INTERPROVINCIAL FOOTBALL MATCH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4799, 9 August 1876, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL FOOTBALL MATCH.

The first of the interprovincial matches was played yesterday afternoon on the Basin Reserve, the contending teams hailing from Nelson and our own province. Play was announced to commence at 2.30, but it was fully three o’clock before the rival players mustered and turned out. In the field the' Wellingtonians appeared to have decidedly the best of it, so far as weight was concerned, looking as if they could give the Nelson men a stone apiece all round. This may be accounted for, in a measure, by the broad yellow and black stripes of the Wellington uniform, which give the men a much more muscular appearance than is the fact, by transforming genteel young men who are known to have aspirations in the way of “figures” and “ waists ” to a fair counterfeit of a “ bargee.” The Nelson men, though light weights, appeared, as they afterwards proved themselves, “■wiry,” and were arrayed in white jerseys and knickerbockers, magenta stockings and blue caps. The continual drizzle and stiff northerly breeze gave them a rather cool and airy appearance, but a few minutes play soon showed that they were warm enough for work. Before play commenced it was arranged that each side should play alternately twenty minutes with the wind. Shortly after three o’clock the two captains tossed up for choice of goals, and Nelson winning the toss, took the defensive at the northern goal, thus having the wind in their favor for the first twenty minutes. Werry kicked off for the Wellington team, but the ball was very quickly returned by the Nelson men towards the southern goal. After a few minutes stiff play close to the goal line the ball was prettily dropped to the centre of the ground, and caught by G. Nicholson. Before he could make .his mark he was pounced upon and collared by two of the Wellington “heavies,” with the unfortunate result that he was compelled to retire from the game, having broken his collarbone. The ardour of the Nelson men was not the least damped although they were playing one man short ; and after a few minutes hard work and several hot scrimmages, they succeeded in getting a touch down in the enemy’s goal. The try which followed was a miserable failure, but as soon as the ball was fairly in play again the Nelson men forced it behind their opponent’s goal line, and compelled them to touch it down, thus securing a “rouge.” The Wellington men after these reverses worked together with a will, and fought their way up the ground inch by inch, until one of them forced his way behind the goal line. Being collared before he could touch the ball down a maul in goal ensued, during which the Wellington man was compelled to touch it down outside the limit of the touch line, although behind the goal line. The umpires decided that this should count as a touch down, and the Wellington men accordingly took a try at goal, which was however unsuccessful, being against the wind. The general opinion was that a touch in goal should have been counted, and that the ball should-have been “punted out” and a place-kick taken. Time was called almost immediately, and on changing sides the score stood as follows:

Nelson. Wellington. Goals 0 o Tries X X Bouges or force downs X o

Play was resumed by a loose scrimmage in the centre of the ground, and Werry getting hold of the ball made a splendid run towards the Nelson goal, upsetting some five or six opponents, but was neatly collared and spilled by the Nelson captain within a few yards of the Nelson goal line. For some five minutes the home team kept the ball unpleasantly close to the Nelson goal, but this state of things was brought to a close by one of the strangers making a fine kick into touch, although hard pressed at the time. After this the Nelsonites played a very plucky game, and worked the ball right up the ground in the teeth of the wind, Hodson then got a fair catch off a kick

from Worry, and being successful in making his mark, took a drop at goal, but the distance was too great against the wind. All through the twenty minutes the Nelson men played hot on the ball, and time was called without any alteration in the score. Play was shortly resumed, both sides, changing ends, and after a scrimmage or ,two Nelson scored another rouge. After the kick-out, Parkes and Werry made two splendid runs, getting the ball well up the ground; but Werry was again captured by the Nelson captain and forced to part company with the ball. The Wellington men made good use of their advantage, and forced their opponents to touch the ball down behind the gaol, thus scoring a rouge. This success of the home team seemed to inspire the strangers with new vigor; for they literally rushed the ball down the ground, and succeeded in getting a touch-down, but the try at goal was again a failure. The play was very “ sultry” towards the close of the twenty minutes, and just before time was called Nelson scored another rouge. When the sides changed ends the score stood as follows:

„ , Nelson. Wellington. Goals 0 o Tries 2 1 Kouges or force downs .. 3 x

After the first scrimmage Wellington literally walked through their opponents, and there was a very pretty maul in goal, out of which Wellington came victorious. Unfortunately a little dispute arose as to whether the ball had been taken through the goal posts, which would have deprived the Wellington men of their try at goal ; but the dictum of the umpire, that the ball taken in outside the posts and worked behind them, met with general approval. The first goal was kicked by Campbell from the try which followed in splendid style, the ball passing over the bar right in the centre of the goal posts. Considering the boisterous weather, and that the player who brought out the ball made rather a bungle by letting it slip out of his hands before he was ready, Campbell deserves great credit for his dexterity and coolness. Wellington now seemed to have everything their own way, and. after scoring another rouge, made a touch down. Campbell kicked a second goal on the try, and before time was called Wellington scored two more rouges, Nelson not appearing to have a chance. It had been arranged, before the game, that goals should count six points, tries two points, and rouges half a point ; and at the conclusion of the game the score stood as follows ; Nelson. Points. "Wellington. Points. Goals .. .. 0 0 2 12 Tries .... 2 4 1 2 Kouges or force In -. 1 . „ downs t 14 4 Total .. Si IS Wellington accordingly wins the match by 10J points. After time was called, three cheers were heartily accorded by each side to the other, and both took their departure from the ground seeming rather the worse for wear, and looking as if applications of turpentine and arnica would be in demand for the next few days. The names of the players are as follow: Nelson —F. Nicholson (captain), G. Nicholson, Hole, Wamock, B. C. Roberts, Firth, Sharp, Watts, Hodson, Gully, Galbraith, Metcalfe, Blackett, Tennant, and Wells. Wellington— N. W. Werry (captain), P. Webb, A. Campbell, G. Campbell, John Bishop, Allen Bishop, Johnson Thompson, W. James, Knapp, Hugh Pollen, Henry Hickson, A. Smith, William Burnes, R. G. Park, and James Willdn. Mr. Palliser, Wellington, and Mr. Bolton, Nelson, acted as umpires for the respective teams. In the evening the party sat down to dinner at the Post Office Hotel,, his Worship the Mayor in the chair, and a few pleasant hours were afterwards spent.