 30.—Versus Taranaki, at New Plymouth. Wednesday, September 3.—Versus Wanganui, at Wanganui. Saturday, September 6.—Versus New Zealand, at Wellington. Wednesday, September 10.—Versus Southland, at Invercargill. Saturday, September 13.—Versus New

Zealand, at Dunedin. Wednesday, September 17. Versus

South Canterbury, at Timaru. Saturday, September 20.—Versus New

Zealand, at Ghristchurch. Wednesday, September -24.—Versus Marlborough, at Blenheim.

THE CALIFORNIAN TOUR

Wellington, August 2o

Atkinson, the, W«st Coast forward, •who was selected ,to go,to California with the New Zealand team, has notified the Rugby Union of his inability to mako the trip.

B REPRESENTATIVE TEAM. Twenty players have been chosen to represent.'iaranaki'.l3 in matches against. Wanganui at Wanganui on Thursday, and Wairoa #ub-(Jnion at Patea on Saturday. The team will leave by the mail train on Thursday morning, and return by the mail train on. Saturday.night.. Any player unable to make the trip is requested to notify. Mr Jas, Garcia at New Plymouth. The following players have been selected:—George and Wells iWaimate), Brown, Tocker and Woods (Stratford), Cade, Harvey and Morshead (Tukapa), A.. Patterson and R. Patterson • (Kaponga),! Robertson (Hawera), Johnson (Okaiawa), Karalus (Inglewood), Rowlands and Martin (Opunake), Surgerior (Okato), Carroll, Box arid M. Skipper (Star), and Wiilev (Elthaiu). HIGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENT. I ' ' Palm'erston, August-<25; , ; "Napier defeated New Plymouth i in: the High School toarnarflent bytwelve ridihts to eleven, Patnierston tfeus'retaining the Shield.".-'' »' i; -';'<

Hill, Don Cameron and Hawkins, who wew-unabler to- make* the ;trip to-' the Wairarapa, returned by the mail train from Wellington last night.