FOOTBALL.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXII, Issue 42743, 4 July 1905, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

TE AROHA v. WAIHOU.

« A DEAWN GAME. On Saturday afternoon last the third game in the second round of the P.E.U Cup fixtures was played on the Te Aroha Recreation Ground, in glorious weather and in the presence of a largo number of spectators. A very pleasing feature was the number of ladies present, ’ many of whom barracked for their respective sides with quite refreshing ‘ gusto.’ There is no question about it, but players appreciate a little i judicious flattery from their lady friends, far more than all the howling bluster that the male dement can heap

upon them ,* ih fact it is a pity that the barracking is not left entirely to the . ladies, who do it so nicely that players fairly outdo themselves to deserve it. As the*match was looked upon as quite an important one, both clubs put their strongest teams in the field; the Te Aroha team especially, being strengthened by the addition of W. Booth and Davis, the later a very fine forward. Waihou won the toss and elected to play-with the sun behind them, which was a distinct advantage, as all through the first spell it was quite impossible for Te Aroha to play the bad with any certainty when it was punted high. As soon as the ball was set in, motion it became pretty evident that the game was to be a willing one, but why both

teams made it a forward one when ;«5 there was so muchgood material among the backs it is hard to say. For some time the ball remained in neutral territory, then Lipsey broke away with a fine dribble and took the ball down the field, but being badly supported the ball was sent out of touch. From the throw in Waihou worked the ball slowly along and then the backs getting possession a pretty passing run resulted in Tai crossing the line and scoring Waihou’s first try. A Lennard took the kick but failed to concert. Te Aroha now assumed the aggres- . sive and must have scored on more . than one occasion had it not .been for a weak link in their three-quarter chain—McGiven. This player had several fine opportunities to score, but it was not until Currie made a nice opening near the "Waihou line and sent along the ball to him that he was able to ran in and score alongside the post. Mackay’s attempt to kick a goal was a failure. In the second spell Waihou claimed a goal from the field, but as the referee did not see it and the opinions of the touch-judges were contradictory, the decision was held over and the game proceeded. After this play livened up .considerably, but despite the efforts of both teams no further score was made.

Notes on the Play and Players. The game was a hard fought one, but not in any sense a good exposition of Rugby. The scrums were badly formed and badly worked; the front row men on either side failing again and again to secure the ball and send it out to where it might have been made use of. The line out work was poor—men on either side being left unmarked—-and the throw-in usually resulted in a useless scramble. Of the Te Aroha forwaids, S. Jennings, Davis, J Booth and Heathcote put in a lot of solid work in the open, while of the backs Lipsey was the best, W. Booth, at full, was not brilliant but sure, his chief fault being that he was too slow. Currie is not playing with his old certainty and dash, and is evidently out of form. D Shaw wastes many golden opportunities bv fruitless screw-kicking when he should centre the ball and give his backs a chance. Of the Waihou forwards A Lennard, J Rooney, D Borrie and McCabe got in a fair amount of useful work; the pick of the backs being A Lennard and J Timmins.