FOOTBALL NOTES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10702, 24 August 1912, Page 3

FOOTBALL NOTES

(By ALL BLACK.)

The telegraphed news that the Wai rarapa representatives defeated Tata■naki at Now Plymouth on Thursday crmo us something of a surprise to followers of the Rugby game in the Wai. rarapa. Many enthusiasts, even en reading the result of the match in thf papers, could hardly believe it. According to tho very meagre Press message the game in the first spell was very even, the play being fast and open. In tho second spell the Wairarapn; fqnvards ran all over thenopponents. Tho greens arc to be heartily congratulated on their •

did performance, but tho selectors will no doubt feel the most elated, as the form shown by the Wai rarapa representatives, especially in their last two matches has been quite up to tho host representative form displayed in the Wairarapa for some time. To defeat a team of the calibre of Taranaki, even though, some of the latter are [reported to he stale, must be ranked as one of the very best efforts of any Wairarapa team. Three matches yet remain to be played, Manawatu at Palmorston to-day, Horowhenua on Wednesday and Wellington on Saturday. On Manawatu's form against Nelson, Wairarapa should have no difficulty in adding another win to their list. The result of the Taranaki match will have tho effect of drawing good gates to the remaining matches. The only match to he played in Masterton to-day is the lied Star junior versus Carterton junior match, which takes plarc on the old. show grounds. The winners of the. Pearson Cup for this season depend upon the result, and this should at least ensure a good hard game, as'the holding of a trophy always appeals to players and causes them to do their verv best.

Great interest is being evinced in Wellington in connection with the visit of the New South Wales League team which arrived in Wellington this week. There is little douht but that the League game is gaining a strong foothold in New Zealand, as it has already clone in New South V where tho new game has practically ousted the Rugby Union game from popular favour. The managers of the visiting team arc confident that the present tour will have the result of popularising the League gamo with public and players alike. The team. which consists of twenty-seven players, is stated to ho the finest combination that has yet visited the Dominion. The men are y.ndt>r ''.Ye control of the managers. 7*7. o haw*" the exclusive right to send back to Australia any player who shows insubordination. The advent of this team to New Zealand has already created much speculative interest in football circles, and their first match which will be played against Weihngi -dav will no douht attract n ton Ur.•

big The following is the >.. ~ ■ ,; alu ; matches to be played in New /;t>-

by the visitors:—Saturday. Aug! 2-1 th, Wellington, at Wellington; Wednesday, August 28th. Tsiranaki, at Ncmv Plymouth; Saturday, August 31st, Auckland, at Auckland; Wednesday, September -I, llotorua. at RoSaturday, September 7th, New Zealand, at Auckland ; Wednesday, September llth/Hawko's Bay. at Napier; Saturday, September 14th, Canterbury, at Christclmrcb ; Thursday, September 19th, Wanganui, at Wnnganui; .Saturday ? September 21st (to be decided upon later).