FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 69, 12 September 1911, Page 5

FOOTBALL

TAIIANAKI TEAM'S RETURN. THURSDAY'S CLASSIC EVENT. ' BOTII TEAMS IN CHEAT HEART. The laninflki and Auckland representiitive i/ootlmll teams arrived by the inaii tram last night. The Taranaki thvn!, i' K n e quite a passage thiougl. the province, crowds assembly at the various stations in order to congratulate the twin. On arrival at New 11,\ mouth the team were accorded an • o v,r ii 'ln b -V » very large "owd. All the members 0 f the team TZoT 1 cZ Vlymmih > witl ' thee,

Ihe fanin.'iki team is in fine heart though a little travel-weoj-v at present' after their long jouirney througHX Christchurch. Although the match on Si.timky was a lwrd one, all members of the team escaped injury, thouch tvrha!!l, WWe ff?" 3 ' due to th» 'J?" of , the « roimd - Roberts mi the only one to meet with Occident, having 1 broken his ankle in the Otaso match. ir e ha ß come on to New Ph. mouth to con.si.3t the local doqtow, bit ■will, it is understood, not be able to plav on Thursday. - The teiiim to play against Auckland will probably be similar to that which Srday° againSt Canteri)U, '^ v 011 Sat-

_ AUCKLAND TEAM. ti. n rlv '• nd teAm is Quartered at the Criterion' Hotel, and will indulge in Faet'ce t hi s morniiMf. The team for Thursday s match will not be definitely chosen; until to-morrow, as several \ri"Tr T cu e R " fferin e from bruises. -ur. lvi. ,i. Sheehan, manager of the team, in the course of a conversation ni'ihf 4 i y iu' eWS last night, stated tha.t the team had had a . enioynble and successful trip. The Auckland team of to-day was not the team of a few years back, as the Northern Lruon game had made inroads into then- players. One had only to mention the defection of men like Seeling. Francis Gillet, Smith, Williams, Waddcll. and others, who were all in England. The present team waa mostly composed of young players who were wearing representative istps for the first time. Tie games in the South Island against Ctanterbury and* Otago had been hard and strenuous, but while the margins were not great he considered that. the Auckland team was superior to their opinonenbs m l>oth. What seemed to be lacking in these teams was concerted! back play. The material was there, but was not utilised to the 'best advantage, ihe want <rf a general was severely felt, ihe Wellington team wag certainly a strong one, but without Roberts would v be like a ship without a rudder. The contest between Auckland' and Welihurton was one to be remembered. It was, however, the superiority of the Auckland forwards that gave them the victory This division was not complete m the South Island, as Cunningham and Sellar9 weTc absent

He stated that the match on Thursday was being eageriy awaited, and was Iwiig discussed throughout the Dominion. It was without doubt the cl&srfc event in the football world this season. As a matter of fact, he was approached and asked if it would not be possible to play this great match in Wellington, where the proceeds, -which would constitute a record for any provincial match, would lie handed' over to the Tarana,ki Rugby Union He relied thai as far as he was concerned he would 1» pleased to accede to the request, if made in the proper quarter. but he also added that lie thou.'fht the Tinmaki public had the first call to we its team plar, and would (object t/> I>oinj* done out of such a match. He also understood that Mr. McT.eod had been approached on the matter, and had given the same reply. A similar suggestion had also emanated from the Auckland public. He stated that several members of Parliament had intimated to Him that they would male# a special point of journeying to New Plymouth to witness the eontest Mr Myers. M.P. for Auckland East", had promised to present each member of the tenmi with ft gold medal if they sueceod<>d in vanquishing Ta«anaki! Tn conclusion, he said tint, between the Auckland and Taranaki Unions the friendliest spirit had always prevailed, and whatever the outcome of this match he felt sure that feeling would not be disturbed