FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 113, 14 May 1888, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

giGLAND V. WELLINGTON.

PRAWN GAME.

-OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

__ .*<■" Wellington, May 12.

v W as delighted this afternoon WEf •-ae of the match with the English- * d there is not the slig litest doubt o'thevare entitled to shake bands with that tney « fc t^Qy SUCCS od_d in keeptbSlD nelven terms with the Englishmen was in? 0"6 the grand play of their forward oWIDp J. Woh is a really splendid one, and *tdthe admiration of the Englishmen e„cit«« " Tl]e j l . b a cks were weak, and themselves. man behiud the ThornS who distinguished himself to any 6C rum unu e!CSrbrick's inclusion in the team added Sto its strength, and I have never 110 i?„, nlav a worse game ; there was T n our times he kicked at and missed X irn„ ball at a critical moment, and his '. .. certainly inferior to his old form. P^CtlS the match with Auckland is so ■ It hand it has occurred to me that on the play of the Englishin comparison with our own men, Itll have already seen at work, would are nob what would be iv bis men, but are more of the short, £ set? and muscular build, and are cer-Ey-heavy. There are two or three Sin their play that are very notice\l and the most striking is their passing. jfo man thinks of waiting till ho is col--1 __ or is likely to be collared belore he 1 Combination is studied, and the TilVes from 0110 to the other with marvelto rapidity, and in whichever direction ?"iss is likely to secure advantage. This appeared to puzzle the Wellington Jn in the earlier part of tho game, bub Zv soon dropped bo it, and the Wehington !ff eventually followed the ball up Id charged so quickly that time after time the man who got it was collared before any advantage had been gained from thethrow. All tho visitors' passes were high, but _ erv nttle higher than the head; the man thrown to has thus time to take his ball before it falls. ,_..,. . The distribution of their backs was also very judicious, the men extending well on cither side and never crowding on their fonvards as ours are frequently apt to do. So sure are they of the distance of the next man behind that a pass often takes, place over the shoulder without the passer lookin* to see if a man is there to take the bad, an°d he is seldom far away. ' _ When playing in their opponents territoryoneofthe three-quarters is invariably stationed in front of the goal. Several of their men have a habit when about to be collared, of making a feint to pass, and a<_in and again this dodge succeeded to perfection. It requires watching. Their play in the scrums is also a very Btron" point with them ; they waste no time infighting scrums, but screw and break them" up beautifully. This is entirely a .peciality in their play, and in this connection one of their weaknesses was very apparent. Wellington showed very considerable superiority in dribbling, and their rushes we more combined, better, and more dicalt to stop than those of .the l.glishmen. Thus it was remarkable ftsUhough the. visitors broke scrum and jltatle scrum Wellington gained an adwitajeonthe loose play that followed, and soKc/the dribbling rushes were not stop-

jeMhout great difficulty, fie collaring of the visitors was not so {i»d as 1 expected, and again and again tiey took men round their necks only to fee them again. In tho last half of the match play was very hot, and the Wellington boys lasted as well, and were playing a better and faster forward game at the finish than their opponents. I have never seen so many stoppages through accidents to players as in this contest, and it was worthy of remark that the visitors suffered more seriously than the New Zealanders.

: The Englishmen play a good deal offside, and Auckland will require, in selecting an umpire, to get a man in good running condition, to follow the game, for it will certainly be a very fast one.

I have endeavoured to state my impressions of the Englishmen's play as clearly as possible, and now I shall give a few words of advice respecting our own team. Looking at the play of the visitors I am inclined to think we are directing too much attention to our backs and two little to our forwards for there is no doubt the latter will have to bear the brunt of the weight. The Englishmen play a faster forward game_ than we, and their pas.-ing is far superior to ours. Against this I think our fonvards are equal in weight and strength and certainly better in dribbling. Wellington did much to neutralise the effect of the visitors' passing by fast follow - IDg up and some really grand charging, and our men would do well to take a leaf out of this book.

So far as the backs are concerned ye have a decided advantage in fpeed, and they fecit in punting and drop-kicking. Their rail-back is reliable and never leaves his place.

This is a fact which Lusk should profit ty It is just possible that my Auckland synpathies may warp my judgment, but I Kelconfident that if our forwards last as Wi and play as fast and combined a game 7 ~ Wel|ington forwards did to-day, Auckland will win the match with a few Points to spare. Beyond their passing and screwing the scrams, the Englishmen «™.teach the colonials little or nothing of wtball, and on the other hand they can ,™| a few wrinkles from our boys. Auckland s chief care should be not to go to Feces i n the second spell. I have no «oubt in my own mind that a team consistfn ° _ Auckland backs and Wellington wnuxfa Would wdk c lete] over the