RUGBY FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 203, 26 August 1909, Page 2

RUGBY FOOTBALL.

THE INTER-KLAND MATCH. NORTHErTSTEBS DEFEATED. JBy Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WMjLEN t GTOX, Wednesday. ■The inter-island match was won by the South Island by 19 points to 11. The takings at the match aggregated £370. Among the spectators were fcno Hons. G. Powlds, J. A. Millar, R. SJcKenzie, Dr. Findlay, T. Mackenzie, and the Sydney University team, which is to play a aeries of 'Varsity matches i» the Dominion. The game was fast and stirring, the interest being kept up without intermission throughout. The victory of the southerners wae due to their splendid combination in 'both divi • eions, the pack shaping with the solidarity and dash of a- finely-organised set of willing workers, whilst the backs passed, kicked, and handled the ball with the accuracy, smartness, and sureness of All Blacks in their best form. The fierce breakaway rushes of the southern vanguard, its excellent and effective footwork, and well-judged passing bouts were a treat. By their robustness, ability, and uiison the white -packmen overmatched the northern packmen in every phase of forward play, and defeated the repeated attempts of the latter's tracks to open up the game. The southern backs were a much racier and livelier j division than that opposed to them. At no time was there any real combination in the black fore-es. Their forwards had no ginger in them, and the faulty handling of the leather by their backs, and inability to combine and initiate tactics to counteract the quickness and smartness of the southern rearguard, was painfully in evidence. The tackling of the whites was cleaner and deadlier than that of the North Islanders, and in line-kicking only were the losers superior to their opponents. A foature of the game was the magnificent place-kicking of O'Leary, Paton, and Western, and nothing finer in this department of Ru<rby has ever been seen en a local ground. iFrypx played brilliantly for -the southerners, being •full of fire and speed. All through, the Albion Club (Christchurch) confederacy behind the scrum was a potent factor in making for the rplendid combination displayed by the •white "backs. Cameron was the best back on the northerners' side, but he received inadequate assistance from hie Colleagues. Morse, owing to an injured ankle, was replaced by McGregor, but the latter, as well as Wilson and O'Leary, shaped very poorly. Wilkes, on the edge of the scrum, was outclassed by the southern wing man, Rodgers. Francis and Herring were conspicuous at times among the northern packmen, but the others failed to distinguish themselves. The mulling by the northern backs was execrable, and the result of ihe game demonstrated that, in so far as tfie South Island are concerned, there arc players outside the big centres who have legitimate claims for inclusion in any New Zealand team that may be called upon to defend the honour of the Dominion in the Rugby arena. The teams were as follow: — North Island (black): Fullback, Meuli '(Wangnnui); three-quarters, Cameron | '(Taranaki), McGregor and Wilson (Auckland) ; five-eighthf, Mitchinson (Wellington), and O'Leary (Auckland); half, Green (Wellington); wing, Wilkes '(Auckland); forwards, Herring (Auckland), Ready (Wellington). Francis (Aueklnnd, captain), Milne (Wanganui), Tamu (TaranaJn), Waddell (Auckland), and Bruce (Wellington). South Island (white): Fullback, O'Brien !("Marlborough); three-quarters, Colvin (BuileT), Fuller and Fryer (Christchurch) ; five-eighths, Gray and Weston (Christohurch) ; half, Burns (Christchurch, captain); forwards, Ridland (Southland), Corbett (Buller), Blight '(West Coast), Pato n and Patterson (Otago), Miles (Southland), Sotheran (West Coast), and RodgeTs (South Canterbury). Francis won the toss, and played with the wind. From the jump it was evident that the whites meant business, Sotheran heading a sweeping rush which ended in Colvin being pushed into touch. Immediately after the ball wa3 flung in Fuller got it on the opposite side of the gr6und, and running strongly passed to Fryer, who grounded it behind the posts. Weston easily placed the goal, and thus within five minutes the South had secured a eubstantial leadSouth Island 5 North Island 0 Cameron found an opening on resuming, and rattled off down the side of the ground. He beat his men, but lost way in doing bo, staggered, and was collared on the line. Had the blacks been emart they would still have scored, a3 the ball was lying round loose close to the goal line after Cameron dropped it. Fryer presently galloped off again and cleared everynnn hut the goal-keeper, who stopped him 3-t the cost of a temporary loss of breath from the collision. A rattling kick by Cameron, which bounced high and O'Brien, transferred ' the game to the other end, where O'Leary took a fine catoh and had a fruitless kick at goal. Scrummaging followed near the Southern goal, but the black backs had I no cohesion, and made nothing of their i chances. Each man appeared now and for some time to be playing for himself, with no regard to his comrades. Next score was the result of a long, lucky kick, the ball rolling over the goaj line: Fuller got his hands on to it, but lost it- Waddell and Herring were handy, and the former gTabbed the chance at once. O'Leary hari a difficult kick, and all but ehaved the post: South Island 5 North Island ...» 3 Some smart interchanges followed, and the whites started a dribbling rush, in which Patterson wae very prominent, which never ended till the ball came into Fryer's hands, and he dashed over. This was a beautiful piece of combined play by pretty nearly the whole side. Paton Vailed to improve the score: South Island 8 North Island 3 The Southerners continued to fling the ball about freely, calling foriJi hearty commendations by the contract between their dashing s,tyle and the cramped manoeuvres of their opponents. They ehowed great capacity for taking the ball at full speed, and several of them, notably Fuller and Fryer, were evidently playing at the top of their form- The next event was the awarding of a penalty kick to the Southerners, and though it was a srood 50 yards from the goal and •gainst the wind, Weston landed a grand goal: " ! South Island 11 North Island 3 Just as the spell ended Colvin picked the ball up on the fly and dashed with j etartling suddenness up tc the line, where I he paefcod to Bunts, and the latter ran

I over. Unfortunately the ball was thrown forward and a brilliant, piece of play was nullified. With the wind in their favour, the Southerners were expected to pile on a good score, but their opponents had evidently been putting their heads together during the interval, and the effect was seen in the improved methods they brought to bear, and the much more solid support given by the backs to one another. The bolder front they offered resulted in the play being a little closer than in the first half and not quite so pleasing to watch. The backs flattered their friends by being the first to score. Green charged the fullback, blocked his kick, and, had the ball bounced, he would have scored there and then. It twisted about on the ground, however, and for a moment the South escaped. It was only for a moment, however, as Francis and. Ready took the ball over at the corner, and O'Leary kicked a great goal: South Island .» 11 North Island 8 Almost in the earae breath the whites flashed down the ground and scored a similar try at the corresponding corner. From this Paton also kicked an eqtially fine goal: South Island 16 North Island 8 Play went on nwriilv, both sides going at top speed. CLeaiy helped his side by j kicking a penalty from the 25 yards line: South Island 16 North Island 11 I The whites put in the next ten minutes in front of the Northern goal, but, | though they attacked persistently they j could not break through. Finally Mc- ! Gregor cleared the lines and gave hia • men an excellent opening, which they j spoiled by indifferent passing. They did j not seem to know bow to pass at all in j the firet spell, and even now it was not j up to representative level. Another j scrum took place on the Northern line, and Patterson fell over the line, but no goal was registered: South Island 19 North Island 11 There was some more fine play after this, both sides attacking briskly in turn. The Northerners made one great rally at the end and seemed determined not to stop till they had scored, but once again the passing failed. The game thus ended as above, with a margin to the Southerners, which, good as it is, scarcely fairly i represents the superior brightness and I accuracy of their play. i