FOOTBALL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 202, 14 August 1911, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

MAORI TOURING TEAM (8) v. WANGANUI (o). [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. ] Wanganui, Aug. 13. The Maori touring team met and defeated Wanganui on Saturday by 8 points to nil. The weather was perfect, and the ground hard and fast and in favour of a good game. The attendance was very large. Soon after the kick-off a Native rush ended successfully in Winiata badly beating the local full-back and scoring under the posts. Rogers missed an easy kick Play was very even for the rest of the game until three minutes to go, when Kaipara, with one of his corkscrew runs, beat practically all the "Wanganui backs, then passed to Rogers, who scored near the posts. Rogers took the kick himself and converted, and time was called a minute later. MAORIS v. WELLINGTON. Wellington, Aug 13. The following Rugby team lias been selected to represent "Wellington against the Maoris next Wednesday Evenson. Cook. Mitchinson, Daly. C. Ramsden. J. Ryan, J. Tilyard. Sotheran. D. Sullivan. Elvan, Elliott. McFarlane. Moffett. Perry. Wilson. Bell. Emergencies : Hill, W J. Ryan. E. Roberts, and MeLeod.

COUNTRY TEAMS MATCH

NORTH ISLAND (IS) v. SOUTH ISLAND (6) Wellington, Aug. 13. The North Island country team met and vanquished the South Island country team yesterday. The game was not a spectacular one, and resolved itself into a series of scrambles with one or two occasional flashes. The Northerners prevailed to the extent of 18 to 6, though the difference in the score did not indicate the relative merits of the teams. O’Connor (2) and Darby scored for the victors. McKenzie converted two of the tries and kicked a penalty goal. For the losers O’Brien kicked two penalty goals.

BULLER (16) v. WEST COAST (10). Westport. Aug. 13. An inter-union match between Buller and West Coast was played yesterday, and resulted in a win for | Buller by 16 to jo. 5 OLD BOYS A \. PIRATES A. i This match was played on the • Napier Recreation Ground. Pirates I winning by 8 points to 6. j HASTINGS (3) v. WAIPAWA (3). I This match, for the Hastings | Sub-union shield, took place at ! The Ridge. Hastings, on Saturday. ; There was a good attendance of I the public. ! \\ aipawa won the toss and de- ■ fended the western goal. O'Neill (kicked off, and the Hastings forwards rushed up and made V\ ai- ; pawa force in the first minute of the game. Waipawa put the ball into play again, and from a- rebound . Heeney followed up fast, and had a clear run for the line, but was unable to pick up the ball, and knocked on three yards from 1 the coveted line. Waipawa began to bestir themselves and set their backs in motion with a good passing rush which was spoilt by Lewis intercepting. Monteith caught the ball, and putting in a ; good run. down the line transferred ! play to Hastings territory. A Waii pawa- man obstructed, and from 1 the resulting free kick the Hastj ings forwards dribbled the ball ’• 4 j their opponents’ line and the lat- ' ter were obliged to force. Kenyon i failed with the attempt at goal. ! Forward play followed for some I time. Securing .the ball from a scrum Payne put in a brilliant run and passed to O'Neill, who fell over the line and scored first blood for Hastings. Payne failed to add the major points. Hastings 3, Waipawa nil. The play was kept to the forwards who worked up and 1 down the field without much re ! suit. From a scrum the ball went , to Hakopa, who made a good run ; and was grassed on the line. The ■ Red backs were working like TroI jans. and they soon had their rei ward. Popplewell passed to Hakopa who passed to Charlie, wh. i beat about four men and then pass- ! ed in to Fox, enabling the latter ito score. The kick at goal was | fruitless. Hastings 3, Waipawa 3. . Half time sounded with the ball i in mid-field.

i On resuming the Hastings forr ■ vyards started their rushing taci tics again, but were well stopped 1 every time by the Waipawa backs, i From a scrum the ball went from • Payne to Kenyon to Ellingham, tn j Lewie who was grassed after a I good run. The Red forwards came down the field in a bunch, and Nelson mulled, but Ellingham was not found wanting and saved nicely. Off-side play gave Waipawa a shot at goal but Sharpin W’as unsuccessful. Waipawa had hard luck in not scoring, a forward getting over, but losing the ball. Dunn forced. Monteith made an excellent run down the line, but spoilt the effect by passing badly. Gillies got away and looked like i scoring, but was pulled down near | the line. From a scrum the ball went to Payne, to Kenyon, back to I Payne, and then to Ellingham. who j kicked out. The Hastings bovs | worked the ball down to their opponents’ hue and Waipawa were ! obliged to force. Securing the i ball later Payne had a shot at goal which, although it appeared to go between the posts, was disallowed. Paddison followed up fast and touched down, but was not noticed by the referee, who blew his | whistle for a force-dowm. O’Neill I proceeded to cross-examine the rei feree and was ordered off. Time i was called shortly atter. I Air. Henderson controlled the I game, and. except for his unfor--1 tunate mistake at the end, gave ■ every satisfaction.

'HAS BEENS” v. H.B. REPS. Much excitement has taken place in Napier concerning this match. There was the largest crowd present on the Recreation Ground this season. Several of the “Has Beens" who were picked for this match, “pulled out, so that there were alterations in the team. The Hawke’s Bay representatives kicked off and Natusch returned. “Morry” Wood marked, and found the line. Has Beens” were awarded a free kick, and McVay found the line. The H.B. Reps, were pressing hard, but the old chaps defended well. Woon for ‘Has Beens.” came through amid tremm-d--itt •>?)- plause, but Clarke saved i' v ‘ 'downing” him ami fiudN.g the line. A little later McVay for “Has Beens” found tne line high up. From the line nut, Woon kicked the ball close to rhe Reps, line, but- play was returned to the “Has Beens’ ” 25. At ihe result of loose play, Basserly got ovn- the lire. Holder failed with the kick. Natusch passed to Absolum, and a

rush ensued but no score resulted. Tankard .for ‘Has Beens,’ ‘•mulled,” and had to throw the ball out to save a score. O Callaghan came through with a dribbling rush, but the ball went out. Tankard .for ‘ Has Beens,” got in a kick, ami attempted to mark tht same. A splendid rush by the

"Has Beens" was unsuccessful. The H.B. Reps, pressed, and Allen scored in the corner, Maicon failing to convert. Half time sound-] ed with the ball in the "Has-' Beens’’' territory ami six points for the Reps., and nil for "Has Beens." "Has Beens'' kicked off. and found the line low down. Howard for Reps, rushed, but Hay, after mission, managed to pick up the ball and saved. F. Holder, for 1 Reps., made a brilliant rush, passed to Higgins, who seemed to score in the coiner, but a force was declared. At this stage "Merry” Wood electrified the spectators by kicking a goal from half way. From some good play amongst the forwards, Absolum secured the ball and made a sensational run, but passed to the wrong man. From a penalty McVay, for “H as Beens,” attempted to kick a goal, but failed. Jago, for the "Has Beens, ' took a mark, but "Morry” Wood this time was unsuccessful in his attempt to kick a goal. A mull by Tankard for ‘‘lias Beens,” resulted in Nankerville scoring near the coiner.' Aikten made an unsuccessful attempt to convert. Clarke, for the Reps., kicked a splendid goal from the field. Hay, for "Has Beens,” passed, and Morry Wood, as the result of following up his kick, scored beneath the posts. Wood kicked a good goal. On kicking off Laing rushed, but Malcolm failed to take the pass, and the ball went out. Loose play followed and the ball went out about the half line. A splendid passing rush by the "Has Beens’ 'was smothered by the Rep. forwards. Play was in Reps.’ territory for some time, but at last they broke away. Tankard and Hay doing good work in stopping the rush that followed. 'Wood for ‘‘Has Beens” found the line. Heath made a slow’ run, passed to Russell, who then passed to Wood, who scored in the corner. He took his own kick, but failed. ’ McCarthy got in a good kick for "Has Beens,” and found the line. The "Has Beens” again rushed but Higgins intercepted and passed to Aitkin, who scored. Nankerville kicked a goal. The game ended with 18 points for Hawke’s Bay Reps, and 11 for the ‘‘Has Beens.”

SMOKE CONCERT. In the evening the teams dined together at the Caledonian Hotel, the Hawke’s Bay Reps, being the guests of the " Has Beens.” Mr. Logan presided, and on his right hand were Messrs. M. Wood, T. E Lindsay, and A. McCarthy, and on the left Messrs. J. McGrath, H. Absolum, and F. Russell. After the toast of " The King ” had been honoured, Mr. M. E. Wood proposed the toast .of "The Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union.” He traversed the work of the union and football in general for several years.—Mr. Logan responded and gave some interesting incidents of the play of the famous ‘All Blacks.”

The toast of “ Rugby ” was proposed by Air. A. McCarthy, who in a vigorous speech urged upon those present to stick to the. good old game, and refuse to be led away by any promises. He stated that there were men w ho had played one game of Northern League and were Sony now they had done so. He urged the players present to play the game—make it a spectators’ game, and be was sure that the public would support them. He complimented the Hawke’s Bay team on their play, and stated that it had been one of the best matches in which he had ever played.— Alessrs. Lindsay, Absolum, and E. AV. Andrews responded. Air. W. J. McGrath proposed the next toast, ‘ The Has Beens,” and made special mention of the good work that Alessrs. Wood. Absolum, and others had done for Rugby. In referring to the Northern League game, he stated that there was a player who had played that day for the Hawke's Bay Reps., and only that morning he had been approached by two prominent Northern Union officials to play their game. Was that true sport • (Loud “ Noes.”)

“ The Hawke’s Bay Representatives ” was the next toast proposed and was responded to by Air. R. T. Bailey, selector, who made mention of the Northern League game, and stated that too much notice was being taken of it. “Let them stay, we have no need to feai* them if we play the game.” He was satisfied by the attendance that day that the public were with the Rugbyites. and if the players would only get- a knowledge of the rules there would be less appealing, and Rugby would be played as it ought. He congratulated the “Has Beens”

on their play, and stated that it was just as well for his team that " Morry ” Wood and Absolum had not come back into true form; if they had, he was afraid that the Reps, would have been defeated. In conclusion, he said that this match would mark an important epoch in the history of Rugby in Hawke’s Bay. A very pleasant evening was concluded with the singing of the Nation a 1 An t h em. JUNIOR MATCH. Waimarama defeated Rovers by 8 points (two tries by Shamrock, one of which was converted by Jackson) to nil. Mr. H. Stevens was referee.