FOOTBALL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume L, Issue 8940, 4 December 1905, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND v. ENGLAND

,A-WIN FOR THE COLONIALS.

[press association.} (Received December 3, 4.18 p.m.)

LONDON, December 2.

Favored with fine weather, the test match, England v. New Zealand, established a record attendance for Rugby football in England.

An enormous crowd was present, being estimated at quite 80,000.

The ground, from previous rains, was terribly heavy, and the condition told palpably on players, inasmuch as that towards the end of the game many of the contestants were lagging.

The greatest care had been taken in selecting a team to do battle for the Old Country, with the result that a fine team had been got together.

It included seven o!d International players, and was captained by H. Cart-wright, the well-known exponent of Rugby, and associated with him were Godfrey and V A. C. Hind (Leicester), and Showring (Somerset).

The-Jlome team played five three-quar-ters, witn>J..,E. Raphail (of Oxford^s" rover. — ■ " ""* In the New Zealand team, Gallagher (Auckland) and McGregor (Wellington) replaced Mynoft (Taianaki) and Smith (Auckland), the latter having injured his shoulder in the Limerick match. Newton (Canterbury) took the place of Cunningham (Auckland), otherwise the team was the same as last Saturday.

THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. McGregor (Wellington). Gillett. (Canterbury). Wallace (Wellington). Deans (Canterbury). Hunter (Taranaki). Stead (Otago). Roberts (Wellington). Gallagher (Auckland). Casey (Otago). Tyler (Auckland). Newton (Wellington). O'Sullivan (Taranaki). Glasgow (Taranaki). Seeling (Auckland). McDonald (Otago). THE PLAY. Reversing the tactics of the match against Ireland, the Colonials took the initiative, and, opening with a hot attack, invaded the Home Country's 25. The Englishmen were hard at work defending their line. From scrums inside the quarter flag, McGregor gob possession an<i whipped over {he line, thus registering first blood for the Maorilanders. No gaol resulted. New Zealand 3 England 0 Within six minutes of the start of the game, Wallace (Wellington) had a shot at goal, but the ball went wide. On resuming, the New Zealanders followed up their advantage with renewed vigor, and continued to press the Home team, keeping them penned down. Various efforts to cross the line were fruitless, until about ten minutes later than the first score, when McGregor again got through, but Wallace failed to add the major points. New Zealand 6 England 0 When in play again, England showed a stubborn defence, and successfully checked further scoring, until just before tiie end of the 6pell, when McGregor was once more in evidence, and placed a- third try to his credit. The ball was placed for Wallace, but the score was not increased, and the spell ended — New Zealand ... ' 9 England 0 McGregor was playing in rare style, and his brilliant dashes for the line elicited cheers from the immense crowd. The opening of the second half was practically a repetition of the first, the visitors 6till being on the offensive, and for a quarter of an hour England was sorely pressed, though the colonials were unable to break through their defence. Eventually the Home forwards took a hand in the game, and, by a fine Tush, the scene of play was removed into New Zealand's territory, where it regained for some time. Then ensued give and take play, followed by a determined rush of the New Zealanders down in the English quarters. At the end of half an hour's play, McDonald (Otago) registered a fourth try for his colony. Wallace's star was*again not in the ascendancy, and no further points were added as a result of his shot at goal. New Zealand 12 - England 0 In quick succession, McGregor added etill another try to his credit. This time the ball was placed for Gillett (Canterbury) but his effort was attended by no better success than the efforts of Wallace. In the last few minutes the Britishers ralUed somewhat and made a desperate effort to score. Pressing hard, they rushed the ball over New Zealand's line, where the colonials kicked it into the dead area. The game ended — New Zealand IS England ;.. 0