THE FINAL TEST.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 9

THE FINAL TEST.

BRITAIN OUTCLASSED. ; NEW ZEALAND, 28; VISITORS, 0. ■ NINE TRIES, ONE GOAL: (by telegraph—rnEss' association.) ■■ ■~ ■ ■■■ Auckland, July,2s. Tho third Test mateli between Britain and New Zealand' was played at Alexandra Park to-day. The weather was threatening,' and a heavy shower ocburrcd' -late in tho .' second . spell. Tho altenclanco was . only about 15,000,' or two-thirds that of the previous -Saturday,: when-:the visitors-met tho Auckland Provincial .Fifteen. The additional charge made by . tho local • -Rugby.' Union evidently 1 had' tho effect of keeping away many 'whoV!would othonviso .havo attended. ; Notwithstanding, tho-heavy rain which had fallen; during *tlio week, the playing • area was in fairly good condition, and'afforded .a good foothold for : tliQ contbstants. ■ Tho gamo is sunimed tip in a sontenco: Britain was.hopelessly outclassed-.in -every department, and was ; never, /within- striking distance of tho. "All Blacks'" line, l'ljo visitors' dofenco was as weak' as tho New Zealand.;.-attack; was' strong, ; and the' result of the; - game .was. nevor in doubt-aftor -tho;first five minutes' play. ' ' THE TEAMS. The i following ■ woro tho tonms ■ Britain. • ■ FDLL-BACIv: . . ■'E. J. Jackett..- -, ■: . : ' THREE-QUARTERS: ' P. F. M'Evedy, H. H. -Vassall, J. "Polity" .. v. . Jones, F. Chapman. • " HALF-BACKS: W. Morgan,' J. P. "Tuan". Jones. • FORWARDS: A. F. Harding, E. Morgan, P. Down, G. R. Hind, R. Dibblo, H. Archer, T. W. -Smith, 7. F. Williams. : ■vNew Zealand. ' FULL-BACK: , J. Coloman (Taranaki)'. THREE-QUARTERS: D. Cameron (Taranaki),. G. R. Deans (Canterbury), A. Mitoliinson (Wellington). ' ' FIVE-EIGHTHS: J. Hunter (Taranaki), ,W. Stoad (Southland) I (Captain); •••■.-■-. I HALF-BACK: ' I F.' Roberts (Wellington). , WING FORWARD: ■ G. Gillett (Auckland). FORWARDS: - .F. Glasgow(bouthlaud), W: Ounmiigham' (Auckland),-A. I rancis (Auckland), J. Patterson (Otago), L. Seeling(Auckland), H.-Hayward (Thames); FIRST SPELL. • New Zealand won tho toss, and- defended the western -' goal,, with an .intermittent sun and a breezo- that, did riot count for much behind them; Harding kicked off for the visitors, 'Roberts returning to half-way, whero billett' got . underway,. and' rushed ..'play, through to the' A-' mark by 'Vas-. sail called a' haltj ..'jnuch was only '.temporary- When the/players liiielout Hardiniwas. found; to be' fras of little' use to' his side afterwards, and- had to retire' after play , had been . in', progress about ten minutes. Jackett -made the most of Vassall's mark,-'but'Deans took the ball ."oil., the■ fly,-and, with'.: Rofcerts'.in..Ju's.;comn pan j', streaked for'tho lino?" A- faulty pass from.Deans to Koborts,;however, pulled them up near;tlio twenty-five, : where a scruni was ordered. Tho crowd waited for' tho appearance,, of the - ball, - and cheered -when it _cam 9' into Roborts's : hands. .Play shifted d6wn' to within fifteen yards of the line, but clever play by Vnssall kept the attack at bay. v Mitehinson: Scores First Try. Tho All ..Black-■ forwards.- who were in fine fettlo,. rushed ;play still .further down, and, from, the second: scrum, Roberts got a -crisp pass away-to Hunter,, who sent the ball right-put to'Mitehinson on the wing, the latter scoring near the corner after eight minutes' play amid a scene of great'excitement.,. Francis's kick-at goal, was short. .- New Zealand ... .... '3 Britain ... - • ... ....' : Q '

With a long shot Seeling sent the leather .to' within Britain's twenty-five -. oh the game being'resumed, Tho "All Black"' forwards then, charged ;down, but, a knock-on intercepted their- progress. Then Coleman failed to find touch, and Britain .was forced . ■ as the result :of, his kick..,-; New Zealand continued ,t6' force tho p.icc, and the forwardsgetting away, wore 'only held up when 'they; camo to Jackett, - who,, neatly averted -disaster. Roberts - vainly attempted, to improve, .the-'score, by potting a -goal, and lator Cameron, provided a sensational incident with a meteoric run. down , tho line, . but was. just pushed ;out . in ..time..From . tho ?lino-out Harding camo- to the assistance-of . his side, but the Now Zealand' forwards were not to be denied/, and rushed, play down, the field, where the. leather got out. of 'reach;; and a force, resulted. Play of a scrambling nature followed the kick-off,', and, Deans kicking over .tho line, another forco resulted. ■ Then Roberts, attempted to got his backs moving, 'out Vassall intercepted a pass, and; got tho ball away to. Chapman,'.who-found touch in Britain's : favour,. , Tho visitors/got no further,; ..however, -and priricipally - through tho agency of. Roberts-wero'again i placed on the/defensive.,, The; "All Black";;.forwards' again put too much boot,into their play, as a result of which M'Evedy-forced. l On resuming, Roberts found touch five'yards from Britain's line, and, as a result of .the ensuing play, Britain, was again compelled to force. Then tho visitors ; had'their-hands full in coping ..with tho rear-attack - of --tho New Zealanders, play being of a fast and exciting nature.,-. - Succossful Passing. A serum was eventually ordered near Britain's line, and Roberts securing possession transferred to Hunter.' Tho'latter put in a Bhort run and gave-a long transfer'to Mitchinson, who easily evaded':' all opposition. Gillett's attempt at; goal wa's a good one, but fell short. " - - New Zen.knd ..... 6 Britain. ... ,0. The ensuing play was'fast and furious, the ■nsitors backs being hard put' to it to keep tho . score down.' Stend".and Roberts figured prominently in the pl.-iy-' that followed, but Jackett s detenco wks 'sound.' l'lay wa's frequently on tho visitors' line, and, from a free kick, Gillctt- attempted n, goal from a difficult angle. "Tuait" Jones essayed a pretty movement round the°blind side of a scrum on resuming, and gavrf Britain somo respite. An interchange oft' kicks' followed, Morgan jventually marking oil Britain's line. New Zealand continued to threaten' Britain's line, out "all Roberts's attempts to got his backs >n tho move wore fruitless, principally owng to the tactics_ of Vassall'and "Polity" Tones. Tho Britishers were beginning to - w-sort tliemsolvcjs, when Deans snapped up :hc ball in the'loose and, assisted , by Seeing, gave the All Blacks" a decided advantage. The,, play that .followed was of a, 'fast, open. character, and at length Hay.' yard and ' Hunter were, associated in a pretty movement, which resulted in • the lat- *!• sroring'closo to the goal post. Cameron's tick was futile. . . New Zealand ..; ... ...' ... 9 Britain ... ... ... ... o New Zealand maintained an advantage md Huntery • Deans, and Cameron participated in a,-rally'that again : placed Britain's line ill daiVger. Then tho "All Black" forwards took chaigc and appeared to demora-

liso tho defonce, Glasgow scoring from a loose scramble right in front of tho goal. Roberts failed with the kick. New Zealand 12. Britain ■ ... ... ... 0 Half-time .was then called. / SECOND SPELL. On changing ends Cunningham sot the ball m motion, and Deans shortly afterwards kicked to Britain's twenty-five. From here J. F. Williams got'away with a dribblo, but Roberts scoured, vfand, keeping out of liis reach, switched on the New Zealand backs, and operations .woro resumed' in tho visitors' quarters, where, for an infringement, a scrum was :ordered. Cunningham executed a forward movement here, but Jackett hold up the opposing van. From a scrum ordered 011 Britain's lino Gillett burrowed his way over and scored.' Tho kick was iiv a gooil position, but Francis was unequal to tho occasion,. > New Zealand ... . ' 15 Britain. "r ... . . ... 0 t Tho kick-out saw play in neutral territory, but ail;interchange of kicks resulted in tho "All Blacks'". faroiir. Stead heroically held up a strong rush by Morgan, Dibble, and Hind, and Ilayward subsequently figured prominently in ji forward movomont, which \ assail stopped with somo difficulty, and cross-kicked to the opposite wing »into Cameron's hands. Tho Taranaki flior made all ho could jof tho 'opportunity, and .HayWard, coming in at the right moment, was responsible for'-New" Zealand's sixth score. . Cunningham - was'- : 6iitrustod'-with the kick .and .failed.- v '" -t'i. -. Now ; 18 Britain - ... ..... 0 One minuto,-later,, tho. Now Zealand backs woro. pressing Mitehinson obtaining possession ,oludod ." Ponty " Jones and scored at; the.'corner. .--Tlio kick was tho most difficult one of the match, -but Coleman was .successful in. piloting' the; leather ' over. the* crossbar.- .'■ ;; New-Zealand- ,• ... 23' . Britain-'... ... ~ ... ... 0" A British Rally. - Britain's - fortunes-'we're in' tho ascendant after the resumption'of play, and it-was somo considerable time befbro-the-" All Blacks" were able 1 to make much headway. Play for tho most part-was-'slightly- in the visitor's favour, Vassall and the two Joneses being tho mainstay of the attack, while M'Evedy and Chapman woro; starving for a sight of tho ball. The paco was too hot for the Britishers, however, and. it did not' last. On ono occasion Archer, Down, and Dibblo rushed play over the "All Black" line, a force resulting. "Tuan" Jones put in a tricky run, but Hunter appeared unexpectedly and beat him for the 1 ball, and completely, turned tho, tables. Play was now in Britain's twentylivo. A free-kick gave Britain much needed relief. Somo'-desperato play followed, Britain being hard pressed-, pn- several .occasions to find a way;out of their difficulties.- In this they wero'aided by several infringements liy tho '' All- Black" forwards.- - . Coleman attempted- to.place a goal without result, the leather not going out of play, and Archer succeeded, in relieving the pressure. Play of an even character '.ensued,-, during which J. F. .Williams sustained an injury to'his kneo, which caused a-, temporary suspension of the game. With twolvo. minute's tP go a scrum was formed within Britain's twenty-five, and Roberts . securing sent a.'long; pass out to, Doans, who scdred in a fine position. Coloman's .attempt at goal did not ad<J to the score. - --■ ,New Zealand . ....; ..,' 26' . 'Britain; ... ~ ... ' ; ...' 0 : • Stead , put. ih a fine, piece of work on re : suming, and, associated with Roberts, again placed Britain's lino in danger. From, a lineout'about teh : yards from liome, Francis secured 1 and scrambled'over the lino. Glasgow ! attempted a goal without result. Now Zealand', ... : ... n. 29 'Britain 0:..- , Heavy rain" 'Wttiid - -tk'b" > "6"bnKlusibn'"'"'df''tlio spells Deans;waS freqiioiitly.prominOTt, and Cameron 'ftorife' jlisti !! bofßf'o |; i •tho, call of timo. Vassall and Jackett'were tho mainstays of the defence. The final,score ■ wore:as above. - .'- ,i • - - - . - Mr. Angus Campbell, of Auckland, con-, trolled the . game in a satisfactory manner. ' ■ Fivo of -the British team were injured. Harding, who received a severe kick in the region of the liver, was" seriously-injured. Dr. M'Evedy and '" Ponty' Jones had their shoulders injured, J.- F. Williams had his kneo dislocated, and W. Morgan was partially stunned, and had his face injured.

y NOTES AND COMMENTS,. As indicated, the -Britishers were completely outclassed in every phase of the' game. . Their kicking, .tackling, and running suffered comparison with that of the Now Zealand representatives." ' .In the scrums the 1 "All Blacks" had the bettor of it, contrary'to expectations . after • tho Britishers' fine exhibition in this-department last Saturday. 'Of course, it must'not be forgotten that they wero without the services of Harding for the greater part of thq game, but even if they had had his-assistance it is extremely doubtful if-there would havo been any differonce in the final result. Jackett's kicking at full-back was below expectations, though his tackling was very much to tho point.' -Vassall and-"Ponty" Jones did tho bulk of the work on the three-quarter line, M'Evody and Chapman boing quite, out of it. For Now Zealand, Stead played a most consistent game, and Roberts was never' at fault even in the most trying positions, Less was seen of Hunter than usual,- but ho .ably, seconded Stead's efforts at opening up'tho back play. The spectators would have liked to have r.een more of Cameron'a play, but opportunities did not .often como • his way. Deans and Mitchinspn shared tho honours, the former proving himself a very hard man to bring down. Coleman, at full-back was sound., It would be invidious to . individualise amongst the' forwards of either team where all played so consistently well.

" The Britishers were entertained at dinner by the Rugby Union at night, and a fishing excursion takes place to-morrow. The team will leavo -for Sydnoy oil' Monday. ,