FOOTBALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 64, 8 September 1906, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

Saturday's most important local contest was that between the Wellington senior B representatives and a Horowhenua combination, the local men getting home an easy fijrgt by 30 to 8.

For the opening twenty minutes, the country team played th.3 strongest and most willing game, but once the black forwards got into their stride and shaped themselves into swinging form, the opposition weakened and except for a brief interval m the latter stages of the contest, the Pakeha-Maori forces were stopped from getting their try-getting machinery to work.

From a spectacular view-point, the game was singularly uninteresting, there being few sparkling tit-bits to arouse the enthusiasm of on-lookers. Players trusted to iiwlividual rather than collective excellence, the sequence being disorganised divisions m either combination. The runaway victory of the black jerseys tended to make the proceedings appear more listless, and this feeling apparently extended to contestants.

In solid scrummaging work, the country packmen kept up their end fairly well. They failed; however, to combine it with quickness m the open or cleverness or celerity m footwork. Had the visitors moved faster m the loose, the chances are that Wellington's margin of points would have been considerably lessened. .

Wellington's forward brigade showed only fair allround form. The best feature pf • the scrummagers work lay m their footwork, which was neatly, though not always effectively, executed. The rocky formation of the scrum when the men were down for the push served to show up faulty packing as regards the right flank and at the, back row. The heelingout was erratic, so much so that the half was continually hampered m getting the ball out to his five-eighth. The leather came out m all, directions of the scrum and systematic coaching was badly needed to remedy the defect. The line-out work was not operated to the best advantage, and the catching of the leather left much to be desired.

The visiting rearguard was slick at times., but was woefully weak m working an a sound defensive system. Its rush-stopping and tackling were uncertain, with one or two bright exceptions.

The Wellington backs put little life or brilliancy into their work, and their manipulation of the leather was not marked by reliability. The passing and taking was devoid of quickness or sureness, while the line-kick-ing was far from serviceable m its results, With the Horowhenua backs getting constantly out of position m their own territory, ..the Wellington rearguard should have kept the ball always on the open side, but the value of these tactics were r quite disregarded tp the countrymen's benefit.

There was no nippiness am 00 !? the local five-eightths, which accounted' for the three-quarter line not. getting its fair share of the afternoon's work.. O'Meara failed to grasp the fact that he was the pivot on which the three.-qu&rters depended for their speediest movements. An. exchange of places between the Athletic man and Bogle m the second half did not make for more success. ,

Thie local five-eighths also forgot that their payable policy was to take the ball from Green while moving. Feeders of- a three-quarter line cannot afford to ienore this fact.

Henry Rawiri introduced ag new piece of "fooling" into Rugby^when he scored a try m the first five minutes, When about, to be tackled by an opponent, the Maori suddenly wheeled right round awl before the former could gr,asp this disconcerting move, Henry was racing for the line, his turn of loot enabling him to go over the chalkmark to the accompaniment of hurricane applause. Henry was a hero with the crowd after that feat.

Rawiri's india-rub-ber-like movements- m. the playing area savored very much of M opai" Asber when the Aucklamder was m his prime. He is dashy and pacy and slippery as an eel. He puts plenty of force into his kicks, but is apt to misjudge the value of line-kicking. Under efficient tuition, the moppy-haired native would probably blossom out as a

Rugby topnotcher. The material is there, without doubt.

Bright shaped well as five-eighth m the Horowhenua rearguard. He was

always on the gui vive for openings and punted dexterously when pressed. He should give more attention to passing the ball, however. Mick Ryan played like a book at full. His forceful and well-judged line kicking, reliable fielding and sure catching were exceptionally good and repeatedly extricated his side from tight corners. His safe kicking, caused many a fruitless expedition tip and down the field on the part of the country forwards. Too infrequently did Evenson bring his sky-scraping centre-punt into requisition. He also found .the line on occasions when it was not wanted frotai the Wellington standpoint of attack. Watene, the Horowhenua's wing three-quarter, was nippy m attack, but slow and uncertain m defence. He kicked lustily and often serviceably, but failed to render proper support to his centre. Green was watchful and alert and made the most of what happened his way. He pcave those behind him plentiful chances for attacking, but the methods of O'Mcara and

Bogle nullified his efforts to get the three-quarter division moving for try-setting onslaughts on the opposing citadel. The ball came out of the scrum everywhere but the right spot and the Petone lad found it no easy task to shepherd it with anything approaching accuracy or celerity,

Dan Toohill had next to nothing to do, Dan made the most of his speed and scored a try m characteristic fashion. The Poneke representative was not too sure m handling the ball, neither was his kicking up to firstclass standard.

Kelly, who was playing on the win? m the Wellington three-quarter line| appeared to be out of his element' When the Green-O'Meara-Bogle combination failed to act, Kelly should have been installed m his old position. He and his clubmate (Green) would doubtless have set the machinery of the black rearguard going to perfection. .

Ropata, George, Wilson and Parata were a solid quartette m the Horcwhenua forward ranks. The . visitfag packmen have not the cuteness or skilfulness of their town cou*.ii.s, but what they lack m cleverness they make up m earnestness, and are all good triers. Three or four of the countrymen were a trifle shortof condition on. Saturday^ Parata, the Horowhenua scrummer, is a rattling good kick. He made the mistake three times of footing the ball so low and; hard that the fprr wards of his side hadn't, a possible of getting on to the ''fielder on catcher. . ' „..,.., .. • - .

"Ranii" Wilson was moving consistently m the .black forward Tanks from start to finish. His footwork, tackling and line-out play were very, fine. "Ranji" worried the Horowhenua backs badly. .Another forward who caught the eye for allround s,olidness was Jim Siweeney, and m the tight work^ Baker, the brawny Athletic representative, was also "to the fore .

Calcinai and Avery were lively m the open and on the line-out, the former's tackling making itself felt m the visitors' ranks. Sullivan, on the wing, did a decent share ot solid bustling work, X spoiling and oneckiftg passes. 7 The Horowhenua wingers were griven unbridled license, otherwise Wellington would have taken up a fair percentage of the afternoon's play iff shots at goal. .

O'Meara shaped heaps b-;low his club .form, and Bogle has toen seen to much better advantage.