FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 149, 25 June 1888, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

NATIVE TEAM V. HAWKE'S BAY.

MAORIS VICTORIOUS.

(BY telegraph.—vress association.)

Napier, Saturday,

The football match on the Recreation Ground to-day., between Hawke's Bay and Wdrbrick's native team, attracted a large number of the public, about 10,000 people being present. The weather was brilliantly hue. Tbe game was fast and hard, and throughout was in favour of Warbrick's combination, who won by five points to nothing. Tho Hawke's Bay team were much lighter than their opponents, who on an average would have scaled nearly two stone per man to the jgood, and the local men deserve credit for the strong defensive game played. The teams were as follows :— Hawke's Bay: Fullback, Jobn Fleming; threequarters, McKay, John Ross, and LeQuesne; halves, Dempsey and Norris; forwards, Moore, John Fleming, Patterson, Morrison, McKenzie, Hawkins, Symons, and Hughes.. Warbrick's team : Fullback, Nehua; threequarters, \V. Wynyard, J. Warbrick, and Gage ; halves,- Ihimaira and W. Warbrick ; forwards, Ellison, Williams, R. Taiaroa, Taare, Karauria, A. Warbrick, G. Wynyard, Anderson, Rene. The Hawke's Bay team were forced down almost as soon as play began, owing to a drop by Wynyard, and a quick following rush, but this was repaid by Warbrick's team being iorced down within the next few minutes j the play being fast and all over the ground, owing to both teams relying a great ileal on passing. From a tight scrum in the Hawke's Bay territory Gage got the ball, and potted a neat goal. Warbrick's team, 3 points; Hawke's Bay, nil. Play remained near the Hawke's Bay lines; loose scrums, fast but short runs, and passing, being the order of the play at this stage. From a wellmeant series of passes by the Hawke's Bay, mulled at a critical moment by McKay, VV. Wynyard secured the ball, and ran in at the corner. Williams took the kick, but no goal resulted. (Four points to the visitors.) Play continued to be in the Hawke's Bay quarters ; and although the local men settled down to a most determined game, the clever passing of the native team was too much for their opponents, the Hawke's Bay men having to do all they could to prevent, further scoring, being again forced down once. Some hard give-and-take play carried the ball to VVarbrick's quarters, and Ross got a mark, which still further improved Hawke's Bay's position, but it was only for a time. Nehua got the ball from a tight scrum near his goal line, making a short run and following up the advantage. The visitors by hard and determined play . carried the ball well into the Hawke's Bay territory, and a pot at the goal by W. Warbrick resulted in another force-down for the local men. For the remaider of the first spell the play was principally in the Hawke's Bay 25, and was there when halftime was called, but no further score resulted. . ;

The second spell was very fast and hard throughout; passes, Short- runs, and loose scrums, taking the ball ail over the ground. The advantage throughout was with the visitors, whose .weight, speed, and smart passing combined gave the local men mach trouble, and force-downs were frequent. They never lost heart, however, and occasionally, by a determined rush, play was tiansferred to . Warbrick's territory, the visitors once or twice having all their work to do in preventing a score being made ; but these were only transient reverses, the weight of the native forwards and the smartness of their halves soon changing the aspect of affairs, and several times scoring Was only avertecl by force-down tactics. Just ■ before time was called and when play was harder and faster than at any time previously during the game, Ellison got the ball passed to him from a loose scruhi, and, making a dodgy run, got in atthecorber. He took the kick himself, but failed to add to tho score, which stood : Native team five points, Hawke's Bay nil. Time was called with the play in Warbrick's quarters, and the local, men working hard to score. For the victors, the moist prominent were W. Warbrick, J. Warbrick, Gage, Ellison, Ihimaira, and W. Wynyard ; and for the local team, the two Flemings, Ross, McKay, Norris, Detnpsey, and Symons deserve mention. Warbrick's team made a few blunders, but before they get through their New Zealand tour thoy will prove a very tough combination, and may be depended upon to give a good ac: count of themselves in England.