AGAIN VICTORIOUS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12251, 24 September 1925, Page 6

AGAIN VICTORIOUS

WELLINGTON RUGBY TEAM KING COUNTRY DEFEATED GAME PLAYED IN HEAVY RAIN. Per Press Association. RAETIHI, September 23. The Wellington representative team played King Country to-day. The ground was partially submerged, and it rained continuously. The teams were Wellington.—Malcolm, Bedell, Mansfield, Grenfell, Nieholls, Love, Bramwell, Joll, McHardy, Murie, Sly, Osborne, Wilson. Duncan, and Hum. King Country.—Jacob, McDowell, Parrant, Lee, Evans, Haddon, Reid, Waters, Hobson, hjbbett, Parsons, Le Brown, Waterson, King, and Tibley. Air Thompson was the referee. s King Country kicked off against the wind and McHardy kicked a goal from a free kick within a few minutes. Wellington, 3; King Country, 0. Five minutes later Grenfell scored, but the kick at goal failed. Wellington, 6; King Country, 0. King Country woke up, and bright passing by both sides sent the game up and down the field until King Country

were forced down. Wellington again assumed control, and passing rushes by tho backs ended in McHardy scoring and converting the try. Wellington, Couutiy, 0. Driving rain now commenced, and was in Wellington's favour. King Country found the line in Wellington’s twentyfive, and from a line-out King Country got possession. A pretty passing movement by the backs ended in Lee scoring and Parrant converting. Off-side play by Wellington put King Country on the attack, where they stayed for some time, the Wellington men appearing beaten by tho* way the ball was behaving in the boot-high pools of water. Eventually they got on to dry land, and a run down the field was made by Nieholls, who passed to Duncan, to score The kick failed. On ]>lay being resumed the same thing again happened. Hum scoring. The scores at half-time were:— Wellington 17 points. King Country 5 points. IN BLINDING RAIN

The second half opened with blinding rain in the Wellington team's eyes, which King Country took advantage of. Wellington had to force twice until from a line-out King Country secured, and after the backs had each handled the ball Evans scored. The kick failed. The next quarter of an hour was simply' a scramble in water, the odds being in King Country's favour. The local representatives continued to and only good line-kicking averted scores being obtained. At last, from a line-out, Lee bustled over. The kick failed. Wellington 17; King Country 11. King Country continued to press, repulsing every attack, until faulty handling gave Wellington a chance to attack. King Country were attacking when the final whistle blew. A Press message from Whangarei states that, the New South Wales Rugby team defeated North Auckland by 32 points to 6. The local team gave a ragged display, showed no combination, and lack of training. Wanganui defeated South Canterbury by 23 points to 15. The game was played at Timara in a fierce north-west wind. •—Press Association.