FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 287, 16 April 1889, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

The Gisborne Club opened their season on Saturday, when side, were picked on the ground by Messrs Bourn and Snow. A rattling game was played, the work ehowing a great improvement on that of the previous Saturday. Bourn’* team eventually had the best of it.

The annual report of theH.B. Rugby Union showed that there was £3B owing, and cap* and uniform* tn the value ot £96 were on hand. The deficit i* due to the heavy scat ot entertaining visiting team*. After the Blaokheath match, th* Pall Mail Gazette, the Hawk, and one or two other paper), taking the local man'* broken collarbone a* their text, preached the Maori* a sermon on rough play. A* a matter of tact, this is th* sole accident (bar a fractured jew at Mayport) for which the New Zealander* have been responsible during th* lengthy tour. On the other hand, there is scarcely a member ot the New Zealand team who haa not at one time or another been seriously bent or broken ; in fact, in Lancashire, Scott could not raiaa a sound fifteen. There can, however, be no doubt that these unjust accusations of rough play have done barm, and partially accounted for the coolness with which the Maori* were received when thay met England.