AUCKLAND v. OTAGO. A DRAWN GAME.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 50

AUCKLAND v. OTAGO. A DRAWN GAME.

(By O'je Special Reportee.) AUCKLAND, September 1. The interprovincial football match Auckland v. Otago, which has excited the keenest interest here, was played to-day under conditions which were more favourable to the concealment of true form than otherwise. E.uu had fallen steadily from shortly- after midnight until midday, and although the weather broke for ' a time, then rain commenced again before the afternoon was well advanced," Notwithstanding this, the attendance at Potter's! paddock numbered about 6000, the grand stand and auxiliary stand, holding between them 2300 people, were crowded, and there was a thick cordon oi spectators right round the ring. The public were treated to what, under all the circumstances, was a splendid exposition of football, and to a grand contest between two evenlymatched teams. Contrary to general expectation, the Otago forwards were beaten by their opponents, who proved a particularly good combination; but the visiting backs •played in great style, and it was generally conceded that they were immensely superior as a whole to the Auckland back division. The honours of the game among the backs unquestionably belonged to Mackenzie, who played the game of his life, and greatly impressed local followers of the game. His kicking was faultier, and with his longdrops and punts he never failed to make use of the touch line. His tackling and stopping al»o wero performed without a mistake. He fielded safely, and ran with good judgment. Wallace also kicked splendidly, and his long punts into touch gained great stretches of ground for his side. Duncan showed all his old ability in captaining the visitors, and though he Mas the object of very clo^e attention from tho home team, did splendid work for his side, frequently stopping dangerous rushes fearlessly and effectively, while it was largely due to his judgment in making aii opening that the Blues obtained their score. "The other backs were not so conspicuous, but all did excellent work in stopping the Auckland forward rushes, and Stephenson has not been seen to better advantage this season, while Adams came through a trying ordeal very creditably, his only mis^ikc being in looking for a pass when Tyler scored for Auckland in the firdt spell. Among the Blue -forwards Cross, Muiwo, and Porteous were^most frequently conspicuous, the first-mentioned playing n very hard game. The Auckland wing forwards proved very troublesome, 'and their activity led to some disagreeable exchanges on the side of the scrummages.. One of them (Doran) was prominent in most of the rushes by hia side, and Wilson and Tyler wero about the most serviceable of the rest. The back division of the Auckland team compared unfa's ourably, as already mentioned, with Otago players: but Kiernan played a, really good game, and vas well supported' by Riley. The three-quarter backs did not play up to expectations, Harrison and M'Pike making only one or two dashes in the game, and Donovan, who playod fullback in place of Hay, the latter having injured his ankle in training, was rather ph. iky in that responsible position. The ; complete teams* were: — | Auckland (Blue and White). — Full back, Donovan ; three-quarter backs — Harrison, j M'Giegor, M'Pike; half backs, Eiley and Kiernan; forwards — Gallagher, Doran (wings), Erady, Irvine, Cunningham, H. Wilson, Al'Gregor, A. Wilson, Tyler. Otago (Blue). — Full back, Adorns; threequarter backs — Mackenzie, Booth, Stephenson ; half backs — Duncan, Wallace, Aimstrong ; forwards — Munro, Spiers, Mitchell, Cioss, Murphy, Burt, Porteous, M'Kewen. « Mr Syme, cf Taranaki, made an impartial referee. Messrs F. Edwardo (Auckland) and A. Hobson (Otago) were touch judge', and Dr Cle^e Erson acted as timekeeper. Borrihon, winning the toss, took advantage i for the first spell of a light puff of wind, which, however, shortly died away. Murphy kicked off for Otago, and an exchange of kicks left the ball outside tho Blues' twentyfive, Avhere Riley marked in loose work, and placed for A. Wilton, who-»o attempt at goal was v/cakj Stophcnson leturniiiß- into taiush.

The line-out was followed by a scrum, in which Auckland secured the ball, and Kiernnn passed to Harrison, but the latter kicked foolishly over the line, and the Blues forced down. M'Gregor returned the kick out, and' play continued in Otago half until judicious line kicking by Burt, Wallace, and Mackenzie helped their side past the centre, whence Duncan broke away, and Donovan, mulling the ball, was tackled by the visiting captain. Doran dribbled back, and Auckland gained further in an exchange of kicks ; but the Blues' van ran over their opponents in the loose work, and Donovan again fumbling the home plffyers were driven across their line, where they touched down. When play was resumed, it was confined for some time to neutral territory, but serviceable kicks into touch by Mackenzie and Stephenson helped the Blues up the field, and M'Kewen, breaking away with the ball at his foot, got past Donovan, while Booth kicked over the line, but wns beaten by Harri&on in the race for the ball. The kick out was weakly returned by Adams, but the Blues gained ground in loose work. Kiernan took a free kick awarded to Auckland, but Wallace, who was making fine use of the . line, returned splendidly, and a rush of Blue forwards, in which M'Kewen was again in the van, carried the ball over the home line, another force down being- recorded. Auckland attacked determinedly after the kick out, the forwards, who were playing with capital combination, doing good work;- while Kiernan and Ililey were prominent in some exciting play, which, terminated in being tackled in front of the goal. The ball was heeled out of a scrummage by the Blue forwards, and Armstrong threw to Stephenson, who relievod the pressure with a- punt into touch. In a scrummage almost immediately afterwards Kiernan bored through with the ball, and then passed to Harrison, who ran btrongly down the line, but was /well tackled by. Adams and Booth a few yards from the line. Porteous relieved with a timely kick into touch, and Mackenzie supplemented with a kick to the centre flag. A lot of line out play followed, and then the Auckland forwards burst through to the Blues' twenty-five, where, froiii a throw in, Irvine dashed away and transferred'to Tyler, who slipped past Adams and scored a try for the home team about half an hour from the commencement of plaj'. A. Wilson made a poor effort to convert the score. A force down was registered against Oiago immediately after this, and Doran returned again to the charge with a good dribble. Fumbling by M'Pike gave the Blurs breathing room, but the homo tc-pm, wlio'c forwards were continuing to phow fine concerted play, were speedily swarming again in front of the Otago goal, until Mackenzie (almost single-handed) cleared the lines and removed" play past the centre, and the ball was in mid-field when the bell rang for halftime.

The second spell was commenced in a heavy downpour of rain, and at the outset Otago assumed the aggressive. The game had hardly been re-started when Burt received such ti severe kick on the ankle a« to necessitate a retirement, his place, by, the consent of the Auckland captain, being taken by A damson. Tho Blue attack upon the Auckland line was headed by Cross,- but the local forward.?, bysmart r work along the touch-line, gradually cleared their quarters, and then with a iino , rush, swept' up the field and had passed Adams before they were checked, Wallace relieving with a good kick. The Auckland forwards once again swept up the field, and some hot work ensued in front of the Blues? goal. Doran nearly got over, but dropped the ball when he reached the goal-post, and Otago forced down. After the kick-out Wallace and Stephenson, by good work, placed the local players on the defensive, and the ball came out to Mackenzie, who, misjudging the distance, caused Auckland to force down with a punt which was intended for touch. Cross did precisely tho same ■thing upon receiving the ball from the ensuing kick-out. After the ball had been brought out again Otago continued to press their opponents, and from a scrum in front of the line Armstrong whipped out to Duncan, who threw to Mackenzie, and the • latteix* reached the line," but was tackled by two or three local players, and could not ground the ball. Auckland aained ground in the line-out play, and though the Otago backs tried hard to get through, they were met/ with a stubborn defence. Auckland secured a free kick for intentional off-side play by Stephenson, and this gave the team relief, after which A. Wilson, Doran, and / Tyler headed an almost irresistible rush, but Adams pluckily .-.topped it, and then M'Kewen, Cross, and Porte,ous were prominent in a-drib-bling' rush back,' M'Pike coming to the rescue of his side. The Blues were, however, playing with great determination, and presently their opportunity came. Armstrong secured the ball from a scram, ami placed Dunca-n in possession. The Otago captain puzzled the local backs by throwing the ball beyond "Wallace to Booth, and the latter sent it on to Mackenzie, who vva(b tackled by Donovan, but swung himjeli clear and dropped across the line, scoring a good try near the touch-line. Wallace found the greasy ball too difficult to kick a goal, t«ie ball skimming outside the posts. Half of the second spell had now gone. Wilson's kick-out was twice ordered back, whereupon he made a short drop, and the Auckland forwards following up smartly, carried the play to Otago tertito,ry, whence Mackenzie removed it with a fine kick. Tho Blues momentarily attacked, but the local team with a brilliant rush swept up the field, and the ball was fieely thrown about by the Auckland backs in front of the Otago gool. The Blues detendecl stubbornly, and a chance kick beat off the iiivaI sion and removed the play to the centre flag, in the vicinity of which it remained for some time. Eventually the ball was passed out by I Riley to M'Pike, who made a strong rim, but ! was thrown into touch in the Otago twentyfive. - The Blue forwards, with M'Kewen in the van, relieved the pressure by, good loose play, and got to mid-field, whence Duncan went 6n with the ball before him, but he kicked too Hard and Auckland forced. About this time Munro retired with blood streaming down both cheeks from a cut on the forehead, produced by a collision with an Auckland forward, who was swung round on the lineout, the back of his head coming into violent contact with Munro's face. There only remained about 10 minutes to play, but Munro, after having his head bound up, pluckily resumed his place. The game went on for some while in neutral ground, bul a free kick let Auckland up to the Olago twenty-five flag.

Kiernan marked and dropped at goal, but tha kick was weak, and the Otago forwards, who . were improving as the game drew to a conclusion and were wearing down their opponents, once more assumed the aggressive, and the home players were busy defending when the bell rang for the close of play. Auckland ... 3 points. Otago ... 3 points. Results of Previous Matches. The following shows the results of all matches played between Auckland and Otago representative teams: — 1875 — At Dunetlin — Otago won by nine and a-half points to half a point. 1877 — At Auckland — Drawn, no score. 1883 — At Dtmedin — Drawn, no score. 3837 — At Auckland — Auckland won by 1 goal and 2 tries (5 points) to nil. 1889— At Dunedin— Drawn, 1 goal (3 points) each. 1895 — At Dunedin — Otago won by 2 goals and 1 try (11 points) to 1 goal and 1 try (8 points). 1896 — At Auckland— Otago won by 1 goal and 1 try (8 points) to nil. 1899 — At Dunedin— Auckland won by 1 goal and 3 tries (13 points) to 1 try (3 points). 1900— At Auckland— Drawn, 1 try (3^ points), each. September 3. The play in Saturday's interprovincial -match has impressed local critics with the effectiveness of the southern half-back system, and "Lynx," who is the writer of Football , Notes in the. Herald, observes this morning that the three half-back game provides better football and does away with the wrangling that is invariably introduced where wing- forwards are played. The same autho-^ rifcy, commenting on- the play in Saturday's match, says: — "Taken on the .whole, the Auckland front row men had a bit' the best; I of it in hooking the ball, but there waa nofe much in this either way, the department ml ! which they dearly outclassed their opponents being in the concerted forward rushesAgain and again they screwed the scrum 3 and swept down the field in a comriact body with the ball at their feet, gaining lots o£ valuable ground for their side. Individual members of the Otago side also often brofcet away with the ball at their feet, but they; i lacked the concerted action -of the AuckI landers, and consequently their forward! I rushes were not as effective. There was not much to pick raid choose in the line-out work, though on the whole the locals seemed fca have gained more ground from their line play than the Otagonians, who were tit their best in this department when the leather was thrown by their own skipper (J. Duncan), who almost invariably threw the ball in. They evidently expected this, and always dashed through as the ball came in. But while our forwards did excellent work, ifc must be said that their labours were set afc naught by the fine line kicking of the'visiting backs and the failure of our backs to make use of the chances afforded them, for they certainly were afforded more chances of scoring than, the visitor?. , Sight through tho piece the Otago backs handled the greasyball more cleanly than the Auckland men, invariably found the line, -and often sending the ball beyond -the' point at which the Auckland scrummagers had started the rush. It was without doubt the best kicking we have seen, on the , local ..ground this year, while it must also be said of the visiting .backs that when they did start a passing rush their efforts were' more effective than; those of the Aucklanders. They did not get many chances, as Duncan, to whom they looked to make their openings, was carefully watched by our wingeiy and forwards, and seldom got the ball away, but when they did they were decidedly dangerous."