Auckland v. Waikato.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1581, 22 August 1882, Page 2

Auckland v. Waikato.

Ox Saturday this annual contest took piace on Sydney Square, Hamilton, and resulted in a victory for Auckland by four points, (two tries) to niJ. The match was certainly the best contested that has been played between the town and the country players during the past four years, and was won by, the former principally through their superior knowledge of the game, but partly owing to their having adopted some new ideas of their own, which are not contained in the Rugby Union rules, and which were therefore quite unknown to ( Waikato players. In the Rugby Union rules, No. 11 says that "a scrimmage takes place when the holder of a ball, being in the field of play, puts it down on the ground in front of him, and all who have closed round on their respective sides endeavor to pnsh their opponents back, and, by kicking the ball, to drive it in the direction of the opposite yoal line," etc. Now, the Auckland men have taken it upon themselves to entirely ignore this rule, and instead of trying " to drive it in the direction of the opposite goal line," as says the rule, they kick it back in the direction of their own yonl hue, having a man or two ready behind the scrimmage to pick it up and throw it back to their fast man (Davy), who immediately gets a run. It may be a successful method of getting tries, but it certainly is not football as described in the Rugby Union Rules, under which the match was supposed to be played, consequently it cannot be considered as other than unfair, to put it mildly. Ido not mention this as any excuse for Waikato being beaten this year, because the Aucllaud men were certainly the better team of the two at the game, but I feel bound to enter a protest against any one set of players introducing a system of play in direct opposition to recognised rules, simply because it pays, and they know all about it, whilst their opponents play straightforwardly according to the book. As regards the play— during the first term Davy made one good attempt at a run, as did also Ring, but both were well stopped by the backs. The ball was kept well in the Waikato 25, and about half - time Davy made a run in and touched down, but the ball having been thrown out of the scrimmage to the Auckland backs, had to be brought back again and put down, whence it was kicked back as mentioned above, and Simms ran in and touched down. Carter failed to kick anywhere near the goal, so two points only resulted. The play was very fast, and Auckland's passing was much admired. During the second term some good runs were made by Davy, also by King and Wood— the latter of whom once got through to within three yards or so of the goal-line, when a scrimmage being formed, Auckland kicked the ball back and touched down in self-detence. The play on both sides during the last five minutes of this term was the best of the day. During the third term no advantage was gained by either side for some time until Croxton getting through the backs touched, down near the corner flag. A punt out was tried but failed, Coleman being right on the ball, and nothing resulted beyond the two points. During the last term no score was made, but Auckland had the best of it, keeping the ball in dangerous proximity to the Waikato goal-line most of the time. Where all played so well it is hard to individualise, but for Auckland, Simms, Croxton, and O'Connor, forwards; and Carter, Henderson, White, and Braund, backs, played a fine game (indeed they all played well) 5 whilst for Waikato, Wood, as usual, was the shining light ; Ring I never ' saw play so hard and well, and he is evidently improving, as this time he did a good deal more than mere l'unning. Hunt, too, was all there, and was always on the ball. | McNicol played hard, also Lang (as, usual) ; whilst Dalziel and Blazell saved many a good run, collaring splendidly. Barton, too, was very smart at times. The collaring of Waikato generally was good, and to this alone is attributable the fact that .they were only beaten by four points. I forgot to mention that Bob Biggs i was the most off-side , man of the two teams, but fortunately there was not much to complain of in that direction. Altogether, as I said* before, the match^was, the best we have h*ad, i 'andthe)best-me"n-wbfi. "I liope spme r day ere long to sco the Association game 1 again played, and~Rugby Union, with all its tricks,andV<jlodges,, consigned to oblivion. The- umpiring , was, first-cjass,-Gotter'and.Coninßtperformipg the jdutie&.most^tpf^iily'.,,- vU , , ;t - . i~\ -i '„"" ';.s' r r { > -; FULL BACJK. y { ,