NOTES BY FORWARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2010, 1 September 1892, Page 30

NOTES BY FORWARD.

The following wire came to hand just as these pages were going to press:—" Gore Football Club record. The statement that trore beat Clinton by 6 points to 2 is incorrect. Clinton defeated Gore by 6 points to 2. _ The inter-county match, Vincent v.Maniototo, was played at Clyde on Saturday and resulted in a draw, neither side scoring. A Naseby correspondent writes to me :— " It was a most interesting and exciting contest from beginning to end, and the play, I am sure, would not have disgraced senior teams. Our team was composed purely of Naseby players, and instead of the match being Maniototo v. Vincent it was really Naseby v. Vincent County, the team representing the latter comprising the best men of the Cromwell, Alexandra, Bannockburn, Clyde, and Matakanui Clubs. The feeling up-country previous to the match was that the game would be rather tight but that Vincent would win by 4 or 5 points ; and i that was also my own opinion. The Maniototo forwards, although nearly a stone lighter, were much more active than their opponents, and quite smothered the opposing backs, and M'Lennan (who has earned a great reputation for himself up-country) was unable to do anything wonderful. The Vincent backs on the whole, however, were superior to the Maniototo. The game was very fast throughout, all the men being in good condition, and the unanimous opinion of the spectators was that it was the best exhibition of the game ever seen in the district." The same correspondent informs me that country footballers note with great satisfaction that the Rugby Union tour is to eventuate this season. The programme drawn up, howover, is not altogether satisfactory, he says. For instance,' he contends that it is ridiculous to ask the Matakanui men to go to Naseby— 40 miles distant— and the only way to get over the difficulty is by agreeing to play both clubs separately. . , The first of the O.R.F.U. trial matches, to determine the team to do battle against Southland and Canterbury, was played on the Caledonian ground on Saturday. Several of the picked players were unavoidably absent, and the teams that ultimately took the field were : —

Blues: Holt, Laurenson, Downes, Stevenson (Taieri), Orawfurd, Stephenson (Dunedin), Montgomery, Isaacs, Turton, Esquilant, Baker, Torrance, Findlay, Johnston, Duncan. COLOURS : King, Richardson, Porteous, Taiaroa, Burnside, Caradus, Campbell. Garside Millar, Crawshaw, Priest, Beadle, M'Laren (Kaikorai), M'Laren (Alhambra), Ross (University). The play from the start was fast and furious. Laurenson showed up with a good run, outpacing the opposing backs, and Johnston shortly afterwards scored near the posts. The Colours retaliated with a good dribbling and passing rush, and Millaf scored near the corner flag. Some pretty passing was shown by the Blues backs, and Duncan scored. The Colours forwards held their own, and Porteous scored after a good run. Shortly before half-time Johnston scored his second try. The game then stood— Blues, 12 points; Colours, 4 points. In the second spell the game was very even. Baker, Torrance, and Esquilant scored for the Blues, and Priest (2) and Porteous for the Colours. The final result of the game— Blues, 21 poiflte ; Colours, 16 points. The game was a good exposition of Rugby football, the play being of a very high order .throughout. The attention of the large number of spectators present was sustained to the end. Every player was on his mettle, and there was an entire absence of the objectionable practice of club men playing to each other at tho expense of others. Com-, paring the opposing forwards, the Blues were cleverer with the ball, and took advantage of every opening— their passing aid following up evoking loud praises at times. What they lacked in skill, the Colours' forwards counterbalanced by their extra hard work, and with the Blues' backs the result of the game might have been different. An impression was abroad that several prominent forwards were piano playing. Whether they played to suit the Match Committee is another story, which might be published next week. »• Why don't our forwards dribble more ?" was the cry of the old stager who remembered the days when Otago players swept the field from one end to another, with the ball at their toes. The old stager also knows how difficult it is to stop a good passing, dribbling rush ; and it might be a wet day arter all. Holt as full back did fairly well, but the wiles of the town player evidently perplexed him. Crawfurd, Downes, and Laurenson did splendid work all through, and both Stevenson (Taieri) and Stephenson (Dunedin) played hard. Burnside (for the Colours) made' a very favourable impression, his" gathering and collaring being clean and Bure. Caradus worked hard, and Porteous ran and kicked well. Taiaroa and King did not have many opportunities. Of the forwards, Johnston and Duncan were always to the fore on the Blues' side, while Esquilant, Isaacs, Torrance, Montgomery, Turton, and Baker kept hard on the ball throughout. The most prominent of the Colours' forwards were M'Laren (Alhambra), Millar (who has, however, a bad habit of handballing on the line), Beadle, and Campbell. Summarising the scoring, Johnston obtained two tries, and Duncan, Esquilant, Baker, and Torrance one each for the Blues, for whom Laurenson kicked three goals; and for the Colours, Priest and Porteous each obtained two tries and Miller got one, while Priest and Porteous placed a goal apiece. The officials were Mr W. D. Milne, who held the whistle, aud Messrs F. Harper and A. S. Wedderspoon, who acted as line umpires. A mixed team from the Taieri journeyed to Milton on Saturday to play the Milton Club. The visitors mustered only 13 men, but as the half backs, threequarter backs, and three of the forwards were seniors, it was expected the Taieri would have the best of the game, and so it proved, at least in the first spell. The smart play of the Taieri backs resulted in Milton being forced down shortly.after the start. Before the close of the spell Mackie ran in and scored for Taien, and a goal was kicked from it, the teams crossing over with the Taieri 5 points, Milton nil. In the eecond spell Milton played uphill, but with the breeze behind them. The Taieri halves having proved too many for the Toko, pair, Parlane was shifted from wing threequarter and took his place behind the scrum, which greatly equalised the play. Shortly after kick off, Parlane scored for Milton, and in quick succession J. M'Donald, W. M 'Donald, andW M'Lauchlan ran in. None of the tries were enhanced, and thus Milton won a hard fought game by 8 ptints to 5. Fernhill beat Richmond by 13 points (1 goal 4 tries) to 5 points (1 goal). Fernhill Second beat Mormngton School by 22 points to nil. , . At Wellington the Wanganui Collegiate School beat Wellington College by the large score of 38 points to nil. The Wellington junior team beat Wairarapa juniors by 7 to 2. The match between the crack junior teams of Dunedin and Christchurch, played at Christchurch on Saturday, resulted m the Cam-

bridge beating the Pacific by Bevcn points to two. In the first spell Cambridge had much the best of the play, while in the second the game was even. W. Thompson scored for the Dunedin men.

Tho following teams have been chosen for next Saturday's Trial Match :— Blues.— Full back— Holt ; three-quartor-backs —Laurenson, Downes, Burnside; naif backs— Grawfurd, Gran ; forwards— Baker, Johnston, Duncan, Montgomery (captain), Torrance, Isaacs, Findlay, Turton, Campbell. Colours.— Full back— Marshall : three-quarter-backs—Richardson, Winthrop, Portcous ; half backs — Caradus, Davis ; forwards — Beadle (captain), G. M'Laren, Garside, lloss, Millar, Priest. Pram, Goo. Allan, M'Laren (Kaikorai), Esquilant. . Reserves.— King, Stevenson (laieri), Stephen* 'son (Dunedin), M'Don&ld (Taieri), Robertson O'Neill.