BRITISH FOOTBALLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13782, 22 June 1908, Page 7

BRITISH FOOTBALLERS.

MATCH AT NELSON. COMBINED TEAM DEFEATED. . [BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.] Nelson, Sunday. The match, Nelson and Marlborough v. Britain, was played yesterday afternoon in ideal weather, before an attendance estimated at 4000, and resulted in a v. in for Britain by 12 points to nil. A curtain-raiser between Nelson and Marlborough juniors was won by the former, after a fast game •by 8 points to 6. \ The teams lined out as follows: — BRITAIN". Fullback: Jackett. Threequarters : Gibbs, .MeEvedy, J. P. Jones, J. L. Williams. Halfback*: W. Morgan and " Tuan" Jones. Forwards: Dibble, Jackson, E. Morgan. Down, Green, Ritson, Archer, J. F. William*. KELSON AND MARLBOROUGH. Fullback : J. O'Brien (Marlborough). Threequarters : It. Sounders (Nelson), A. Sandcl (Nelson), and C. Costello (Marlborough). Five-eighths: C. Manning (Marlborough) and W. Smith j (Nelson), captain. Halfback: H. Oben (Marlborough). '.•■'■'. Winger: W. Tor-rill (Marlborough). •■■ Forwards: Back rank, F. Sov.niaa (Marlborough) and L. : Clouston (Marlborough); supports, Vr. Glover (Nelson) and J. Mac-Donald (Marlborough), : lock, H. Granville (Nelson); front rank, I. .; Hannigim (Nelson) and C. Hegglun (Marl- . borough), THE FIRST SPELL. MeEvedy won the toss, and the Britishers played with the sun at their backs. Smith set the ball in motion for Nelson, and "Polity" Jones returned. The greens (Nelson and Marlborough) broke away from the line-out, but were pulled up for offside play. Good dribbling by MacDon-. aid shifted play to the British 25, where the visitors were awarded a free kick for unfair scrum tactics by the combined team. A good mark for the locals by Richmond was nullified by offside play, but a long kick by Smith, and a mistake by "Polity" Jones, enabled Nelson to attack. "Tuan" Jones relieved after some indecisive (scrumming, but O'Brien returned splendidly. Smith next obtained a mark, from which Saunders made a good but ineffectual attempt to land a goal, Jackett forcing after some amusing by-play. Nelson still attacked and one man got ' across amidst much cheering, but he. was called back. From a scrum W. Morgan centred and a good kick by Saunders set the Britishers, on the defensive, and the Nelson backs gained a further 20yds by pretty passing, the forwards pressing the attack close i to the line until a free kick enabled Jackett to clear. Nelson returned, but Jackett sent the ball out at mid-way by ■ a line kick. The Nelson backs, by clever j passing, again shifted play close to the British line, but further attempts at passing lost them ground. Offside play by the home team brought the Britishers relief, and Gibbs was instrumental in establishing a British attack. From the visitors' 25 Smith led a tine local rush to his opponents' line, but here J. Williams saved with a timely run and kick into touch. Jackson found the centre again from a • throw out, but Sanclel sent the leather back, and through aid kicking the ; Britishers were compelled to force. A ; period of interesting open play followed, i neither side gaining much ground until ' the Nelson backs again got away with a smart passing rush, "Ponty' Jones kicking into touch in the nick of time. The visiting forwards then livened up, and headed by Ritson carried the ball to Nelson's 25, where, as a' result of a bad paes by 'Morgan. Terrill dribbled to the fullback. Jackett was equal to the occasion, however, and returned the oval to halfway. The Nelson forwards were not to be denied, and they again came down the field in a fine rush. Their backs also, at this stage, were showing up much better' than their opponents', whose passing was continually breaking down through faulty handling. Good work by "Tuan" Jones enabled his side to. make a brief invasion of Nelson's territory, but fine kicking by Manning and' unfair placing of the ball in the scrum nullified the "advantage, and loose play in the centre of the field billowed until just on half-time, when the Britishers were again defending.

SECOND SPELL. Dibble set the ball in .motion for the second spell, and smart work by "Polity" Jones and Gibbs saw the visitors attacking, the latter making -i line attempt at goal from half-way. Alter the kick-out, Morgan passed smartly to "Titan" Jones, who sent on to McEvedy, who, by a line run, almost got over. The Nelson forwards relieved the pressure, hut Gibbs, from a free kick, found touch near the Nelson line, where Saunders, by the best kick of the day, sent the ball 60yds down the field, and the local men, by good forward play, attacked, their backs attempting a passing rush, which failed at the critical moment through offside play. From loose work near the centre, Gibbs sent the leather to McEvedy, who beat his man, and then passed the ball to "Polity" Jones, who in turn transferred to Williams, and the latter player, by a dashing run, bored his way across the line, and scored at the corner.' Gibbs failed with the kick at goal. Britain \ 3 Combined Team " ... ... 0 Smith set the ball going again, but "Tuan" Jones returned beautifully. Hot scrummaging followed until J. F. Williams receiving a sharp pass from Morgan, went through the ruck and scored near the line. The kick was a difficult one, and Jackson failed to add the major points. Britain ... ... ... ... 6 ;, Combined Team ... ... 0 From the kick-out, Saunders was prominent, and by good kicking found touch near his opponents' goal. A. smart local forward rush nearly went over the line, and Smith, from a mark, made a good kick, which fell short. "Pontjy" Jones, McEvedy, and Gibbs carried the leather' by fine passing well down the field, but Saunders was again equal to the occasion, and returned well. A Nelson passing rush at this juncture looked dangerous, but the British forwards,, with the best dribbling of the day, came right down the field in a body, and the ball went back to McEvedy, who nearly got over. From a mark off the return kick, Jackson piloted the ball over the bar. Britain ... ... ... ... 9 Combined Team. 0 Nelson rallied, and after give-and-take play, their forwards swept down towards the British line in fine style, Jackett finding touch at the 25. The attack was continued forborne time, but the British forwards were now playing better, and worked play up to midtield again. Fast forward rushes by Nelson returned the attack, and the British backs had an anxious five minutes, until "Tuan" Jones got the ball away to the centre. Here the visitors pushed the local men fully 15yds in the scrum, and a fine bout of passing between "Tuan" Jones and Gibbs saw the tatter thrown into touch when making a dangerous streak for the lino. The Nelson, backs centred the ball, but the reds were now throwing the leather about, and a fine bout of passing was spoiled by "Ponty" Jones hanging on too, long. From a loose scramble, near the line, the ball went into touch in goal. Two free kicks brongni temporary relief to Nelson, but Gibbs, by fast following up, again placed them on the defence. Costello, however, again relieved. After a couple of ineffectual passing rushes, in one of which McEvedy was well grassed when in a dangerous position, " Polity" Jones went through the Nelson

backs and scored. Jackson again failed! with' the kick at goal. Britain ... ... ... ... 12 . Combined ■.■Team ... ... 0 A free kick enabled; Nelson to. attack, and Cosiello, receiving a pass, went hard for the Hue, but was thrown into touch Gibbs, at the 25. Time was then sounded, leaving the visitors the winners by 12 points to nil. Mr. Charters gave satisfaction as referee. NOTES ON the. GAME. STRONG RUNS BY BRITISH BACKS. [BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.] Nelson", Sunday. Local supporters Mere gratified at seeing their players having the best of the game in the first .spell. The Nelson forwards, adopting the same scrum forma ion as the visitors, had a fair share of the ball, which their backs handled with precision. They lacked pace, however, and their rushes were fruitless. In the first half the local rearguard showed to much better advantage that the visitors, whose pound tackling alone prevented a score. The Nelson forwards, too, for the first 15 minutes., went "all out," and were superior to the British pack, who at first put no vim into their play, and were exceedingly slow at following up. Morgan, the scrum half, put the ball in tho scrums at the commencement, but the disadvantages of this practice were so apparent that Captain McEvedy soon made a change, one of the forwards."putting the ball in with much better results, as far as getting the leather out to the back division was concerned. The first spell orders to the visitors were to "keep the ball in play," which they did much to their own detriment, but* greatly to the improvement of play from a spectator's point of view. With no score at half-time, matters appeared none too bright for the visitors, who, with the exception of Jackson and "Tuah" Jones, appeared to be off colour! ■The second spell, however, gave the spectators sight of a. vastly different team The forwards showed superiority in scrums and dribbling rushes, and the backs threw the ball about with characteristic abandon. Williams' try was the result of a splendid determined run, which was too much for the tackling opposed to it. Later, J. F. Williams also went over the line with a dash too powerful for the opposition to stop, while "Ponty" Jones' pace proved too much for the "local backs on another occasion. Yet Nelson were not wholly on the defensive, for Saunders, Ccetello, and Smith (the last-named playing a- fine game) at times gave the visitors serious trouble, while the forwards, among whom Granville was the most prominent, followed up much better than their opponents. On the British side Jackett was.safe and brilliant at fullback,but the strong threequarter line played much below their reputation. "Twin". Jones, at half, , was certainly the best kick on the ground. He was very prominent, both in attack and defence. Jackson was easily the pick of the forwards, being one of few who followed up consistently, while Dibble, and Down were always .there for dribbling rushes. In the evening the teams were entertained at dinner by the local union, and the Britishers left'by the Mapourika, at 11 p.m., for Wellington. They are looking forward to a. week's solid training preparatory to the second test, in which they are Confident of giving.a. good account of themselves. HAWKE'S BAY REPRESENTATIVES. ■[.BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Napier, Sunday. The following team has been chosen •to represent Hawke's Bay against the British team, at Napier, on" July I:—Fullback, Svmes (Waipawa); threeqiiarters, Wall (Hastings); Baker (Hastings), Mclntyre (Hastings), five-eighths, Keuyon (Hastings), Smith (Napier); half, Payne (Hastings) ; wing-forward, Walshe . (Napier); forwards, White (East Coast): Joll (Hastings), Nicholson (Napier), Bailey (Waipawa), Hackett (Napier), Evans (Napier), Hughes (Waipawa). Emergencies: Backs, Wilder (East Coast), Pointon (Napier); forwards, .how (Hastings), Hay (Napier).