THE N.Z. FOOTBALLERS IN ENGLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 95, 23 April 1889, Page 8

THE N.Z. FOOTBALLERS IN ENGLAND.

DETAILS OE MATCHES AND TOUR,

(FROM OUR LONDON CORI .ESI'ONDENT.)

■ LondvON", March 1. THE Maori footballers returned to Man' Chester last Friday, and once again took up their quarters atthe Treveltyan Hotel. Oae of the team, writing front there on bunday, gives some particular., of their visits to Oxford and Cambridge, and of the matches wioh the 'Varsity team's, which may be of interest. My correspondent says-,—How glad I shall be when the tour is over. I am tired—dead si'vile—so are all the rest of the boys. Feeling as we do, we long for the 29th of Marc h, the day we bid good-bye to Old England. Since the All England _natch our fellows have one and all completely "gone oft'," and at present are absolutely not fit to play; still I fancy' t_ ie London-Welsh match has in reality l-oove to do with the feeling of weariness which everyone complains of than the big contest • As you know,"the London-Welsh proved 4. much tougher affair than we bargained for, and our boys had to work very hard in tha last twenty minutes of the game to make, up for their feeble play at the beginning.' Tho morning af'_ertho match Elliott, Madi-1 gan, Lee, Williams, W. Warbrick and Keogh were all found to be more or less out of sorts. You have, of course, heard the results of the 'Varsity games. They were, I know, surprises to you as they were to me.

THE CAMBRIDGE MATCH.

When we had been at this match for about twenty minutes I noticed that our team were olaving in an unusual style. At first I tool. 'the foolish mistakes made as matters of course, but when they happened one after another^ in q^ick succession I came to the conclusion that our fellows were " dead oil." The passing on most occasions was detrimental, and generally lost us ground instead of gaining ; fellows passing when they ought not to a "d sticking to the ball when they should pa.<s seemed to be the order of the day. Condemning the passing of couise condemns the play of our backs, but the forward division were equally bad, never following up half quick enough. The 'Varsity men, on the other lmnd,had all the luck. Dave Gage potted a goal which was disallowed, and we should besides have got in once or twice if -'Dave " and " Tab" Wynyard had only passed in time. Keogh and W. Warbrick wore quite unlit td play, but we had no other men at hand to take their places. " Pai " Wynyard was a poor substitute for Elliott at half, being very slow ; nevertheless, ho was the person through whom we scored our only point. After the match, the team were entertained at a sumptuous feed, which we all thoroughly appreciated. Next morning wo were invited by different students to breakfast. One was Mr Postlewaite, of Timaru, and another Mr I*. Williams, an old New Zt-alaud friend. In the afternoon we went to see the "humping" races, and enjoyed them immensely. We also saw the Cambridge Eight at practice. Ihc team left Cambridge at 7.40 for Oxford, arriving at the latter place after a weary journey about bed-time. On tho following ai'tombon wo met tho Oxford University, and again suffered defeat by 2 goals to nil. In this game our backs plcy.d fearfully. Cage, usually so safe, passed wildly, as did H. Wynyard, and " Tab ' ot that ilk couldn't take a ball to save his' life. Kcogh and W. WarbncK at th.-e-quartc'-,. wore also «* duau ou colour." Our forwards certainly managed to hold the opposing ones, but did not pla>' at all wed. Tho worst points in their game wore "knocking on" in the line out and not backing or following up a run or a kick. The ill-luck which seems to have dogged our footsteps since the All England match stuck to us hero. Easy chances of scoring were lost time after time. Early in tho first spell, EllL-ou got clear through the 'Varsity backs, but was hauled back just as he was crossing the line, and as there was no one near to take the ball, a good chance of an easy try was lest. in the second spell, Joo Warbrick had the misfortune to get knocked out, Joe's , ill-luck since the commencement of the tour has been appalling In almost every game in which lie has taken part ho has received some injury. I consider that though we played a rotten game as compared to our previous displays, wo still had much the be.it of the play, and, with a little luck, might have won. The umpiring and refereeing in both " 'Var.sity " mutches was very impartial. The "gates" of these two matches were £105 and £115 respectively. From Oxford we returned to our old head-quarter,., viz., Manchester, putting up this time at the Trevclyan. On Saturday, we met the Manningham team and won, after an exciting match, by 1 goal, 1 try and 1 minor to b minor.-:, thus breaking mapped of ill luck, in this game both Keogh as half and Wm. Warbrick at full-back played magnificently, .K.cogh's runs fairly "fetching" the spectators. H. Lee, who you will recollect was given a trial at three-quarters at the commencement of the tour, was again put to the test in this match, and played very well. We havo received from a member of the Maori team the following notes on the Leods-St. John's match :—

Tho selection of tho team for this match proved a very difficult matter. Keogh complained of his chest, and Mac. was incapacitated by tho boil on his neck. Madigan also was unwell, but offered to play, as no one could tako his place at three-quarter. " Smiler " took Keogh'.. place at half, and proved a very good substitute, as he scored two magnificent tries. Tho game was a very good ono, and much appreciated by the spectators. Our backs played splendidly. Sensational runs wore frequent, the best of the day being put in by \Y. Warbrick when he stopped a rush in our 25, and, after running through all his opponents, had the misfortune to loso the ball within a couple of yards.- of the line. Elliott played up in rattling form, and though he did nob score himself, wa.rnainly instrumental in obtaining our first try, which was gained by Lee. Ellison was entrusted with the place kick (an easy one), but failed to convert. Soon after this the last - named player scored a try, Which was disallowed. "Smiler" now showed up, and shooting through the opposing backs like a cannon ball, gained a grand try. Williams failed at the place kick. At the end of the firsb spell the scores stood —New Zealand, 2 tries; Sb. John's, nil. In the second spell, with the wind and incline in our favour, we had matters pretty much our own way. Gape, Madigan and'" Smiler " each scored. Williams and Ellison landed jjoals from Gage's and " Smiler's " tries respectively, Ellison failing to do the needful with Madigan's, which was got hard up to the touch line by about a foot. Ac the call of time we left the field victors by 2 goals and 5 tries to nil.

In the evening we were given a complimentary dinner —tire nicest one we have had in Yorkshire. After dinner the Chairman proposed the health of "Smiler" as captain of our team. Contrary to expectation, "Smiler," after a little persuasion, stood up and responded to the toast in characteristically eloquent stylo. His remarks were received with applause and heartily enjoyed by all present. This is how ho began, "German an' geddaman. I very sorry because I canno' talk England. (Prolonged laughter). I the bad ?peak in the team —" The rest was drowned by hysterical laughter and applause. After a most enjoyable evening we left for Manchester at 8.30.

, , - i : Apropos ol the conduct of the Rugby' Union in calling upon the Maoris for an apology for rudeness to the officials at the -* All England " match, the " Hawk " says : —Seldom has a greater mistake been made than that of the Rugby Union in demandi'ng^ an apology from the Maoris for •_ heir unpleasant, behaviour to the offi-. c.'als at Bladsheath, on the occasion oi the late J jiter national match. Nobov"iy defends the conduct of the Nevv Zealanders on the occasion in question^ Even their captain, by the tone of their, full and 'numblo apology, admits that it wiu. inexcusable. But the Union authorities -were dea _ing with visitors to the country, a.nd not with an English club under their immediate jurisdiction, and I am quite certain thf*t their action in humiliating the colonists thus publicly will be pi*oductiveof evil results. This sort of thing, and this is a very gi.0.3 instance, is not forgotten in a-ur Antipodean dependancics, as the Anglo-Austr.ili-tfn cricket teams have found out. - -___SS_»_-s_-_-