REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1923, Page 11

REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES

WELLINGTON V. WAIRARAPA

NEWS AND NOTES,

(By "Drop-Kick.")

Contests between Wairarapa and Wellington date back many years—they number more than any other interprovincial events in which either district has been concerned — and in them there have been seen from time to time some of New Zealand's best players. An addition to the number was to be made this afternoon prior to the North-South match, and in both teams there were players who may probably be ranked, before their football days are finished, if not already, with those who were stars in former memorable contests. Rugby in the Wairarapa this season is reckoned to be on the verge of the position when it experienced its best days on the other side of the Rimutakas. The standard is pretty well on a par with that in Hawkes Bay where the Ranfurly Shield is held, and Wairarapa have the satisfaction of a win against the shield holders, though in their claim for the shield, made previously, they were unsuccessful. Possession of the shield would do a lot of good to Wairarapa, as it has done to Hawkes Bay. If Wairarapa's progress this season is continued next year they should be able to produce the goods that will compare favourably with the material in the Dominion's best district, whichever that may be. For over forty years Wellington's rep. teams, A or B, havo had a big run of success against Wairarapa. Forty-seven matches have been played; Wellington have won 34; Wairarapa have won 10; and three games have been drawn. Points scored total 856—Wellington 585, Wairarapa 271. The Wellington team which defeated Wairarapa in the last match three years ago by 38 points to 11 was as follows:—F. Malm; G. Aitken, B. Algar, A., Jackson ; M. Corner, J. Tilyard ; C. Tilyard; W. Evan. F. C. Hutehinson', Walters, Troy, M. Smith, C. B. Thomas, A. De Clifton, and Albert Parker. D. Algar replaced Corner. Tries for Wellington were scored by Aitken (2), Jackson (3). Ryan, D. Algar, J. Tilyard, Troy, and Thomas. Maliu converted three And Thomas one.

The table of results of matches between Wairarapa and' Wellington is as follows:—

Year. Place. Won by. Score. 1880—Greytown—Wellington lg., 3t—o 1884—Wellington—Wellington lg, lp.-O 1884—Greytown—Wellington ... lg.—o 1886—Wellington—Wellington ... 6—o 1886—Greytown—Wairarapa 4—2 1887—Wellington—Wellington ... s—o 1887—Greytown—Wairarapa ... s—o 1888—Wellington—Wellington ... 9—2 1889—Greytown—Wairarapa 5—3 1889—Wellington—Wellington ..". 11—10 1890—Wellington—Wellington .... 13—4 1892—Masterton—Wellington ... 20—4 1894—Wellington—Wellington ... 11—3 1895—Masterton—Wairarapa ... B—o 1896—Wellington—Wellington ... 16—3 1897—Masterton—Wairarapa ... 3—o 1898—Wellington—Wellington ... s—o 1899—Masterton—Wellington ... 10—6 1899—Wellington—Wellington ... 17—6 1900—Wellington—Wellington ... 11—6 1900—Masterton—Wellington ". 17—13---1901—Wellington—Wellington ... 14—8 1901—Carterton—Drawn 9—9 1902—Carterton—Wellington ... 6—3 1902—Wellington—Wellington ... s—o 1903—Wellington—Wellington 18—11 1903 —Carterton—Wairarapa B—3 1904—Wellington—Wellington ... 22—9 1904—Carterton—Wairarapa ... B—s 1905—Wellington—Drawn 3—3 1905—Carterton—Wellington ... 13—11 1906—Wellington—Wellington ... 62—9 1907—Wellington—Wellington ... 13—3 1907—Masterton—Drawn 3—3 1908—Wellington—Wellington ... 30—0 1909—Carterton—Wellington ... 15—11 1912—Carterton—Wellington ... 17—8 1933—Wellington—Wellington 14—11 1913—Masterton—Wellington 21—3 1914—Carterton—Wellington ... 3—o 1915—Carterton—Wairarapa .. 24—11 1917—Carterton—Wairarapa ... -B—3' 1917—Wellington—Wellington ... 39—3 1918— Carterton—Wairarapa ... 19—5 1918—Wellington—Wellington ... 33—3 1920—Masterton—Wellingtomi ... 24—3 1920—Wellington—Wellington ... 38—11 THE WELLINGTON TEAM. Begarding the Wellington team chosen io play Wairarapa to-day, a correspondent (" T. Jenkins ") writes as follows:— j '•I know the job of a team selector is. always a thankless one, but there are grave defects in the present back team that are a..,matter of public comment, and no apology is needed for mentioning them. It is an open secret that in the last two representative games the wing three-quarters were starved, and that on the few occasions they received thb ball from the centre they were hopelessly jammed on the line, and, in addition, the passes they received were impossible to take. The trouble in the present team is that Svenson is retained a:-, 'centre, and it is safe to predict that the wings on Saturday (totlay) will do' no better, if as well, as did Faber and Jackson. In fairness to Svenson, it is only right to say that he is one of the most brilliant individual backs in Wellington, and that he himself was badly jammed by Tilyard before ho got the ball. If Svenson is to be retained in the team, why not play him on the wing, where his inability to pass is not so important? I must congratulate the selectors on the fact that they have af, last realised that Malcolm is the best full-back we have. In conclusion, I would like to suggest to the selectors a back team that will be generally recognised as the strongest we can muster: Malcolm, Faber, "_ Doc." Nicholls Jackson, Johnston, M. Nicholls, and 1L Nicholls; emergencies, Corner and Mansfield. If the above team were played, Sir, I do not think we would read that the wings were starved, and I think some few doubters would quickly realise that in Faber and Jackson we have two o: the most dangerous scoring backs in Wellington."