FIRST SINCE 1894

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 290, 2 September 1933, Page 17

FIRST SINCE 1894

Wellington Rugby Visit to Gisborne A LIVELY ACCOUNT Dominion Special Service. Gisborne, August 31. The match between Wellington and Poverty Bay representative Rugby fifteens to be played at Gisborne on Saturday has given rise to much reminiscence among the old timers of the game in Poverty Bay, there being many still closely following the code who remember the visit paid here by a Wellington team In 1894, 89 years ago almost to the day. That was the last occasion on which the Wellington Rugby Union was represented on a Gisborne ground, though 4t has not been for want of effort on Jhe part of Poverty Bay that there '’have been no visits between times. Transport difficulties . and expense have always been obstacles to the exchange of visits, and In late years, when transport has been less difficult, the pressure of engagements in the Rugby programme at Wellington has been such that only short tours could be undertaken. Report of Match. Some correspondence, official and private, has passed between officials of the Poverty Bay and Wellington unions on the subject of this week’s match, and the president of the Wellington union, Mr. J. Prendeville, has furnished a copy of the interesting report on the Poverty Bay match, filed by the. manager of the team on his return to Wellington, and also some further comment from Mr. “Tab” Wynyard, who was a prominent member of the team which visited the Bay in 1894. : In his covering letter to Mr. G. H. Bceats, chairman of the Poverty Bay Union management committee, Mr. Prendeville states: —

"Talking to ‘Tab’ Wynyard .at Athletic Park on Saturday, I told him about our match this year with Poverty Bay, and he"broke into smiles and recalled the match of 1894, in which he played. In those days, of . course, the team travelled to Auckland by. boat, and it was arranged on this occasion to go via the East Coast and return via the West Coast, playing matches on the way. As the Hawke’s Bay team did not get back from Auckland in time lor a game with our team, it was arranged to play at Gisborpe. The match was played at 10,30. in the morning, after the boat arrived, and Tab’ says that some of the team who weren't: good sailors got out of their bunks and went ashore in their pyjamas. ‘Tab’ added that there was an account of the trip in one of our annuals, so I hunted it up, and I enclose an abstract from the manager’s report, and also an account of the match. I have also dug out the names of the Wellington team, in case they might be useful to you. It may also stir up some of the players of 1894 who are still with us.”

The report of the'manager, referred to by Mr. is brief but comprehensive, written in a racy vein that makes for interesting reading. It includes also an account of the game in brief, and incidentally offers a little comment on the quality of the Poverty Bay team of tbjßt year, the text of the report being as under: —’ "It was a very happy and rather noisy team that left Wellington in the Tarawera on August 25. We were most confident of being able to sustain the reputation of the Empire City in the field., Hyland signalled ‘Good Luck’ to us oft Point Halswell, and we felt grateful to him. 5Ve had a splendid run to Napier, just getting there after the Walrarapa had dropped anchor with the Hawke’s Bay representatives on board, they having just returned from Auckland, and Gisborne. They; gave us three rousing cheers, which were returned. In the meantime the tender had come alongside and most of us went ashore. Frank Moeller, the host of tfie Masonic Hotel, said that travellers by water did not in general have good appetites, and he asked ns in a most sympathetic manner to let him know when we were going to call again. We were soon off again under easy steam.'-'' 1 -■■'■■■■ ‘‘We reached Gisborne with very little time in which to play , the match. We were much cheered at seeing the smiling faces of the genial Sammy Cockroft and “Buff” Caradus. We had a light repaSt, and then we were driven to the football ground, which was as hard as frozen mutton. Time being limited, two spells of 30 minutes - only were played. The Gisborneites went at us with a vengeance, and during the first spell we were buffeted about tremendously, and the Poverty Bayites’ supporters looked very jubilant when Hooper scored the second try at the expiration of the first spell; 6 to 5. Wellington’s score was made by a splendid piece of passing between Wynyard and Roberts, and which ended in the latter touching down amidst the applause of our few barrackers. ‘Tab’ Wynyard enhanced the score. Rush to the Tender. “In the second spell Wellington put up the marvellous score of 14 points in 30 minutes, the passing of Bennett, Wynyard, and Roberts completely prostrating their opponents. Gisborne wants to cultivate back play more to be successful. Their forward play is of a high order. We had a regular rush back to the Tarawera, one of her whistles having blown during the game.” The names of most, of the Wellington players in the 1894 match have been listed in.the real history of the, code in. New Zealand, these including the well-known “Off-side Mac” McKenzie, W. T. (“Tab”) Wynyard, “Cocky” Roberts, D. R. Gage, and many others. The team was also notable for the inclusion in its ranks of A. D. S. Duncan, later even better known as a golfer than as a footballer. The names of most of the Poverty Bay players of that year are still remembered by the oldqy Rugby supporters in this district, who will find much inspiration to reminiscence in a perusal of the personnel of the two teams, given hereunder: — Wellington: Full-back, H. ("Cork”) Davidson, Poneke club: three-quarters. A. D. S. Duncan, Wellington club; W. T. (“Tab”) Wynyard, Poneke, and W. (“Cocky”) Roberts, Poneke; halves, D. R. Gage, Poneke, and J. Bennett (Melrose) ; wing-forwards, W. (“Off-side Mac”) McKenzie, Petone, and J. KelIv. Petone; forwards. F. Young, Athletic, H. Dacre, Wellington. W. Pringle. Petone, F. J. Bishop, Wellington, J. Poland. Poneke. A. .Tack, Wellington, and J. Swindley, Athletic.