THE NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 13948, 3 January 1906, Page 5

THE NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS.

THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL. A GRAND GAME AT EDINBURGH. HOW NEW ZEALAND SNATCHED - A VICTORY. DISAPPOINTED SCOTCHMEN. [From Our Correspondent.] LONDON, November 24. It- is an old story now, to the reader, and “ the tumult and the shouting have died away long since. But while on© cannot hops to reproduce the tense excitement of that memorable scene, there is much in the story of the All Blacks’ first international victory that deserves to be placed on record in any attempt to do justice to a famous contest. it is an old story now, no doubt, but it will i)o older far ©re it fades from the memory of those who played, or of those who watched, the gams. “ Scotland v. New Zealand ” will live in football history as one of the hardest, fastest, and most exciting games ever seen on a Rugby ground. For sheer dramatic intensity the match could hardly bo surpassed. It was literally packed with excitement, reaching its climax in the last five minutes of play, after having kept a record crowd on tenterhooks of hope and fear right from the start. The Scottish team played the game of their lives, while a$ for the “ All Blacks,” the manner in which they pulled the game out of the fire, and their supporters out of the slough of despond, was something for every colonial onlooker to remember with a thrill of pride. It was a grand tribute to’ New Zealand pluck, coolness and stamina.

For the first time in the course.of the tour the New Zealanders were brought face to face with defeat. Scotland were a point to tlie good on the first spoil, having scored seven points to six, and in the second half, they devoted themselves to stemming the onslaughts of the All Blacks, trusting to some chance turn of the game to increase their own score. That margin of a point in their favour seemed to have a wonderful effect upon the Scots. They played as they had never played before, and may never play again. It- was a defensive game on their part, but it was superexcolleut of its kind. The tackling and the loose rushes for which Scottir.l. teams are noted were splendidly done, and for a- long while these tactics met with success. Try as they would, the Blacks could not increase their score. Though they were pressing almost continuously, things began to look very black for them, for the time was slipping away and the end drawing nearer and nearer. The pace was. tremendous, it the Scots laisted well, and never .ckened in vigour or determination, orged on by one loud continuous roar from twenty thousand throats, they fought like Trojans for victory. Hall an hour passed, and it . was only a matter of minutes now till the call oi time. Try as they would—and they were attacking almost throughout the second spell—victory was still beyond the All Blacks’ grasp. The luck was against them, certainly. Several times the passing runs of the backs broke down the defence, only to be nullified by a throw forward or a knock-on when the Scottish lino was at their mercy; and once a beautiful placekick by Wallace, from a difficult angle, struck the goal-post, New Zealand missing a score of three pcintf by inches only. The ground, too, frost-bound and slippery, was against the colonials’ stylo of play, it took a yard or two off theii pace, and undoubtedly hampered them greatly in swerving, dodging and passing. , But, in addition to some bad luck, they were up against the strongest team they had yet met —a team excelling in the methods for which Scotch international fifteens are famous. Time and again the attack was smothered by determined tackling, and the home lines cleared with a long kick into touch, and every now and then the Scottish forwards would break away with one of their characteristic dribbling rushes, and the "‘All Blacks” would find themselves called upon to use all their skill and pace to clear their own lines. So the minutes sped b.y, and already people were beginning to leave the ground, apparently satisfied that the victory was safe in the Scotch team’s hands. The faces of the colonial onlookers grew longer and longer; they had all but given up hope. They knew their men would fight for victory right up till the last- second, but as minute after minute flew by it seemed as though the score that meant victory would never come in time. But the “All Blacks” themselves did not lose heart. As one of them said afterwards, “we always play .our hardest right up to the last whistle, for one never knows what may happen in the last few minutes.” Their perseverance had its reward. When scarcely more than five minutes remained, Roberts set his backs in motion once -again, and the ball went out to Doans, and from him to, G. W. Smith, on the left wing. Gathering in the ball with one hand tho Auckland flyer threw every ounce of energy into one last desperate burst for the line, and victory. It was now or never, as he well knew, and lie rose to the great occasion as only a great player can. “I never ran so hard in my life,” he said afterwards, and to see him cover the ground one could well believe it. It was the culminating moment of the game, and twenty-one thousand people rose as one man and held their breath as they watched the issue. It- was all over in a few seconds. Only the Scottish full-back stood between the New Zealander and tho goal-line, and in a flash Smith swerved past Scoular, dashed across the line, and touched the ball down. New' Zealand were two points ahead, and the game was won ! A great silence fell upon the Scottish crowd, as they saw' their hopes of victory dashed to the ground within a few minutes of the end. But New Zealand’s supporters, most of them medical students from Edinburgh University, yelled themselves hoarse noth glee, and the “All Blacks ” revealed the intensity of their previous anxiety in the ovation they accorded to the man who scored the winning try. Smith was patted, and hugged, and even kissed by his delighted comrades. That “ purple moment” must have been for him the climax in a long and brilliant football career. But there was no time to spare just then for -rejoicings. Three minutes of play remained, and w'ith the game now in their hands the New Zealanders made the most of every second. From a line-out near half-way M’Donald broke away in brilliant style. Scoular, the Scotch full-back, was slow' in fielding the ball, and in a flash the New' Zealand forwards were all over him and sweeping across the line. There was a great scramble for the hall, Scotchmen and New Zealanders diving this way and that in tho effort to touch down ; but Cunningham’s long arms were the first to touch the leather, and the New' Zealanders had another try to their credit. So ended a great and memorable game. It is a mistake to infer that the “ All Blacks ” were lucky in thus snatching a victory. A“ a matter of

fact they had the worst of luck during the game, and should have won by more than they did. They deserved their victory, because they proved themselves the better team, and had the best of the game. Ail the critics are agreed on tlxnt point. It was a battle of styles, and the better stylo of football gained the day. rho Scotchmen relied on playing a “spoiling” game, trusting to their dashing forwards to turn to scoring account any flaw in tho visitors’ defence. On tho few, the very few, occasions on which’ the Scotch backs tried a passing run, they were promptly smothered, and had to fall back upon their touch-finding tactics to gain ground. New Zealand, as usual, played, the attacking game, and did not allow, the hard and. slippery ground to alter their style of play. Their forwards got • the ball in almost every scrum, and heeled out well, and time after time the back division got away with a strong passing run. But the passing was not so effective as usual. For one thing, the five-eighths were often downed before; they could get- the ball away cleanly, and tho Scotch three-quarters, by playing close up to the scrum—and sometimes in front of it ! —nipped many attacks in tho bud. More passes w r ere dropped, knocked on or thrown forward than in any game I have yet seen the “All Blacks” play. Once or twice it seemed to some of ns in the Press stand that the referee penalised a pass which was perfectlv fair, and which would had led each time to a certain score; but even apart from these there were many good chances missed through faulty passing. It seemed as though the colonial backs were over-anxious, and no doubt the slippery state of the ground had something to do with it. However, they had taken greater risks than the Scotchmen, and they reaped their reward in the shape of a handsome victoi-y. The success of the New Zealanders was largely due to tho grand work of their forwards. Tho way they w'ore down tho tromendbus onslaught of the Scottish forwards—a pack famous for its dashing play in the loose—-was a treat to see, and at the end of a terribly hard and fast game they W'ere going stronger than at the start. Had tho backs taken every opportunity given them by the forwards, New Zealand’s scoring would probably have been tw'ice as large. This, however, is a matter of surmise, and I have no w'isli to detract in tho least from the merits of a hardearned victory. The way in which forwards and backs alike worked in the last twenty minutes, and pulled the game out of the fire, was beyond praise. In all their long list of triumphs, their victory over Scotland seems to me the finest thing they have yet achieved. A great effort was needed to win the match, and that effort was made. And if the margin between defeat and victory, let it be remembered that- in spite of tho splendid defence of the Scotchmen, New Zealand crossed their line lour times, and only had their line crossed once. Undoubtedly it was the greatest performance of the tour. A defeat in the first international fixture would have been particularly galling. As regards tho general public, it as safe to say that- the “ All Blacks’ ” great reputation would have gone down tremendously, in spite of the fact that they had had the best of tho game and the worst of the luck. The action of the Scottish Union, again, in declining to rank this match as an “ international” was a slight upon the visitors which would have added much to tho bitterness of defeat. Considering that the Scottish Union spared no pains to whip up the strongest- possible team to I'epresent the country against the New Zealanders, their decision not to award representative caps for this match was indefensible, as well as ungracious. But if defeat would have been mortifying, victory came with added sweetness to the “All Blacks.” j g is the Scottish XJnion who ar© clvi--"'-I’ined. As a Scots official said. “A/ the excitement has gone for nothing. In t he first place wo have-seen the New Zealanders annex the receipts from one -n le . l °S es t attenclancesever seen'at a Rugby match in Scotland; wo had a chance to economise and protect the giouna against frost at the expense of the visitors, now we will have t-r do t!la t tor ourselves; and now the greatest blow of all—we have put up a remarkable fight, better than I had expected, and all has gone for nothing in five minutes.” the play. A crowd of twenty-one thousand—theriargest ever seen at a Rugby match ui Edinburgh—assembled at the Inverleith ground on Saturday last to witness the meeting of New Zealand and Scotland. Little else had been talked of for a week past,/and the excitement was very keen. Great numbers of people had come across from Glasgow, and in from the country districts, to see the game. Unfortunately, the ground had not been covered during the night, when there was a hard frost, and the turt w’as, consequently, rather hard and slippery. A light fog, w'hich thickened considerably towards the end of the game, hung about the field of play, and t-h’S, added to the confusion arising from the fact that the dark blue jerseys of the Scots and the black of the colonials were very much alike, mad© it rather difficult at times to identify the various players. Scotland had intended to play five three-quarters, but Dr Fell declined to play against his fellow New Zealanders (he had been picked after having definitely expressed his intention of not playing), so at tho last moment the Scottish Union added a third half-back in his stead, L. Grieg, of Glasgow, coming into the >team. On the New Zealand side Deans was put in at centre-three-quarter instead of Smith, who was shifted out to the left wdng. M’Gregor stood down, as his injured ankle was not thought sufficiently strong to be depended upon in such a hard game. The teams lined out as under:— Scotland: J. G. Scoular (Cambridge University) back), K. 6. Maoleod and L. M. Macleod (Cambridge University). T. Sloan (Glasgow Academicals) and J. T. Simeon (Watsonians) (three-quar-ter-backs), E. D. Simeon (Edinburgh University), P. Munro (Oxford University) and L. Greig (Glasgow' Academicals) (half-backs), D. R. Bodell-Siv-right (captain), and J. M. Mackenzie (Edinburgh University), , W. P. Scott (West of Scotland), J. 0. M’Culluin (Watsonians), W. E. Kyle (Hawick), Dr L. West (Edinburgh University and Carlisle), and W. L. Russell (Glasgow Academicals) (forwards). New Zealand: G. Gillett (back), Q. W. Smith, R. 6. Deans and W. J. Wallace (three-quarter-backs), J. Hunter and W. Stead (five-eighths), F. Roberts (half-back), D. Gallaner. A. H. Casey, G. Tyler, J. O’Sullivan, W. Cunningham, A. M’Donakl, C. Seeling and F. Glasgow (forwards). Referee: Mr Kennedy (Ireland). New Zealand kicked off, and a long kick by the Scotch full-back, followed up smartly by the forwards, at once placed the colonials on the defensive. The tackling and dribbling’of the Scots vanguard made them dangerous for nearly quarter of an hour, New Zealand seeming to find their loose rushes veiy difficult to stem. At length the colonials managed to clear, thanks to good kicking by Hunter and Roberts, and the backs got away with a passing run, which a weak transfer by Deans brought to a premature finish. Scoular centred, and the Scots forwards dashed off again, but Deans punted down the field, and a weak return by Scoular let the colonials into the home twentyfive, where again a good chance of scoring was lost through faulty passing. "After some neutral play a smart follow-up by. Hunter spoilt Secular’s return, but a free kick to Scotland a few moments later brought them relief. Again the Blacks pressed, and passing between Hunter, Deans and Wallace saw the latter nearly in. Then suddenly K. Macleod and Munro turned the tables on the visitors by breaking aw'ay and kick’ng down the field. Amid gr ea t excitement the Soots forwards

- rushed tho ball over the line, but were y called back and a scrum ordered, from 1 which Die ball passed out to E. D. Sim--1 son, who dropped a neat goal, amidst ;] rears of cheering. s Scotland 4. points. New Zealand nil. a. The “ All Blacks ” now got going in earnest, and their fonvards swept down a the field in grand stylo. Out came the , ball to the backs, but quick tackling r and faulty passing accounted foi- sevJ oral lost chances. Then the fonvards ’ took matters in their own hands again, and, rushing down tho field, some five of them charged the Scots’ full-back in - a body. He bad not a ghost of a i chance to got in, bis kick, and in a i trice the Now' Zealanders were over tho - line, and Glasgow scored a try near tho t corner. Wallace failed to convert. > Scotland, four points. New Zealand, three points. ' The Blacks continued to press, and T it was not Jong before they were in again, the back-division putting in some brilliant work. Roberts got the ball j out to Stead, Hunter, Deans and Wal- , lace, and when the last-named was , thrown into touch, near the lino, the y ball came back across the field to r Smith on the other wing, who ran in and scored the second try. Wallace i failed to convert. • | New Zealand, six points. Scotland, four points; ’ ■ The Blacks were having the best of ’ the game now, and their passing rushes kept the Scotch tackier© extremely ; busy. One movement completely beat the Home defence,, and ended in Wal- , lace crossing the line, but the referee . i whistled the ball back for a throw-for- , I w'ard. At length the Scots’ forwards i cleared, and charging down a return by • Hunter sw'ept down upon the New Zea- ! land full-back, and overpowered his defence. The ball was kicked over tho Blacks’ goal-line, and M’Gallum scored a try amidst tremendous cheering. K. G. M’Leod failed with the kick at goal. Half-time was called soon after, leaving the score Scotland, seven points. New Zealand, six points. The All Blacks started the second spell at a great pace, and in a series of grand rushes had Scotland desperately hard pressed. A lovely passing movement by the back division was whistled back for a throw-on when the Scots’ line was at Smith’s mercy. Just afterwards Scotland were penalised for offside play, and Wallace had a shot at goal from a very awkward angle. The ball rose beautifully, but struck the post. In tho ensuing play Smith came thnought with a strong dash, and a try seemed likely, but Smith passed right into K. G. M’Leod’s hands, and the Scotchman kicked into touch. A similar dash by Hunter saw the ball out to Wallace, but a throw-on stopped another promising attack. Scotland replied with one of their typical rushes, then Hunter and Smith got going again, only to be pulled up for a knockon. The same thing happened to Wallace soon afterwards. Then from a freekick Wallace essayed at goal, but the ball missed its mark, amidst tremendous applause from the Scottish crowd, who by this time had been roused to great excitement by the prospect of maintaining Scotland’s lead to the finish. New Zealand continued to attack, Jmt good tackling on the one side, and difficult passes on the other, coriibined to prevent a score. Deans had hard luck in not scoring after crossing the line, the referee ruling a throw-forward. Presently the Scots’ forwards broke through and swept down on Gillett. Matters looked critical for the Blacks, but Smith ran back to the rescue, and saved tho situation. The New Zealand forwards, headed by Tyler, brought the ball right down the field again, and would have scored, had not K. G. M’Leod beaten them in the race for the ball, picked up, and running round behind his goal-posts, kicked into touch on the other side of the field. The gam© was tremendously f/st now", and the crowd were at feverheat with excitement. Less than ten roinv/tes remained, and Scotland still led ly a point. Tho Scots attacked, and L. M. M’Leod dropped at goal, but the ball failed, to rise, and Smith carried it down the field again till grassed by Munro. But the New Zealanders were not to bo denied, and directly afterwards a passing movement started by Roberts sent the ball along to Smith. Putting on all his pace, the Aucklander swerved past the full-back, and scored in brilliant fashion. Gillett’s kick at goal failed, but tho , Blades were now ahead, and the game was won. New Zealand, nine points. Scotland, seven points. Three minutes remained, and the ■ colonials made the most of them- From a- line-out near tho centre, M’Donakl broke away, and, kicking down the field, grassed Scoular before he could get in his kick. The New' Zealand for-,-wards swept over the line, and in tho ensuing scramble for tho ball, Cunningham touched down between the posts. He took the kick himself, but failed, and time w'as called immediately after, living Now Zealand the victors by a margin of five points. . New Zealand, twelve points. Scotland, seven points. A COLONIAL WELCOME. THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM IN EDINBURGH. ENTERTAINED BY AUSTRALASIANS. [From Our Correspondent.] LONDON, November 24. New' Zealand’s first international victory was celebrated at a great foregathering of colonials on Saturday night at the Australasian Club, Edinburgh. The “All Blacker®” were the guests of the club at a complimentary smoke concert, and were accorded a ; splendidly enthusiastic reception by the Australian and New Zealand medical students of the University. ‘ Dr Young, the president, in welcoming the team, said it was the first time ■ they had had a New' Zealand team in Edinburgh, and he was pleased indeed : to welcome them. He thought their friends the “ All Blacks ” would readily admit that they had met foemen worthy of their steel that afternoon. One heard a good deal of the 1 degeneracy of the British race, but if one might judge by the physique and stamina of the New' Zealand team, there was not much degeneracy aliout the colonials (laughter and applause). Dr Gerald Leighton, late" of Nelson, ! New Zealand, who is vice-president of i the Australasian Club, ' proposed tho health of the New Zealand team. He i thought it a legitimate subject of pride ’ that the Australasian Club should at last have been able to w'elcome as 1 guests the members of the Australian ’ cricket team a.nd the New Zealand 1 football team within four months of . each other. They in Edinburgh had ! heard a great deal about the New' Zea- ’ land footballers before seeing them. Now that they had seen for themselves , it was a great satisfaction to know , that the “All Blacks” could do even more than had been reported of'them. He regarded -(hat day in Scotland as quite an Imperial event. (Applause.) ; Who would have thought that the re- • BU.lt of four Australasians’, thirty years ago, meeting in a quiet corner of the Royal British Hotel (laughter), and ■ deciding to found an Australasian, ' Chib, would ever have led to such a. gathering as the present one? The . club was doing what the people of tho colony would wish them to do, in thus ; wAkoming the twn. In Now Zealand

that • day every town, ©very village, every station—-wherever New Zealanders gathered together, there they were celebrating the victory- (Cheers.) He was not- concerned to say whether the present wave of enthusiasm for football in the colony was a good or a bad thing, but it was safe to say that never had greater enthusiasm been excited in the colony than that caused by the victories of the present team. They in Edinburgh had waited many years for that day’s event. They felt confident now that the All Blacks would return home an undefeated team. A voice (distinctly Irish): You’ll get your touch next Saturday in Dublin. (Laughter.) Dr Leighton: It will take more than a touch to tarnish a record of 680 points in 20 marches. (Applause.) I notice, by the tray, that- there are eight Scotch names, in the, New Zealand team that played to-day. It only shows what Scotchmen can do when they take the trouble to be born in New Zealand. (Laughter and cheers.) The health of the team was honoured with tremendous enthusiasm; and the students cheered until the very rafters rang. Mr Dixon, in acknowledging the toast, said there was no doubt the team were -amongst kinsmen, and were delighted to find- themselves there. Naturally the team were very proud of having Avon that day thou - first international, and against a side of such high -repute as Scotland'. It was -a very hard game indeed, and every New Zealander Avas proud to see the team snatch a victory at the last. It indicated at any -rate a certain amount of stamina on the part of the colonialbred. (Applause.) Mr D. Gallahcr, the Ngav Zealand skipper, avlio Avas received Avith applause and cries of “ good old Dave,” said every member of the team would bear him out in saying that the rvelcome extended by their kinsmen from over the sea Avas like a breath of their OAvn far-off country to‘them. Their AA’elcome in England had exceeded anything ever anticipated, but most of them would be glad to get back to tho old land. To-night. -hoAvever, they had dropped doAv.n into a colony of Australians and New Zealanders, and they deeply appreciated Avhat the colonials had done for them. Their AA’orthy support at the football match helped the team to snatch a victory that day. (Loud applause.) “ As regards the game,” continued tne captain, “I must give honour where honour is due, and I _ can say Ave have not met a better side than wo met to-day. The Scotchmen played a hard game right up to the finish, but at©' snatched the victory AA r hen practically all hope had been lost-. I am proud of our fifteen. They play like Britishers in every sense of the word. They don't give in until the gun goes—and I think that is AA r hy victory rested with them to-day. (Applause.)' The team then gave their Maori “ haka,” led by Mr Cunningham, and a musical programme was gone through, to which Messrs E. T. Harper, E. Tyler, R. Walton (Auckland), and others contributed. The evening Avas a great success, and the team left Edinburgh with the pleasantest recollections of their colonial Avelcomo in “the North oountree.”