THE WELLINGTON TEAM'S TOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2319, 11 August 1898, Page 43

THE WELLINGTON TEAM'S TOUR.

A WIN AGAINST HAWKE'S BAY. The interprovincial football match Wellington v. Bawke's Bay was played on the 4th in glorious weather. There wa*> a ar,»e attendance. The game throughout was very even, and distinguished by open play. Wellington kicked ofF, and for the first portion of 'the spell pressed the local men into their twenty-five. The rallying ot the Hawke's Bay forwards prevented Wellington scoring. When the ball was being put uito the scrum close to the home line, M'Guire seized it and touched down behind the Hawko's Bay goal posts, the referee's whistle not being blown. Hawko's Bay protested, and the manager of the Wellington team came on to the ground, and declared it was no try, since the ball had never been put into the scrum. After tin's escape, the local men rallied, and Wrigley got over the Wellington lino. The score was not increased by tho place kick. Open play followed, and some fine passing by the visitors resulted m Curtis scoring a\ry. The kick (from a. dithcult angle) failed. The visitors followed up their success by several fine rushes, and O'Brien secured a try, which waa not converted. The spell ended:' Wellington. 6 points; Hawke's Bay, 3. On the re-uiir.pt cm of play, Hawke's Bay assumed U-e aggro-~;ive, and Wellington was forced down twice, bus tho good defence of the backs prevented a score. A capital bit of passing h* y,'r\%U>.y, Woods, and Hallamore, of the low! team, increased the Hawke's Bay's score by anothei three points, the kirk failing. Open play followed, the ball trivollmg from end to ond of the ground, but the s-.iporior cnr^bip'ttion of Wellington ended in M'Guive scorut". The local men now pressed Wellington vory hard, and were within an aco of scoring. Wrigley potted at goal from the field, but the ball just fell wide. The spell ended t-non afterwards. Scores : Wellington, 9 points. Hawke's Bay, 6 points.

The combination of the visitors won them the game, the local men being deficient^ in this department. For the visitors, Warwick, Kelly, M'Guire, Manson, and O'Brien were prominent, and among the local men Wrigley,

Woods. Tuiere, Kelly, and Hallamore did well. It was, however, a poor exposition of rcpiecentative football.