FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1915, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

PIXTUKES JfOli NKXT THURSDAY. Second Jiiniur.—LTtliam v. Stratford D.H.S., at Stratford; Clifton v. Stratford, at Stratford; New Plymouth High School v. New Plymouth Technical College, at New Plymouth. NEWS AND NOTES. Auckland and Wellington meet at Auckland to-day. The cup fixtures in the varioiiH grades of the North Taranaki competitions are rapidly drawing to a close. Last Thursday concluded the second round of junior fixtures. Next Thursday the finality with the second juniors will take place. Last Saturday was the thirty-first occasion on which Auckland and 'Taranaki have met. Taranaki, through a combination of circumstances, was only able to send a weak team, especially in the rear division, but nevertheless the Taranaki team, though defeated by 15 points to 3, put up a good fight. The best team won, but (here was not th» margin indicated between the teams. As usual when these teams meet, the game was played in the friendliest spirit possible, though it was strenuously contested, and a high standard of Rugby was maintained. Tlio public was very impartial in its applause. Taranaki forwards played a great game, and until they tired in the last ten minute! had the better of the Aueklanders in the loose and open. In scrum work they were well matched, save at hooking, in which Auckland excelled. The backs, however, Sacked combination, and it is to this that Auckland owe their victory. Certainly Taranaki handled and threw the ball about well, but their work lacked finish.

The forwards all played well, and it is 'hard to individualise, but possibly Kissiek and Ward were the best. Whittington, at wing forward, accounted for his via a vis. Skipper at half has played better games. lie did a lot of good work and made some fine openings, but his passing was Weak Patterson and Stewart, the five-eighths, were outclassed by their opponents, though their defence was good.

Roberts played wing three-quarter. He was not feeling too well, and the strenuous journey from the Main Trunk to arrive in Auckland the morning of the match did not improve him. His play consequently was patchy, though at times be gave glimpses of his \ild self. Lynskey, at centre three-quarter, was very sound, handling well and kicking in good style. Tate was the best of the three-quar-ters. He is a speedy player and runs with determination. He made some dashes reminiscent of Goodwin at his best, whilst his defence was very sound. Tinnpy, at full back, who travelled from Patca by train at ten minutes' notice to fill a gap, played a good game. Time and again he got his team out of a tight corner. The twenty-four hours' train trip did not appear to affect his play.

The return mutch between the teams at New Plymouth this month should be worth witnessing. Taranaki, with stronger backs, should win. Commenting on Saturday's match, tha Auckland Star says that it was a game fully in keeping with the traditions of previous Auckland-Taranaki games. Though the score was eventually 13 to 3 in favor of Auckland, play was never at any lime one-sided or uninteresting, and. had the Taranaki backs shown a little more co-ordination, the win might quite easily have gone to the visitors. The one great advantage that Auckland possessed, and it was an invaluable asset to the side, was that after the game had settled down properly the local scrummcrs got the ball four times out of five, and heeled it clean. The Tam,naki forwards, under such circumstances, put up a great fight. They broke up fast, and went out at top among the Auckland backs when the latter got the ball, and for the greater part of the game they, with assistance in tackling from their own backs, kept the Aucklanders at bay. But the effort wore them down, and at the end of the game the Auckland backs were given opportunities, some of which they turned to account.

Both packs of forwards did a great amount of good work in the loose, opportunities in this direction being frequent from the fact that the high wind made tho up-and-under policy the game for whichever side had the wind for Uic time being. Thus it wjis that the play was less than usual directed at the sideline, and the spectators had their penn'orth of thrills in break-away dribbling rushes.

The Taranaki backs were individuals almost ail the time, and as such Skipper (half). Tate (wing three-quar-ter), and Tinney (full-back), stood out from the rest. Skipper endeavored to open up play at times, but his passing was wild, and his chief value lay in his strong defensive work. Tate took the eyo as being a scoring three-quarter of more than usual promise should he be given opportunities. He made the most of what came his way, and from his excellent showing in the position, it comes as a surprise to be informed that in club games he. is not a back at all, but wing-forward. Tinney's fielding and tackling were sound, while liis line kicking was excellent. Patterson, at fiveeighth, gave occasional glimpses of ability to beat his man dashily, and his defence was strong. Dick Roberts showed well on the wing of the. three-quarter line, in tlie opening stages of the game, but he did not sustain his form, and generally his display was disappointing for a player of New Zealand reputation. One is not surprised to learn that lis club forin this season lias been very much off-color.