THE BRAMLEY MATCH

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 49, 21 November 1907, Page 8

THE BRAMLEY MATCH

COMFORTABLY WON,

UNEVEN GROUND HANDICAPS THE BACKS. CROSS AND JOHNSTON HEAD THE FORWARDS. MESSENGER AXD WRIGLEY. (By A. H. BaskehviiiLß.) New Zealand 25 Bramley fl Now Zealand's superior individuality won the first match at liramley. Tho glorious rccoption of tho All Blacks by the .Yorkshire peoplo on their arrival creatcd intenso interest all over Britain, ?o that about 8000 peoplo assembled at the Barley Mow ground, Bramley, to witness tho first contest on English soil. Had many more attended, tho sign "Full house" would have been hung out, as the holding capacity of tho ground was strained as it was.

The weather conditions were ideal. Th* sun was obscured. A slight breezo was the only exceptional .circumstance which marred the day from being perfect. Althongh tho turf was good—that is, soft and springy— the ground was uneven ■in places—unfortunately near the goal lines. This defect robbed New Zealand of two tries at least during the match. Runners with tho ball found it very difficult to keep thoir feet at times. It also made tho bound of tho ball uncertain. Turtill was caught napping onoe by the bounce. He took lino caro to always catch it on the full subsequently, and then never made an error. CHANCE OF SCRUM .FORMATION. The " All Blacks" started with a 2-3 serum formation, but found thai> tho heavier Bramley pack, composed of six forwards, was too strong for thom. . Towards the end of the game Tyler went into the pack, and thereafter it was 3-2-1. This worked better than the old placement. On the whple, tho six Bramley forwards were better in the scrum than our irjen. In the open* however, the " All Blacks" were far superior. They frequently swept down tho field with some ,fino dribbling rushes. Johnston and Cross usually headed them,'but tho others were not far' behind when the work was strenuous. '

Now Zealand did not' take this match seriously, as tho .opponents .had been underrated by the Northern Unionists who were coaching and advising us. Wo had a semiexperimental team .in tho field. Consequently our combination was not as good as it might have been at the beginning of the gama. Howover, it improved considerably towards the end. v BRAMLEY'S STAR. Yorkshire forwards are usually good men, and the Bramley pack proved themselves no exception to this rule. They tackled well, pushed hard in the scrum, and also-dribblod fairly well in the open. Their methods are, in fact, very similar in all respects to our own. ; . , ' ■ ■ Thoir backs ' passed well, but ran too straight across tho field with the ball. Their passing rushes somotimes ended on the touch lino behind the spot from whero they started. In other respects they aro very '"nippy." Bramley's star is Sedgwick, who scored tho two tries for them. He used his brains, nvl took the opportunity when an opening cama. ]His comrade backs appeared to bo about up to New Zealand inter-provincial standard. THE FIRST SCORE. New Zealand won the toss. _ Bramley set the ball rolling with a short kick and a forward rush; They smartly carried the ball, into " All Black " territory, but Messenger stopped/them with a smart mark. Taking ;the kick himself, ho sent the oval well down the field. Our forwards raced down —Cross in the van —and were there when it landed. A scramble ensued, which was suspended by an infringement of tho rules. A scrum took place near the touch line,, and the Bramley men tried some funny business in it which allowed us a free kick. Messenger then landed a magnificent goal from it—two minutes after the starting bell had rung. Our "breathers" started to smile audibly. Northern Unionists count all goals two points and tries three points, so we were thus a pair in advance before the spectators had adjusted their glasses.

ROWE SHINES. ■ \ Rowe fielded the kick-off nicely, and with a dodgy run and cross-kick enabled the "All Blacks" to again assume tho .aggressive. M'Grcgor missed Bramley's return and lost the advantago gained for a while. Rowo, after a while, again secured, and with another grand run and cross-kick dropped the ball near his opponents' goal posts. He had raced to their twenty-five tnis timo, and was able to put his forwards oil side. They swarmed down, and wero noticeably' carrying the play with them; in fact,' Cross, Johnston, and others fairly brushed opposition away. A lucky speculating kick by a Bramloy back shifted play to tho touch lino near the centre. FINEST KICK SEEN ON THE GROUND. Tho scrum led to some scrappy play near the centre of the field, which was terminated by Pearce snapping up tho ball and running strongly to the Bramley twenty-five. He passed to Cross, the latter to Johnston, but the Otago man gave a bad pass to Smith, who oiily had to run in if he could have taken.it. .' ■... A scrum and loose play followed within handy distance of Bramley line. M'Gregor then snapped up' tho ball, ' and with one of his old-time dashes mado an oponing. He passed to Rowe, and the sturdy little Aucklandor crashed through a knot of defenders before handing .on to Wynyard. The latter then passed to Messenger,- who scored near tho corner llag. Messenger converted himself, with the finest kick ever seen on.the ground. New Zealand was 7 ,to nil seven minutes after tho game had started. WRICLEY'S HARD LUCK. The next remarkable,incident\as an electrifying run by Wriglcy. Ho delighted the crowd by sprinting along the touch-lino, beating three opponents and then the Bramley full-back. A clear run in was the result, but tho uneven ground proved his downfall, and prevented a certain try. Rush and counter-rush ensued for a timo. Cross and Johnston, both when following up and when toiling with the others, woro very conspicuous. New Zealand then lost a territorial advantago through, apparently not being at homo with the rules. They hesitated where their opponents took a risk. Tho latter wero lucky in escaping the referee's oye. Perhaps it was that wo are not yet conversant enough with the rules.

BRAMLEY'S FIRST BLOOD. Bramloy were awarded a free kick -in our half of the ground. The higli kick was gathered in by Turtill, but the opponents were on him. A scrum resulted oil the line. Bramloy secural possossion, and from a passing run scored near the corner. They failed to convert. The scoro came as a surprise to.tho crowd, as it was the home team's first opportunity. Tlioy took advantage of thoir first serious invasion of Now Zealand territory. ' Soon after tho re-start, Messenger and Wrigley delighted the onlookers with a rare passing duet. The latter smashed his way down tho touch-lino, but was just pushed out a fow yards from tho goal-lino. A NARROY/ PITCH. Eight here it must bo stated that the Dramley playing pitch is a very narrow one, and this seriously hampered the "All Black" passing movements. There was not sufficient elbow-room for our five-eighths- to manoeuvre in, and then give the three-quarters thoir desired opportunities. However, after some loose play, the "All Black" throe-quarters once more got going. Some splendid passing among them culroi-

liated in another try, Smith sprinting over near the corner (lag. Messenger mado a good attempt, but just failed to convert-. HOOKERS IMPROVE. New Zealand forwards up to this had not givon their backs much work which started at the scrum. Bramley were beating them for the ball. However, the tide in this direction began to turn. Tho " All Blacks " commenced to show great improvement in hooking department. From a scrum near midfiold a Bramloy back luckily found the line a few yards from tho colonials' goal. The crowd now began to smile; so did Sedgwick, Bramley's prior scorer, when he secured, and hesitation on New Zealand's part allowed him to run in and score near their goal posts. Their lcick at goal was a miserable attempt. EXHILARATING PLAY. The score now stood: New Zealand 10; Bramley 6, and the crowd started to "barrack" in a convincing Yorkshire fashion. Fast opon play—intensely exhilarating to watch —now began, to tako the place of the prior disorganised movements. A further improvement was noticeable in tho "All Black" scrum, and tlieii forwards wero also playing a magnificent game in tho open. They adapted themselves to the Northern Union requirements, and raced about after the ball like greyhounds. Bramley found this out, and hankered after scrums, into which they used to put the ball unfairly at times. Howover, the referee enforced tho rules, and penalised them frequently. Lofty kicking was tho ordor of the day for a while. Turtill was as safe as one could wish. He. never made a mistake in fielding, and his return punts were magnificent. MESSENCER DROPS AT COAL. Messenger, just before the interval, secured and drop-kicked for goal from near the halfway line. "The shot was well directed, only the sigh of relief that arose from the crowd indicated that tho ball had fallen short of the bar by a few feet. It rolled into the dead ball area as.if trying, to atone for its failure to increase the Blacks' score. At this stago of the game the urteven ground handicapped our play considerably. The backs stumbled often when running. Messenger injured his ankle, and,, forsaking tho five-eighths position, retired. to tho wing three-quarter place. Halftimo saw the scores still: — ; a ' Now Zealand ... 10 Bramley ~.. 6 "WHY DON'T YOU POINT?" The tactics • indulged in- by the Bramley half-back when putting the ball in the scrum in the first half of tho game were certainly open to doubt. It was not surprising that thoir forwards did often secure possession. I brought under the notice of a Northern Union official tlie " pointing " that was being indulgod in by them. Tho retort —now, filed for future reference —was, "Why don't your mon do the same?" , . Johnston started the second, forty minutes' spell'by kicking' off with tho breezo • now favourable. The "All Black " forwards mado tho pace from 'the start. They jumped into tho play as frosh as when they went on to tho field, and, with a businesslike air, swept down it in a rnagnificent dribbling rush. Over-eagerness caused breaches of the new rules, and handicapped them for a wliilo.

TYLER SCORES AN "IMPOSSIBLE" GOAL. . But they were not to be denied. Tyler, ever in the van, secured possession near tho line, and after one of his quick, characteristic dashes, scored neai; tho corner. Messenger again opened the eyes of the Tykes by placing an . unmistakable, though almost impossiblo, goal. Tho kick-off was a prelude to another fine NoW Zealand forward rush. Johnston, closely attended by Dunning and Mackrell, dribbled the ball fully forty yards "on his own" through tho Bramley team. It was soulstirring football. They worked the ball ovor near the goalposts in a very few minutes, but a glorious effort and chance wero frustrated by a hard kick, which unluckily crossed the dead-ball line.

A POPULAR FAVOURITE. Once more tho "All Black " forwards swept down tho field. The Bramley full-back snapped up tho ball from their feet, but was tackled by Pearce. A scramble ensued. Somebody snapped up the l)all, four or five short, sharp passes among tho faster forwards followed, and Tyler, by this time a popular favourite with tho crowd, once moro raced over their line—this time near the goal-posts. Tbe crowd hardly took, an interest in Messenger's conversion of the try. It was a foregone conclusion. The score now stood: — New Zealand 20 Bramloy 6 CROSS WAS DUMPED. Whatover chance Bramley possessed had totally disappeared. . They still fought with determination. Tho play was very willing for a time. Cross was dumped down r»thor severely just then, and looked "sick" for a while, ■ but he soon got back his wind, and thereafter worked like a Trojan until the call of time. Tyler, evidently after a treble, snapped up the ball and almost got through again. PCo passed too late to Messenger and spoiled the effect. Tho latter was now being too well covored and, in addition, appeared very lame. A force-down resulted. ROWE ACAIN UPSET BY THE GROUND. The "iUI Blacks " kept' continually- :on the aggressive. The "play the -ball" rule hampered them a little. . They naturally "took to" a Bramley man when lie'got down to their rushes; for which thoy were penalised. Once moro the lumpy ground upended Rowe,, the last receiver of tho ball from a brilliant passing rush'. Play hovered around midfiold until tho "All Blacks" were a, penalty. Messenger placed the ball on the halfway line. - Straight for the. centre of tho bar the ball soared. To me it appeared to be high enough, biit the' referee ruled that it had- fallen short. . WRICLEY BATTLES OVER.

Wrigley soon atoned for this. Cross made an opening and gave him a pass. His weight enabled 'him to bullock his way. over in- a good position. Messenger failed this time to add the necessary jioints. The "phantoms" still kopt. knocking at the door. From a scrum, tne best passing rush of tho day started. Every back almost 011 our side handled ' the ball safely but Rowe, at tli-j end of the chain. Bramley forwards ars (logged. They counter-rushed to our twenty-fivo, but Rowo saved tho situation by marking smartly. NEARLY A COAL FROM HALF WAY. Messenger shifted play back with a huge punt. A. high-kicking duel followed. Wrigley essayed to drop a goal, almost succeeding from half way. The Braniloy full hack returned • tho kick, and it was, promptly marked by Cross. Messenger's hugo kick struck the post, but glanced safely inside it. This made the scoro: New Zealand ... 25 Bramley ... 6 A closing incident worth noting was a brilliant run by Wrigley. He secured at half way, and bent nearly the wholo team with a strong 'run. He passed to Messenger, but the latter, in dodging th<v_ Jnst defensive unit, stepped a few inches into touch,' and was called back-*nftich to his surprise—after touching down. Individually, all our forwards ■ performed well. It is not doprccating in tho least the merit of the others by saying that Cross and Johnston wero tho best oil the ground. Mackrell and Dunning were very sorviccablo when passing among the forwards was required. Pearce and Tyler—particularly-the latter —mado soino brilliant runs. Turtill gave one of his best exhibitions of full-back play. He was as safe as " the Bank." Smith has lost nono of his paco and dash, in fact, he seems oven better than ever. .Messenger is going to prove a thorn. Ho mado no mistakes to-day. Rowe has improved wonderfully. He gavo a "6tar" performance, Bad luck oil the

unovon ground robbed him of two or three tries. W. AVynyard took the scrum half-back position in tho first spoil, but was replaced there by M'Gregor in tho second. Both did as well as could have been expcctcd of them. Wrigley has impressed tho Northern Union critics, and tho public as well. , His running and general, play were magnificent. The New Zealand team was:—Full-back: Turtfll; three-quarters: Rowo, Smith, Wrigloy; five-oightbs: Messenger and M'Gregor; half-back: W. Wynyard; forwards: Tylor, Mackroll, Dunning, Cross, Pearcc, and Johnston. The " Daily Mail's" special report was headed: — "First Match Won. "AH Blacks' Splendid Start at Bramloy." " Expectations Realised." " Team of Fast and Skilful Players." "Marvellous Messenger." On Saturday wo play Huddersfield, and as both this club and Bramley are reckoned about equal in strength wo hope to repeat Wednesday's performance. Wednesday's "gate" was approximately £236. (The Huddersfield match was won hy 19 points to 8, but accounts indicate that tho Now Zealanders were lucky in securing so largo a margin.)