OUTDOOR GAMES,

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 152, 29 June 1914, Page 10

OUTDOOR GAMES,

RUGBY

END OF tfIRST ROUND GREAT CONTEST AT ATHLETIC PARK. ', CHAMPIONSHIP LIST. i ."* m ti w m a> o •*-« *S a -w « a t5 o 42 42 ja P M PM Ph O 'Athletic m 7 7 0129 25 14 Wellington „.,7 6 1 80 43 12 Petono „.,7 4 3 102 55 8 Poneke .... 7 4 3 78 71 8 Oriental .;. 7 3 4 78 71 6 University • >.. 7 2 0 45 59 4 'Meltose .„. 7 2 o 35 73 4 4>t. James '#» 7 0 7 16 lGi 0 'Athletic (15) v. 'Wellington (10). Potone (22) v. Melrose (0). Poneke (22) v. St. James (5). Oriental (11) v University (0). (ATHLETIC DEFEAT WELLINGTON. S 99ie event of the season in fcenio* championship football came off on Saturday at Athletic Park in the match (between Athletic -a.nd Wellington, who -Were standing level at the top of the Championship ladder, each with an unbeaten record of six victories. Although there was wet weather over night the 'early morning broke into a, beautiful sunny, calm day. ideal for football. The, tttrf, fyowever, -was sodden and v«ry quickly during the actual game worked ■up into mud. This the football conttois&eur regarded as favouring Athletic, always a. fine heavy weatheT and iwet ground team. The crowd was one of the biggest at the Park this season, filing the stand, the whole of the north (bank, and a, good deal of the western bank Under the clay cliff. The numbers iwere estimated at about 6000. The game itself was on© ot the finest dub games seen at the Park for many a long day: It wag a true trial of strength, ifiacli team played to the top of its iotm. Wellington won the toss and elected to play back to the sun towards the stand. Eanji Wilson kicked off for, Athlettti. rGrrace returned to touch, but without gaining much ground. Then (from a line-out the yellows broke away and Grace centrecl, followed up and overwhelmed Evensert. For a time the attack looked very dangerous. {Wellington did not pursue the advantage immediately, but from another lineout- oil the twenty-five the yellow pack came down again on Evensen, who was hustled with the ball, which drifted Into touch. Athletic were penalised tfor a foreacb of the five-yards rule, and ■Drake took a shot at goal. Unfortunately he screwed the kick, which went 'badly wide. The Wellington forwards following Up with great dash, penetrated to the line, where a scrum was giveh in the melee. Athletic managed to force. t For a time play centred on Athletics twenty-five, * hard, close struggle of forwards, with several lineou&s and scrums-. Gradually the blues poshed their way back towards midiield. Back they were driven again to the twenty-five with a determined rush, and Were slowly forced, this time over the midfield line. Lille kicks were exchanged. Then the ball came to 'Evensen about the Athletic twenty-five, and fche full-back returned badly towards touch. Drake fielded the ball and centred. With a demon rush the yellows went through the blues. Grace kicked ahead ' and followed up, with Drake alongside. The ball crossed the line, and in the rush it appeared as if Teddy Roberts had scored, but the greasy ball on the slippery turf went from under him, and the onrush of •yellows swept over the fallen. Miller grounded. The crowd applauded mightily, arid redoubled their applause when Drake, with a splendid kick at an acute angle, piloted the ball between the posts. Wellington ?« >•' *•• 5 ■ Athletic .., % 0 Athletic were roused. The blues looked at one another significantly, and were off from the kick with a rush. They soon had their opponents in difficulties. ■Madden marked a chance kick-out, and Evensen tried a. long shot at goal. The ball fell short. But the blues were determined to avenge the score against them. They drovo hard into the fa« ,vourite scoring corner. There was a strenuous scrum on the line. At length the 1 ball trickled out. Teddy Puoberts grabbed it, and side-stepped to the edge of touch. Thero he passed on to Heley. iv/ho got over at the come* with an Uhinistakable try. The kick was well nigh impossible, and Evensen did not achieve it. Wellington * >*, „, 5 Athletic t% *n ... 3 The blues were not satisfied, and for the next few minutes ran all over Wellington in the effort to equalise. The ■yellows were lucky to get off. It appeared once from a, sweeping combined forward rush that Eobinson had grounded under the posts, but the ball escaped ilim and Bridge forced. Wellington ■trarew out f a, raiding party, and secured advantage 'when Drake pulled down fieley in midfield, and the blue winger persisted in clinging to fhe ball, and was j-ustly penalised. But the superiority of the blue* at this stage was too marked to permit of any decided change in the ,venu« of play. They were soon back again, and Bridge had to resort to a speculator to get out of difficulties. Evensen was waiting, and in the opened field drove the heavy ball in a pot at goal. It did not go lar astray. After Wellington had been continuously on the defence for fully five minutes and had successfully staved off a ecore, they managed io break the Cordon, helped materially by brilliant forcing tactics of Francis. So progressing slowly they reached Athletics quarter-line, and the old tight scrum and line-out play began again. In the exchanges Athletic reCovered some of their lost ground. • A iine kick by Bridg© sent them back again. Hush and counter-rush, with vigorous iankling, particularly on the part of Wellington, ensued. A free-kick to Athletic helped the side -considerably, but a well-judged speculator by Drake puzzled Evensen and curtailed his line-kick. Miller and Francis opened up a strong attack, and led the yellow . brigade into iUhletic's inner circle. The blues were in serious danger, as dashing tackles eliook Evenscn's defence badly and presented him getting in his long line-kicks. The ball curled off his boot back into touch at his own corner-flag • and Wei- " lington's hopes were high. In the scrum on the line that succeeded the indiscriminate melee, however, Murphy forced and gave the blues welcome respite and relief. This was turned to further advantage when a. mark by Eobinson enabled Evens&n io get o/ie 6i the best line-kicks home. The venuo of play was now once more jji midfield. Here, by a rebound, the ball came light across, through a disconcerting Kuflh fey, Miilci to Henderson,

who had a golden opportunity of an unopposed run in. Be bungled badly and did not follow up, thinking he had knocked on. The yeoman efforts of the little Athletic half held the demon yellow forwards in check until reinforcements came up. It was a chance missed. Un the other wing Parker did better, taking a glancing ball at full speed. He was, however, roughly flung into touch by Heley. The yellows were still within striking distance, and in a splendid rush Miller and_ Drake came over the line. It looked like a score, but n blue man got there first and a force down resulted. Grace tried the other sitlo and, apparently not trusting his winger, centred.. Evenson fielded and kicked, but kicked hard on to Drake, and the ball went oub to the wing. There was a great promiscuous conflict close to the line, but Athletic managed to emerge by joint effort unscathed. The bell went far halftime without further scoi'Oi Wellington still led. Wellington %>< ,„ ... 5 Athletic k 3 It is generally agreed that teams play better up towards the stand, and the chances were now in favour of Athletic. The blues opened the spell with desperate intent. Teddy Roberts just mhssed topping off an initial rush inches short of the line. Then Adams made a similar attempt on the other wing from a pass by Sim Wilson. Finding himself blocked from a clear run in, he flung the ball wildly up in the air. There was a tremendous scramble, both sides falling over themselves to "get it. The excitement was most intense. The ball finished in touch in goal. But Athletic were not to be denied ; if they could not score one way they could another. They were opening up the game in the I department in which they were markedly superior. Teddy Roberts, who was playing an All-Black game, slung out near the twenty-five to Robinson, who sent it to Sim Wilson. The five-eighths, with the versatility that has always characterised his play, saw in a flash the trend of his opponents, out to stop a try, .and. anticipating, potted a lovely goal. The crowd went frantic. Athletic ... ... ? AVellington. 5 The blues now began to get over their opponents, and within almost another minute they were clown on the line, Bell and Ranji Wilson heading a fine forward nisli. Wilson dribbled through the ruck on his own at the finish and overrunning the bull left an opening foi 1 Teddy Roberts, who was at his heels, to notch a try right under the eyes of the stand. The position was near the corner flag and the kick fell short. Athletic 10 Wellington ... k 5 Again the blues came down and all i but got through again. E. Roberts had a shot at goal from a penalty, but could make nothing of it. Relaxing their efforts slightly, the blues gave ground, and Wellington for' the first time in the spell attacked. It looked at first like a mere flash in the pan, but it began to develop dangerous symptoms for Athletic in the Tar corner. Strenuous ' scrambling and scrumming dissolved into » rush on the part of Wellington. Millei* kicked high to the other wing. Beard took the dropping ball on the luD and without .a falter sprinted in, scoring one of th<> lnosl spectacular tries ever seen on the Park. The angle was difficult for the kick, but Drake, taking all care, added to his reputation as a goal-kick by putting the ball beautifully between the posts— a magnificently cool kick. This brought things level, and there was a great response from the big crowd, which was rather partial to the yellows. Wellington «.< •„# n i 10 Athletic 10 j Play now became serious indeed, and both sides put all they knew into it. Athletic naturally took the lead from the kick-off, and there were some fierce battles and one*" or two players came out of them rubbing bruises. A passing rush initiated by Sim Wilson imperilled one corner ot Wellington's line, but the tricky five-eighths could not manage it on his own, and Adams, when be took the pass, flung the ball again into space, where it wais intercepted and sent to safety, so far ns Wellington were concerned. The blues were playing a pretty back game when they got the chance. Roberts was, in tho language of the bank, "out on his own/ and he was ably seconded by Sim Wilson. One passing rush at this istagp ran from Roberta to Wilson to Adams and back in again to Bell and back to Roberts at the twenty-five. Here Wellington were penalised. Evensen took the kick. The first attempt was discounted, the referee giving "no charge." Evensen had no better luck next time. Foi 1 a time the pace slackened, M\d the yallows regained midfield. Grace started olf on a career to score, but wa& pulled up at the twentyfive, and Miller's slowness in securing a return let Athletic recover. Neither side, however, had in this phase- of the game any distinct advantage over the other. ■ A slip on the turf brought Parker clown at the Wellington twentyfive just by the touch-line, and the blues swarmed over him. Grace stopped further progress, however, by a fine mark. Both sides were now tiring manifestly, and on the experience of Petone against Athletic in the fine game of a fortnight ago, when the blues won on the whistle, the chances tigam favoured Athletic. The blues gradually increased pressure in the closing phase. Wellington were exceedingly hard pressed and every swarming scrum on tho line seemed destined to bring the winning try. The blues appealed strongly once, but the referee shook his* head, and when the heap of men rose from tho ground it was a Wellington man underneath on the ball. The yollows wcTe fighting hard for a draw. They could not, apparently, hopo now for a win. Heley had a couple ol chances in the open on the wing, but ho had been severely handled "vith vigorous tackling, and was not quite himself. Roberts started a great* rush by passing to Robinson, who slipped it to Sim Wilson, who, hi turn, gave it to Adams. The centre three-quarter might well have given it to Madden, but preferred to hang on and try his own luck. Ho fell among thorns in the ruck of tho Wellington defence. On the other -hand, Parker had his chances of breaking away, and at least securing a respite- for the yellows, but he seemed done to a turn, and could not .manage to get over the mangled turf quick enough to reach safety. Bridge put up a cool defence, and when Parker failed, speculated judiciously to touch. It was now a matter of time only, Wellington were bo weary that they could not .last much longer. Roberts gave fieley a splendid chance on the wing after making the opening, but Heley was * also done and misseel the pass. At lust the inevitable try came. The ball came out of a looso scramble on ihe twenty-five, and the yellows were unable, apparently through sheer weariness, to get back to force. It iveiit over the line, and Ryan toiiched it down. Roberts converted Athletic t ., 4 15 Wellington 10 There wei'estill a few moments io go, but it was too little to alter things. Wellington made- a last spasmodic effort, and, when the bell and whittle wmt, were attacking. Athletic had won a hard-earned victory by IO points to 10. Mr, .Big|.pson-v/a£L. i'cleriet . , .»;