FOOTBALL. ENGLAND V. AUCKLAND. RETURN MATCH. A DRAWN GAME.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 299, 15 September 1888, Page 4

FOOTBALL. ENGLAND Y. AUCKLAND. RETURN MATCH. A DRAW N GAM E.

From the "Auckland Star. 5 ' AsoTiiEK glorious day favoured the knightsof bheovalyesterday, and the weather was all that could be desired for the return match between England and Auckland No public half holiday was observed, but, ; a larsre number of the jnincipal business places in town let their employees away at an early hour, and the management decided to delay the ? tart of the match until a quarter to four, to allow of the business public getting out. The match attracted considerable public attention, and before the finish af the first spell between 2,000 and 2,500 were present. THE TEAMS. ENGLAND (red, white and blue.) Full-back, W. Burnett : three-quarteis, A. E. Stoddart (captain), J. T. Haslam, Or. Brooks ; halves, W. Bumby, H. C. Speakman : forwards, A. Paul, A J. Stuart, T. Banks, A. ."I. Laing, S. Williams, T. Kent, H. Eagle?, R. Burnett, W. H. Thomas. AUCKLAND (dark blue and white.) Full-back, R. B. Lusk; three quarters, I\. Masetield, T. Brown, A. Tanlield ; halves, A. Braund, H. Herrold ; forwards, T. O'Connor (captain), O. Wells, K. McLean, C. Marshall, K. Crowe, AY. Hobson, J. Lecky, R. McKenzie, J. Heffernan. THE UMPIRES. Dr. Smith acted as umpire for England and Mr R. \vhiteside for Auckland, whil Mr E. W. Burgess held the referee's whistle. THE START. As usual, a large crowd congregated in front of the Imperial Hotel to see the rival teams start. At a quarter to 3 o'clock they got away. Hunter's band was in the leading brake, next came the Englishmen in a six-horse brake, closely followed by the Auckland '"reps" in another vehicle. A line of cabs and carriages brought the procession to quite and imposing spectacle. The AuckUnders took with them the Rugby Union banner, although this game is not under the auspices of that body.

THE ATTENDANCE. If yesterday had been observed aa a public half-holiday it is hard to say what the attendance at the match would have been. As it was 2,230 adults paid at the that is counting two boys to an adult, while 404 paid admission to the Grand-stand. The total takings amounted to £151 18s 6d. figures that Messrs Lillywhite and Shrewsbury may very well be pleased with, as their percentage is a large one.

THE PLAY.— FIRST SPELL. | T. Brown played full-back instead of Lusk, the latter beingshifted to centre-three-quarter. The teams appeared on the Held at a quarter to 4 o'clock, and greeted each other in the usual manner, j O'Connor won the tos* for Auckland, and ! elected to defend the we-tern goal, thus giving the Aucklander^ the tun at (.heir back. Paul kicked off, and Lusk returned well down the field ; the Auckland forwards spoiling SfcoddartS- return, the ball went out at the 25 Hag. A loose scrum took place. Eagles, dribbled the ball in the centre of the field, Stoddart kicked the ball back to Brown, who neatly stopped a rush oi his opponents. Give-and-take play of a very uninteresting nature gradually took play to England's side of the 50 flag. Bumby passed to Scoddart, who was well tackled by Herrold, but dropping the ball the Blackheath man dribbled to Auckland's twenty-tive. The local men replied with a smart. rush into neutral territory, aud from a scrum. Haslam secured the ball, and made a splendid punt, the ball going a few feet under the bar. Lusk kicked out, and O'Connor spoiled Haslam'p return. A number of loose rushes, of a gh c - and - take nature took place in Auckland's 25, and from a mark by Lu»k the ball was carried past the half-way flag. Masefield received some applause for a very smartretnin, sending the ball into touch in England'^ twenty-live. Herrold came away from the line out. Lecky took up the play and dribbled to Burnett, and the forwards backed up by rushing the ball behind the line, where it went among the spectators, saving whafc appeared likely to eventuate in a certain score tor the local team. Haslam kicked out, and a number of packed .scrums ensued in the centre of the field. Neat forward work, with Wells and Crowe in the van, rushed the ball to within two yards ol England's line, Haslam saving his side by kicking a rolling ball back to Brown, who smartly returned and the play again centred in mid-field. Hefternan came through a scrum, and Bumby passed to Stoddart, who mulled his kick, and Hobson came away with the ball, and by good passing aud backing up the blueaud white forwards rushed it inside England's 25 again, and Speakman returned to the centre flag. Bumby and Banks then did come good dribbling, and the Auckland three-quarters, all waiting for each other to take the ball, let the English forwards through. Brow n stopped the rush splendidly, taking the ball right oit Williams's toe, averting an almost certain score f^r the visitois. Herrold came | through, and dribbled to Burnett, who punted high to Brown, and Marshall replied by taking the ball to Brooks, who returned to Masefield, the Auckland back marking on his 25. TTa&t following up the kick carried play to the centre llag, and from a loose scrum Paul .secured amaik, hut Lecky charged his kick down. Eagles came avva with a fine dribble that Maseheld stopped. Loose and tu^t play, and then Williams marked. Paul took the kick, which Lusk received well in his 25 and ran across to the pavilion, going into touch. Speakman passed to Stoddart, who ran across the field ; tackled by Masefield, he passed to Haslam, and McKenzie and Crowe downed the Englishman. Herrold wab very conspicuous with a couple of fine pieces of play ; coming away from a line-out, he started a forward rush for Auckland, in which Lecky and Hobson shone, and worked the ball up the field, bufc Kent and Stuait, by another good rush, returned the leather to the Auckland line. From a scrum there, Speakman passed to Stoddart, who made a grand kick at goal, the leather going a good yard outside of the post. Auckland forced down. Lusk kicked out, and play again centred near the 50 flag. Tanfield, by a good run, gained a slight advantage for Auckland, and Dr. Brooks returned by a long kick to the Auckland 25. From the throw-in, Speakman passed to Stoddart, who, by a grand run, passed the Auckland threequarters and tending Lusk, who had taken Brown's place at full-back, dropped across the line near the corner-flag, with the Auckland forwards, on him. The kick was taken by Paul, who mado a

creditable but futile attempt, to increase the score :—: — England 1 point Auckland Nil Brown kicked oft, and McKenzie spoilt Kent's return. Then Locky and O'Connor, by a pretty piece of dribbling, carried the ball to England's 25. Bumby returned to the half-way flag, and half-time was called without further score.

SECOND SPELL. The second spell was started by Lecky kicking off foy Auckland, the ball going out at "the corner flag. Brooks threw in at once, and Uas>lam kicked out in his own '25. Stoddart made a short dash and kicked out, still in his own 25. The English forwards came away. Herrold passed to Tanfield, but Haslam downed the North Shore man, and Brown securing the ball made a good pot, tie ball goinj under the bar. From the kick-out the ball was worked Ito mid -field, when Hen old and Hobson i came away « ith some neat parsing, and the I forwaids backing up made the run a dribble until Crowe picked up and was downed not far off the English line. Braund pas&ed from the scrum to Tanlield, who potted at goal. Play centred half-way from the kick-out, and Auckland carrying the scrums, Herrold kicked out within a couple of >ards of the English line. From the scrum he secured the ball and made a brilliant dash across the line, and everyone thought he had scored. A scrum was iormed and long and fiercely fought out -until Brooks sent the ball into touch a few yards up. A force resulted. By combined forward play, England's lines were relieved for a time, and Speakman sent the ball with remarkable rapidity ti Auckland's 25, wheie a scrum was formed. Lecky came away from the t>crum, and Bumby topped a >plendid dribble in time, the ball going out half-way. OConnoi took the ball from the throw-in, and ran back, making a wild pass to Tanh'eld, who, with Masetield, hashed the ball up, and without an Englishman touching it, the ball was carried almost from one 25 to the ther. Play was very funny for some time, and a not very edifying piece of play by a couple of the English forwards in front of the pavilion was not appreciated by the crowd. A scrum was formed in Auckland's 25, and from a pass by Braund, Brown kicked well up the field, and Marshall following up well, and Maseh'eld assisting with a neat return, play once more centred in England's 25. Haslanij by a good kick and following up ! smartly, took the ball close to Auckland's line, where Tanfield temporally relieved Auckland. McKenzie spoilt what looked like a certain pot at goal by Stoddart, by jumping at the ball. Stoddart made a good run, and Wells stopped the pass. From the neat scrum Sooddart again got the ball and made a splendid run down the Held, getting o\er the line. Falling, O'Connor sent him on to his back, when the English captain lost the ball and Heirold forced down. Auckland kicked out, and by a combined rush, Lecky, Hobson and JVJcKenzie in the van, dribbled the ball over England's line. Again the ball went amongst the spectators, and no score resulted. Paul kicked out, and Herrold teturned to the 25 flag. Continuous scrums were fought out in England's 25. then some fast open work, and Braund making a bad pass, Masefield was downed in neutral territory by Haslam. Bum by took play to Lusk, whom he sent into touch opposite the pavilion. Brown and Stoddart exchanged kicks from marks, and from a pa^a by Bumby, the English captain tent the ball into touch at ohe 25 flag. A neat pass by Braund, and Brown gained some ground by a neat kick. Crowe took the ball to half-wa^. Taulield marked oti a fine kick by Stoddait, f-ending the ball well down the field. Hobs-on, O'Connor, and Heffennan followed up fast, and a splendid rush carried the ball over the English line, when a lucky kick by Burnett t:a\ ed a certain score by sending the ball into touch-in-goal. From the kick-out Crowe came away with a good run, and passing to Maoefield. the latter kicked to Burnett, and McKenzie, following uj> faat, brought him down on the line, the ball going w ithin a yard of the English line From the throw-in Herrold and O'Connor carried the ball over the line, but the ball was ordered back. From the scrum that ensued, Braund secured the ball and, feinting to pass, dashed over the line, scoiintr a ny for Auckland, amidst tremendous excitement. Lecky took the kick at goal, but failed. ENGLAND J AUCKLAND 1 Paul kicked out, the ball going out near the centre flag, where some loo.se scrums took place. Crowe kicked on, and Jlaslam marked and sent the ball to Lusk, who ran and was downed half way ; but O'Connor, McKen/ie and Lecky, coming on with a hue rubh, dribbled the ball to England's* 25 flay, and time was called, the match resulting in a draw.