FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 202, 6 May 1912, Page 8

FOOTBALL

WELLINGTON GAMES. By Telegraph—Pri'?» Association. Wellington, Last Night. The senior Rugby football championship matches were continued on Saturday, in almost perfect weather. The principal event was the contest between Athletic and Peton<\ which was watched by fully five thousand people. It was a strenuous game, and resulted in a draw, each side scoring three points. Other results were: —Old Boys 3, beat Victoria College 3; Melrose 18, beat Poneke 11; St. James 9, beat Southern 0; Oriental 17, beat Wellington 0. ROVERS (11) v. FITZROY (0). The above teams met on the Sports Ground on Saturday. Neither team played with combination, and both badly lacked condition. The Fitzroy team had verv little knowledge of the finer points of the game, but they were willing, and with practice and coaching should prove a hard team to beat. The play was ragged for the first fifteen minutes, neither side having any advantage. Good ( play by Grant Brothers took the leather I into Fitzroy's twenty-five, where Ellis had two shots at goal in quick time, but both missed. Rovers kept up the at- . tack, and a nice rush started by I. Grant saw Thompson collared on the line. Shortly afterwards Thompson missed a pass from Reid when in a good position, and Fitzroy broke away to neutral ground. A high kick from Grant was mulled by Fitzroy's full-back, and I. Grant, who had followed up fast, snapped the ball up and Crossed the line. Ellis failed to convert. From the kick-off. mulling bv Rovers let Fitzroy away, and good play by Skipper had Rovers penned in their twenty-five. A penalty against Fitzroy relieved the pressure, and Rovers set up a scrambling attack, taking play to their opponents' twenty-five, where Webster kicked a goal from a penalty. • Fitzroy livened up, and, headed by Skipper, set up an attack, but they could not cross the line. Half-time went without further score.

On resuming, the play became fast, but there was an absence of combination on either side. Fitzroy had slightly the better of the play, and had several good chances to score, but failed to take advantage of them. From a scramble at half-way, Skipper made a nice opening, but was grassed after a dodgy run Vhen within striking distance. Rovers livened up a little, but wild kicking and the failure of their backs to handle the ball enabled Fitzzroy to clear. A few minutes before time, I. Grant secured the ball about half-way, and raced through the opposing backs, scoring between the posts, and converting. No further score took place, and the whistle went with Rovers attacking. Mr. O. West was referee.

STAR v. OKATO.

Star started out for Okato on Saturday •tfith ten men to play the local fifteen, their ranks having been depleted during the week on account of sickness. When half way to Okato another five of the team had to "give up the ghost," owing to a breakdown in one of the two motor-cars conveying the players. Eventually the remaining five men reached Okato, where a scratch match was played with the aid of ten substitutes. Okato won. by 17 points to nil. The local team, in a very sportsmanlike spirit, agreed to abandon the match until it could be played at some future date, provided the Rugby Union would give its consent.

A requisition is in circulation in Southland with the object of securing the names of all first-grade footballers who wish the disqualifications removed from the players who took part in the Northern Union game in 1908. There seems to be a general sympathy with the movement, the feeling being that the punishment already suffered is sufficient to meet the circumstances. When the signatures have 'been obtained, the requisition will be handed to the Southland Rugby Union, with the request that they forward it to the New Zealand Council.