FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8982, 13 September 1892, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON V. CANTERBURY. WELLINGTON WINS BY 12 POINTS TO 3.1" i [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRE 9 ASSOCIATION. J " J Wf.llegtox, Monday. The match between Canterbury and Wellington was played this afternoon before some 3000 or 4000 spectators. iAriag the night it rained heavily, and quite spoifed the ground, which was ankle deep in Bud; but the weather cleared up, and wis bright and sunny during the game. A aiantity of tan was thrown on the worst j/aces, hut had little effect, and a fast game ras entirely out of the question. Among ttj> onlookers was the Countess of Glasgow, <ho was cheered by the teams on her arrival Reports from the Worth as to the superior play of the Canterbury men had causedconsiderable interest to be taken in tie match; but the disappointment was. great to find them completely at sea in wet ground. If passing was supposed to be their strong point, there was none, but on the other hand the loca! men exhibited much skill in this departnetnt, handling the slippery ball with great accuracy. Wellington were lucky in winning the toss, and starting with a slight - etze and the slope of the ground in their favour. They played a winning game from "jump," never giving their opponents a chance. During the first half the ball only reached the half-way flag once. During the res)of the time the visitors were busily engaged ii defending their goal. The Wellington men followed up splendidly, ami appeared always to be where the ball was. Pringle crossedthe line soon after the start, and was called lack ; but shortly afterwards Gage had a drop kick at goal, and the ball touching a red nun, put the Wellington forwards on side. Stuirt and Bishop at once made a dash, and the former scrambled over the line. Lee took the kick, but failed. He had another try jrom a penalty kick, granted on account «f a Canterbury man lying on the ball, and Hade a fine attempt, the ball just missing the post. Canterbury later on had another nirrow escape, but the Wellington men were n»t to be denied, and forcing the visitors back on to their goal line, McLean managed to get over. Though close to the touch line Lee placed a very fine goal, making the score, Wellington 7, Canterbury nil. Ellison all butsent the ball between the posts by a smart pot, and several times the local men came witlin an ace of sewing, helped by fumbling and bad collaring; but i at half-time they had not succeeded in crossing the line again. With the wind and the ground in their favour, the reds made a more even game of it; but at no time appeared likely to overhaul the score. At first they rather lost ground, and once the local men crossed the goal line, hut were called back again. They came wife a great rush, and Backer ran over the lint, though in doing so he went into touch, but the line umpire was ■ not smart in raising his lag, and the referee at first awarded the try, but afterwards the score was disallowed. Lee made a line dash toward the Canterbury goal, and struggled close up, where he dropped the ball, and Baumber, who had followed up splendidly, seized it and ran in, quite unopposed, between the goal-posts. Lee easily placed a goal, making the score 12 to nil, After the kick-off the ball for the first time crossed the local men's goal-line : but they drove it back with a capital dribbling rush, and Canterbury had to put their best foot forward to save a try. For some minutes the ball rattled about in ftontof their goal, when the reds in turn got on a dribble, and took it to the other end. There, a free kick was allowed for a Wellington man lying on the ball, and F. Hobbs placed a goal The score now stood 12 to 3. After this, the visitors put on a spurt, and played with more dash than at any part of the game. Garrard had two or three attempts from marks, but failed. Price obtained a mark within an easy distance, but Hobbs failed with the kick. Then Wellington made a determined effort and pushed their opponents very hard. Several times they looked certain to cross the line, and once did so, but were called back. It was not Canterbury's fault, however, that another try was not recorded just upon the call of time. A glaring piece of offside play gave Wellington a free kick right in front of the goal, but Lee's attempt went wide, and the game then ended. ', There can be no doubt but that the best team won. .At all points they out-classed the visitors, especially in passing, collaring, and following up. Canterbury played without combination or dash, and after the first five minutestheirstyle was more like that of a team at the end iustead of the beginning of a hard match. The impression they gave was that of disheartened men, and as a whole their play to-day, whatever they might do on dry ground, was worse than that of any interprovincial team ever seen in Wellington for some years. The local men, however, played a brilliant game, and have rarely been seen to such advantage upon difficult ground. The game was not an interesting one, being almost entirely at close quarters. There was little chance of kicking or continuous passing, and for the most part it was a series of wild scrambles in thick mud.

WAIKATO RUGBY UNION ASSOCIATION. [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Hamilton, Monday. An important deoision was given at a meeting of the delegates of the VVaikato Rugby Union Asssciation, held on Saturday evening in the Chamber of Commerce. Representative delegates were present from Hamilton, Huntly, and Paterangi. Mr. John McNicol occupied the chair. The minutes of the preceding meeting having been read, the Paterangi protest against the Whatawhata Club was called on. No representatives of the Whatawhata Club being present, the Paterangi Club withdrew the protest. In the matter of Harrisou, the member of the Hamilton team ordered off the ground by the referee at the last Saturday's match, it was on the motion of Mr. Saudes, resolved to caution him. The protest of the Huntly team, that the match played between Huntly and Hamilton, at Ngaruawahia, on the 3rd instant, be not awarded to Hamilton, on the

plea that Hume went out of bounds when he scored his try, was then gone into. It was shown that according to the rules, the ruling of the referee In, -tioh ft case was indisputable, and Mr. R. Crowe (the referee in this match), who waa present at the meeting, rose and said that he did not see Hume go out ot bounds when running with the ball. Neither of the line umpire* at the time held up their flags for ftu appeal. Mr. Macky (Paterangi delegate) proposed, and Mr. Ryburn (Pateran" i delegate) seconded, a motion, " That the protest be not allowed. Carried, by 9to 1. The Hamilton Club were then declared the winners of the Watkftto Rugby Union Cup, and the secretary was instructed to order the caps at once from Mr. J.'Cooper, of Auckland. _______________