RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10088, 30 September 1918, Page 8

RUGBY FOOTBALL

TBENTHAM V. WELLINGTON Ik ______ THE CITY TEAM OUTCLASSED. The Rugby football season was concluded on Saturday afternoon, when a match between a team representing the soldiers in training at Trentham and one picked from the city and suburban clubs was played at Athletic Park. The teams were: Trentham.—Backs: Cowie, Packer, Davidson, Bradley, MilUkbn, E. Roberts, and F. Heberts; xorwards: Palmer (wing), Thomas, Mcqjuarne, Pooiey, Glasgow, Ryan, McDonald, and Beggar. ' . Wellington.—Backs: Malm, Thomas, J. Tilyard, Valentine, Porter, F. Tilyard, and Nicholls; forwards; Bowa (wing), Arthur Parker, Albert Parker, King, Bowers, Troy, Xancred and B. Thomas.

“Freddy” Roberts was chosen as full-back for Trentham, but on account of H. M. Taylor being unable to play, Cowie played in that position, and “Freddy” went up to half-back. With such a formidable array of representative players as F.. and E. Roberts, “Ales” McDonald, and F. Glasgow in a team, , much was expected; but the question, was, could they “comeback . The general impression among old players was that it would be a difficult matter for the champions to strike anything like their old form, but the exhibition they gave was somewhat surprising in tho circumstances. Tho Wellington team was weak. The majority of the players had had a strenuous season, were consequently on the stale side, and suffering from minor injuries. Morris met with an accident in the morning, and Valentine, who p/ayed in a game earlier in the afternoon, was requisitioned to fill tho vacant position in the backs. Bowers, a junior player, on coming off the ground from a curtain-raiser game, was called upon to go back again, while Scott’s place in the forwards was taken by King, and B. Thomas played instead of Marks, who was suffering from an injured leg. Altogether the team was anything but sound. F. Tilyard had his leg bandaged after the manner of a brokendown trotting-horse; Thomas had a weak knoe, and Tancred was suffering frofn an injury to his ribs. In the second half of the game, E. Perry took Tancred’s place, and Marks went on in place o{ Thomas.

THE OPENING FEATURES. A strong, gusty wind was blowing when Trentham kicked off, and Wellington was soon defending. E. Roberts and Bradley took part in a short passing rush, and Porter saved by a kick. Packer secured the ball and removed play to Wellington’s goal-line, which was cleared through play by Bdwe. Bowers ‘ followed up a kick, and Trentham territory was entered. Some give-and-take kicking followed. Nicholls set his backs in motion from a scrum; Valentine failed to accept a pass, and McDonald and Ryan wore soon bowling along with a dribbling rush. Nicholls stopped the charge, and a scrum wat> formed. The ball came : out to Nicholls, who side-stepped Palmer and F. Roberts nicely. He passed to Porter, and B. Roberts grassed him. Both forward divisions were putting in creditable work, and E. Roberts was in every movement that. Trentham made. He was a back' team in himself, but many of the openings were ■ initiated by ifHoberta behind the serum. Glasgow, McDonald,, Pooley, and Ryan went away with a rush, and a score was saved by Nicholls securing a timely ’mark on the goal-line. The respite gained by the kick was short-lived. During a loose rush a Wellington forward infringed the rules, and E. 1 Roberts kicked a goal. Trentham 3. Wellington 0. WELLINGTON’S ONLY SCORE.The blacks livened up after tfaii raverse. When the ball was in play again, Nicholls made an opening, and gave Porter an opportunity to mats progross. He passed to F. Tilyard, who failed to secure the hall, and Davidson found touch with a kick. Another rush by Wellington followed; the ball travelled across the ground, and play hovered in Trentham’s 26 for a while, where off-side tactics by a Trentham forward enabled Nicholls to kick a goal from a penalty, Trentham 3, Wellington 3. Trentham then attacked with considerable vim. A smart pass by F. Roberts to E- Roberts, and the latter came round the "silly” side of a scrum. After making ground, ho entrusted the ball to Packer, who got speed up and came to grief in foolishly hurdling an opponent. To save the situation a Wellington played kicked the ; ball over the goal-line. A scrum was formed five yards out, t and F. Roberts cleverly made an opening for B. Roberts, who got across Cowie failed with the kick. Trentham 6, Wellington 3. There was a good deal of life in the play, which was fairly oven as far as the forwards were concerned, but as soon as the ball got among the Trentham backs there was trouble. The Wellington forwards worked the ball up the field, whore Porter centred. Openings were made by Nicholls, but the wind played tricks with the ball when it was passed." Porter missed a catch, and E. Roberts, gathering the ball in, sailed away. F. Tilyard stopped his progress, and Porter missed another pass by Nicholls. McDonald made good use of the opportunity to send Davidson away, and'the latter raced across the line. Pooley missed with the kick at goal. Trentham 9, Wellington 3. “Kruger” Parker was conspicuous with a lone-handed effort. The ball was taken from him by E. Roberts, who kicked across to Davidson, who passed to Milliken. Bradley was the last to receive possession, and a try was the outcome. Glasgow did not succeed with the kick. Trentham 12, Wellington 3. Trentham was showing superiority in all departments. E. Roberta kicked a goal from a penalty, and Packer reached the goal-line by a strong run. When collared ho passed to E. Roberts, but the latter was offside, and a simple try was thrown away. Wellington broke away on several occasions, but the backs did' not work in unison. A sprint by B. Roberts, following ono by Milliken, and a dodgy run by Dnvidsotl ended in a try being obtained. F. Roberts did not kick a goal. Trentham 15, Wellington 3. After being forced down, Wellington attacked for a few moments, and a hard kick sent the hall into touch-in-goal. When half-time arrived piny was in neutral territory. A CRICKET SCORE BY TRENTHAM The second half of the game was "scratchy” and disjointed. The Wel-

lington forwards lacked dash, with the exception of one or two, and the backs fumbled the- ball repeatedly. The blacks set .up a promising attack. Arthur Parker and Troy/dribbled the ball almost to the goal-line, where Porter and Nicholls fumbled, the pick-up, and F. Roberts relieved the suspense by sending the ball to Davidson. The speedy three-quarter made the best use of his legs, and fell, when hurdling Malin. It was not Io«g, however, before Pooley, got over from a line-out, and Bradley kicked a beautiful goal against the wind. Trentham 20, Wellington, 3.. Trentham’s next score was the outcome of smart play by F. and E, Roberts, through which Bradley notched a try, but he was not successi ful with the kick at goal. ■ Trentham 23, Wellington 3. Albert Parker received a kick to his leg, and was carried off the field. Immediately afterwards Milliken snapped the ball up during a rush, and dashed over at the corner. Packer’s kick was poor. Trentham 26. A .hopeful attack by Wellington - followed, but Davidson intercepted a pass and scored an easy try. He took the kick himself, but was not successful. Trentham 29. A' rally by Wellington ended in Trentham being forced down, and from the kick-out Packer obtained possession, ran the length of the ground,- and another try was recorded. Trentham 32, Wellington 3. Two further tries were obtained by Packer from passing rushes, one of which was converted by McDonald. The final scores were:— Trentham 40 Wellington 3 Mr G. Nicholson (Auckland) made a capable" referee. AN OBJECT LESSON. . There was a good attendance • of the public, but the game was of such a one. sided nature that enthusiasm was out of the question. The most interesting feature whs the play of the respective teams. Despite the fact that F. Roberts, F. Glasgow, and A. McDonald had not donned ' the football jersey for years, they. had not forgotten how to play the game. The footballer of today was given an object lesson in the finer points of Rugby that they should try to emulate, especially the backs. There was muck to learn, both in attack and defence, and when it is remembered that the champions had long passed the zenith of their football capabilities, some idea may be gathered of the state of proficiency of the pre-war players compared with those of to-day. GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS v. RAILWAYS. As a curtain-raiser to the TrenthaJhWellington game on at Athletic Park; a team representing the civil servants employed in the Government Buildings and ono. from the Railway Department met in friendly rivalry. The game, which was a wellcontested one, resulted in Government Buildings winning by 12 points to 8. Cooper and Savidont scored tries 'for the winners, one of which was converted by Valentine, who also potted a goal. Cunliffo, and Neill obtained tries for Railways, and Hunter converted one of the tries. Mr E. Perry was the referee. .