FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1920, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

THE RUGBY GAME. TO-DAY'S FIXTURES. Following arc tho fixtures for to-day:— PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL. Flawera v. Clifton, at Waitara, at 2.30 p.m. I FIXTURES FOR NEXT WEEK. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9. ItEPRESSNTATI YE MATCH. Auckland v. Taranaki, at New Plymouth, at 3 p.m. PRIMARY SCHOOLS MATCH. North Taranaki v. South Taranaki, as curtain- , raiser, at 1.15 p.m. REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. RESULTS TO DATE. Taranaki (11) v. Wanganui (8). Wellington (20) v. Taranaki (y). Taranaki (6) v. Wanganui (0). Taranaki v. South Auckland, a draw. Auckland (ft) y. Taranaki tS). Hawke's Bay (B) % v, Taranaki (6). Taranaki (14) v. Mancwatu (9). Hawke's Bay (9) v. Taranaki (0). Whlrarapa (9) v. Taranaki (3). 9 Mnnawatu (11) v. Taranaki (6). WBlllngtou (10) v. Taranaki (5). B, RKi'S. Taranaki (12) 'v. Wairoa Sub-Union (6). CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL IIAWERA v. CLIFTON TO-DAY. The football season for 1920 is rapidly approaching its close, and there now only remain two Important matches to practically complete the season's programme To both of . theSe more than usual interest attaches. To-day, Hawera and Clifton will meet at Waltara. r for the second occasion to decide whether the McMasters Shield will be brought to North Taranaki or reihain in South Taranaki. When these teams met at Hawera three weeks ago, Clifton gave the holders a great game, the match ending in a drew with six points each, after a stirring struggle. Today's match promises to be played under fine weather conditions, and should provide another great struggle. Roth teams comprise some notable exponents of Rtfgby, and the teams are in good form. The Clifton team will bc'tlw same as that, which met Hawera previously.- with the one exception that Skelton is replaced in the forwards by G. Taylor, the latter's place at centre threequarter will be taken by Sheehan, a junior who is quite up to the senior standard, and there is 110 question the change will improve the teann,. Clifton now comprises: S. George, Pennial,' Sheehan. Goodwin. Coutts, Colman, K. George,. J. Taylor, Cain, Puller, Hicks, Soffe, McDevitt, G. Taylor, Graham. TARANAKI v. AUCKLAND. NEXT WEEK'S MATCH. -Of all the representative fixtures played in I Taranaki,' that against Auckland has always been the most popular among football followers, and there is 110 doubt that this season's fixture between the two teams will prove equally as popular, and will draw a record crowd to the Recreation Grounds New Plymouth, on Thursday afternoon. The play of the Taranaki team this year has been very disappointing, but Taranaki football teams are noted for doing their bes£ when up against. strong teams, and this has been borne out this year by sterling matchesagainst Auckland and Wellington, both of which Taranaki were unlucky to lose, and they can be- depended upon to do even better on Thursday. Auckland meet Wellington to-day, and should the Northerners annex the R.mfuiiy Shield, as they nearly did when the teams met in Auckland, Taranaki will on Thursday have a chance of again lifting the Shield from the Northerners, from whom they took it in 1913. The Taranaki team, has not been selected yet, but both Messrs. D. 1 Malone and S. J. McKay will be present at Waitara to-day, and will make the filial choice after the big match there. A special train will leave Hawera at 1130 a.m., reaching New Plymouth at 1.55 p.m., and returning to Hawera at 5.30 p.m. PRIMARY SCHOOLS MATCH. NORTH v. SOUTH TARANAKI. A welcome innovation has this year been made by encouraging the school boys by giving them an opportunity of coming before the pubic, and incidentally affording the latter an opportunity of seeing our future footballers. The match which will be played as a curtain raiser to the Anckland-.Taranaki match is between the South Taranaki junior representatives selected from the. country schools, and tho North Taranaki jujjlo? taps., and should be wprth witnessing. Tin teams will be entertained to lunch at, 11.30 a.m., and will then proceed to the Qeniml School gymnasium to prepare for the match, which starts at 1.15 p.m. NEWS AND NOTES. Lepperlon and Clifton thirds played a drawn game last Saturday, so that another match wUI be necessary to decide the competition. *fr. Jas. McLood, chairman of the Taranaki Rugby Union, anik President of the New Zealand Union, lias left foT Wellington to attend a conference of chairmen of Rugby Unions, which was held last night, to discuss the question of uniformity in regßTd to tho playing of the amended rules. There is no doubt that some action will have to he taken to brighten up the game, as has been doge In Auckland, .and the elimination 'of line kicking will largely assist.