With the advent of the present season, football has once more regained its old position as the leading winter sport, and as a consequence the Football Club is once more the most enthusiastic and successful of College Clubs. Two seasons ago the Club was represented in the football competitions by one team. Last year, by the strenuous efforts of the committee, two teams were put into the field. This season, with the advent of numerous freshers and the return of many old players, four teams have donned the green jersey or its substitutes. A great difficulty has been experienced in procuring a supply of jerseys, and the teams have been obliged to turn out clad in jerseys of various colours, and consequently have been subjected, in the local press, to the uncomplimentary remarks of several scribes and arm-chair critics. It is hoped that next season there will be a supply large enough to satisfy all requirements.

Teams have been entered in the Senior, Junior, and Third Grade Competitions, and although they have not been very successful up to the present, it is expected that a little systematic practice will make a great deal of difference. As usual, the question of practice has been a burning one. Early morning practices are being held twice weekly in addition to night practices in the gymnasium, but owing to early lectures, and the distance at which players live from the Park, the attendance of some players has not been all that could be desired. The backs of the first fifteen are, for the most part, the same as last year, but the forwards have undergone considerable alteration, being for the most part replaced by a heavier pack.

The Club desires to thank Mr. E. Perry for the trouble he has gone to in coaching the forwards. It is hoped that the Canterbury match will again take place this season, but up to the time of writing a definite date has not been fixed.

The following are the results of matches played up to the time of going to print:—

Senior.

Seven-a-side Tournament—The season opened with a tournament, but we were unable to put in our best team, owing to the fact that many of us were recovering from the Dunedin tournament and did not feel up to the high standard of training which is necessary for a seven-a-side game. We, however, managed to win two games.

v. Athletics; lost 21-5. The Rugby Union evidently expected a repetition of our opening game against Petone last season, as this game was played on No. 1 Ground, Athletic Park. The other side was superior in all departments, although College put up a good fight. Unfortunately, Jackson put his head in front of something hard early in the game, and we were deprived of his valuable services. To his efforts we owe the only points scored by us.

v. Poneke; lost 23-5. Played at Athletic Park. Our opponents, with the sun at their backs, managed to put on only 5 points by half-time, and we had prospects of a good finish. However, for some unexplainable reason, the second half proved a run-away against us. The back play was ragged, Chrisp's brilliant handling being the only redeeming feature. The forwards worked like Trojans aaginst a heavier pack, Beard being conspicuous as a leader. Of the others, Espiner and Martin- Smith were especially noticeable. Our score was the result of a forward rush, in which Low scored and Jackson converted.

v. Wellington; won 10-6. Played on Duppa Street Park. On this occasion there was a general improvement, although our backs still showed a tendency to juggle with the ball, and our lightning wings were again starved almost to the point of emaciation. In the first half the whole team played with considerable "ginger," and Scott and Aitkin succeeded in crosing the line, Jackson converting both times. This made the score 10-3 in our favour. After half-time our opponents gave us plenty to do, and the three points they added to their total was the result of inefficient tackling by our backs. Of the forwards, Beard, Hutchison, and Smith were conspicuous; Beard's line-kicking saving our forwards a lot of work. There was little individual brilliancy displayed among the backs, although Chrisp got through a lot of work in a convincing manner.

v. Petone; lost 31-14. Played at Petone. This was a particularly fast game, and was played in a good spirit by both sides. The big score put up by our opponents was due to our bad tackling, which is always emphasised when we meet a fast team of backs. Our forwards held Petone, and got their fair share of the ball in the scrums, but when the Petone backs got possession our backs proved that they did not know the elements of defence work. On the attack our team was quite a match for our opponents, each man doing his fair share. Barker was conspicuous, using his pace to great advantage, both in attack and in covering other players' mistakes in defensive work. We were sorely handicapped by the absence of "live-wire" Jackson, who would have proved a "tower of strength" on this occasion. We were glad, in this game, to have the services of Brosnahan, whose experienced head is of great assistance to our less matured forwards. In this as in the last game, "Johnny" Pope was behind the page 46 scrum, and did a lot of work in his usual nippy way. The scores were as follows: Penalty goal by Scott; try by Aitken and converted by Scott; two tries by Barker, making a total of 14 points.

Junior.

v. Berhampore; lost 21-3. This game was played at Kilbirnie, when many of the players saw each other for the first time, consequently it was not surprising that we were defeated by a team which had evidently practised together considerably. Our backs were the weakest part of the team, showing a disinclination to bring down their man. Dowd was responsible for our solitary score.

v. Poneke; won by 9-3. This match was also played at Kilbirnie on the following Saturday, and considerable improvement was shown, especially among the backs. We had the better of the game throughout. Tries were scored by Tracy and Knell, and White kicked a penalty. All the forwards played good games, while among the backs Knell was the most conspicuous.

v. Wellington College; lost 17-6. Played on the College ground. The game was fairly even throughout, but 'Varsity lacked the polish of their opponents. Dighton was conspicuous among the forwards for his energetic play. Tries were scored by Tracy and Charles.

v. Hutt; lost 21-3. Our opponents had by far the heavier team, and in the first spell overwhelmed our backs, and scored 21 points. The second half was strenuously contested, and we were constantly on the attack. As a result of a good piece of play by Burns and Ward, the latter scored for us. The whole team played well, especially in the second spell, Dighton again being conspicuous among the forwards.

Third Grade—"A" Team.

v. Wellington; lost 9-6. This was a keenly-contested game, but our team felt the lack of training.

v. Railway; lost 10-0. 'Varsity played well, but failed to make full use of its opportunities.

v. Selwyn; lost 6-5. Played at Kilbirnie. The game was very even throughout, and we were unlucky in being defeated

"B" Team.

v. Petone. This was the team's first appearance in the field. Lack of training, etc., resulted in the team being unsuccessful. Score unknown.