The Final Game—A Walk-over

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7806, 20 August 1903, Page 2

The Final Game—A Walk-over

By E!9c<r: o. Telo^raph Cop.yrigh\ Received August 19, 7.30 p.m.

Sydney, Last Night. There was fine weather and a fair attendance to witness the last match of the tour, New Zealand v. Combined Country.

Wood captained the team. Kiernan got an easy mark in the first few minutes. Wallace made a beautiful kick at goal, just shaving the post on the outside Play then went back to centre. The Blacks rushed into the Country 25. From a rush on the line Kiernan, Wood, and Asher were prominent. The latter scored. Wallace failed at difficult angle. New Zealand ... 3

Country ... 0 Play continued on the local ground, but a mark temporarily relieved the danger, and Borland and Moir headed a grand rush right down on the New Zoa-\ laud'line. Tho visitors played all they knew to prevent a score, and eventually the tension was slackened by .off-side play which gave New Zealand a free kick. The local men were continuously on the defensive, but their good tackling prevented the Now Zealander getting in. A frtjo kick to the country removed the play to the centre, but New Zealand started a line rush, Wood finally picking up and passing to Asher, who scored, Wallace placing a fine goal. New Zealand ... .8 Country 0' On resuming, New Zealand was again on the aggresssive, and a passing rush, in which Gallagher, Wood, Kiernan, and the MacGregors took part,, enabled the last named to cross the line, Wallace missing the goal. New Zealand ... H Country ... 0 Moir rushed the ball down into New Zealand ground and Wallace returned, but the play promptly returned, and the New; Zealahders were forced. The locals secured a mark, and Kenna had a try at goal, the ball falling short. The Country at this time were playing a fine game and again compelled the "visitors to force. Shortly after resuming, after half time, Wood wound up a fine run with a pass to Gallagher, who got over, but Wallace failed to increase the total. New Zealand ... 14 Country... ... 0 Once in play again New Zealand attacked the country line, but the situation was relieved by a free kick. After give and take play in the centre of the field, a free kick sent the leather down into local territory, and Given made a desperate effort to score, being upset just in the nick of time. From the line out Gallagher whipped the ball onto Wood, thence to Stead and D. McGregor, who carried it down to the local line, when Gallagher, who was playing a fine game, gave Asher a very fast pass, but the Aucklander knocked on and spoiled what looked like a certain score. The struggle was maintained in the Country's 25, and from a fifteen-yard scrum Kiernan secured the leather and passed .to Wood, who in turn gave it to D. McGregor, who potted at goal but missed. From a penalty kick given against the local men for lifting their feet in scrum, Wallace made a poor attempt at goal. From the line-out Kiernan passed to E. McGregor and the ball went in quick succession to Wood, Stead and 1). McGregor, the latter getting across between the posts Wallace augmented, and the score read New Zealand ..19 Country 0 On resuming McMinn charged down but lost the ball, but another New Zealander, Tyler, was handy and snapping it up whipped over the line. Wallace missed. New Zealand ... 22 Country 0 Play was soon again in the country's ground, and a fine rush in which Stead passed to Wood, then to D. McGregor, allowed the latter to get over. Wallace scored the major points. New Zealand ... 27 Country ... 0 The ball was immediately back in local quarters, where McMinn made a great effort to get over, but onca more lost the ball. From a scrum Kiernan, D. McGregor, Wood, Stead and Asher were instrumental in working the game towards their, opponents' line, when Asher with a fine feinting run got over. Wallace kicked a fine goal. New Zealand ... 32 Country ... 0 Wood and Stead removed the play down the field, and there it was when time was called. In the return match with Queensland a section of the crowd treated the Maorilanders very unfairly, groaning and hooting throughout the game, while on their way to the dressing-room the visitors were pelted with stones and mud. A nice, amiable sort oi animal is the Australian hqodlu,jn.

Te_n matches, ten wins—276 points to J3—and the 1903 Maoriland representative team has put up a brilliant performance. The 1893 and 1897 teams each lost the second match with New South Wales, and the evenness of the game this tour inclines one to the belief that there is something in that time-worn phrase about history repeating itself; although' it must bo confessed that this time Jupiter Pluvius was on the side of the quotation. Fifty-three to nil, 47 to 7, 33 to 3, 32 to nil—theso are a few of the beatings the 'Koo received.