RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 June 1922, Page 3

RUGBY FOOTBALL

MAORIS DEFEAT N.S.W.

(Australian and N.Z.- Cable Association.)

SYDNEY, June 24.

At Rugby Union football the Maori team defeated New South Wales by 25 to 22, four tries (two converted) and three penalty goals against six tries (two converted). The weather was fine, but cloudy, while the ground was heavy. The attendance was 15,000. The game was an even contest throughout. The advantage slightly favoured the Maoris, who gave a splendid display of clever football, though lacking polish in the fine points. The scores were nine all at the interval. The last five minutes’ play was of a stirring character. The Maoris led by 20 to 17, when New South Wales scored and converted, thus assuming the lead. With a couple of minutes to go, the Maori forwards, infusing tremendous sparkle in a rush down the field, overwhelmed Mayne who fumbled. Broughton snapped it up and literally galloped for the line, and he scored with several hanging on. Amid great excitement Jacobs converted on full time. The Maoris were excellent and though it would be unfair' to discriminate, Bell, Phillips and Jacobs were perhaps the pick. NORTH ISLAND TEAM. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 24. The North Island selectors, Messrs Griffiths (Wellington). Nicholson (Auckland) and Humphries (New Plymouth) selected the following 19 players, from whom the final team to represent the North Island against the Su’.ith Island team will be chosen at Auckland on June 50, to play on July 1, in that city: — Full-back : Brook (Wellington). Three-quarters: Hickey (Taranaki), Aitken (Wellington), Siddells (Wellington). Five-eighths : K. Ifwersou (Auckland), M. Nicholls (Wellington). Half: H. E. Nicholls (Wellington). Other backs : Glencl inning (?.;.-.uawatu), Borrell (Bay of Plenty). Wing forward : Bellis (Wanganui''. Forwards: Calcinai (Wellington), S. Shearer (Wellington), Cuppies (Bay of Plenty), O’Brien (Auckland), McLean (Bay of Plenty), Fletcher (North Auckland), Brownlie (Hawke’s Bay), Ma«ter s (Taranaki), McCulloch (Auckland). Kingston (Taranaki), who was ike All Black full-back last season, is not available.

CHRISTCHURCH G AMES. (Special to “Star”). CHRISTCHURCH, June 24. A big crowd attended Lancaster Park to-day to witness the Marists and Christchurch match. Marists won by 11 to 5. Other Rugby results were : — Varsity 13, drew with Old Boys, 13. Merivale 14, beat Albion 5. Linwood 11 beat Sydenham-Lyttel-ton, 8. The leading points for the championship are : Marists 8, Linwood Merivale 7, Christchurch 4g THE MOUATT CASE. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 23. The Wellington Rugby Union held a special meeting to-night to consider tlie re-opening ot the case of Mouatt, the Berhampore forward who was ordered off the held last Saturday during the match against Petone, and was subsequently suspended for three playing Saturdays. After hearing more of the matter this evening, the Union decided that there was nothing to warrant an alteration of its previous decision. LINE UMPIRE WALKS OFF A passing contretemps between line umpire and referee occurred in the course of the College Rifles v. Marist Old Boys game at Eden Park (Auckland) last week. Ono of the wing three-quarters made a side-line run on the attack, and went very close to the side line in playing the ball on. The line umpire Mr M. Lenihan, was close to the play, with a clear view, but notwithstanding that the* referee (Mr W. J. Meredith) whistled the game back and ruled that the three-quarter had gone out of bounds, though the line umpire had not signalled to that effect. The line umpire resented the over-ruling by throwing down his flag and walking off the field, and another line umpire was sent out at the referee’s request. According to Rugby law the referee has full control of tho game, and is within his rights in overruling a line umpire when he is of opinion the latter has made a mistake. Earlier in the game the, referee had over-ruled a decision of tho other line umpire. On the second occasion it was quite apparent to those in a position to see the line, which was plainly whitewashed that it was the referee and not the line umpire who had made a mistake in fact. Both referee and lino umpire arc members of the Referees’ Association, and no doubt the incident will be officially discussed to avert any future misunderstanding of the kind. HOKITIKA RESULTS. (Own Correspondent.) HOKITIKA, Juno 26. The heavy rain on Saturday did not damp the ardour of our . footballers, who faced the elements and their opponents alike with equanimity and followed the leather in about a foot of water at some places and slush everywhere. However, it had its humorous

side to the onlookers. The day also marked a change in the course of events for the Excelsiors who met their Waterloo for the season with the Kokatahi team, the latter winning by 13 to nil. This places the latter on top with the former second. The Uniteds also met defeat at Kumara, the latter scoring their first win for the season. In the Junior match the Excelsiors beat Arahura. UNDER LEAGUE RULES. SYDNEY ’VARSITY AVIN. t Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 24. The second League match, SydneyUniversity against Auckland, was played in dull weather, rain falling before the close. It was a good, fast game. The Auckland forwards were superior on the whole, but their backs were inferior. The second spell was particularly lively. The visitors scored 18 points, through brilliant passing rushes by the backs in the first spell, while Da. vidson and Singe kicked penalties for Auckland. In the second spell Bass scored an unconverted try for Auckland, and Cunningham scored two tries, and Cripps and Craig one each for Australia. Courtney converting two, ■ and Craig one. The final scores were Australia 18 ; Auckland 7. CHRISTCHURCH GAMES. (Special to “Star”). CHRISTCHURCH, June 24. To-day's League, games resulted:—' Woolstpn 7, beat Federal 6. Sydenham won by default from Linwood . Addington a bve. ' / SOCCER. SECOND TEST A DRAW. (Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, June 24. Before a crowd of 10,000, including His Excellency the Governor-General and staff, the second Soccer test match ended in a draw, one goal all. 'The game was a fast, hard one, with many casualties on both sides, but it was not very good football. The New Zealand half-back line worked hard, though two were disabled, and held the team together. Brownlee, Jones, Cook, Campbell, and Ballard were all prominent. Gibb was the best of the visitors, but there was fine play by Maunder, Bratten, and D. Cumberford. Australia won the toss, and played with tiie sun and a fair breeze at their backs.

They had slightly the better of the beginning, and the end, of the first spell, though the blacks were often prominent. For New Zealand Cook scored from a tine centre by Ballard, who outpaced the opposition. Fed by J. Cumberford, Bratten equalised for Australia with a low’ kick, which just penetrated tho goal. In the second spell, the play improved considerably. Australia attacked, but tine work by the Blacks’ halves saved, and sent the forwards into a dominant position, which they held for fomc time. Australia defended for fully 20 minutes, before clearing, and repeated shots at goal were made, many just missing, and others being stopped by the effective work of Cartwright and I). Cumberford, but Fisher’s kicking was erratic, and gave the Blacks some good chances. Bratten and Gibb were now stars of the team, though the former was too well-marked by the New Zealand left wing. At this stage of the spell New Zealand were-much the better team, and the visitors were constantly on the defence. A long tussle in Australian territory was ended by Brown, with a brilliant solo sprint, but all Australia’s opportunities were missed by wild shooting, many shots flying yards over the crossbar. For New Zealand Campbell ut in a stinging shot, which hit tho crossbar, but the game ended without further score, one all.