FOOTBALL.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 158, 12 August 1892, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

After-a spell of really fine weather the rain again fell last Friday evening and Saturday, and in consequence the match between Waima and Aratapu was not so 'veil attended “as it otherwise would have been. The Wanna team which was composed wholly of natives arrived at Aratapu in the s.s. ICopuru about one o’clock having spent the previous night at Parore’s settlement at PTouhanga. Rain besran to fall in the morning and continued to do so through the afternoon. Arrived on the ground the Waiuia was the first to enter the field of play and at the sound of a whistle they had a preliminary canter up and down from goal to goal in a body. Their blue and white jerseys gave them a more weighty appearance than the red and blacks ; there were no real heavy weights among them but the players were well proportioned and of good average weight. Waima won the toss and chose" to play with the wind. Aratapu kicked off and Waima at once showed that they could pass both quickly and strongly. The ball was rushed to Aratapu’s 25 and a native instead of throwing it in to the line formed ran in from touch towards goal line, The line umpire answered the appeal but the referee declined to interfere and Aratapu only saved by forcing. Waima worked well at Hie throws in and Wiremu came grandly through a scrum and looked dangerous but Smith saved. Morgan relieved Aratapu by dodging and then kicking. Joseph came back with a run and pass which Woollams and .Elliott neutralised by good {collaring. Phelan dribbled down and Waima returned to Morrison who made a good run but Waima ran it into touch about fifteen yards from Aratapu lino. From the throw in it was badly knocked on by Waima and the red and black forwards remained on the line out but no whistle sounded and Wiremu secured a. try. Aratapu rallied and rushed ball down field, Morgan secured it from a throw in and it was carried by a loose rush and rather bard kick over Waima line where Tony .Keane secured a try by following up well. Waima spoilt a splendid rush by off side play almost oil their opponent’s line. Rutland took the free kick and put it in Joseph’s hands who marked in a good position but the kick at goal was not successful. The red aud blacks were still hard pressed and Jamieson kicked across field where Issac picked up very smartlv and ran in Waima-I. Play now became very interesting and both sides got some good rushes on. Morrison secured the ball in his own 25 and ran but was soon collared and thrown down, then Pehi swooped down on the ball and picking it up (contrary to the rule which says that the ball must not be picked up when it has been put down by a player who has been tackled) rushed over the line. The referee allowed the try and the Aratapu captain protested. Waima 6, Aratapu 2 was the referee’s ruling at half time. In the second spell Aratapu led up with a good rush Bonella aud Keane to the front and Waiuia full-back saved beautifully. Repia showed up in some good runs but he was always collared or put into touch. From a scrum Aratapu got a rush on and Yeale scored a try in a good position but Rutland made a poor kick. Waima G, Aratapu 4. The blue and whites made some

good runs and rushes but the red and blacks had the best of the play throughout this spell. Bonella played a better game than he has done for some time and was often to the front. Aratapu dribbled the ball over the line and Morgan fell full on it but the referee did not consider that he had steadied it. Keane soon after secured the ball on the line and claimed to have grounded it in goal before being thrown back but the referee disagreed and allowed Waima to kick out. We cannot explain the reason of the latter for it was either a try or the ball should have been scrummaged on the line where Keane was collared. Bassett secured a mark on the 25 line right in front of his opponent’s goal but failed to claim it. Joseph and Billy did good work for Waima amongst the backs and Wiremu with others unknown to ns proved excellent forwards. No further score was made. The Waima team is undoubtedly a good on: inch , ky fast, cl: i at pirhxns up and passing but not equal to Aratapu in combination or stopping rushes. Some spectators classed (hem as -lie belter team but tbo results of their combined play did

not show it. They were fortunate in securing every point they had the shadow of a claim to (one try being disputed on a point of law) whilst Aratapu’s two tries were indisputable and two others at least close enough to be difficult to decide. We would like to see the two teams at play on a dry ground for a fast, even and pretty game would result. The Waiina team were much elated at the result of the game and sang their Club song as they marched off the ground. In the evening they had dinner at Mrs Lowrie’s boarding establishment and were afterwards the guests of the Aratapu Minstrels in the Hall, where they seemed to specially enj®y the wonderful performance of Air Clark oi the invisible slack wire and on the trapes. 5, They returned to Dargaville about midnight by steamer and started for home next clay. The “ Umpire ” says : —“Aratapu beat Kopuru in the deciding contest for the Championship at Aratapu on Saturday w°ek by (3 points to 2. Tommy Neill went up from Auckland to referee, aud complimented the players on the quietness of the game. Not so the ladies, however, as Tommy says they have voices like fog-horns, and they barrack louder and more frequent than the male sox.”

At the meeting of the Auckland Rugby Union last week it was decided to send the Auckland team to play against Northern Wairoa on Saturday, September 24th. The date is rather late for this district considering that the Cup matches are already completed and that some of our best players do not care about keeping in harness so long after. But it gives plenty of time for practice and this is what is much needed by our boys. Tomorrow afternoonKopurumeets Helensville and an interesting game may be looked for. We hope that the fine weather may continue so that a really fine game may be witnessed. The p.s. Osprey runs a special excursion trip leaving Flclensville at 10 p.m. this evening, returning on Sunday, so that a large number of visitors may be looked for. The game is to be played at Mangawhare and a steamer leaves Tatarariki at noon telegraph time, calling in at Kopuru and Aratapu on the way up. The steamer fare which includes admission to ground has been fixed at 1/6. The charge for admission to ground is gents 1/, ladies 6d. The following is the team chosen to represent Helonsville. —Fullback, Bailey ; three-quarters, Donovan, Robinson, AY. McManus; halves, C. McManus, D. Stewart. Sheriff; Forwards, Tate, F. Walker, Simcock, Sells, Kawson, Kay, AY. Walker and Hogan. The Holensville representatives do not strike us as a strong combination ; they have some hard work before them to score a win tomorrow. The team picked to represent Kopuru is placed as follows : —Full back, J. Johnston ; three quarters, Smith, Elliott and Absohun ; halves, Nelson, Lowrie and Tidmarsh; forwards MolLov (3), C. Matthews, AV. Legge, Flavell, Ross and jtveogau. Emergencies, A. Johnson, Davern, Bloakley, O’Neill and Davidson. We do not like the above selection and to our mind could improve it in both the back and forward divisions. The placing of Legge in the forwards to the exclusion of Bleaklev and the putting of Absolum in the team cannot be very gratifying to those who have fought for the Club through the season. File Auckland-Taranaki match last Saturday was played in the rain aud was only j ust won by Auckland in the hist few* minutes. Taranaki secured two tries (our old comrade Harry Coutts getting one) aud Auckland one try which Denalligan converted. The Helonsville team are to be entertained by the Kopuru Club at a dinner in the Kopuru Hall tomorrow evening. A Social will follow the dinner. The Holensville and Kopuru School boys play a match to-morrow afternoon at Manga - whare ground.