FOOTBALL

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1746, 23 August 1905, Page 48

FOOTBALL

AUSTRALIA v WELLINGTON.

THE VISITORS’ FIRST GAME.

VICTORY FOR WELLINGTON.

The Australian Rugby football team visiting New Zealand went on to the playing field at the Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon for its first match. It was defeated by 23 points to 7 points. About 7000 people gathered to watch the contest, a»nd if the easy victory \ that came with the second spell robbed them of the expected keen battle.

the first spell was sufficiently fast and interesting and even to gratify their appetites for Rugby. Judging the Australian team on its first game,the wonder grows even greater than ever as to how the New Zealand team now on its way to Great Britain could only draw-the last test match at Sydney. The team' we saw on Saturday is practically as strong as the one that drew with the colony’s representatives. The reason of the draw was claimed to be that the Commonwealth’s Rugby had very greatly improved. Now, as a matter of fact, the team we saw on Saturday shows no great improvement in play as compared with the New South "Wales team that toured this colony in 1901. Perhaps there is a little more strength in the forwards, but the Commonwealth team of 1905 can never put up the remarkably attractive game that the .New South Wales team did at Wellington in 1901. The methods of attack and defence" are practically unchanged. There is no improvement in the attack—it is the same haphazard style that we saw years ago. The ball was tossed about on Saturday freely and openly ; but unless there was plenty of time the players seemed to pass the ball and chance to luck. Their forwards were altogether outclassed by the Wellington forwards, and if the threequarter (Wickham) and half-back (Anlezark) were taken from behind the pack the backs would be, indeed/ weak. Allowance must be made for the heavy ground on Saturday,’ but even under the best conditions the local forwards would have beaten the visitors. The Australian fifteen is a good deal below this colony’s Rugby standard. THE TEAMS. '. WELLINGTON AUSTRALIA (' G. Spencer S. P. Penmann. M. Winiata * S. Wickham (cpt.) J. O'Leary P. Carmichael E. Wrigley B. Smith M. Sharpe C. Russell A Ramsden E. A. Anlezark E. H. Dodd M. Bore E. H. Watkins IT. Burden T. Cross E. A. Oxiade H. R. Wright F. darken J. Spencer (cpt.). H. A. Judd A. A. Wylie P. Burge C. Gillespie W. ITirschberg W. Warner B. I. Swannell W. Hardham C. Murrin THE PLAY.

cident of not© was a fin© dodging run by Wickham. H© was brought down just a couple of inches from the line. A scrum was formed, and the Australian backs were set going. They did no good cut across the field. With only a few minute® to go Wickham kicked another remarkable goal from half-way. It was a penalty goal, and made the score: —Wellington, 8 points; Australia, 7 points. The spell ended with play at half-way. With the wind behind them Wellington attacked as soon as the second spell opened, and immediately a chance to score was thrown away by Sharpe, the five-eighth, who was playing at no better than junior form. Australia forced down the ball that he punted to them over the line. Kick-out, and a scrum on the Australian twenty-five line. Wellington got the ball, and Ramsden sent it away. It came t-o Wrigley, *and with a brilliant effort he dashed through the Australian®, and scored near the corner. Spencer failed with the kick. Wellington, 11 points; Australia, 7 points. As soon as Australia kicked the hall our the Wellington hacks went away with a passing run, and Wrigley scored again, while the crowd cheered him uproariously. Spencer failed again. Wellington, 14 points; Australia, 7 points. Six points had been gained in seven minutes.

There was practically only one team in the game onwards. The Wellington forwards ran over their opponents in the loose, and the game became a scramble. O’Leary potted a fine goal from midfield. "Wellington, 18 points; Australia, 7 points. Then O’Leary ran in and scored between the posts, and G. Spencer converted the try. Wellington. 23 points; Australia, 7 points. After that there was nothing of interest.

Wrigley played the “ star ” game on the ground. O’Leary deserves mention, but the rest Of the Wellington hacks were not up to the form they should have been. The ground was against back play, of course. The local forwards 'll played well. For Australia, Wickham and Anlezark were the pick of a. medium lot of, backs, and in the forwards there were none who' shone very brightly. , THE RANFURLY SHIELD. As the Australians filed into the big field, the general impression was that WELLINGTON v. WAIRARAPA. they were heavier than the local men, but, as a matter of fact, the Welling- A DRAWN GAME. ton team was exactly six stone heavier t . c v 1 , n . X J 7 , 1% in terms of its challenge calling on than the visitors. A moderate souther- 7 c -> •, f- ,, t? 11 i„ ■ •i , i ,i r ,•, Wellington to defend its title as holder ly wind . blew straight down the fieid, t> c i m.• i j ~ • and, winning the toss,'the men fro.. 2f„*? e B™furly Shield, the Wau-arapa oversea chose to play with its assistance. team anwed in Wellington on Up went the ball, and the game had 16 ‘ h > and (R“W * started. At once, bad catohhtg by the *“”? ,°“ th ® A t U< *“ *“*• whe l° 'txrmuv.r-j-W i„ i n i ■ w between eight and nine hundred people Wellington backs allowed .their oppon- had assem £i e d to witness the cuirt«t. to tbp oeal side of The groundj owing to the heavy rain , Llt K - v stayed which fell overnight, was in a very had ? W space. The Wei- Anything lili decent back play lingfcon forwards went away with vig- was, practically out of the question, orous footwork and Australia was set The forwards did a heap of work in the defending its line. Punting by their mud and slush ; and it says a great deal backs drove* the home players down f or the visiting team that it succeeded field tin ee or four times, but at last in making a draw of the fixture, each the Australian full-back mi ski eked tke sidei scoring three points. Wellington, ball, when the saa arming blacks pressed accordingly, retains possession of the him. Along the ground it went snak- shield. The teams were:— ily, and, reaching low, Winiata scoop- Wellington (black).—Full-back, G. it up, and dashed over the line. G. Spencer; three-quarters, Blacklock, AnSpenoer converted the try, and Wei- derson, Ryan: five-eighth, Sharpe; lmgton had 5 points to the good. half, Ramsden ; forwards, Dodd, Wylie, From the kick-out Wellington for- Gross, Wright, J. Spencer, Gillespie’ wards attacked again, but the visiting Collerton, Hardham, Warner, backs sent them back again and again Wairarapa (green).—Full-back, Wilwith short or long punts. Then, as a liams; three-quarters, Rogers, J. momentary opening came, the Austra- O’Leary, Wrigley; five-eighth, P. lian forwards broke away, and swept O'Leary; half. Logan; forwards, Raidown the field. A bouncing ball went sen, Armstrong, Wickens, Workman, over the local full-back’s head, and it Beard, McKenzie, Johnston, Spackman, looked all Willis street to a shilling Duggan. that the visitors wguld score. But us Wairarapa had choice of ends, and their hungry hands were reaching for elected to play towards the northern the ball, Wrigley grabbed it, and kick- goal, with a slight wind in their faved it into touch. Just after that off- our. The greens made an early atside play allowed W r ickham to have a tack on Wellington’s line, but could shot- at goal from half-way, and he uot get through. The only noticeable very nearly scored, too. It was a feature of the dull play which followed great attempt. The Commonwealth was the fine all-round play of Wrigley, men worked all they knew after that, particularly his kicking. Wairarapa and most of their business was conduct- was attacking merrily, when Logan got ed near the Wellington line for some ball nicely away to O’Leary, but time. Another half-way kick at goal Rogers, on the wing, failed to take was taken by Wickham, from a mark O’Leary’s pass, and a good opening was by Judd, and this time the ball cross- lost. The blacks followed with a loose, ed the bar. Wellington 5 points; dribbling attack down the field, but Australia, 4 points. Wrigley shifted play to the other end A clever tackle by Watkins soon af- w R a P* 1 f*' , “rambling ter the kick-out resulted in the Aus- “ w n® f ® ° U ° W ' tralian backs being smothered, and a and eventually Wellington vas comctoance to score was lost by the Wei- P elled T 1 recognislington half-back mishandling the ball, ing that t ey were getting the better The ground gained was lost, but not the game con turned the attack, and for long. Wellington’s forwards came liard battling on the line back, and struggled, and kicked, and 2 nded ln a i S°«\ bej ”B “edited to scrambled near the Australian line. Spackman. Beard failed with the Whistle and scrum, and .the ball K ‘ lcK * through to Ramsden. Slipping round Wairarapa ... ... ... 3 the scrum, he passed to Wrigley, and Wellington. ... ... ... 0 the Wairarapa man soored. Spencer Three minutes after pla.y was resumoould not convert. Wellington, 8 Wellington again forced to avoid points; Australia, 4 points. trouble, and yet a second ti me soon Australia set the game going again, afterwards. Dodd, Hardham, and Sponand to some purpose. Before the Wei- cer put a different complexion on lington full-back knew what had hap- things by rushing down the field with pened, he was smothered, and if a the ball in front of them, but they oouple of his forwards had not happen- could not get past the green twentyed along pretty suddenly, the people in five. Play of a most uninteresting the rainbow jerseys would have been character followed, and half-time was Tver the line. A minute later Austra- called without alteration in the score. 2La had another opportunity to score, With the breeze at their backs, the but lostit by a long foolish punt. Wei- home forwards made a lightning dash lineton forced down: The next in- ■ e -,r their opponents’ goal-line immedi-

ately on recommencing play. They swept the greens before them, and before the crowd had time to realise what was happening, Hardham threw himself on the ball as it was kicked behind. George Spencer failed to kick a goal by inches only. Wairarapa ... ... ... 3 Wellington ... ... ... 3

Wellington subsequently attempted passing amongst its backs, but the results were not encouraging. Blacklock failed to take the ball from Anderson on one occasion, when there was a good chance to score. A strong forward attack by the blacks was followed by a strong rush by the greens, and when Spackman got the ball, it locked as if nothing could stop him scoring, but G. Spencer was too much for him. Wellington managed to extricate itself from this “hole,” and right up to the call of time had the visitors defending the lines. The blacks made frantic efforts to score, but failed to get. through, and one of the muddiest and most uninteresting contests this season ended Wellington ... ... ... 3 Wairarapa ... ... ... 3 A few lines about the teams. It is time * the story about Wrigley’s “off” days was exploded. Wrigley played the best game on the ground. He only made one mistake throughout the game, and that was a pardonable one. His cleverness in taking the hall is a treat to witness, and his kicking is excellent. It’s a pity he did not go with the New Zealand team to tour Great Britain. Ramsden and G. Spencer both played very well for the home team, as did the O Leary Bros, and Rogers for the visitors. There was little to choose between the teams. The forwards all played a sterling game. OTAGO V. SOUTHLAND. INVERCARGILL, August 16. A football match, Otago v. Southland, was played to-day in perfect weather. The match was won by the local team by 5 points (a try by Fraser, converted by Reid) to 3 (a try by Sheehan). All the scoring was done in the first spell. Reid! made a fine shot at goal from halfway, the hall striking the post and coming back. The referee cautioned a player for striking an opponent. CANTERBURY BEATEN BY OTAGO. DUNEDIN, August 19. The twenty-seventh match between Otago and Canterbury was played on the Caledonian Ground this afternoon, the home team winning by 11 points to 4. About 4000 spectators were present. The weather was showery and threatening in the morning, but cleared up about mid-day, and it remained beautifully fine in the afternoon, though a strong wind swept down the field. The ground was in capital order. The home team ran up seven points in the first spell, but as they had the advantage of the wind in compiling that score, it was thought at half-time that Canterbury had a very fair prospect of wiping off the deficiency in the second half. The effort of playing against the wind told on -the visitors, however; and also on Otago before the second half was far advanced, and at times the game degenerated into a mere scramble. Otago beat Canterbury for the hall in the scrum in the first spell, and the home team’s hacks handled the leather with conspicuous accuracy, but at the same time their passing was not attended with great success, as Adams (playing at fiveeighths) invariably ran too close to the centre before passing, with the result that the three-quarters were tackled as soon as they got the ball. The order was reversed in the second half, in which Canterbury were more successful in hooking the ball, but the visiting ‘backs were weak in fielding and passing, and entirely lacking in resource. Tlhe result was that their attacks were frequently repelled without difficulty. The forwards were about evenly matched, some good play being seen at times. The defence of both teams was very good. Gilray played a very fine game, and Eekhold also rendered valuable service to Otago. Fryer was the beet of the Canterbury hacks. Mr Geddis (Southland) controlled the game. WANGANUI, August 19. A match between Wanganui and Hawke’s Bay was played to-day, and reed in victory for Wanganui by 12 to nil. Wanganui assumed the aggressive in the Soon after the commencement a scrum was formed in front of the Hawke’s Bay posts, and Payne put in a short kick to Takarangi, who potted successfully. After give and take play, splendid passing by the Wanganui backs ended m McDonald running to the line, where he passed to Murray, who scored. Takarangi converted. In the second spell, Onslow slipped over from a scrum on the Hawke’s Bay line, but Takarangi failed to convert. The second spell was well contested. Hawke’s Bay, holding their own well,' several times nearly scored. For the winners, Takarangi, McDonald, ! Corby, Green, and Murray played best, j For Hawke’s Bay, Payne and Mu ore | did capital work, Avell assisted bv la, - ! sell, Pohio, Carlson, and Mitched. WESTPORT, August -). This afternoon the Hokitika lio. j. i team defeated Westport by iD poin.:, nil. In the first spell the uckki.. ;

forwaads, 'with good passing rushes, overran their opponents, and scored five tries, Wade converting one and Wilson another. In the second spell Westport set up a strong attack, but lacked the scoring men. Within five minutes of time Hokitika made a couple of dashes up the field, and Wade and Cederman each scored a try, each of which was converted by Wade.

ASSOCIATION.

Senior games were continued on Saturday, when Diamonds defeated Swifts A by 2 goals to 1, Queen’s Park defeated Rovers also by 2 goals to 1, and Y.M.C.A. and St. John’s played a drawn game, in which there was no score. Most interest oentred round the Swifts-Diamonds fixture, which was expected to prove a keen game. The winners were somewhat lucky, as Swifts had the better of play, and should undoubtedly have been awarded another goal. If Diamonds only play a drawn game with Swifts B next Saturday, they cannot be beaten for league honours. By defeating Toa ou Saturday the Diamonds junior team secured the Junior cup, being a point ahead off Swifts. By defeating Marist Bros. A team. Swifts tie with their opponents for the Third League cup, and a piay-off will probably take place next Saturday. AUSTRALIAN. CANTERBURY v. WELLINGTON. A team representative of the Wellington League played a match against Canterbury at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, on Saturday, and were beaten somewhat easily by 6 goals 1(5 behinds (46 points) to 2 goals 5 behinds (17i points). Between four and five hundred people witnessed the game, and seemed greatly pleased at the display. The Wellington men were not at their best, through having to play soon after their arrival, the team having left by Friday, night’s boat, while several of the best players were unable to make the trip. For Canterbury all played well, those most conspicuous benrg Jacobsen, Roy, Vaughan (captain), Rawson, West, and! Smith. Cromie, Robinson (captain), Roberts, Jamieson, Perrott, Jacobs, H. McCall um, and Beaver Were the best for Wellington. The Canterbury Association" entertained the visiting team at dimer and at a smoke concert in the Foresters’ Hall in the evening, over two hundred being present. A returj* match is likely to be played in. Wellington early in September.