NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL TEAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13028, 20 November 1905, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL TEAM.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL MATCH) COLONIALS BEAT SCOTLAND 12 POINTS TO ' 7. ■'-■'•■.'■'•'■..■ " ''.;■■■■'■■■■■■ .-''-■■■'' '.■'" ■ .:',:,. ■■■• x^'Sgi! - ■"■■. . "..-.■ ' " * ■'-.. ■-'■■ -Wii . .. ■, : -- ■ ' •.. ■-■■ ■ . . '; .' - -' ' '-.■"..'-"-'■ "]. A STIRRING STRUGGLE. WON IN THE LAST TEN MINUTES. ■'• -. ; , .... . .-■;*■' •;■ ■,■■: ..... .:" '-■■■':.,. (~im By. Telegraph Press Association.— '■'■, '~'■...."''■ .'.:'. " "'.'.." "'■.■^'•'.■y:;i : London, November 18. To-day, at Edinburgh, in" the presence of - quite 20,000 spectators, the New Zealand ■ Rugby football representatives played their first international match, meeting Scotland. After a well-contested game the colonials won by 12 [joints to 7. The Scottish team, which played three '.'-, halfbacks, was considered one of the fastest combinations got together in, that country ' for tire past five years. 'S j J. Bedell-Sivright, who was at the head of the British team which visited Australia ■ i\ and New Zealand in 1904, waj captain of the home team, and included in. it were such noted players as L. M. McLeod, K. ,_'. McLeod, M'unvo, W. J. Scott, Kyle, and B». •: • West.' : ; ;: : .■,.;-/?: :, . ' . J . : The Selection Committee at first chose Norman Fell, of Nelson, New Zealand, at present a student at. the' Edinburgh Univer- ; sity, in the team, but he refused to play against his own countrymen. The New Zealanders as a whole rendered ' a. good account of themselves, and it is difficult to give individual credit, but possibly the best of the side to-da-j were Deans- -'-; (Canterbury), Stead (Southland), Roberts (Wellington), and Gallaher (Auckland). The ground was hard after the frost. After exchanging the usual compliments, the teams lined out, and no sooner had the - isSft ...... - : ■ - :■ < ball been, set moving than the home team assumed the offensive, the New Zealanders having quite a new experience in rushing about to defend their own line.- . , The attack was kept up for quite twenty minutes, and culminated in Scotland drawing first blood, E. D. Simpson dropping a goal from the field. Scotland ... ~: ... ... ... 4 - New Zealand ... ... ... 0 The reverse stimulated the Maorilanders and once the ball was in play again thej rushed it down the field, the forwards keeping the leather at toe , ' ' ~: 7 ij They swept down on to the Scottish lino. " ■- and Glasgow (Taranaki) whipped ' across, scoring for the colonials. " *, J The bail was placed for Wallace (Welling ton), who failed to convert. \-~T ':■' .Scotland ... ... 4 New Zealand . ... . 3 Shortly afterwards. ,-. Smith (Auckland) crossed the line, but Wallace's shot at goal again proved unavailing. ' ' ■' New Zealand ' ... 6 Scotland ... . ... 4 The Scotch 'forwards .then charged a kick by Hunter (Taranaki), and J. McCallum ob- ,f',U tained a try. Place failed to add the extra points, and half-time ended with the score: Scotland '..:".' ... ' ~'.!„ ..'. 7 New Zealand 6 '' '.•■"■'. '.'' ' • '■' '. "'■ :''■'.' '■'■:•■ ' ■' isXM In the second spell fast, evep play wa» the order of the day, till ten minutes before the call oi. time, when Smith (Auckland) beat the home backs and scored a try, which Gil- • lett (Canterbury) failed to convert. New Zealand ... 9 Scotland ... ... ... ... 7 During the last minute a further try waa added, the result of a forward rush. Cunningham was entrusted with the kick, but failed to convert, the match thus ending:— ' : ..■•'■ New Zealand ... ... ... 12 Scotland ... .-. ... ... ... 7 :■■.;:'v..;v'i As the Scottish team is said to be on« of the fastest combinations got together for the past five years the result must be con- . sidei-ed very satisfactory. The New Zealanders crossed Scotland line on four occa- | sions, while their own line was crossed butonce. In the 1904-05 season's international matches the Welsh representatives, winners of the championship, only succeeded in defeating Scotland by 6 points to 3, while they beat England 25 to nil, and Ireland 10 ';} to 3. In the previous season (1903-04) Scotland wop the international championship. These results point to the likelihood of the colonials giving a good account of themselves in the remaining .international matches. The next of these will be 'played on Saturday next, when they meet the Iris> team at Dublin. • The match -against Eng- , '," land will ...be played in London on December -;.-! 2, and that against Wales on December 16. On Wednesday next (November 22) the New Zealanders play West of Scotland at Glasgow. > V ' — THE NEW ZEALANDERS'BRILLIANT '•* RECORD. APPRECIATIVE MESSAGE FROM THE NEW SOUTH WAjuES UNION. Sydney, November 18 vl|| The New South Wales Rugby Union cabled to the Hon. W. P. Reeves, High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, asking him to convey to the New Zealand footballers the congratulations of the union on their brilliant record,.and best wishes for _- to-day's test match. ' The Daily Telegraph concludes an appreciative article or. the New Zealand team as follows: —"For the present "the colonial physique and health are so superbly good that they testify with comforting eloquence to the betterment of the transplanted and blended Britisher, and to the steadfast progress of our wonderful Empire. Viewed in its character of representativeness, therefore, the circumstance that the New Zealand footballers have won so many matches so easily, otherwise interesting rather than important, is seen to involve a great historical .; and ethnological fact. THE BEDFORD MATCH. f . We are advised by Mr, H. F. Seagef, _,jf officei in charge of the Auckland Telegraph Department, that a reference to London re the correct score in the Bedford match, played last Wednesday, confirms the result given in the Premier's message, viz., New . Zealand 41 points, Bedford nil. This agrees with the London Times report. ; "