THE MAORIS V CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7392, 19 August 1889, Page 6

THE MAORIS V CANTERBURY.

.. £he reappearance of the Maori team Against a team representing Canterbury drew together on Saturday afternoon a large crowd of spectators to Lancaster Park, where the match was played. On Rriday night and early on Saturday rain UH heavily, but during the match the weather was fine, and the ground was in Car better condition thau many expected to find it. Great interest was shown in the match. It was generally conceded ieforehand that Canterbury would be vanquished, and it was acknowledged afterwards that our picked Fifteen fought against greater odds than they ever did, the English representatives alone exempted. The play showed on Saturday afternoon was a fine exhibition of what several months of combination and practice will do. When last here the Maoris it was plainly evident had a lot to learn. They have learnt it, picking up and noticing those little apparently insignificant details which taken together, have a marked effect in the result of a football contest. That they can play off side was palpable, but apart from this, it must be admitted they were far and away too good for our local men. In the loose, in the scrum, 'dribbling, parsing, collaring, or running they were very much indeed Canterbury's superior. Such runs as were made by Warbrick at full back, by Madigan, Gage, and W. Wynyard, the passing of H. Wynyard, F. Warbrick, and all the backs as well as several forwards, the rushes of Alf Warbrick, Maynard, Taare, Taiaroa, and Rene, and the dodging and /ending powers of nearly every one, nonplussed their opponents, who failed even to score as many points as did Hawke's Bay against the visitors. Of the Canterbury team everything cannot be said in their praise. They commenced well, with the wind in their favor, but they were soon overpowered, a result partly brought about by the poor work of some of th c backs. Ward and McLean were not brilliant, and the latter did less than the forraet; Cresswell from some cause failed in his usual effective kicks, and thepassingamong them was Of only second rate character. Donnelly and Hobbs were just the opposite, running, collaring and kicking well, and Wilson again earned his position at full back. But what, comparatively, was the £ood of any one of them ? Throughout the second spell the visitors appeared to •Imply play with them, and the many good tushes of our forwards were stopped oy a Haori very smartly picking up at their feet, passing to a confrere who sent the leather on and in less time than it takes %o nay it the play was again at the old •pot—mostly on the Beds' side of the central flag. Notwithstanding that the match was considerably one-sided, the seeult reached was anticipated, the public seemed well satisfied with the afternoon's exhibition of football, and if at times disapprobation of the Maoris' play was shown, any good run and clever pass or some pretty dribbling or feinting never failed to receive a hearty cheer. The Canterbury men, who were beaten by 15 points to 0, were continually cheered on, tut cheering was no good against the combination, strength, condition and science of the visitors. Appended are the teams:— MAORI TEAM, i FULL BACK. W. Warbrick (Captain.) • . THREE-QUARTER-BACKS. ■■ Madigan W. Wynyard Gage 1 HALFBACKS. Elliott H. Wynyard F. Warbrick FORWARDS. Williams (Capt.) Ellison Taiaroa . Maynard Rene A. Warbrick Alt Warbrick Taare CANTERBURY TEAM. FUU BACK. H. Wilson. THBKE-QUARTER BACKS. Cresswell A. Hobbs McLean. . HALF-BACKS. Ward Donnelly FORWARDS. Bates Evans Plank Bean Garrard Reillv ' A.Ebert Hutton Weekes (Capt.) lhe Rev. J. Hoatson was referee, Messrs CL Harris and J. Warbrick umpires. > FIRST SPELL.

' * Canterbury (Bed and Black) won the locs, and Weekes waived the kick off, *rh!eh was taken by the Maoris against a fairly strong sou , -westerly wind, which shifted to direct south in the second spell. flay was immediately carried to the Western goal, which was relieved by a fine : run of Hobbs, who passed to McLean. The 'latter, returned to Hobbs, who was collared by Elliott, who ran into touch. A 'good Bed dribbling rush was organised, «nd McLean Rot a mark, sending the ball -down to W. Warbrick, who returned it to Donnelly into touch. After the line up A pass was made to Hobbs, and he took a TWt shot, which resulted in a force oown. From the return Taiaroa esteyed a run, but was well collared by -Wilson at full back, and next some '.excellent passing between Elliott, Gaze and H. Wynyard took the game again ,to the Bed territory, where from a scrum .the ball was passed to Elliott, who got Over with very little difficulty. Williams took the kick without success. Maoris 1 ' 'point, Canterbury 0. Madigan relieved his territory, but succumbed to Cresswell, -wbosehifch. kick sent the ball back in return. Job which the Black forwards organised A rush. When stopped, Taiaroa smartly .passed to Wynyard, the latter to Gage, and he to Madigan, who was collared by Donnelly a few feet from the line. Elliott was, however close up, and dribbled the ball over, scoring try number two. The : place was again a failure. Maoris 2 points, .Canterbury 0. Passing between Maynari, Wynyard, and Gage, neutralised by Don--Oeuy and Bean, exchanges of kicks 'between the backs, rushes by Taiaroa. Rene, Warbrick, and Taare, responded to ;by" Garrard, Weekes, Reilly, and Bean, 'brought play into neutral territory, but the Beds* gave way, and jgieir lines were only cleared by a long &iek by Cresswell. Warbrick and Williams ■ -headed a loose rush that Wilson and Ward : temporarily checked, but Madigan and . Gage received it, and the Beds were forced 'down. H. Wynyard, by a feint, evaded McLean, and when touched passed to . Maynard, Elliott and Madigan, the latter, Hiowever, being forced into touch. Garrard came through the next scrum, and a kick by Donnelly shifted play once more to the centre, whence the Blacks were driven backwards and a stiff contest •nsued on their lines, the result of close alay between Donnelly and Garrard. The Jbau was passed to Cresswell, who was ■charged ere he could kick. Hobbs next •Made a neat shot, and McLean ana War- . trick raced for the balL The latter reached ' It and kicked out of bounds. Taare, War.brick, and Taiaroa made things a bit lively, but their little game was stopped by Cresswell and Wilson, and gp to now the Beds made the CQacks fight, and fight right hard, Jor every inch of ground they gained. Hie Black forwards tried several rushes, which were baulked, and- on one occasion F. Warbrick picked up what appeared to be a dead ball, and easily secured a try, as BO effort was made to stop him. No goal however resulted. Maoris 3 points, Canterbury 0. Garrard, Bean, and Weekes .were prominent in a subsequent Bed rush, Stopped by Gage, who passed to Madigan, ; whose progress was stopped by Wilson. Donnelly obtained a mark, and the ball eolng into the hands of Gage, who sent it Into touch. Handball gave Gage a free kjck, Wilson caught the ball, and made a .[nice run. He was well stopped, and JfcLean, who intercepted a Black pass, sent the ball to CresswelL The latter .kicked too hard, Rene, Warbrick, and 'Ellison, and Taiaroa bringing it back. Plank however quickly picked up, and kicked to the full back, who was only collared near the corner flag by Hobbs. A free Kick afterwards to Canterbury reliered the pressure, and half time was ; called. Maoris 3 points, Canterbury 0. SECOND SPELL. Warbrick returned a fine kick-off of ' Garrard'e, and Wilson put in a serviceable run, which was completely spoilt by the pUy of Wynyard, Elliott, Maynard, and Gage, the latter securing the fourth try at .2»«w« fog. Ellison took the kick. *>** failed; in fact, the place-kicking of aIxJLk v waß bad indeed right Maoris 4, Canterbury k. ***** the klck oat Gage; hL^f^ 7 &*% ""»• repeated his peYf^V 5 points. Canterbury!). tune converted into a goal. Maoris 8 points, Canterbury CDonnell andHobbs raeceaafollf tackled Madiaaa and W

Wynyard, and from the centre Elliott dribbled down to Wilson, who again averted a score. Donnelly then obtained a mark, which resulted very badly for Canterbury. Warbrick at full back took the ball, tucked it under his arm, and was off. He ran clean through forwards and backs, dodging and fending in a manner which was cheered to the echo. The kick, a very easy one, was missed by Ellison. Maoris 9, Canterbury 0. Warbrick mulled the kick out, and smart following up by Hobbs gave the Reds an advantage, which they held for a while, carried the ball through the scrums, but unfortunately dribbled into touch. The ball was thrown Iβ crookedly, and the ecrum carried by the Blacks, and H. Wynyard pot away, and was re-called by the referee s whistle. Taare made amends, and Madigan, who was well stopped by Bates, supported him. Hobbs kicked over the field, but there was no one near, and the Blacke gained an opportunity, lost again by Bates, who set off a good dribbling rush. The ball was passed to Hobbs, but his pass was intercepted by Taare, who was tackled by Donnelly. Wynyard got the ball from the scrum and passed to Elliott, who was well backed up. He needed no assistance, and ran round all. Maoris, 10; Canterbury, 0. Upon the resumption of play Atf. Warbrick started a neat dribble. When clear he picked up and scored a try again, no goal being kicked. Maoris, 11; Canterbury, 0. After the kick out Wilson started a dribble which was continued by Ebert and Hutton. Gaze was in his place and the rush came to an abrupt termination. The ball was passed to Madigan. who sent it on to Warbrick, Wilson tackling him. Gaze, however, secured the leather, and was in with commendable smartness. Williams failed at goal. Maoris 12 points, Canterbury 0. Then followed some hard forwardplej, in which the Blacks were the master*. They had things almost all their own way, and play was rapidly on the red lines. From a scrum close up the ball was heeled out to H. Wynyard, and he did not paas. He feigned to. and then ran right through the opening his tactics had made for him. F. Warbrick placed a goal— Maoris 15, Canterbury 0. This was the last score. Gage got a mark, Taare made a run. and TDonnelly tackled Wynyard, bnt nothing of any moment happened before time was called.