COUNTRY WEEK

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 65

COUNTRY WEEK

" Country week " was inaugurated at Carisbrook on Saturday afternoon in the

presence of a large number of spectators. The public -was treated to two exhibitions, one betwen Vincent and Maniototo, and another between North Otago and South Otago. The first-named claimed easily the largest share of attention, and spectators were treated to a rather fast and interesting game, though it was somewhat onesided. North Otago v. South Otago was not a game that was by any meanj replete with incident, but still it was keenly contested and produced occasional flashes of fast, open play. Vincent v. Maniototo. Maniototo won the toss, and Vincent kicked off. Moore returned and King fielded, and after a brief cut in sent the ball out to Varcoe, who scored in the corner, within a minute of starting. Dwyer failed with the shot at goal. Vincent 3 points. Maniototo Nil. The Maniototo backs allowed Vincent tq again invade the-ir territory, but a free kick saved the situation. Haig cleared further up the line, and the Maniototo (Black and Red) were in the Greens' twentyfive. Vigorous kicking -by the Vincent forwards changed the scene of play, and the ball went mto touch past half-way. The Vincent backs gave a brief exhibition of passing, but Maniototo cleared by hard kicking. The Green vanguard kept play well witihin the Maniototo quarters, and a passing- rush among the Green backs went for naught, owing to Dwyer's faulty handling of the ball, the attack culminating in a forcedown. Maniototo then took charge. and M'Kay kicked hard up the field, and followed up 6martly. The opposition was bustled, and Glen snapped up the ball and raced iv and touched down under the posts, scoring a runaway try. Weir's kick at sjoal struck the upright and rebounded, back. Vincent 3 points. Maniototo 3 points. A long kick by Jolly put the Reds on the defensive, and a quick attack was set up, but over-anxiousnes3 resulted in a forcedown. The attack, however, was persisted in, and a quick delivery was sent to Varcoe, who passed to Jolly, who crossed the enemy's line. Cahill did not improve the ocore. Vincent .. . ... 6 points. Maniototo 3 points. The Colours found relief in forcing within the next few minutes, and a little later Richardson forced his way through the opposition', but threw away the ball when possibly he Could have crossed the line. A vigorous attack was maintained, and the Greene from thie on were right down on the Colours' line. Dwyer crossed the line, with one man to spare. Varcoe made nothing of the shot at goal. Vincent 9 points. Maniototo 3 points. Quick following up, and the advantage of getting the bail in the scrum, enabled the Greens to hold an easy upper hand, and the Colours were placed strictly on the defensive. A long kiok to the touchline by Vincent, and a race for the ball, saw Richardson just fail to gather it up. Scrum and scramble followed on the line, but Weir relieved with a timely kick, and shifted play near half-way. Here Vincent were awarded a free kick, and Dwyer dropkicked a good goal. Vincent 12 points. Maniototo 3 points. Maniototo then assumed the aggressive, and invaded the Greens' twenty-five, but the advantage was short-lived, and the Greens' cleared to the enemy's twentyfive, where, from hard kicking, Maniototo foroed. The Green forwards again swarmed into the Colours' twenty-five, but Manio-t-oto brolce up the a.-bta/clc and returned to well pest the half-way. Eere the Colours were awarded a free kick, and Webb placed a good goal. Vincent ... 12 points. Maniototo 6 points. The Colours infused more spirit into their play, but the system of attack was disjointed and ragged, and Vincent very soon had the upper hand, and, from a penalty kick in front of Maniototo's goal poets, King placed a goal. Vincent ... ' 15 points. Maniototo 6 points. A vigorous attack was maintained, and half time vac called with the Gr&ens in the Colours' quarters. The first outstanding' movement of the second spell was a passing bout between Jolly, Cahill, and Denniston. A continuation of aggressive tactics and a front division rush, headed by Denniston, put the Colours on the defensive. A pa^int? ru?n between King. Varcoe, CahiJl, and Dwyer culminated in the iast-named scoring. King failed with the kick. Vincent 18 points. Maniototo 6 points. Maniototo forced the play for a while, but -with little success. Smith put in some good work, but the Greens were playing with much dash, and before long had again penetrated the ranks of the Colours. From a throw-in near the Maniototo goal line J. Morgan crossed the line. Dwyer did not improve the score. Vincent 21 points. Maniototo . . 6 points. Vincent, both back and forward, were sweeping right over the Colours, who found relief in forcing. Maniototo followed with a vigorous forward movement, and a failure on the part of the opposing full back almost got his side into trouble. The Greens, however, cleared, and the next minute were down on Maniototo's line. A pass forward occurred at a critical moment, but a few seconds later King* forced his wav through, and touched down. Varcoo failed to convert. Vincent 24 points. Maniototo . . 6 points. Maniototo, with a long- kick, reached half-way, but Vincent's defence was too sound, and the Colours were again in trouble. Varcoe had an unsuccesful shot at goal, and then King, getting the ball from behind the scrum, cut in, and sent a long pass out to Richardson, who wa? grassed over the Colours' line. The shot at goal was fruitless. Vincent 27 points. Maniototo 6 points. Vincent continued to harass their opponents, and Crawford scored the final try of the afternoon by diving over the line with the ball from the ruck. Jolly converted. The game ended a few minutes later with the scores : Vincent ... 32 points. Maniptoto 6 points. The game- may be summed up in very few words. Vincent had easily the best j of it throughout the whole time, and main-

tained an incessant attack of a vigorous | nature on their opponents' front, and very I frequently broke through it. In front and i back divisions alike they beat the opposition badly, and ran them almost to a standstill. Their play was much too finished for the Maniototo team, and their quickness to seize opnortunities that came their way accounts for the largeness of the score. Maniototo were seldom dangerous, but they certainly played a- very hard uphill game. The odds, however, were all against them. Their one try was the outcome of good individual effort, "n which Vincent were caught napping. Vincent proved themselves superior in every department of the game, and gave rather a good exhibition. Their passing was, however, often erratic, and in this respect Dwyer was a frequent offender. The Vincent backs were seldom called upon to defend, and were for the most part engaged in attacking movements. From a spectator's viewpoint the game was a most interesting- one. Of the* winning team, the backs all played a fine game,, Varcoe, King, Cahill. and Dwyer being about the best. Of the forwards Tizard, Morgan, Davidson, Denniston, and Talboys. all did sterling work. Of the Maniototo combination, among the rear division Glen played about the best game, while Smith occasionally put in good work. The play of the others was indifferent. Most conspicuous among the forwards were Mcc, Haig, Hore, and Webb. Mr C. Eyremade a capable referee. North Otago v. South Otago. The match North Otas;o v. South Otago, played on Carishrook No. 2 on Saturday, was a most uninteresting game to watch. At the outset the' northern forwards attacked strongly, and soon had the somewhat shaky backs of the southern team in ■ difficulties. However, the latter's forward division kept the play pretty even, until G. King secured the ball from a serum and passed to Hindley. A. King and M'Combie caried the leather through the Blues to i near the twenty-five, where Ross took up the running and, dodging a man ndcely, potted a splendid goal. North Otago 4 points. South Otago Nil. For a few minutes North Oatgo indulged in fast forward rushes, and Hindley g-ot over in the top corner. The kick was a j difficult one and was unsuccessful. North Otago 7 points. South Otago Nil. Ragged play followed, Curran making a. good but unsuccessful effort to add to his team's score. Eventually Turnbull carried the ball down the field, and Calder got in a good kick and. compelled the North Otago to force. The spell was concluded by South Otago attacking strongly, the northern men having again' to force down. In the second half North Otago set up another attack. Ross secured the leather and had another pot at goal, the ball, going a little wide. Shortly afterwards M'Cbmbie secured the ball, . and marked it when he could easily have run in, Ross failing with a long kick at goal. From a line-out theball went across the South Otago line, and Goodall secured it before Clark (Blues' full baok) could force, and the scores were: North Otago 10 pointe. South Otago Nil. South Otago then attacked strongly, and Duff got over from a dribbling rush. The ball struck one of the posts, and the game ended : North Otago ' 10 points. South Otago 3 points. The game was pretty well confined to the forwards, the .northern - front row putting in some excellent work and completely outclassing their opponents. Their backs were also reliable, in complete contrast to the faulty work of the southern players. South Otago nut in some good work in the scrums. The northern team had the advantage, of combination, while the Blues evidently suffered from want of practice. Sutton, South' Otaro wing threequarter, put in some reliable work, as did Ross in a similar position for the North Otago. North Otago possess a fine full baok in Roy Taylor. Mx A. Hobson efficiently controlled the game.