RUGBY WELLINGTON v. OTAGO

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 71, 21 September 1914, Page 4

RUGBY WELLINGTON v. OTAGO

A SPECTACULAR GAME Wellington defeated Otago on Saturday at* Athletic Park by 25 points to 11. The attendance was not large, butthose who witnessed the match saw good football, well worth the seeing. Wellington, the team which has just, returned from a triumphant northern tour with the Ranfurly Shield, and nothing worse against them than a drawn game with Auckland, surprised the Wellington public. Not for many years has buch delightfully free and rapid clean passing been witnessed. It was quite a novelty at the Athletic Park, and one can only put it down to an inspired study of League methods. The representatives of the province, who were attired all in white— black' would have wrought confusion with the dark blue of Otago — really excelled themselves in the open game, and whoevor put a team of not singularly brilliant backs — on past reputation — on to the game they played to-day deserves a vote of thanks from the spectators. It was certainly very pleasant indeed to watch. Quicker, neater, freer, and generally" more effective passing has rarely char acterised football on the Park. Otago, on the other hand, played a slashing forward game, and did very well to get out of it with a score against them of 25 to 11. The weather was clully, with a- strong nor'-westerly wind. Wellington had tha wind with them in the first spell, but only scored one try, not converted. They were prevented from crossing over the line more often by the sheer hard tackling of the Otago defence. E. Roberts, however, was in great form with the boot and kicked three fine penalty goals, all from near the halfway. This left the score at half-time 12—0 in favour of Wellington. The whites added another 5 points after the resumption through a fine try by Ranji Wilson, converted by Roberts. Then Otago, with a sudden spurt, .ran up 11 points. Denham scored a try from a forward scramble and Watson added the major points. 17—5. Patterson gave Otago another lift with a splendid penalty goal kicked from out near -the touch-line at mid-way. 17 — 8. Then Irvine breasted over after a hot tussle near the corner-flag. The kick failed. Wellington 17; Otago, 11." This was the last spasm. Wellington suddenly retaliated. Wilson scored another try, which Robeiis converted, 22 — 11, and then Paton added another try near, the corner, which was not converted, bringing the score up to 25 to 11. > The teams were : — Wellington', (all white) : Full-back, J. Twomey; threequarters, E. Ryan, G. Algar, A. Fisher ; five-eighths, J. Tilyard, A. Evenson ; half, E. Roberts; wing-forward, S. Shearer; forwards, E. Brown, W. Francis, A. Wilson, R. Paton, H. Dent, W.. Ryan, and W. Bell. Otago : Full-back, F. Hanna ; threequarters, Marks, S. Withers, J. Whit Itaker; fivc-eightnß, E. Watson and Denham ; half, W. Dryden ; wing-forward, W. Brown; forwards, P. Williams, W. Duncan, J. Irvine, A. Patterson, H. Atkins6n, W. Tansey, and J. Geary. THE "CURTAIN-RAISER" BERHAMPORE DEFEAT ST. JAMES FOURTH CLASS. Tho "curtain-raiser" to the big game was a match between Berhampore and St. James, the leaders in the fourth-class grade. The game was mostly a forward one; but was fairly fast* more, especially in the second spell. Berhampore were the winners by 13 points to 8. For the winners, Gaw-and, Whelan, and Walters scored, the tries being all unconverted, and Helliwell potted a goal. For the losers, Hickey scored and Watson converted, and the last-named player also kicked a penalty goal. Mi-. A. M. Hunt was referee