THE RUQBY GAME.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13751, 14 September 1908, Page 5

THE RUQBY GAME.

WELLINGTON V. TARANAKI. (From Our Special Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. The match between the Wellington Rugby representatives and a team from Taranaki, so hastily arranged during the week, was played on the Athletic Park this afternoon. The weather was dry, clear and cool, with a fairly strong northerly wind blowing down the field from goal to goal. The ground was in ©xcellent order. About 2500 people witnessed the match. The game was fast and occasionally brilliant, but, taken all round, it was an indirt'eient exhibition of Rugby. Very often it became merely a scramble. The ball was certainly thrown about a lot, but the- efforts of many of the players were usually misdirected. A lack of generalship was noticeable in the play of both sides, but particularly in that of the Taranaki men. The presence of Mynott would undoubtedly nave made a great difference to the team. In the first spell, with the aid of the wind and sun, the amber and blacks managed to score eight points to love. In the second spell the conditions were entirely reversed, the Wellington men outclassing their opponents and keeping them strictly on the defensive for nearly ihe whole time. The Taranaki men fought bravely, but such a hastily-arrange'cl team had little hope of defeating the well-trained Wellingtonians. The Taranaki team had several new men in it. The team had not played together before, and most of the men were by no means in good condition. Consequently there was no cohesion, and in. the second spell very little energy. The result of the match is very creditable to the Taranaki men, considering the dis : advantages trader which they laboured. Mitchinson was absent from the Wellington ttsum, through an injury received in the Wellington-Canterbury match. Magee took his place in. the three-quarter line, and Green rook Magee s place at five-eighths. THE PLAJ.i Taranaki win the tods and play with sun and wind in their favour. Wellington attacks, clever play by McLeod and Magee taking the blacks into the, ambers' twenty-five. From a scrum, however, Thurston breaks away and kicks into touch, past half-way.. A good rush by Wellington forwards, headed by "Ranji" Wilson, takes the blacks back to the visitors' -twenty-five line. A passing rush by Taranaki's backs gains a few yards. A high kick bjr Stohr is mulled by Ryan, and Taranaki is again in Wellington territory. Stohr again shows up in good work that neutralises a Wellington forward rush. Again hi repeats it, his kick this time forcing Wellington. Play is still in Wellington's half of the field. Wellington forwards make another rush past half-way. Stohr saves, and his mighty boot sends the ball against the corner flag. A kick from a mark on the half-way line is taken by Stohr, who just misses the post. The Taranaki backs start a passing rush, but Beamish passes badly, and the black forwards, seizing the opportunity, push the ambers back on their twenty-five. Taranaki are playing without combination, and the blacks again attack hotly. Taranaki force down. Suddenly a hush comes over the crowd. By some means Con Sheahan gets the ball near Tatfanaki's t*-enty>five line. Cleverly beating the Wellington backs, he sets out for the line at top speed. With a mighty sprint he outstrips the blacks and scores under the posts amid' a wild burst of cheering. Cameron takes the kick, but makes a miserable attempt. Taranaki ........'. 3 Wellington. 0 Heartened by their success, the ambers attack again, and a few minutes later a pretty piece-of work by O'Sullivan and Tamu ends in Tamu scoring. Stohr lands a good goal. Taranaki 8 Wellington 0 Taranaki attack, but-.Eyeii.sen neatly intercepts a pass and touch-kicks to Taranaki's twenty-five line. A passing rush by Beamish, Cameron, Sheahan, and Divo takes the, ambers into Wellington's territory. A free kick relieves the blacks a little. The amber forwards carry the ball to a few yards from .Wellington's. tfne r ..but the black forwards relieve nicely*, Dive tries a pot at goal, but kicks a ' 'grounder." A. C. Wilson comes away nicely, -but Stohr finds the touch-line near Wellington's twenty-five. A nice breakaway by Whittingtbn and Tom Sheahan almost ends in another score, Sheahan being held up over the goal-line. A free kick relieves the blacks again. Taranaki are now playing with more confidence and flinging the ball about in fine style. The Wellington forwards are also battling well. A touch-line kick by Roberts enables the black forwards to set Taranaki defending. Another nice touch-line kick 'by Roberts causes a line-out a couple of yards from Taranaki's lino. The ballr comes to Magee, who misses the ball $md collides with ono of the goal-posts. A desperate scramble ends in Cameron finding the touch-line at twenty-five flag. Buckland shows up in good work oivhich puts Wellington back on their twenty-five, but Roberts starts a rush to midfield. Off-side play by Tom Sheahan gives the blacks, a free kick that enables them to gain thirty yards. Con Sheahan intercepts a pass, and dashes away in fino style, but Ryan- tackles him splendidly by Wellington's twentyfive flag. Half-time comes with play in midfield. With the resumption of play Wellington, attack cleverly and quickly invade the ambers' twenty-five. A free kick to Wellington is taken:by Roberts, who makes a poor attempt to kick a goal from a difficult position. An .interchange of kicks leaves play on Tara-. naki's twenty-five line. The blacks continue to attack strongly. The ball comes alone: the ground to Stohr, who misses on Taranaki's line. Ready promptly throws himself on it and touches down. Ryan makes a fine hut ineffectual attempt to kick a goal. Taranaki 8 Wellington 3 A fino bit of passing by the natty Wellington backs is stopped by Beamish right on Taranaki's line, Tnranaki aro finding that the wind is now against them. The Wellineton men, too, are now asserting their superior combinntion ntid condition and keeping Taranaki back on their line. After a desperate struggle the ambers manage to clear their" line, Again the Wellington backs get going, but with little result. A scramble ends in Beamish kicking to Evensen, who takes an excellent" opportunity for a pot at goal. Tim ball soars over the bar.

Taranaki 8 Wellington 7 A couple of rushes from half-way bring the blacks again into Taranaki's twenty-five. A passing rush by the Wellington batiks Ts'^lioilt by ITagee knocking on and losing a fine opportunity for a scope; Right in front /of Taranaki's goal^posta & free* kick is awarded to \Vellmgton. Ryan pilots the ball over the bar, and Wellington's colours are in the ascendant. Wellington „ 10 Taranaki 8. A few minutes later Roberts takes a penalty shots from a difficult- position. ''No charge" is awarded, but the shot is fruitless. For the next -five minutes there is a rapid scramble ur( aid down. Taranaki's half of the field. In field; ing a kick Stohr slips' and knocks the ball on, allowing - Wellington' to get near Taranaki's line again. "Ranji" . Wilson leads a forward rush to. Taranaki's line. From a scrum Roberts sends the ball to McLeod. who nips in and scores. Evensen r s attempt to convert goes wide. Wellington 13 Taranaki ; '. , 8 The blacks are opening up the, play a lot and feeding their backs well, bull nearly every passing' rush breaks down. At length Taranaki manage to get past hslf-4ray again, but the blacks soon drive them out. Ryan matajs : another unsuccessful attempt to kick^a penalty goal. Con Sheahan saves well. A moment later Green gets away; makes a nice opemng ; arid passes to Evensen. Stohr misses Evensen, hut Buckland and Dive come round just in time and grass him right in the corner. The ball goes into touch, and the time bell rings.