Inter-Colonial Football.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 171, 20 July 1903, Page 3

Inter-Colonial Football.

The N.Z. Team in Australia.

THE CAMPAIGN OPENED.

NEW SOUTH WALES DEFEATED BY

12 POINTS TO NIL

r. McGregor and asher SCORE.

(By Cable. —Presy Association. Copyris'iji.:

SYDNEY.. July 18

The campaign of the New Zealand team opened to-day, when fully 30,000 spectators, including Lord Tennyson, Go-vernor-General, and Admiral Sir Harry llawson, State Governor, witnessed the trial of strength between the New Zealand and NeAv South Wales Rugby football representatives. There were no alterations made in the selected teams, which were as follows: —

New Zealand: Fullback, Wallace;threequarters, Asher, R. .McGregor, D. McGregor; ■ five-eighths, Wood, Duncan (captain); half-back, Kiernan; wing forward, Armstrong; forwards, Tyler, Gallagher, Fanning, Cooke, Long, McMinn and Given.

New South Wales: Fullback. Maund; threequarters. White, Johnson, Carew, Fuller.; halves, Antezark, Manning (captain); forwards. Joyce, Judd, Hirschberg, Wright, Moir, Burden, Barton, O'Donnell.

Prom start to linsh the local men were outclassed at every point of the game. A regrettable incident occurred a few minutes before closing the game, in the shape of r.n altercation between Cooke (New Zealand) and some of the local team, which ended in Cooke being ordered off the ground by Mr T. Pauling the referee, in the first half , some unpleasantness arose over a struggle between McMinn (New Zealand) and Judd (New South Wales), the ball being out of play at the time.

New South Wales kicked off and Asher, by a fine punt, sent play into the Wales 25, but a free-kick to the local men returned the ball to centre. The New Zealanders then assumed the aggressive, and a fine bit of passing Between Kiernan, Duncan, R. McGregor and Wood ended in the latter handing the ball back to McGregor, who passed it nn to Asher, enabling the speedy Aucklander to put up the first score within five minutes of the. start. Wallace was entrusted with the kick at goal, but his effort to convert was futile: New Zealand. 3; Ne>» South Wales, 0.

The New Zealanders had New South Wales continuously on the defensive, the local men playing without much combination and fumbling frequently when the advantage was with them. Occasionally penalty kicks produced by the New Zealanders in their eagerness relieved the tension off New South Wales, but a piece of off-side play on the part of a Welshman gave Wood a show right in front of the goal. His effort, however, was a feeble one, and the local men got a fine rush on, but McGregor saved the situation with a timely line-shot. Then Long removed the scene of operations to the New South Wales' 25, wthere Kiernan got possession of the ball and passed it along to R. McGregor, who dashed over the line. Wallace was again entrusted with the shot at goal, but failed, though he made a fine kick, the ball cannoning off the- outside of the post: New Zealand, C; New South Wales, 0.

On resuming the New Zealanders soon invaded the Wales territory, where the visitors got possession from a line-out, and all the backs figured in a passing rush close up to the local go:i 1-line, where White tackled and secured Asher on the corner, both falling over the line. A live yard-;' scrum was formed, and here Cooke played with what appeared to be unnecessary roughness. Another forward rush by the visitors was stopped by Burden, but Manning, the Now Sourh Wales skipper, got off-side, and New Zealand was awarded a penally kick, Wallace landing a goal: New Zealand, 9; New South Wales, 0.

Just before the first spell concluded the New Zealanders were penalised in quick succession for off-side and not giving ten yards, but no points were scored. Then play was next removed to neutral ground, but only for a time. Duncan gaining possession, handed the lea'-her to Cooke, who was brought down by Maund. The visitors were, however, not to be denied, and the team playing splendidly as a whole, hotly pressed the Welshmen again and again, and to save, the local captain was compelled to force. A mighty kick by Johnston transferred play to New Zealand 25, but the back division saved nicely, and Asher was once more beginning to look dangerous, when White threw him out, and the first spell ended with New Zealand nine points to their opponents' nil. After the half spell McMinn was cautioned by the referee for his treatment of Judd.

The second half saw a better same, the local men playing more together, and from the line-out a rush, in which Joyce and Burden were prominent, carried play down to the New Zealand line, the visitors being compelled to force down. Time after time the Welshmen charged in New Zealand territory, but Wallace never blundered, and nullified their efforts every time. From a scrum, whieb ended in a decent piece ot passing. Fultcr got the oval and had a shot at goal, but failed, New Zealand forcing. White was playing a fine game for the loca team, and on several occasions brilliantly foiled good rushes, in which Duncan, Wood and Asher were prominent. Asher, indeed, seemed to be a rubber man by the way in which he sinuously threaded through his opponents. From a mark secured by R. McGregor, Wallace failed to increase the score. Then Kienian got the ball in the New Zealand 25, and passed to R. McGregor, who eluded White and transferred to ksher, who attempted his hurdle business, in endeavouring to evade Maund, but the latter pulled him down. Nothincr daunted, the New Zealanders returned to the attack, and immediately Wood made an opening from which he himself could have easily scored, but seeing R. McGregor in close proximity, he generously passed to him, and the latter scored. Wallace kicked from an awkward angle, but failed to convert: New Zealand, 12; New South Wales, 0. After the kick-off Johnston made a creditable shot at goal, the leather just falling under the bar. The local men returned to the attack, and were gradually pressing the visitors back, until Asher 'relieved by a splendid kick down_ tho line. Kiernan vrm next promhient in a great rush, but Now South Wales man- | aged to get possession, and headea hj jOTDotraell, Moir, and WMio, they re-

moved the scene of play right up to the New Zealand line, where Wood gat his kick in and saved. Again the ball went into the New Zealand 25, but a free kick was awarded against New South Wales, and spoiled their chance of scoring. A little later on Manning had a shut at goal off a mark, but failed, and the same player a few minutes later looked like scoring, but overran the ball, and play vvas worked back to the Welshmen's 25, Here Cooke was ordered from the field, as previously mentioned, and no-side was soon sonnded without additional score. New Zealanders thus opening their tour with a win by 12 points to nil.