CANTERBURY v..OTAGO. VICTORY CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2013, 22 September 1892, Page 30

CANTERBURY v.. OTAGO. VICTORY CANTERBURY.

The annual football match between representatives of Canterbury and Otago was played on Saturday afternoon on the Caledonian ground. The field of play was in splendid ordfir and the weather was fine, but half a gale of wind blew up the harbour across the ground, giving the side which defended the eastern goal a considerable advantage. There was a very large attendance of spectators, by whom the most intelligent interest was taken in the play — though, if the truth be told, the predilections of a considerable section of them for tho home team so warped their good judgment that they were unable to see anything worthy of applause in the play except on the part of Otago men. The success of the Canterbury team in the north caused their chances to be regarded with unusual favour, but the consensus of opinion nevertheless was that they would have to yield to their opponents on this occasion. How the anticipations of the bulk of tho public in this regard were not realised will be 6een from the report of the play. The teams were composed as follows :—: — Canterbury. Otago. (Reds.) (Blue*.) FULL BACKS. st lb st lb F. Hobbs ... 11 0 T.King 11 9 THREE-QUARTERS. G. Lee 12 4 W. Burnside ... 10 9 A. Hobbs ... 10 4 A. Downes ... 11 6 W. Balch ... 12 0 A. Laurenson ... 11 i HALVES. G.Forbes ... 11 2 0. Crawfurd ... 10 6 W. Price ... 9 8 W. J. Gran ... 12 0 FORWARDS. L. Ebevt 12 0 J. Duncan ... 12 0 J. Stokes , ... 12 10 Or. M'Laren ... 12 12 F. Childs ... 11 4 J. Baker 13 8 A. Ebert 13 0 D. Torrance ... 12 5 W.Samuels ... 12 0 J.R.Montgomery 13 8 J. M'Kendry ... 12 0 J.Campbell ... 12 0 A. Johnstone ... 12 2 It. D. Isaacs ... 12 4 W. LeOren ... 12 OG. Turton ... 12 8 R. Matheson ... 11 10 W. Johnston ... 12 0 In the matter of weight the Blues had an advantage in both divisions, their backs averaging llsb 31b and their forwards 12st 81b, while the average weight of the Canterbury team was list lib for the backs and 12st lib for the forwards. j Mr W. Wyinks acted as referee and kept the players strictly to the laws. His task was no easy one, for largely owing to the prevalence of the strong wind, minor infringements were very frequent during the match. Messrs A. White (Canterbury) and F. Harper (Otago) were the touch judges. Forbes, the visitors' captain, beat Montgomery in the spin of the coin, aud of course decided to give his team the benefit of the wind behind them for the first spell. The game was started at 8 minutes past 3, and the Otago forwards burst at once into the Reds' quarters, till Lee by a speculating kick sent the

ball past the quarter-distance. A free kick for off side produced no advantage to the visitors, as one of their number was in front of A. Hobbs when he kicked, but Balch was instrumental in shifting past the centre, and fast work took the ball down to King, who ran for some distance, but then missed his kick. Laurenson was handy, however, and, with a sharp kick, he sent the ball to the Canterbury full back, whose return went to King, and the latter dropped into touch. Balch missing the ball when it came to him shortly after this had the Blues' forwards, with Isaacs at their head, on to him in an instant, aud the play was in this way shifted past the half-distance flag. Some admjrable passing by Price, Forbes, Hobbs, and Lee, Whose skill was cordially recognised by the public, took the ball down the field, and A. Hobbs carried it well inside the Blues' twenty -five, but a serviceable kick by Burnside put it into touch outside the home territory, and another by Cran sent it past the centre. The Reds' forwardß worked the ball down the touch line for a short distance, and hard kicking by one of the visitors sent it over the home line, a force down being recorded. After the kick out, smart play by Laurenson sent the ball out about the centre, where some attempted passing by the visitors was spoilt by the strong wind. A. Johnsfcone (Canterbury) dribbled into the Blues' quarters, and Downes mulling a pass the home team had an anxious moment, but Laurenson came to the rescue with a smart kick out of bounds. The play went on about "tiie centre, where the ball was heeled out of a scrum to Forbes, whom Cran immediately tackled, andmker dribbled it away to Lee, who kicked hurriedly and backed up. The wind carried the ball down to King, whose return was extremely weak, and Lee securing possession dashed over the line near the corner, Burnsido darting in to tackle him just as he dropped. Balch took the kick, but from the difficult angle could not get the ball near the goal. On play being resumed, there was some sevore work about the centre, until a pass let Balch away, and as the Canterbury player got into full stride the supporters of Ofcago quaked in their shoes, but King tackled him cleverly and stopped his career inside the Blues' quarterdistance. Duncan and W Johnston regained some ground for Ofcago in the rather straggling play that followed, after which Duncan, by smart following up, shifted the ball into the Reds' territory, where it did not long remain, however, as a kick by Forbes drove it outside the quarter-distance flag into touch. The Reds had resource to kicking, and with the wind behind them, thus transferred the play to the Otago half, but the operations were confined to the touch line, aud were far from interesting, while the half backs finding it a matter of extreme difficulty to get the ball thrown in straight, as it was carried hither aud thither by the wind the referee's whistle was in great requisition. Smart play by Duncan, followed by a dash from Cran, shifted to the Reds' quarter-dis-tance, but a free lnck to the visitors, on account of W. Johnston (Obago) being off-side, which was, although this happened about the visitors' own quarters, placed for F. Hobbs, resulted in a force down. When the ball was brought out, the spectators were fairly aroused to enthusiasm by brilliant passing by some of the home team, which gained fully three-fourths of the field for them. Torrance got away with the ball from a pack and passed to Cran, who, after running till he encountered opposition, transferred to Downes, from whom it went on to Laurenson, from the latter to Johnston, back to Cran, and finally to Laurenson, who was brought down when the coveted line was only a few yards off. Judicious kicking by the visitors and foolish passing by the home players resulted in the play being shifted past the centre, and A. Johnstone (Canterbury) dribbled on into the Blues' quarters. There Price obtained possession, and threw quickly to Forbes, who served A. Hobbs, and the latter, making a rush for the line, fell justbeforehereached it, but recovering himself transferred sharply to Childs, from whom the ball went to Balch, and the latter dropped across. F. Hobbs was entrusted with the kick, but failed to register the major points. After the kick out, the Reds, by good passing on the part of their forwards, bore down into their opponents' quarters, where Balch had the ball passed to him but was immediately grassed. Cran tried hard to get away, but his pass, intended for Laurenson, fell into the hands of Balch, who, however, slipped as soon as he got it, and the play went on about the quarter distance, until a kick from Balch produced a forcedown against Ofcago. Only a couple of minutes remained till half-time, and in this short period a further 6core, which, as it afterwards turned out was the winning score, was made against Otago, for F. Hobb3 had the ball placed for him near the touch line about the centre from a free kick, and with a splendid effort he sent it straight between the posts. -Almost immediately after this tho whistle went for half-time, the scoro being— Canterbury, 7 poiuts ; Otago, nil. It was expected, however, by those who wore acquainted with the possibilities of the Otago team's play that, with the wind behind them in the second spell, they would have no difficulty in wiping off their deficiency. That these expectations were not fulfilled will be Been from the account of the play in the second spell, though had advantage been taken of the opportunities which offered tho Blues should have comfortably headed the visitors' score. The kick-off went into touch about the Blues' quarters, and a smart kick by Cran, who had the ball passed to him when it came into play, sent it back out of bounds at the centre. Laurenson and Duncan between them fumbling let the Reds into the home territory, where the ball was secured by A. Hobbs, who made a bold dash for the line, and looked dangerously like scoring. The attack was staved off, however, and Downes obtaining possession ran through the Reds' forwards and got clean away. Getting to the full back he bounced the ball from his knee over that player's head, but he was grassed at tho same time, and, no one backing him up, F. Hobbs got his kick into touch about the Canterbury twenty-five. The play did not, however, remain there long, for the Reds' forwards, getting on side through the ball, after being kicked by one of their number behind them, touching an Otago player, rushed it up the field, and it was kicked across to Lee, who gathered nicely and ran powerfully up to the Blues' twenty-five, where King and Burnside between them stopped his progress. M'Laren was mainly instrumental in having the play shifted back to the centre, aud a kick from Laurenson, backed up by Baker and Duncan, took the ball down to F. Hobbs, who saved his side. With the play in the Reds' quarters A. Hobbs took the ball off side, and Burnside had it placed for him wifchin fair range, but his kick lacked direction. After the drop out the play was between the centre and the Reds' quarter-distance for some time, whence W. Johnston (Otago) got away and passed to Burnside, who, after dodging two men, could have got in when he let the ball slip away from him. The Reds' forwards worked back to neutral territory, and the Blues' endeavours to open up the play proved unavailing. On one occasion Laurenson passed out to Downes, who threw ou to Burnside, but the latter was called back for a pass forward, and the novel and unedifyiug spectacle was presented of Mr Wyinks, whose fairness as a referee is abso-

utely unquestionable, being hooted all round the ring by the Otago crowd. By united dribbling the Blues' forwards worked the ball well within their opponents' territory ; but the visitors exhibited splendid defensive powers, while the home team sacrificed chance after chance by muffing the ball. The play got very uninteresting, and it was disheartening to the supporters of Otago to see that a long kick from Downos down to the Canterbury full back was not followed up promptly, and the latter was allowed to run to the twenty-five flag before he was tackled. Laurenson missed a good show by not taking the ball when it went to him, and immediately afterwards, when that player got away along the touch line, he was not backed up. "Crawfurd was the next to makeadash, but his pass wasnottaken, and some scrummaging took place in the Reds' quarters, from which the ball came out to Downes, who, running across, dropped,;and with a well judged kick screwed it fairly botween the posts. There was loud cheering at this score, which it was hoped would arquse the Blues to increased efforts. Wifchin a few minutes of the kick-off the Rods submitted to two force downs from long kicks. A. Hobbs' kick-out, after the latter of these, went to Downes, who marked, but his high return was not followed up smartly. Isaacs and W. Johnston tried to break through, but a pass from the latter to Downes was fumbled, and the Reds burst away to the centre. ll There Matheson got loose and passed to A. Hobbs, who sent the ball on to Lee, and the latter in a strong run was missed by King, ■ but was tackled from behind immediately afterwards, and the ball was secured by Montgomery, who kicked down tho field, and an exchange between F. Hobbs and Laureuson left it at the centre. W. Johnston next kicked down' to the visitors' full back, who made a fine run, which took him past the half-way,' flag' before Duncan collared him, and tho same player again held the Blues in chick,, when W. Johnston dribbled into the Reds' quarters a few minutes latsr. Play along the touch line saw the operations shifted to tlie Ofcago half, but Crawfurd, Baker, M'Laren, and Duncan between them removed it to the Reds' quarters, where there was some uninteresting'play along the, touch line before Burnside kicked across the field to F. Hobbs, whose return went to Downes, and the latter running bounced it over the full back's head, but Lee was about and" touched down. There now remained only about ,10 minutes more, and the Blues had all the appearance of being a beaten team. The play went on chiefly in the Reds' territory, but' Qrawfurd and Laurenson were not supported' in aiv endeavour to get through. Then the home team had a good chance, for, through the ball flying off Hobbs' toe and being blown into touch' in goal, a scrum was formed outside the Reds' line. On the ball coming out it was thrown' across Co Burnside, but a groan of despair from tho spectators proclaimed that he had fumbled it, and the opportunity was sacrificed, the play/going on at the touch line. The visitors' defence being found to be impregnable the Blues had recourse to attempting to kick goals from the field." *W. Johnston obtained a smart mark at a'difficult angle and the ball was placed for Torrance, who sent it, however, outside the posts, a force down resulting. The kick out went to Laurenson, who, in response to cries /of "Pot^"/ dropped at goal, but his effort was unsuccessful, and then Crawfurd obtained a mark on a line out. Laurenson had the place kick, and,^ unfortunately for Otago, when the ball seemed to be going straight for the goal a gusfc of wind carried it well outside the posts. After the 1 kick out Downes secured a mark, and tne ball being punted high and followed up 'there was a scrummage formed close under' the visitors' goal, but when the ball came out there was the inevitable fumbling, and 1 the Reds Bhifted it to a less dangerous place, where it was when the whistle was blown for " no' sjde," Canterbury winning by a goal and" two tries (7 points) to a goal (4 points). r The match wag jfor.an encounter of its kind singularly devoid of }nsdent, and the play at times was not better " than such as is seen in second-class contests. There can be no doubt, however, that the Canterbury players won fairly 6n the merits; of the play. Their northern tour hlid given them a combination which was 'sadly lacking in the home team, and in various respects in which the Otago teams have wjthin recent years manifested a , superiority over them they showed marked improvement. Their forwards fairly beat their -opponents, and this was the first factor in their.success of the afternoon. It would be impossible, howdvor, to over-estimate the value of the defensive play of their backs in the second spell, and the full back, F. Hobbs, is in particular entitled to the highest praise for his splendid, exhibition, ; $c has played against Otago before this," but without showing more than average powers. Qn Saturday, however, ho gaye one of tho finest expositions of back play that "pus been seen in Duuedin. His tackling was sound and fris kicking excellent, while against the wind ho adopted the judicious game of running as much as possible, until, at all events, he tjoujd depend upon getting tho ball into touch. Throughout tho game he played witty admjrablo judgment, and he was undoubtedly "the most prominent figure in the contest.' A. Hobbs' play in the centre was of great value, and many rushes and runs were cleverly stopped by him. Lee and Balch did good service, the former, who is not so fast as the latter but more difficult to stop, being the more" noticeable ; and the two half backs, besides initiating the passing on their Bide, were very reliable. Of a splendid lot of working forwards, the brothers Ebert, Le Cren, and' Matheson were the pick, while Johnstone proved himself' to be a rattling good wing player. The play of the Ofcago representatives was exceedingly disappointing, and some of those from whom' much was expected did not exhibit anything like their club form. Duncan, usually so brilliant in following up, was hardly ever noticeable in this respect in the second spell, and Montgomery, generally so successful in breaking away, from the line, was never once allowed tp got off. The short passes which have come to be regarded as a feature of Otago forward play were conspicuous only by their absence, and. experienced players, when they got the ball, actually did not appear to know what to do with it. M'Laren, Isaacs, Torrance, and Turfcon played hard throughout the game, but Esquilant was sadly missed. Baker shone occasionally, and Johnston's play had little of its customary dash about it. The latter was played as an extra half back in the second spell and did good service, but the efforts to get the ball away from the forwards were rarely successful, and when they were successful they were nullified by fumbling. Crawfurd has seldom been so inconspicuous in an important match, his play being smothered to a large extent ; and while Cran was not free from the general malady of muffing, he made some smart runs^ ap.d did' good service with his tackling. In the centre, Downes played well on the whole,' akd his potted goal was a nice piece of work ; but Laurenson, notwithstanding that he fumbled a good deal, was the^most noticeable of thd backs, and several times were, the team helped out of a difficulty by him. Burnside did not display much judgment, and neither did King, who certainly gave the Reds their first try.

The following shows the results of thd matches played between the two provinces :—

1877— At Christchurch— Otago won by two triea to nil. 1878— At Dunedin— Drawn, no score. 1879— At Christchurch — Drawn, no score. 1880— At Dunedin— Drawn, one tiy each. 1881— At Chrißtchurch— Otago won by one goal and one try to nil. IS32— At Mosgiel— Ofcago won by five goals and throe tries to nil.

188'}— At Christchurch— Otago won by ono goal and throe tries to 7iil.

ISSi — At Dunedin— Canterbury won by one goal to one try. ISSo -At Christchurch— Canterbury won by one goal and two tries to nil. ISSIi— At Dunedin— Drawn, no score. 18S7— At Christchurch— Drawn, one goal each. 18S8— At Dunedin— Otago won by one goal and four tries to nil.

ISS9— At Christchurch— Otago won by three, goals to one try. 1890— At Dunedin— Ofago won by two goals and three tries to one goal and one try. 1891— At Christchurch— Otago won by three goals to one goal. 1892— At Dunedin— Canterbury won by one goal and two tries to one goal.