OTAGO v CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7422, 23 September 1889, Page 5

OTAGO v CANTERBURY.

i The a-antel football oo~n.es-. fesfc-#e&tlJK Otago and C-iaterburJ' creates a large amount of..' IntereS*, at jwfcichever piaSe ft is held. This" feat tM :matcK came off on a£S_feg«ttja6 OCancaster Park, which wW .vtSlteff a good atteadahc©; of spdctaWiS, wild, for. their presence were rewarded' toy witaessihg a keenly fought game, and the deffat once more of the Cahterbnry 1 tive team. The weather w_S splendid,JSttd the ground in good order. Af tetthd fotttt displayed latterly by the local, men they were expected to ttakf ' the result an extremely close tfue, ■,it not altogether in' their" otvtt fktrbr.', But Canterbury supportefa were d6dn_"jd to disappointment. Our* hied.. Were .''IS wretched form at the ox I the game, and the twd first tries to. CJtagO were obtained simply t_*ourth'tKQ,w_j-:t of watchfulness on the part __L6ur bMkst Hobbs also appeared to be out**oTlnis l4ti*| tude. He played nothing llkerlife illd against Auckland, and, fumbling his passes, he was unable in time to s_ndt__# leather on to either Sufniah or George' Homer. Our forwards also ■were far front smart in collaring, and consequently they lost ground where they should ha-ve It-la theirposition. The Otago men were'the) reverse. They passed smartly, -and' accurately and frequently. Their 1 fotwj-ra_; collared surely, add they performed sajrile' good dribbling rut-lies when the:.gsfc« became looser, as it, did towards'.tftlifttt of the second spell, when Canterbury sttcceeded in holiiiis: theif own". OtigQ undoubtedly moved to be the better team, and fully deserved the win of 9 joints tOT, The teams uhdei*:— '*:--ViV»H OTAGO. -.:;-'.''i ■•'< ).■■... -"' : ■•• •> -•» Full-bag*?* ...... *i ■ J Reid. . '■■it ''■"'.. . : "\ ; ': \^ a ; Lynch .""-' .'• Thomas V :,' n _ HALV-JS. >'■ , - -' ' V * Owen > Restleaufc ••; A , ; | Forwards. ';\* Duncan Esquilant Isaacs. > < "* Montgomery Morris Ralllngsh-Wlfc'i Sonatas Tattereallt Torrence* •*«•'» -" . ■ ' CANTERBURY. ' ; "" : ' r ':;:'3 FuXL-BAOK. • : oriJ . H. WUson. . Via THREE-QtrA-tTERS. . :I > Geo. Homer A. Hobbs F, Sritt-tw^J ..Halves... ' "'_','."«-•• t J. Donnelly F.- Homer H. Lowry \ FORWARDS. '/'■: ' ,'V>a W. Bean A. Ebert F. i-vajas^f, C. Garrard J. Hepburn H. Hutton,, H. Thacker A. We'ekes ■..•• "V>. ; y> Mr Marchbanks umpired for Otago* Mft Harris for Canterbury, and Mr W. J. Gobi terill, referee. Torrence captained the* visitors, and Weeks the home team, i ,J As the' teams arranged themselves foo play- they appeared to be fairly ■ even as regarded -physique, > Otago if* anythli-g having a little more weight.- AH- k>o__B*_f in good condition. . ;« FIRS. SPELL. . . , Torrence won" the toss, and toolr. the western goal, playing with the sun,ana i against the slight' sou-east wind which i was blowing. GarrArd kicked off* foi? Canterbury, and Thomas, fumbling, at the , return, the Reds were Immediately: flgfiti ing a scram, in the Blue's territory. •' The latter by opening the gamp, carried a

_>r_bbliagruah to the Bent'the balT'liito touch.. Hobbs mulled the pass from but Be ie* gameathe ball by&'throwforward;of _*. B)m man, for w,hifihi however, an appeal had! Been and a sctum- was formed. From this"' LCwry 'secured* the passed to Hobbs. and the latter .6 Sui-man. The'three carrifea Blues' line, where Surman was ciiught'by Owen. As'arSsponse, Lynch and Eequilant next took the ballbetweeh thetia, and when collared had reached .Hdrnw collared* ai scinim!w_a3 forttted.' LQW# wai again -shle to pass to Sur_nto»who was closely wat-tied" and" his"Yuri prevented. . Thacker started, adribbling rush, bnt- kicked; too;.bard. lifted the ball baldly, dud the Blues, again dn the defensive; Thb game was, not particularly fast, and Canterbury Wefd havingideoidedly the- bestiof IUSCb-Oi good defensive work kept the Reds in the Held of play* • A free Vok to the Bines for Donnelly, picking,out-of scrum, relieved the lines, and the contggt removed to the centre*: t yisfi#jr|* carried the .scrum, and sent .th-v.bjJUU.i-jj Wilson, who returned- it. smartly. P&R was again even fn neutral grounit, ijntu Sonntag, Lynch, and Laing, passing to one another, assailed the Reds .line, and Cbs*! terbiiiy promptly defended it to' advantage, Morris recommenced' the attack with a dribble, but was called, back., .'Fofc lowing this a combined Blue ru&h wa» stopped in time by Geo. Homer, lieved by a serviceable., klcki." Again the> Blues resumed the offensive; and this time Wilson sent .them to the .centre of tha ground. Then DonneHy got away, actd] dribbled,, Restieaux picked up, nel__^Btdpp^tT_s,kick, and the ball-was passed *to whose kick wats.'jgWß leeblev Isaac, Rallingshaw, Esquilaat, and Lynch got Into the Reds' twentyHve, but Lynch accidently threw forward., and a scrum was nacKed. The ball was! heeled out to Restieaux, who fourid f npj difficulty in getting over, and secured the 1 first try ~from which he easily placed a goak Thei, Canterbury . backs appeared asleep, as lb was quite easy, to have Jsepfe R_stieaux in the field of play, instead,-* letting him over the line without vesy little, or any opposition. Ofcago-rB points* Canterbury '-.tTpon the resumption oi play, the backs did a little kicking, between, themselves, and then Lynch put in a feiwi yards,,but was collared, though badly, and the ball passed to Surman, who,sent it on to Botue-y and the latter kicked,,,, Laing caught ft and, kicked tp Wilson, who turnedtothe centre, where_Lynch made another; attempt to race. He was welt Lowry round, the .neck.., Bqsm was- somehow tip in the, collision] which occurred, and he waa knocked oufe for some seconds. He was fortunately able to resume and play afterwards equally as weUV Garrard came through ,tn_* succeeding scram arid passed to Sur_nao_, Lynch,iaterc?pted„and.kicked, wlth,thev result that .Wilson, returned* andVthg' werefweed down. Lowry obtainfeab a mark off Thomas kick, and the ball w&M placed for Garrard, ; who failed ,to pendiitstraight. Another force resulted.,,; next essayed a run, but was neatly caught? by. Surman- Restieaux received,ti-ftjbaJA from the, scarum., emd commenced? &$!"--«. Donnelly. Jumped, at., him and .•j&lssnd* Restieaux doilged al^; and'Jfelf JJse,«as Sj_rtuai_-< who. baq.^follo-sfed; .nm well caught him by the.jersey,, RessieattJg again placed-.au ea,sx,.gcal--Otago, 0 points; Canterbury, Or .Even this re* verse, '' kdidv ape appaefqfctta; f f 4rouse the Canterbury men to. the "seriousness of their '• positid-U land this try like the preceding, one, might have been avarted by smarrter and more eflectual collaring. Saveralj times Reidt and.Thomas fumtSed their Kicks, and gave,'the Hpg? their, ppportuniiij, but they heeled' out poorly, and passed with as littlebrilUa*yK*j*f Hepburn obtained a place kick JLaing picking up a dead bait. wentveryjqeara : goal, and Donnelly fpltowing it up .secuu-ed.it after had picked it up. Donnelly's try was therefore disallowed. Lynch, Esquilaut, and Owen were next prominent In and* the "Bfap forwards rarely failed to carry the acrumß, jpprineliy, -Surman- the 'two" 'Bxp-ijer?* Eowry and Hi" tton .were equally prominent with. Wilson'in defending, but all -hey could do was to keep Otago ouss and whan the spell eu Qed Canterbury had notiniproved the position. OUgo tf potato Canterbury 0-- ■ :.";-.ii -■r;t:

'■■ With such a score against them:- C_s__t£ivbury had need' to make-ot*e_.aous«_rorss in this ap&W especially also as th&Wf&a was against f theoi*'. But at the-very outset Otago were the aggressors, and twice the Reds were nearer forced dowtf." : Ti_«£ first time Wilson pluckily ran outs and kicked, in the face' of half-a-do-en charging forwards, atid the second Hobbs dldTikewise, <ttfly his kick was less thtfbaii giing into touch in his owi* twenty-five, obbsj however'relieved by kick after the 1 -crUnvhad been broken org, and Henbnrn' got iri a short dodgy run, the effect of Which Was neutraiised by the» return Of Garrard, Bean; and Hutton came to tlieiresdiie and dilbbled tip to the centre; a! pass was made to Surman; who was c*ollared by LSing^'the ball beingr driVen- Soto touch. Upon* the line out scared the leather, passed t nea*ly'to^,Tbo i ffl_s,-who again transferred If to Eyhch, She latter being now close to the line, which he succeeded in crossing, and secured a try, which was gained by fast iffid -pretty naßslnff. Restieaus Otago & points, Canterbury uf\Mr this the game-Jtoeame decidedly of a mom obencSpract-er,_»a« subsequent to,free kic^etafe^mm^? ,_s*__»s^*^*»wk

of the Jersey as be grounded the hau, and dragged him into touch In goal. Thstry waa/Eowever, allowed, Garrard took the kick, which was at a difficult angle, bat failed to convert the try. Otago, 9 points; Canterbury, 1. A aeries of eeruxns succeeded tbe kick off, from the last of which Evans and Donnelly beaded a dribbling rush right up to Reed, who stopped it. Morris relieved by a return dribble, but Wilson smartly kicked the bail baik, and the Bines were again acting on the defensive, and Hobbs had a pot shot, which resulted in a force-down. Tbacker aecured the ball after the kick oat, and passed to Lowry. He in turn gave it to G. Homer, who made the prettiest run of the day, dodging along until he was collared just on the Blue Una. The scrums which followed were held together by the forwards, little heeling out being done. Once the ball was Passed to Hobbs, who fumbled it, and the Blues carried the position. Surman, Evans and Lowry brought play back again. Morris and Lynch relieved the pressure, the latter, after getting the leather, making a tun, which ended in a scrum being formed Immediately in front of the Reds' goal Ppste. The Homers. Evans, Garrard and Donnelly between them took the ball as it left the scrum and went right into the Blues' territory, where Owen picked up and ran past his opponents, only being overtaken by Surman near the line, and from the scrum whioh was formed Canterbury was forced down. The game became more open and faster, and the excitement among the spectators had increased in proportion. Encouragement was given to both teams, and as Canterbury carried the ball rapidly to the opposite end of the field, the Reds were lustily Cheered. Tbe ball was passed to Hobbs, Who failed to take it, and from the scram ypnntsg emerged with the ball at his fest. He picked up and strove to get through, but Wilson again saved Canterbury by his excellent oollarinK_and a force-down was all that occurredTupon the return kick by the Blues Lowry passed to: G. Homer and then to Evans, and Thacker dribbled up to Reid, where Morris stopped the charge, and a return rush set in and passed Wilson. G. Homer was about, and he took the ball beautifully from the toes of Morris, passed to Hobbs, who thsew to Surman, and the Merivale sprinter Was carried into touch. The ball was passed to F. Homer, who spoilt a good run by throwing forward, and the Blues -rushed the ball back. Bean and Donnelly Stemming the attack and breaking through the opposing lines. Morris, Tattersall, aad Montgomery headed another Blue charge, which Surman stopped by collarlag Tattersall, who had possession of the ball, and a free kick was awarded for Tattersall lying on It- Thacker got away from the scrum, but dribbled too hard, and Reid made a kick which altered the scene of the play. Offside play of tbe Reds gave Otago a free kick. The ball was placed too soon, and the Reds charged. Geo. Homer secured the leather, and darted off at a rattling pace. He was told by Laing and passed, bat the ball went forward and a scrum was formed in the Blues' territory, where play remained q__j a short while. Repeated efforts of tbe Reds to score were checked by a good defenoe, and when time was called the fiay was again about mid-field. Otago, points, Canterbury 1. The record between the two Provinces is •a follows :— 1878, at Dunedin—Drawn; no score. 1870, at Christchurch—Drawn; no score. 1880, st Dunedin—Drawn; 1 try each. 1881, at Christchurch—Otago won by 1 goal and 1 try to nothing. 1882, at Mosgiel—Otago won by 5 goals snd 3 tries to nothing. 1883, at Christchurch—Otago won by 1 goal and S tries to nothing. 1884, at Dunedin—Canterbury won by 1 goal to 1 try. 1885, at Christchurch—Canterbury won by Igoaland 2 tries to nothing. - 1886, at Dunedin—Drawn; no score. 1887, at Christchurch—Drawn; 1 goal P points) to each. 1888, at Dunedin—Otago won by 1 goal I tries (7 points) to nothing. 1880, at Christchurch—Otago won by 3 goals to 1 try (1 point). Out of twelve matches Canterbury has wou 2, lost 5, and drawn 5. - The two teams dined together at the Clarendon, and spent' a pleasant evening. The visitors return home by to-day's txpreaa.