FOOTBALL.

North Otago Times, 28 May 1908, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

. BIilTAIN ; v. p 11 • llX.'ciJ ler 1 rosa Association. Wellington, May 27, " Tlie Anglo-Welsh team met the Weiluglon combination on; Athletiq Park " thisj afternoon;-and was defeitod by 19 joints- to .13. • The weather) was One overhead; anil the grijumi' on the soft side. , A smart northerly breeze «as la evidence throughout the day; Hio at.endanee was-officially givenoa. 18, POO, and the takings amounted-'tp'J i!J2o. i 1 ' V''*" :■ The game was fiercely contested oq ' both sides, tl.e forwards", in' particii- .. Ill' giving n fino exhibition, iknh- ' •mppintss and strtmiousne« nullifying the effort a co a material extent/ o°t ■ the lival vanguards. Tho - smashing • tftefics.in "the scrimmages was foil Hu " ■''o: uly and strongly by tho backs tliat ' "? « liarrcil repeatedly fr o nj excicisiiig fasting aiuV running tactic.. . e Wus '"Curate: manipuk'pnsol - the leaithcr on. num|;erkss occasions |jy • • the back divisions, aiu ] the-imssihg" ■ «f.s not inaccurate ' atid' ' ;Mimed. This remark applies to, both sides. At times the visiting' backs , would give e i.!enee of. their iliuc.fntsj and speed, ami only tho har ( J. tackling of the Wellington forwards topped their'chalknmrks froiii'biib crossed of truer. In sc^m wol .] ; nolthor sdc coiiJd claim to have ut matu'lai ' n<l\ant.igp, tho British being slightly superior 'in the tijht, whilo the 10c.,1 c.,1 vaiigiiardf) were seen to best ad\an'a;o h .open pl,y. ■ Tbo visiting players gamut repeated stretches of (orritory by qi'icknc"s in tho throw out 6f tho boll on -,the line; the homo t 'am leaving several r{ their opponents unmnrl ed. The Wellington... fov ward brigado shaped hotter than ex- | ected, and worked cohesively. Tinio nftor time iir the second spoil they diove homo their nttaek 1 with tolling force, but their ovcr-eaierness. causod lliem to gel oIT-sidc, and tlifl Visitors wtro oinblfd to clcr tlwir citadel . f roin dan;;er by penalty kicks. Tlu Britishers wcro. handicapped for sonic tiire by tho loss of their full hack, who received' a nasty knock on tho '■oid in topping' a fierce WeH ! ngton forward onslaught. Bylio, who wnt - , Mcii out of the forwards, replaced . h in, mid did fine saving service. Jar- . kctt. -cainn when the' Britishers , had notched eight points, playing in the three jiiarter line, A stubborn, ; lie lit .01110112 tlie forwards wus • silila for players on both sides being | temporarily disabled. Tho pace -iraa nralo a cracker hy the rival vansi'ards, and the suspension of hostili. i ties, owing' to a player being knockoJ I out gave thein an accoptal lo breather, Wcllinotoi, playing with thp wind ' and sun behind their backs in tho first «s; 011, notchod 11 ipnhts, lioberts an J Hnrdham l.eing the try-gotters, Wal- • lace converting tho latter. liv the sue "fcd'nj spell Thomson, for notched a try, Roberts addlir; major points. Then thq victors pot 1 to work, J. F. Williams, J. L. Wil. , linms and M'Evcdy crossing tho horn? ' t'am a ehalkmark, Dyko converting oi) ' two occasions. A few minutes 1o ■ ro. B side, Grce.t slipped across the Driti?h

goal lino. Wellington won tlio toss, nnd Eng 'end kicked r.lf. The latter wa3 soon aggressive,' Thomson cheeking a daiiget'* ens rush on bis own lino, Wellington worked the hall into the visitors' territory, nml from a'scrum Gregn secured possession of the ball, and ' nssrcl to Moris,. who eluded tin) full 1 ae\ ani touched down, Wallaca failed at goal. The visitors indulge;! in two fruitless passing rtishet. Near, Iho quarter flag Roberts got poasrssioi. iikl r.ni through the opposing cordon of l ad's, and gave a timely pass to jraivlinan, who rushed over the lim. V'alhro added the major (points. Shoitly after Hardham I ro''e away, I'ut noglret'd to pass to Greon, who was ami threw awav i'. s l.mlid scoring ehanfo. Strong counter charges ainorg the forward* was followed by n petty piece ■ oi concerts passinv ).y A, Williams an (Tiles, tji? latter, being bowled into touch when looking dangerous. Jack' ett at this stage temporarily retired "vom the field, I h plnco at full being 'ill (1 hvDyl'c, The Wel'ington backj tt er.od play, hut indecision and funv li'ij oi their part fallod to gain T.nch headway. From a scrum mads m the visitors' line Gram cleverly ' al'ecl l is opponents, and slipped acrofs the line, Roberts failing to ot'h the extra points. The lirtt feature of the second spell was a fine bit of passing between Mitehinson and Walfe. Tho latter !."st possession of the ball, but reo^i red himself, and drove it up the lield. Thompson raced down at \ _ii'ejt 'Vat, but overran the ball who i within a eouplo of yards of the goal i:ie. Another passing rush was sot in motion by 3lil?hinson, who transferr;d to Wallace, who in turn sent tin Villi 1 out, to Thompson, who showed > (loan pair of heels to his opponents nd I'acrd behind (In posts, Roherti worted. The visitors now put Irnty o! cn'v y and ginger into tlicit wrrk, and lite so |Uenco to a strong assault - on Wellington citadel wai Kvenson making a ..miskiek, thj leather .being smartly grp l,t^l ._l?y F. • Williams, .who loiic[ii<] down .Gi'ilcij fa'lll at goal. "Eneourajed lj| th'?' success thr flptinhers mado t succession oi hot attacks in Welling' lon territory, wliuv, from a stOTnv Davy goti posscssj6||„pnrl baffled crts, and at tho v os? o to J, 1,. Will nDiB, who w r nt rlon j t'nough Iho Wel'ington thrfo-juartr* and full nnd over the goal line. Dyko converted. Tho visitors -still ko;.t ty> tho pressure, and tlio local hands were full in repelling the inva* son. At length Wellington assumed the offensive, and the Britishers were cnl'ed upon to exercise their be'telecn»ive a' ilities to wanl oil danger on successive cceas'on3. Tho WellingtonWards, aided by Grocn and Roberts, penned their opponents r,n tlio laUer'a, 7031 line, but" over eagerness c&ugeJ 'hem to infringe the rules, and' ,the Britishers had acceptable saves per medium of frco lacks. Dyke dialing-. ••ishod himsolf by robbing Wellington of twrt • seeming scorcj, and,a'Found tac' ling and pmart/ kicking skuggfo wps suspended at'intervals owing to Green nnd Mcrtsnpd then, Down he'nc laid out. A brilliant riish by the p fiti lr vhrigunr-l 'down -tho flold W!H)jJ)iP,wi'l. V'Evedy getting posvs:ir)u. of the leather, nnd fWahlng

- up &■ splendid sriut ( aud go'ng over line,, Dyke was success-' ful :nt goal, The excitement was now intense, and both'teams plajvHi with deadly earnestness, 'Wellington gfad« ually shifted play into British' quarters;' ! and Roberts, picking up in .the loose, :cleverly, transferred to MitcliinBon, who sprinted across very cleverly. ■Theory was mot. converted, Play was in the British' quarters when the whistle soMed'for no side, The' Anglo-Wales team waa the eaffio as that playod at Mas.fe.rtpn, excepting that Harding and Smith were replaced by Down and' Dyke, There w a g no alteration ih 'tlio'. Wellington team as originally -published. Green was undoubtodly tlic horo of the match, and on his showing proved his undoubted claim to a place in the New Zealand 'team. Ro'. eiis oho plavod splendidly. Among the British' backs . Davy,' Gjbbcs, M'Evedy and Dyke did sterling, service. All the forwards in |he respecting vanguards Bid sterling Service, . and no player could be Sampled • out' for. special excellence,