FOOTBALL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 9143, 29 August 1892, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

Wellington v. Hawke's Bay. Tbe annual iDtorprovincial football match between Wellington and Hawke's Bay was played on tbe Recreation Gnnrnd on Saturday afternoon, and resulted {d a victory for tbe visitors, who pat together II points to their opponent*' S points. The scorers' for the winners were Lee, two tries, and White and Gage one try each, One of tbe tries was converted by Ellison, Keea secnred a try, and converted a penalty kick for' the local team. As the weather was all that could have been dssired it was not surprising to find a large attendance of tbe public to witness the contest, and the crowd loudly and impartially applauded every piece of good play during tbe progress of the game. The ground, although heavy in parts, was in good condition considering the nmonnt of rain that had fallen daring the week, aud MrFawkner, tbe caretaker, deserves praise for his exertions in this respect Five minute* after the advertised time tbe following teams lined ont : — Wellington : Fall • back, Davidson ; three-quartern, Biker, Roberts, Elllaon ; halves, Gage, Pudney ; forwards, Oli» phanr, Pringle, Milne, White, Bishop, Lee, M'Lean, Stuart, Forsyth. Hawke's Bay: Fallback, Le Qnesne; threequarters, Hblop, Welsman, Stuart; halves, Kaes, Tunitare j forwards, Maicon, Wilson, Morrison, Howard, Hiroa, Elliot, Jew, Ellison, Tipene. Touchline judges, Messrs Liddle anel Whittlngton; referee, Mr Logan. Ellison captained the visitors and Morrison the local men. Morrison won the toss, and elected to defend the western goal. Smart kicked off, and Welsman's mnlling enabled the Wellington forwards to in- - vade Ilawkb's Bay territory, where some loose scrurriH took place. Uees, Morrison, and Hiroa came through with a dribbling rush, which was stopped by Ellison kicking into touch. From the throw-in Oliphant started a rnsh, which enabled the visitors to get within tbe local territory, but Hislop bhijted tbe scene of play, kicking down tbe field, and a free kick was awarded to Wellington for Tipcne charging when oil-tide. The kick enabled tbe visitors to act on tbe aggressive once more, and from a good forward rash White got over. Ellison took the kick, and failed. M ellinglon 2 points, Hawko's Bay nil. After the kick-out the local tnea by a good rnsh compelled Wellington to act on the defensive, but Gage made a good rnn and kicked up to L'; Qiieeue, who missed, but Kees averted the danger by quickly kicking down the field. Pudney andPringlereturned to thecharge.and Lee was conspicuous, and looked like t coring, but Le Quesne was equal to the emergency, clearing his line by kicking into touch. Several scrums followed the throw-in until a free kick was awarded to Wellington. Gage bad.a shot at goal, but tbe opposing forwards (.polled bis attempt, and carrier! play past the halfway flag, where linker gob possession of the oval, and was grasped. A scram followed, and a free kick was given to Hawke's Bay for Pudney polling the ball oat of the scrum. Gago was theu prominent, and after being bad)/ missed by Welaman, he madu Q good run up the field, but was bronprho down by Howard. Morrison and Rees started a rush which was well stopped by Koberts wbokioked into the Hawke's Bay 25, where play remained for some time, and M'Lean made strong efforts to eet over. Eventually Tipene broke through, and Howard, Malcon, and Wilson got down the field. The rush was stopped by Roberts, who was penaN Ised for lying on the ball, and the kick was returned by Davidson. Morrison soon after mads a iao, but was stopped by Ellison, and Padney getting possession passed to Lee,.whose(progreas was stopped by Htroa, The Hawke's Bay quarters were again invaded through a mistake of Welamau's, and after some tight scrums the local men were forced, Hiroa kicked out, and Ellison secured the oval, and alter a smart run passed to Lee, who got over, Ellison took the kick, and althoneh be ball struck the bar it rolled over, and the score stood, Wellington 7 points, Hawke'eßaynrf. Piny was in mfd-field after the kick-off nntil a freo kick wna granted to the Whites, Hiroa had an unsuccessful shot at goal, and Roberts returned. Howard, Jew, nnd Morrison carried the ball to the Wellington Z,», where anotherfree kick wasgiven them, but Howard's attempt was fruitless* .Roberts kicked well up the grouad, and after some line play Hiroa gained a few yards nnd passed to Kees, who transferred the oval to Hislop, who got near the line and passed out to Kees, who eladed tbe fullback and scored, Howard failed to add to" the score. Wellington 7 points, Bawke's Bay 2 points. Loose scrums in

the Wellington quarters followed the I(j kick-out, until Lee, Oliphant, and Gage I a shifted the scene of operations to halt- tl way, where Hawke'a Bay was granted a a free kick. Rees dropped a splendid goal, tl for which performance he was loudly (I applauded. Tbe kick-off was retntned a by Tuhitare, who originated a passing t rush in which Howard and Morrison par- n ticlpated, and the latter looked like scorn me bub was bronght down by Davidson a aad Roberts. The whistle shortly after announced half-time. Gage returned the t kick off, and M'Lean, Oliphant, and a Milne carried the oval to LeQueane, who j kicked into touch. From the throw-in Malcon enabled Morrison to get well s down the field, but the ball was i called back for a knock-on. Rees, how- t ever, returned to the charge, and Malcon t dribbled as far as Ellison, who stopped t the rash, and Gage then made a good run and passed to Padney, who got near the White's line, when after a long scrnm Stuart got away and kicked intotoucb. Baker made ft smart run, bat was collared by Le Queane, and a free kick was given to Wellington. Ellison's kick was marked by Morrison, who kioked up the field, and Ellison marked it. That | player dropped for goal, and Hawke's r Bay was forced. After the kick- out ; Gage was conspicuous, and after a dodgy ■ run be passed to Roberts, who returned j the ball to tbe former player, and Gage ' got over. Ellison's attempt was a very poor one. Wellington 9 points, Hawke's ' Bay 5 points. A forward rush headed by | Morrison, Howard, and Elliot compelled the Blacks to act on the defensive until Lee, Baker, and Forsyth oleared their lines, but Tuhitare, Hiroa, and Malcon again aßsnmed the aggressive, and David* son came to their aid by.kicking quickly ' into touch. Off-side play on the part of Tuhitare pnve tbe Blacks relief, but Rees and Morrison carried pl»y to the victors' quartets, where the ball remained until Roberts cleared his lino by a long kick into touch. Rees, Malcon, and Wilson putt In some good tacklimr, and they were busy for some time acting on the defence. Pudney by a grand paßs made an opening for Ellison, who raced . R8 far as LeQuesne, who broughb him down, aud Olipnant, Bishop, and Stuart gave their opponents BOtnc trouble until Rees broke through all opposition and raced down the field. His backs did not support him, and the leather was returned by Ellison, and after a lODg scrum Lee lot over with LeQuesne dinging on him, The kick failed to increase tbe score. Wellington, 11 points ; Hawke's Bay, 5 poinU. The local territory was the scene of operatlous übIH Malcon and Wilson relieved the pressure, but Ollphaot, Pringle, Milne, and Lee came past tbe opposing three-quarters, and LeQuesne bad bis work cut out to prevent a ecore. Eventually Morrison got away, and by ;he help of Rees and Howard play was sarried to balf-wav, when Boberta earns through, and the Hawke's Bay quarters fere again invaded, Bislop kicked into coucb, and the whistle sonnded ''no die." That the best team won must be freely admitted. The Wellington three guaner9 were immeasurably superior to their opponents' three-quarters In every department of the game, and the forwards showed greater combination. They packed the scrums quiakly and compactly, and although they bad an ad. vantage in weight), this alone would not account for their marked superiority iv the packed scrums. Tuoy were aho goo<l in the open work, for all followed qaiek'.y and tackled determinedly. Amongst the backs, Gage towered over bis compeerc, and although the Hawke's Bay public are aware of lite mauy qualifications tor three-quarter, none imagined ha w^s such a brilliant and trustworthy half. The manner in which he took the ball from the scrum and shot it at his three-quarters could not have been excelled, and he may be aptly termed the pivot on which the game revolved. His kicking, running, and tackling were of the highest) order, and be contributed in no email degrcu towards the victory of the team of which he was the " bright, particular star." Roberta' performance was also of a high order of merit, for his all-round play was excellent. Ellison and Pndney were also in good form, and Baker was conspicuous throughout. Lee, Oliphant, Stuatt, ami Bishop were tbe most prominent of tbo forwards. LeQuesne bad a busy afternoon, snd came through the ordeal successfully, his tackling being as good as ever, but ho failed to take tUo ball on one or two occasions. None oi tbe three- quarters were seen to advantage ; in fact none of them played up to representative form. Stuart was thft beat, but even he failed to follow his kick for the purpose of putting his men on aide. Rees again demonstrated the fact, it any further proof were needed, that he can rank with any halfback in tbe colony, and bin performance on Satnrday is not likely to be soon forgotten. His allronnd play was o) tbo highest possible description, nnd it wbr owing to his exertions that the tcorn against) Hawke's Bay was not greater. Tnbitaro put in good work, both attacking and defending. The forwards put in Rood work during the first spell, but in the second half too many of them shirked the scrums. It wan not infrequently ol> served that four or five players had a partiality to the position of wing forward, and tbo brunt of tbe battle fell an Malcon and Wilson throughout tbe afternoon. These players stuck manfully to their task, and deserve the highest praise for tbe amount) oi honest hard work they put in. Hiroa tackled well, nnd Morrison and Howard were conspicuous in the open.