FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10707, 2 September 1896, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

, ' TARANAKLBEAT3 QTA,G£, >The T^ranttkTand_o.ta'go repfesentatives iilefc fof tbe first .time atftawera on Tflesdftyjif tefnoon, 1 when taranaki w,on. by ,8 poin»s (try and^gosl.frotn tr.yj,'tq,{>' points (t*»o tries)., The, game, was witnessed' by over 2000 spectators, who, hadj jassejnbjod ,irom ' all parts , of Province, the* spe'pial,, train from, $eW Plymouth and ' intermediate Lactations bringing down a large number, estimated at 900. Tbe Taf aqaki _ team were 'strong favorites, and odds ,y? ere laid the V'wotild not only win, but -tfaatiUey woOld scijre double figures. Tnia'confidence of backers Was not verified by facta^ks '„'&?. cl9 8e scoring in the game shows. ' , Tjb^'£jbe L a^as were driven from tbe Commercial fi^otel to the grounds, headed by .tlie, J-lawera Brass Band, under Mi? & Higtiam. The ieanu were at follows i-j^.^ fy Otago (nayjrtipe)--;;...^ ;' Full, T.King (llst 101 b) ; threB<qoßrtern, .A.Armit (l0«t i2IbVT. Wood (AOst ' 61b), G. Stephensonj.(l2Bt Sib) 1 ; fiveeighte.rJi.'Duncaff (12»t 4lb) captain, Ai^ FotdycB-(9stiBlb) ; half, 4k Daviee , (list 81b) ; forwards,- Farquharson (12sW81b),.J. Williams (123t), W. Harris (list 8lb); J. Torrance (13at), < R; Stewart (12st71b), P. J. Priest (12st 71b),' J. Lawrie (12at71b), D. McLaren ! (list 41b).— Average, list ll^lb. ■< Tabanaki (amber & black stripes) — Full, 0. Young (lSst 81b) '; three-quarters, L. Allen (12st 121 b), A. Good (12st , 21b), H. Good (14st 41b) ; five-eights, A. Bayly (13st lib), captain ; half, A. Humphries(9st 111 b ); wings, Pearson (13st 21b), H. Mills >(12st 61b) ; forwards, D.Watson (14st81b), W. Wells (13st), C, O'Carroll (12st 111 b), B. O'Dowda (13st 51b), O. Hawken (13st lib), H. Shaw (12st 121 b), W. Lambie j (12st 10ib).— Average, 12st 121 b lloz. It will be seen by the above that Otago played two five-eights, no wing forwards, and eight instead of seven men in the pack. This system of placing the team, combined with a couple 1 of pieces of bad luck that Taranaki experienced during the game, accounted for the closeness of the struggle, and the open aspect of the) game even up to the last five minutes; Mr Campbell, of Wellington,* was referee^ and Messrs F. Given and G. Synle were line Umpires for Otago add Taranaki, rtspectiye.lj._ „,,.,■> -.-a.,-. ' \ „':i ■'•.;, l >v i nftfiif'j&Blil/.- "'' »-^- { Tafenafei O l6Si' W" 'fogs; "Jwd^Wajson kicked pff r Line, wprk followed, aDri'd in. if^ mi tin tea ; Otago Hf^fSc^. ''(MgV re^on^Wwiifß^ood'rusn.'&nd onncan, rap,, which. ,how«ten ,WBsatopbe3'7ji'the tifcTc of tffiiff/ KMtptod t£l&^lay'foliowM'the Taranaki fortf&ras getting oh a coiiole WiMl SMihjt 'rushes/ wiich th^'Ota'go Wactk'^KJ^d 1 by^fc'ifing themselves on the ball, and hanging to it, k« ; ibiig HHiay oorad. 'Play 'fcbVfJredV around , the centre for a 'Hime^ but ,''th3\' Taraiiaki .backs' g6b f #' JJ W J passio^^on" whfcn'endedin fi" Ctqb'dland A'^ayly 1 cdttfaing; thelatte^ being fteni- k ' porarily disabled, while the. Cornier got,. a. feevere shaking, which affeciedSM for'tne i rest of the game. . Play 1 was stopped for some little time' to allow the Taranaki skipper ; to-pulL himself together. _ On. play beingjiresumed th.e-^L'aranaki forjwards made a sweeping rush across the neld;'b.aas|eAi>yjPear«on,and|Haw|cpq,^e former scoring a try. Watson took the shot, which fell sh,or}/., — ' A.Tartmaki.', „,„ f1J1 ,,-.,, ;|(; |( « r , t6i -| , .grsi^tago n ,v. r. t .'?.,v:iCtl On'tHe ball being>kicked ittto play|:Taranaki r agaid'b«came. aggressive. andsfronJa ( rush^ '& e^deS l»y -Mills -and P&riorfT * 'score seeme&^cerittin/toufc the <Jhance Wai ' mnllod. Another^ibo^e): ro»E r followed, ■and Humphtjiei,ifollbwing nn.ffcst, scored tthe second try for TaranafciAl H. Good took the shot, and footed an unmistakable goal. Scores 1 >j^ Cf!:i ?£ Jn? Taranaki .;." " 8 1 - -{& ■';.,'. -cr- J \ Qbago forwards appeared to wake ttb to Qic serious jißp^L.,^ »,ansl ( aided by their backs they invaded Tara-'-nkk'i iierrftory^ and began anattrfeff onthS 1 Taranaki line. In a scrambling 1 rush after a scrum Watson, the well-known Taranaki forward, was disabled," and had to retire/ the doctors pronouncing the injury a rick to the shoulder. Watson wont off for a few minutes, but 'during the re3t of the game he waa practically helpless, and would have been been batter off than on the field. Having got the play so close up the Taranaki line the Otago men fought all they knew to keep it there. In a loose rush Davis, the Otago cen ire -half, was temporarily disabled. After a couple of attempts to get round the Taranaki defence, Duncan, by a little feinting, managed to do the trick, and dropped across the line, scoring blood for Otago. The kick at goal was abortive. The Otago skipper had the honor of being the first player to cross the Taranaki line for two years. Scores :— Taranaki ... , 8 • Otago ..; ... 3 On the ball being set in motion, honors were about equally divided till the call of half-time. ~"” fi „^, lit !,;^J/ TH«I SECOND. S?ELI,), nr j "§_ , TpP^neflWl^anjaggrgsMvp^nish by £$Rgo,j iWfl^^Wtp^eisnd^ran^gpa^u^; ■;workea, ,tpe feather ..to- theuf^oppojae^ts' .25, .ternary, H. Goodeßsayiea ca^se>pngWiBJ c a^$e>pngWi8J Mt.jthe.^rfeJeUjs^orJ^jA^e^'itW t Oj;ago wergcare^^t to^giva^y. movd, ifre^^ickuwittiini, scorjng t7 range J [ aiid;W $3!0,, o P!9-.,P la y:shey ; pftiyied tjSe.wa^ yiV>; rarauakw jffi'fc S^, jshe^.w^ftwa^ded Aifree kick^h dangerous prp^ity, totha however, w,ent wide,, s Spme **$& fast £lay was witnessed after this, ■ bq^B •Bi^s^tjrlying.all^hey knew rt to^re/f •' A! fine.rjUi^iy Bayly and cwiied l l^c«i mto Otago territoiryji ann P.fatsqri and Humphries folio wing.up, just. rqiji^d a try. .Otago drove the Taranaki forwards Mck to the cfilatrsj"- and following vp 1 a"kidkfrom their wing three-quarterj the^ Otago forwards got past the Taraiiaki ~tEree : quafters and headed I ' m fulPcry for the Taranaki line. The Taranaki playerl got round in time to stop them on the line, where a disorganistd serum was fiercely fought out, ending in McLaren getting possession, and. scoring the second try for Otagd. -'W-o'od waft entrusted with' the shot at goal, but made a poor attempt! SccffeH:^ ( "' :': ' f ' v nnvt.j.l r.j t r \ ™ '"Tlra'naiii"" Vv : '•"<■•.;. <f\ [ >d ougPI >ar $:> "- :■ ;'" •;;:-' $* I With o ten. minutes,- to play tbinq^ be^aD^6-Jq"pk l '4 ! liit < 'uVce1 i tain, and both BiSes ]t tjegfen' to play all thoy knew. Taranaki again got on a dash, and kept the play in the Otago side of the centre line for some timo, Young making a fine attempt at a pot shot. Otago responded gamoly aud several times transferred tho play to Taranaki territory, but tbfc Tj(raii r «ik£ defenis^ proVed tiio' alronk ahd the^efere'e s6urided time- without -either '- -'f!, } 7™~Zf,! > ; :q«?MMETO.;, Z T*£ \ "-■ The. result of the match came as a>grea;t surprise to the Taranaki supporters, 'who were quite willing to lay odds tbafc Tarqnaki would not only win, but would win by double figures. The game as it was played proved no odds on chance at all, the visitors showing up to great advantage . Their system of two five-eights and no wings appeared to puzzle the Taranaki players. The O tago forwards were clever in heeling out tactics, but in the open they did not shine so well as their opponents. The way, the Otago men hugged the ball to stop rushes was very doliberate, and in pui suing these tactics they nullified a good deal of the Taranaki forward rushes. King, their full-back, played a fair game, but he was somewhat weak in defence. The best three-quarter was undoubtedly Stephenson, who was ably- assisted by Armit and Wood, but their ability only lay in clean marking and kicking, for they did not shine in any of the attacking movements. Duncan played' a great game at five-eights, and besides.

piittinar in very effective work he kept Mb men up to the mark by> juflicioUß advice and keeping them in good heart, He came with a reputation. a« a footballer, andbyrbis flll round play he 'certainly showed that be * was_ .entitred' " to his celebrity, ,- His ■ associate fl ve-eights< Fordjee was too light for the position, but whatlieti'aii to do 1 be did well. Dftviflwas a cle verhalF,- and fed his backs when bte got a chance. fjThe eight forward* played a hard and; determined game, dftd were eiiaently in good trim, for th«y backed in from start to finish with a good heart. . | For the winners. Young made a reliable full-back, but at times no displayed a tendency I ' to get? Wb far up' f'thV -field. Allefi l! 'p%ed''B 'dflflbing gRntW at tbj-ee-! qbarter, but ffis' ioi up tq some of his" pfevitfu's efforts. Goodf but' Ih'e^former ifrftftlstf-feieiftmom-bjered was suffering from th££efKcttorf -i J collision. Bayly^ fird^ighiS: f i)lay*l « leaVbarai serviceable gamtj'am atf-rimeV showßtJ^ome 1 6f the' J brimijnt 'dash «hi«> uWdjd'bilaracteti^ei'bift'pla^^Qamphri^: maaea slashing half-back, stopping ruste^and following, up with ,gr.eat, celerity. Pearson Tind;Milta;^ere; |oi«'A)ri> the wrings to "a great eiteHt, t>dt in the loose play 'they ahone out. Pearson's, form was.the best he has shown us this'sWaon/j Ths six iorwn'rda; CWalB ! on was practically useless, and could only push a little on the outside of the scrum) played a<'-v«ry hard' 'gam©*/ *nd- they deserve great credit for playing aeainßt such odd^ in the pack. ,- , : /-. . ■;■, , The"rafere'e' carried out his dwties in 1^ .thorough manner.