FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1919, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. MATCJHES PLAYED. Aug. 14.—v. Walroa Sub-Union, won by 32 to nil. MATCHES ARRANGED. Aug 23.—v. Auckland, at Auckland. Sept. 6.—v. Wellington, at Wellington. Sept. 11.—v. Auckland, tit New Plymouth. Sept. 13 or 20— v. Wanganul, at Wimeunul. The last two fixtures are subject to confirmation. J THE BENIOR COMPETITION. POSITION OF THE TEAMS. Thursday.

TO-DAY'S FIXTURES. Senlors.—ltaaotu v. Star, at New Plymouth, Mr. J. Johnson; Clifton v Old Boys, at New Plymouth, Mr. Roch. Second juniors—Tukapa v. Stratford D.H.S., at New Plymouth, Mr. West; Star v. Leppcr-l ton, at Waltara, Mr. D. Johnson.

FIXTURES FOR THE WEEK. THURSDAY, AUGUST 28. NORTHERN DIVISION PLAY OFF. Clifton v. Stratford Senfors, at New Plymouth. Juniors.—Clifton v. Star, at New Plymouth, curtain raiser to senior match.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30. Senior.—Star v. Old Boys. Second'junlors.—'Star v. Stratford D.H.S., at Stratford; Clifton v. Lopperton.

The Old Boys' team to meet Clifton on the racecourse to-day will be chosen from the following, all of whom are requested to he on the ground at 2.4s:—Herbert, Macdonald, Little, L, Hughes, Solo, Wynyard, Throssel, Eggleton, Fuller, D. Hughes, Dollc, Kelly, Saxton, Pox, Corklll, S. Kwing, and R. Brokenshlre. The following will represent Tukapa juniors against Stratford D.H.S. this afternoon:— Quickfall; Gush, Morry, Davis, Gilbert, Murphy, Gardiner, Quickfall, Oliver, Boulton, Weston, Bodmin, McLean, Stohr, Leplne. Emergencies, McHardle, Redwood, and Leplne. ASSOCIATION GAME.

Wellington, Ye9terdny. In connection with the challenge match for the Brown Shield, Wellington plays Canterbury to-inorrow at Chrlstehurch. Mr. *. rf. Black, of Woolston, has been chosen refereo, with the approval of both teams. Wanganul has challenged the winner of the match. TO-DAY'S BIG MATCH. After an Interval of Ave years the representatives of Taranakl and Auckland, always keen but friendly rivals, are meeting tn-dny In the Northern City. There Is certain to bo a huge attendance, for the Auekland-Taranakl fixture la tho most popular fixture of the year with the northern enthusiasts. The memory of the cnthusistlc reception given the Tnvanki team In 1813, after Roberts had scored the winning try that snatched the Ranfurly shield from Auckland, in the last few minutes, will long live with those who were privileged to view It. A stranger would cortalnly have Imagined that It hud been a great local victory, judging by tho triumphal march the Taranakl men wore given on their Journey back to town. That was a great struggle The Taranakl team comprised L. Hill, full back; Stohr, M'Leod, Lovorldge, three quarters; S. Cameron, Roberts, five eighths; Brown, half; Taylor, wing; forwards, Dewar, Cain, Hawkins, Proviso, Tanu, Whittlngton, and Ward. Of this team Cameron Is the only member of the Tiinviuikl team to-day. Dewar and Taylor mode the supreme sacrifice at the war. McLcod, who captained tho team, fell a victim to influenza. Tamu, probably one of the greatest, forwards Taranakl ever had, has also joined the Great Majority, whilst Brown, Roberts, Stohr, Whittlngton and Cain are with the New Zealand soldiers in South Africa. Hill, Hawkins and Loverldge have returned from the war. The latter played one game this year. Ward Is also playing this year, but Prowse has retired. The Ranfurly shield match was a sensational struggle and kept the huge crowd of spectators at a high tension of excitement as first one team and then the other gained the upper hand. Roberts first notched a try for Taranakl, which Stohr did not convert, and then Geddes scored for Auckland, O'Leary converting. Loverldge next scored for Taranakl, but Roberts did not convert. Taranakl were again leading by u point, which was further Increased by Dewar scoring. In the second spell McGregor and Weaton scored tries, and Auckland were again In tho lead, and the nubile nearly went wild with Joy. However, towards the close Brown secured and Roberts, Cameron, McLeod and Hill all handling well, the later cross kicked when blocked and Dewar securing shot to Roberts who scored, and Hwklns goallng put the Issue beyond doubt. The Taranakl players were carried off the field by the crowd. It was a great match. To-day's match should he Interesting. Possibly tho Taranakl team Is hardly of tho calibre of the 1913 team, neither probably Is the Auckland team, but possesses some good material, young and keen. The Taranakl team will probably take the field as follows: Full: Oliver (Tukapa). Thteo-quarter: Hic.iwy (Walmate), Stewart (Clifton), McKenna (I'atea).

Five-eighths; S. Cameron (Alton), Coutts (Stratford). Half: Atkln (Walmate). Forwards: Rover, Tate (Clifton), Winters (Kapon>;a), King (Hawcra), Bailey (Hnwera), Masters (Stratford), Carlson (Stratford), Norgato (Kuponga), Bourko (Walmate). It Is, of courso, possible that Coutts and Kiveil may be the ftve-elghlhs. In which caso Cameron would bo centre lhr«v.quarter and Stewart wing. D. J. Mulono Is with the team and will decide that point.

The backs are a strong combination, both In attack and defence, and have had the advantage of a match or two together. Atkin, Cameron and Coutts are a particularly solia combination, whilst Hickey at wing three-quar-ters Is one of the most dai.gorous scoring men seen for years, and should develop into a top notcher, lie having weight and pace and handles the ball well. The forwards also are keen and willing, hut may not secure the ball 100 well. Tate as Rover Is In great form at present, .ludglng hy Iho last rep. match Die team lacks a good goal kicker, though it Is possiblo the Inclusion of Oliver might overcome this, he being a useful Melt. Spratt. did not mako the trip, being replaced bv Bailey. As a curtain-raiser to the big match New Plymouth High School will met Auckland Grammar, and In suite of the great disparity bet'.vcn the teams when Ihcy met hero' last year, and the local team wero defeated hy 53 points to 10, it is confidently expected that the High School team will to-day give a good account of itself. Last year Grammar were* fortunate In having a number of boys in their last year. This year some of those boys are playing for Auckland reps, and the Grammar School team Is not as strong as It was, though It Is to-day the best college team In Auckland. On the other hand, school possesses a heavier set of forwards and a' nippier set of backs, and Is not likely to be fiulte as overawed by their opponents «3 was the ease when I thoy mat last year.

PREVIOUS MATCHES. In the past Auckland and Taranakl have met on 30 occasions, and the record at present Mtands, Auckland has won 19, TaTanakl won 8, drawn 3. The details are 09 follows: 1887.—At Auckland, Taranakl won 1 point to nil. 1889—At New Plymouth, Auckland won, Cto 0. 1890—At Auckland, Auckland won, Bto 0. 1891—At Hawera, draw, 6 all. 1892.—At Auckland, Auckland won, Ito 0. 1893.—At New Plymouth, Auckland won, 4to 2. 1894.—At Auckland, Taranakl won, 14 to 0. 1895. —At New Plymouth, draw, no score. 189(1—At Auckland, Tar.umld won, 16 to ». 1897.—At New Plymouth, Auckland won, 23 to nil. 1898—At Auckland, draw, no score. 1899—At New Plymouth, Auckland won, 18 to 3. 1900.—At Auckland, Auckland won, 19 ,to 3. 1901— At New Plymouth, Auckland won, 5 to nil. 1902.~At Auckland, Auckland won, 21 to 3. 1903.—At New Plymouth, Taranakl won, oto 3. 1904—At Auckland, Taranakl won, 3to 0. 1905.—At New Plymouth, Auckland won, 6to 1906.—At Auckland, Auckland won, 18 to 5. 190T.—At Auckland, Auckland won, 12 to 8. 180".—At Auckland, Auckland won, 9to 0. U3S.—At Auckland. Auckland won. 9w ».

1909.—At New Plymouth, Tat-anaM won, CJf 9. 1909.—At Auckland, Auckland won, 18 to 6. S 10 ~ At Auckland, Auckland won, 16 H 9. 1911—At Now Plymouth, Auckland won, 6to 1912.—At Auckland, Auckland won, 6to 5. 1913.—At Auckland, Taranakl won, 11 to 11. 1913.—At New Plymouth, Auckland won. 11 to 1914.—At Auckland, Auckland won, 13 to 8. NEWS AND NOTES. By defeating Inglewood on Thursday, Stratford seniors have annexed the premiership of the northern Thursday division, and will therefore have to play off with Clifton, whose defeat of Star lust Saturday also places them In an unassailable position. The play off between these teams for the honor of meetng Hawera, the Southern Division winners, to decide the provincial championship will •irobably take place at New Plymouth on Thursday next. A p!ay-oB will also ho necessary In the junior competition between Star and Clifton, and this will he played on tho Tukapa ground at a date to be fixed. A correspondent from Hawora wrltos asking the score in the football match which VVaimate and Tukapa seniors played at Manala in 1908, for the senior championship. In 190S, there were threo divisions, Tukapa won the premiership in tho Northern, Waimate In the Southern, and Okato in the Western. Tho semi-final was played between Tukapa and ffalmate at Manala on July 30th, when the plainsmen proved much too good for the New t'lymouth team, whom they defeated by 20 points to nil. For Walmate, tries were scored by Young, Meuli (2), McKay, Birchall, and Pint, and only one of the six being converted by Franklin. A fortnight later, Walmate met Okato in the final at Opunake, and after a good game defeated the coastal team by 14 points to nil. Prince, Meuli, Moffltt, and Bourke secured tries, Franklin again converting one. Kaponga and Normanby thirds who tied for first position in the Southern Division, met In the play oil on Saturday, when a draw resulted, necessitating another play off, which will take place to-day.

CONDEMNED AND SENTENCED! MR. NUTTALI. IN EXPLANATION. Write* Mr. H. A. Nuttall, Elthara:—At a meeting of the Taranakl Rugby Union hold at Stratford on Thursday last, Aug. 14th., a resolution was passed bearing on myself. To say the least. I was astounded that a supposed responsible body such as tho Taranakl Kugby Union executive should go out of its way In an endeavour to heap discredit upon myself with a view of prejudicing me in the eyes of the public. Taking this as a personal spleen on the part of several committeemen upon myself, for reasons which I will explain, I did not feel disposed to take notice of such dastardly tactics. However, us this mnttor has been reported and published throughout Taranakl, and In viow of the fact that J am constantly queried In connection with tho same, ! crave space In your valuable paper to giv* the facW of my running foul of several members of the executive. In the first place, I had to report a player of the Stratford team for using obscene language to myself, and likewise a spectator on similar grounds. .Now, sir, In my Innocence I took It for granted that the Union with a view of securing clean sport would welcome any evidence bearing on the question, and was willing with several other opens in football matters throughout the Dominion, and who actually heard tho alleged vile offences, to give evidence at the meeting held to Inquire into tho complalnls. You can jus*, imagine my surprise and indignation afler waiting one hour and twenty minutes outside the doors of the meeting to learn that ray evidence was not needed (afler reporting the men), and that the player named had received a nominal penalty, and the case of the spectator was not dealt with owing to my not giving his correct Christian name, although Mr. Harkness, one of the executive, not only knew his name but refused to give it to the meeting. Also, I was informed that against any evidence that I was prepared to bring, Messrs. Masters and Harkness, evidently In extenuation of the offence, assured the meeting that they did not hear the language complained of. At this stage Mr. Masters gave hU opinion (which does not count for tauch on refereering), that tho sole cause of the trouble was the incompetency of the referee. Homebody had to shoulder it, so Mr. A,.iiurs put It on to me. However, after about 11 years' experience at refereoing, and In v|ew of the fact that I have not had any complaints from any other club regarding my Incompetency as a referee, it is clear to me that Mr. Masters guessed it. However, I was sotnewha.t aggrieved at the attitude of the Union In baulking Inquiry into these matters that I put the matter before my Association, also a complaint against a member of the Union, which 1 was prepared to support by outside evidence, by using Insulting references to myself as a referee when on iho side lino. As a result of this aitd other grievances, the Referees' Association decided not to appoint further referees until redress was obtained. However, after some special pleading by the chairman (Mr. McLcod), :n assurance was made for if conference, and tlutt. drastic steps would not be Insisted upon. Some members of the committee evidently began to find themselves in a hole, and in an attempt to divert attention from themselves saw further means of putting discredit upon myself for the crime of having reported various members or tho Stratford club. After considerable searching they made a startling discovery that 1 made a bet on the Stratford v. Elihara match, at Eltham, which I admitted at tha ■■feeling, but was not asked what my bet was—lt happened to bo a nice smoking pipe with a Stratford gentleman I Hence the ponderous resolution passed by the Kugby Onion and recommended to the Referees' Association. Condemned and sentenced without a trial by the Taranakl Rugby Union I Comment Is needless 1

Slratfotd P. W. U V. Pts Tukapa .,,', 3 1 1 2 8 Elton m 1 3 2 4 Inglewood Saturday. 1 4 1 3 P. W. L. D. Pts. Clifton e — V 13 4 • 2 — 10 Okatc ;» ( 5 — C Old Boys ., 1 2 2 4 1 5 1 Li