LATE FOOTBALL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1816, 10 September 1886, Page 22

LATE FOOTBALL.

(Continued from vage 26.) THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEAM AGAINST CANTERBURY. Chkistchuhch, September 8. The football match between representa tives of New South Wales and Canterbury was played at Lancaster Park to-day. The weather was very disagreeable, a strong easterly wind blowing across the ground ; but this,did not prevent the lovers of football turning up in large numbers, and when the game started fully 3000 persons were present. Notwithstanding the recent heavy rains the ground was in fairly good order ; but one corner was very muddy, and considerably affected the appearance of the players as the game progressed. The following were the respective teams : — New South Wales, (crimson) — Pull back. Walker; three-quarter backs, M'Arthur, Weaver, Blaxland ; half backs, Caird, Colquhoun ; forwards— Small, Shortus, Pearson, Warre-i, Belbridge, Reid, De Laurie,,Wiseheart, and Allan. Canterbury (red and black)— Pull back, Wilson ; thr. e-qnarter backs, Webb, Francis, Allardyce; half backs, Helmore, Harden ; forwards— Bean, Beswick. D'Auvergne, Fooks, Fuller, Homer, Millton, Sutherland, Turnbull. The Canterbury team, with one exception.was the same as played against Otago. New South Wales won the toss, and of course elected to play with the wind. But the visitors made very little use of the advantage, and from beginning to end were no match for the local men. Beau took the kick off and sent the ball out of touch at ",the Sydney 25. Turnbull secured the ball, from the throw out and carried the game almost to the Sydney^goal line, where' after f a number of scrummages, the visitors were ' forced down.- The kick out placed Francis in possession of the ball, and the fast game played by the Canterbury forwards again put the Sydney goal in danger. M'Arthur with a brilliant run at a critical moment moved the game to the centre of the ground, and Shortus, Caird, and Colquhoun run in some useful work. So far as Canterbury was concerned, the brunt of the game was borne by the forwards, the backs having hardly anything to do. The ball was again in the neighbourhood of the Sydney goal, and ultimately Bean secured a touch down. Bean took the kick, but the high wind prevented the ball going anywhere near the goal. Wilson took the ball when returned, but made a short kick, and for a few moments the game was contested in the Canterbury quarters, but a determined rush by the Canterbury forwards broke down all opposition, and the leather was carried over the Sydney goal line. Homer secured the ball from a maul, and Bean again took the kick, bat the wind actually <pok

the ball behind the Canterbury forwards. Caird now secured the ball and made a fine dodgy ruu. During the remainder of the first spell the visitors played with more dash, but the effort was of no avail. M'Arthur, Weaver, Carid, and Colquhoun played a capital game, but could make no progress against the solid front presented by the Canterbury forwards. Colquhoun and M'Arthur gained a littlo ground, but the latter was brought down close to the Canterbury twenty-five. Fooks, Sutherland, Beswick, and Horaer were doing splendid work for the local men, and Turnbull occasionally made a brilliant display. Weaver again let Canterbury through, and a rush, led by Helmore, Francis, and Harden, carried the ball to the Sydney corner flag. After a series of scrummages the ball was driven right in front of the Sydney goal line, and Allardyce made a dash for the line but was collared by Weaver, who with Shortus, removed the immediate danger. The Sydney backs now resorted to long passing, but the experiment was not a success against the fast forward play of the Canterbury team. The spell ended close on the Sydney goal line. So far the visitors had half a gale of wind in their favour, but were evidently much overmatched, and it was expected that the game would be much more one-sided when the stronger team had the advantage of - the wind. In the second spell the visitors were pressed harder than hi the first, and though Canterbury only succeeded in adding a couple of points to their score the spell was simply a repetition of the first term. The superiority of the Canterbury forwards enabled them to rush the ball into the Sydney quarters, where scrummages would take place in rapid succession, varied by a sharp run on the part of Caird, Colquhoun, Weaver. Shortus, or M'Arthur. These players would remove the scene of play to a safer spot, and then the opposing forwards would again sweep through them. D'Auvergne, Fuller, and Sutherland time after time burst through the opposing forwards, and Mill ton and Homer coming through the side of the scrummages, it looked as if nothing could stop them from scoring. Blaxland's punting was invaluable to his side jast then. Twice when he had well cleared the Sydney goal by splendid kicks out of touch, considerable ground was lost by Weaver and Colquhoun running back towards their own goal when they were collared. In the latter's case, the scrummage that followed his collaring saw Fooks come through and fall over the line with the ball. M 'Arthur was particularly smart in intercepting passes to the Canterbury backs, passes that were scarcely worth attempting with such a wind blowing. This smartness enabled him to carry the ball up to the half flag. At about half time the play began to get of a more interesting character. Helmore came in for a large amount of applause by his smart running ; and the Sydney men had great difficulty in stopping him when he once got well under way. They invariably went for his shoulders, which is about the worst place in which to attempt to tackle the Canterbury skipper. Once or twice he must have caused the Sydney backs a lot of anxiety as they saw him slipping through the forwards. Helmore was well-supported by Harden, who did a lot of work, backing up most persistently and collaring most accurately. Once he get to within a couple of yards or so of the Sydney line before he was stopped ; and then Helmore followed suit with a rush. Sutherland got the pass and transferred the leather to Francis, who wag in a good position to pot. For once this fine kicking back was at fault, and the ball did not rise more than a couple of yards off the ground. A sorrowful groan was heard all round the ground at the failure. It was just after this that the Sydney men drew fourth the applause of the spectators by their p-ay. The forwards seemed to puU themselves together, and for a short space had a little the best of it. Bellbridge broke through the Canterbury men and commenced a magnificent dodgy run, which carried him safely through the backs and up to the half-way flag, where he was wor3ted by Webb. Immediately afterwards Walker made the run of the day. Slipping past the forwards before they seemed to be aware of his intention, he passed man after man, fending with great force. He commenced his run close to his own goal line and had travelled almost up to the Canterbury 25-flag when he passed, but not to one of his own men but to an opponent, and the advantages which might have proved invaluable to the visitors was lost in next to no time. They were then on the defensive, and continued to be so until the end of the spell. About a quarter of an hour before time Wilson was shifted from full back up to three-quarter, Webb taking his place. This change was probably made with the intention of giving the North Canterbury lad — for he is only about 17 years of age — a chance at potting. He did make one attempt, and with his left foot sent the ball unpleasantly close to the posts. Francis also had another shot at goal from a pass by Helmore. He eluded several opponents and made a lightning kick, which only missed by aboub- a yard. From this to the finish of the game nothing occurred calling for comment. The play was confined-almost exclusively to the forwards, who pegged away with undiminished vigour uutil the referee's whistle sounded no side. The game needs but few remarks. The wind rendered good play an impossibility, for with half a gale blowing neither kicking nor passing could be done with any certainty. In the first spell the Sydney men went in for long passing with but poor result, for the Christchurch forwards generally reached the man to whom the pass was made as soon as the /Wl. Canterbury played tf forward game, the tfiree-quarter backs standing idle the greater part of the afternoon. They received but few passes, as the local men did next to nothing in this direction. Dribbling was their game, and some of their rushes swept the opposing forwards clean away. Belbridge, Shortus, Allan, Reid, Colquhoun, Caird, M'Arthur, and Walker flayed the best game for the visitors. In the evening the team were entertained at a smoke concert at Warner's Assembly Rooms. There was a large attendance of footballers, and a pleasant evening was spent. Austin and Shaw expect to be sufficiently recovered to .play against Otago on Saturday.

The New South Wales footballers have decided not to play at Oamaru nor at Invercargill. A very bitter feeling exists here (writes our Auckland correspondent on the 7th ult.), not only in football circles but in the community generally, over the unhandsome and ungenerous conduct of the Wellington footballers. At the banquet given to them here at the conclusion of the match, they one and all expressed themselves as perfectly satisfied with the treatment they had received and the way in which the friendly contest had been carried out. Scarcely had they turned their backs upon their Auckland entertainers than they commenced to libel them. Itwill be some time to come before another Wellington

team is feted and lionised as the one which recently visited us, all classes doing their best to accord honour to the Southerners.