WELLINGTON v. NAPIER INTERPROVINCIAL MATCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 1813, 20 August 1886, Page 26

WELLINGTON v. NAPIER INTERPROVINCIAL MATCH.

Napibe, August 14. The football match Wellington v. Hawke's Bay was very largely attended, over 2000 peopl* being present. Wellington won the toss and chose the western goal, thus keeping the sun behind them. The men were placed as follows :—: — Wellington—Full back: Stock. Three-quarters- : Thomson. Kairbrofcher, and Pearce. Half backsRoberts and Smith. Forwards: King, Astill, Oooper, Ellison, M'lntyre, Storey, Williams, Oonnell, and Shaw. Napier—Full back : Fleming. Three-quarters: John Ross, Walker, and Wallace. Half backs: Gibbons and Hedley. Forwards: Jamieson, Robson, Trotter, Gregory, Fletcher, Eoskruge, P. Kennedy, Saunders and Harrop. B. Davy umpired for Wellington, F. Logan for Hawke's Bay; and James Wood, formerly a Wellington footballer, was referee. When Napier kicked off Wellington seemed unprepared for the onslaught, and within a couple of minutes were forced down. After being brought into play the leather was kept a long time well within Wellington territory, but after a heavy scrum the pressure-was relieved by Wallace, who got away grandly for Napier. The ball being worked still closer to the Wellington's goal line, it for some time looked like a certain score for Hawke's Bay. Roberts essayed a run for Wellington, but suddenly stopped, and punted the ball into the centre of the field. At this stage both sides displayed rattling play, the dribbling being particularly good. Several attempts at runs were made by Wellington, and answered by responsive efforts from.their opponents, but Wellington's passing was a sight to see. They gradually worked their way into Hawke's Bay territory, Roberts and Fairbrother being most noticeable in their efforts for Wellington. The visitors' forwards here overdid a well-designed piece of dribbling, and John Ross getting the ball relieved his side by a rush and a smart finishing punt. Storey and Astill here distinguished themselves for Wellington, and the ball got danerorously near the Hawke's Bay goal. A badly judged kick gave Roberts a mark Williams essayed the kick, taking such an unconscionable time to "poise" as to evoke cries of "Wakeup!" " Want your photo, taken?" and other references to the Wonderful deliberation of this player. The kick failed, and

the ball being brought into play Hawke's Bay was soon in danger again, and King smartly got a try right at the corner of the ground, Fleming failing in a well-meant effort to stop the Wellington men. Williams took the kick, and was not so long about it as before. The ball striking the bar, Hawke's Bay roused up and made a determined stand, but had their work cut out to hold their own. Occasionally Wellington would be worked back, and it looked as if Hawke's Bay was going to score, but a well-timed kick by King saved this result. At this stage Walker, Wallace, »and Gibbons were playing well for their side, and Ross, aided by Trotter, spoiled adangerous rush by Wellington. The latter, however, were not to be denied, and gradually bore their opponents back until they were forced down. After the throw out Wallace made a splendid run and would have scored a good try but for Ellison (an old Hawke's Bay player and schoolmate of Wallace's, though now on different Bides). A series of scrums brought half-time around, the score being— Wellington 2, Hawko's Bay nil. Upon resuming play, Hawke's Bay was afc once hard pushed. The play was very determined at this stage, rush being answered by rush, amid cheers of the spectators, and both sides straining every nerve. The advantage, however, was with Wellington, and after a lot of loose play across the field Thomson got a lucky -chance for a pot at goal with the leather only a obit yards to rise. He promptly accepted the opportunity and scored four by a fluke that does *ot often fall to the lot of a player. From this Bfcage it was evident that Hawke's Bay was •learly beaten. The ball was with rare and Bhort exceptions in the Hawke's Bay territory all the time, and finally M'lntyre, by a splendid pass across the field to Thomson, enabled the latter to score another try. After this the game was a series of short runs and scrums, but no further scoring resulted ; and when time was called the score stood: Wellington 8 points, Hawke's Bay nil. THE TOWN v. COUNTRY FOOTBALL MATCH. Editor Witness,— Although the country representatives did not consider justice had been done them in the report of the above match, furnished the Times by " Forward," none of them seem.cd disposed to trouble themselves in the matter, and had it not been for the additional remarks which appeared in the Witness, I should not now have troubled you. Your contributor seems altogether unable to reconcile himself to the fact that the town team was defeated, and when the scores force him into admitting it, he attributes it not to the merits of the country team, but to the demerits of the town. Forward saya the town team was a "very mixed one." So indeed was the country team. It must necessarily be so in a match town versus country. A little trouble will, show, however, that the town team was chosen from the leading clubs in Dunedin, while lasti year two of their number played in the Interprovincial. In addition to this the town team ' had the advantage of at least knowing something of each other's play, while many of the country players on the other handhad not even seen each other prior to the day of the match. " The country team was not to be despised," says " Forward," " but an ordinary fifteen from any of the city clubs would have no difficulty in beating them." This I admit. It is only reasonable to suppose that ,any ordinary fifteen, having a knowledge of each other's play, and the advantage of practice together, could beat a team, the members of which had never had an opportunity for practice together. I think it is a matter for regret that " Forward" should champion the town team in the manner he does, and endeavour to throw cold water on the victory gained by the country. Surely the country team should at least receive the credit of having won the match on its merits, even if " Forward" is still persistent in the demerits of the town team, in which case it does not add much to the credit of the town representatives, seeing they were selected from the leading clubs in Dunedin and included two of Otago's best Interprovincial backs for 1885. — I am, &c., D. T. Fleming. Balclutha, August 14.