FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144453, 14 August 1914, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

THE KANPURLY SHIELD. RETAINED BY TARANAKI. AVAIRARAPA DEFEATED. , The first Ranfurly Shield match this season that lias been regarded by the Taranaki men as ‘‘serious’’ took place at Stratford on Thursday, when the local men succeeded in stalling oflj a challenge by the Wairarapa. men. The score, 22 to 3, is really not a time indication of the play. The game was a very hard-fought one, ami although Taranaki held the upper hand for most of the time, they were still very lucky in securing the wide margin they did. They had quite tho best of the first spell and put on 11 points to nil. Then in tho beginning oi the'second spell the home forwards did a lot of loafing, and tho visitors scored one try and looked like scoring more. Jnst in time, however, the locals woke up and some brilliant individual play saw the defence crumple up, with the result that the score was doubled in the last ten minutes or so. Although light showers fell throughout the game and tho ground was rather sodden and slippery, the backs on both sides handled the ball well, the Taranaki men doing better than their opponents. It was also due to tho good defence of the local men that the visitors did not score oftenor, for their big forwards, although not such good all-round men as their Taranaki brethren, excelled in tho loofo. H. M'Kenjzie, D. Ross and A. Hodge were perhaps the pick of the visiting forwards, and Dewar, Taylor, Young and Khsick the host of the local lot. Tait, Blackmore and AA’ickins worked well in the AVairarapa backs, whilst the solid defence of Brown, Colman, Cameron and Stohr in tho Taranaki backs was ah asset of great value to the homo team. It was, however, brilliant individualism, more particularly on tho part of C. Young (who scored four tries), Cameron and Whittington which actuallyscored tho points. There was an attendance of over 1000.' THE TEAMS. Neither team was at its full strength, Wairarapa especially having several men away on account of their having joined the expeditionary force. This, too, is likely to affect the Taranaki team next time they lino out, though no undue alarm need he felt,because tho same thing applies to all the other provinces. The Wairarapa team was-.—Full-back, Cl. Masson; ilirec-qmu’ters, W. Hudmond, A. Tait, H. Matson ; live-eighths, J. Bla-ckmoro and Groube; half, Wickins ; wing-forward, Brough; front row, L. and A. Johnston; second row, Hodge, Ross (lock;, H. MKenzio (captain; ; third row, AY. Morris and A. Desmond. Taranaki.—Full-back, Stohr; threequarters, AVhiUiijglon, Cameron and Young; fire-cigluli, Colman; half. Brown; wiug-ionvards, Taylor and Rowlands; front row,, Whittington and Dewar; second row, Robertson, Young (lock), Kissick; t-liird row, Patterson and M'Cooke. THE PLAY. Wairarapa won tho toss, and kicked off with the advantage of a slight breeze. AVithin two minutes AA'ickms bad marked in a fair position, Cut M'Kenzio’s kick failed. Then Cameron effected a good save, and Brown also kicked well up the lino. AYiiHtington followed up fast, but was pushed into touch. The,Taranuki men kept up tho rush, and Young made a great run for the ball from a kick by himself, hut the slippery oval eluded him and a force resulted. Thou the homo backs commenced to handle tho ball inoto cleanly, and a passing bout from Brown out to Young saw ti;u> player streak in near the corner and touch down. .Stohr failed to add the extra points.

Taranaki 3 Wairarapa .: 0 A burst by the Taranaki forwards was spoilt by offside play, and ilu; visitors wero able to clear. Still tlio butter province Mon kept up a big pressure, and although two good marks oy 'Wickins and -pie penalty gained sumo ground, S'-nitr sent them back with a big kick, 'then the lengthy -U'Keuziu and nis men shook iking.-, up, and some rather straggly play in Taranaki territory ended m Brown breaking up some bad passing by the opposing backs, and hading the lino near the twenty-five ling, tp went the amber and blacks, but Tail cleverly marked and sent them back again. Here they hud u stay, until Jileicss play b" the greens let Taylor semi the ball up to half-way. On struggled the- amber and blacks until they reached the goal-lino, where Patterson, after some hefty work by the other forwards, dropped over the lino and scored near tho posts. Stohr converted. Taranaki S Wairarapa 0 Column earned dicers for soma tricky dodging about in the mud, and then Matson equalised by a good line-kick. Immediately afterwards Stohr saved by speculating and a little Liter Masson, the opposing full-back, was also called on to save. Taranaki forwards hooked tho hall from a scrum, but the hacks were unabio to press tho advantage home. Still, they kept their opponents at bay, until Stohr got in. a terrific boost upheld which put them well on tho attack. Two marks and two penalties for .tho Wairarapa men were of little usa against the slashing work of Taylor. Dewar and Voting, 'and the solid defence of Drown, (.himan and company. Then the Taranaki backs got in some good rushes as tho result of some fair work by Whittington, and something good in the way of attack scrum near the twouty-fivo lino the bail went from Brown to Young, via Col man and Cameron, and the booty Stratford man made full use of his chance and galloped in near the corner. Stolir’s kick was good, but went -wide. Ha'f-time then went with tiie score— Taranaki 11 Wairarapa 0 On the opening of tho second spell the visitors-onco more let the homo.

team through hr their inability to hold the greasy ball. ' Colman did some good dribbling, and then tho AVairarapa men pierced the defence and got within a foiv yards of the line, hut Hudmond was pushed out just in time. The ambers attacked, but only temporarily, for the greens were at it again'Whittington's failure to take a high hall put his side in an awkward ppsition, but he made up for this by taking a clever mark. Tho greens now commenced to make things lively, and play hummed near the Taranaki line. Hudniond was pushed out twice when making lor the corner, but failure did not dismay the \isitors. Down they swept again, the forwards bunching together and nearly breaking up the defence. Stohr was compelled to kick behind to save, and from the resultant scrum tho'ball was shot out from AVickina to Hudmond, who galloped in near tho corner. M'Kenzie’s kick swerved aside.

Taranaki 11 AVairarapa ; 1 Taylor, Patterson and M‘Cooke made a lively forward sally into tho opposing territory and Dewar marked. Stihr made a good attempt, but just missed the sticks. Soon after Stohr anti Blackmovo exchanged kicks, and the net result was that tho yellows swept up to tho attack in ftno style. Vouug made a good dash, and a little later tho visitors were forced twice through too vigorous kicking. _ Taylor came through nicely with the ball at too, and lioss did tho same for AA airarapa. So the play continued for several minutes to be fairly neutral, though the home team had the advantage. They, did not, however, press tho attack right homo, the improved defence of the visitors keening them The TVairarapa men slip put more dash into their play, and Stohr was twice called on to extricate, his side. Then a sensational incident happened. AVhittington failed to take a high kick, but managed to snap tho leather un and evade throe men who tried to grass him. Putting on top pressure, he galloped along the side-line from past halfway, and slid past throe more men. Only the full-hack remained and he, too,* was left in tho lurch by tho Stratford flyer, who touched down near the posts and ended a very fine run. Stohr goaled.

Taranaki 16 AVairarcpa 3 A little later Cameron secured at halfway, and a dashing run took play inside tho visitors’ twenty-five. At length he was grassed, but not before ho 'had shot the ball out to Taylir, who in turn passed out to Young. This player had no difficulty in running over, but Stohr failed to add the extra points. ■ Taranaki 19 AA'airarapa , 3 A moment later the Taranaki forwards rushed to the liuo, a I'orco resulting. Then Brown flashed the ball out to Colman, to Cameron, to Young, who streaked over near the corner and scored his fourth try. Colman failed to convert, and a minute afterwards time was called with the score—

Taranaki 22 AV airarapa 3 Mr. A. .Meredith (AVellington) was, a strict and impartial referee. FIRST JUNIORS. TUKAPA BEATS STRATFORD. The tin for the northern division honours was decided between the above teams at Inglewood on Thursday. In the competition Tukapa tied with Stratford and tho play-off was held at Inglewood last Thursday week, but a draw resulted. On Thursday Tukapa made no mistake, winning comfortably by 11 points to 3. Tho Stratford team was weakened by several of their players going to the war, and L. AVhitaker from the Tukapa hacks was missed. Tho game was a forward one throughout, and as in the match the previous week Tukapa showed superiority in this department.

Tukapa set the hall in motion, playing with the wind. Fryday took the kick-off and transferred to Tukapa's twenty-five. A marl; by Julian removed play to half-way. Stratford came again, but Roebuck forced them out with a good dribble. Tho blue forwards, headed by O’Grady, Fuller and Smith, swept right down under the reds’ posts. A scrum was given and X. Loveridge sent to W. Whitaker, who sent out to Graham, but the Jat'er failed to hold. In ihe scramble W. Whitaker dashed over and scored. West failed with a good kick.—Tukapa 3, Stratford 0. Tukapa pressed again right from (he drnn-out and Stratford were penalised. West lauding a good goal.—Tukapa 6, Stratford 0. On resuming a scrum was given on the halfway line, but Tukapa were penalised for lifting fret before the bali was in tho scrum, and Stratford invaded the bines’ twenty-five. A penalty to Tukapa enabled them to travel to halfway. Flay was confined here for some time till a kick by W. Whitaker went too far. O'Griulv took tho kick-off and

he and Spence dribbled down, but Collins got round and lined. The blue forwards kept up the pressure on the lino and • eventually W. Patterson and Spence dashed over, the former scoring. West goaled with an excellent kick.— Tukapa 11, Stratford 0, The blues were- not long in returning to the attack and from a. scramble near tho lino Julian fell on the ball and scored. West's kirk went wide.—Tukapa 14, Stratford 0. The blue forwards were getting all over their opponents. Stohr took a mark, hut West's kick again went wide. Tho red forwards then rallied and put in a great rush and removed to the bines’ twenty-five. H. Patterson went down to the rush well and stemmed it. A scrum was then given and then the bines were given a penalty and play went to mid-field. N. Loveridge kicked too hard to dead country. Later Stohr had a shot from half-wav', but the ball failed to rise. A blue rush was then stopped by Stanners marking. The blues kept up the attack, but good ‘kicks by Coilins and Kivoil removed to half-way. A mark hy Stanners did not gain any ground. Fryday then dribbled away on his own, but H. Paiterson dived for the bail and stopped the rush. H. Patterson later look a pood mark and Tukapa again found their opponents’ twenty-five. Stratford pushed up to half-way and the whistle sounded. On resuming the blue forwards rushed away, but Julian knocked on. From tho scrum Collius forced. Stratford got going pa.st half-way, but - Tukapa

soon forced them hack to mid-field. The red forwards set up a sweeping rush and H. Patterson failing to nolo the reds were dangerously near tho blues’ line. The Tukapa. forwards grafted strenuously and worked up to half-way, but the reds drove them back to their line again. \V. Patterson got offside and Collins had a kick. Julian was too eager and a no charge was ordered, but Collins handled the ball again and a scrum was giveu, and from this tho ball found a resting place at Tukapa’s twenty-five fla.g. Stohr got in a good kick and half-way was reached. The rod forwards swept down to thcr opponents’ country again. Curtis then got offside and a scrum was given. Kiveil marked and Julian did likewise to his luck and play went to half-way. The reds then swept right down and over tho line, hut the ball beat them and reached dead country. The blue forwards then took a turn at attacking and held their'opponents up on their line. A “freu” to the reds drove Tukapa to half-way. where Whitaker marked, but did not gain much ground hy the kick. The rod vanguard attacked again and had Tukapa hard at it. The blues had too much weight and swept up to half-way and then over the line, but Kiveil fore, ed. Front the drop-out the Stratford forwards, headed by Fry-day, broke away, but H. Patterson stopped them by a mark. Tukapa removed to halfway, but the reds oamo back. A penalty to Stratford was taken over the lino by AA’est and a scrum was giveu on the line. H. Patterson then kicked to dead country. The reds came again and from a scramble on the lino Jones scored and Collins made un mistake with tho kick.—Tukapa 14, Stratford 5. Play hovered about midfield for some minutes and then the whistle blew, Mr. 0. AA’esl refereed very-, impartially. NEW ZEALAND r. AUSTRALIA. ay ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.— COPYRIGHT. SYDNEY, August 13. The Australia-New Zealand football match will be started early, to ena’A. players to catch tho steamer home. WELLINGTON COMPETITION ABANDONED. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. , AVELLINGTON, August 13. ■ The Wellington Rugby Union now has decided To close all competitions for this season, as a result ot tho inroads made on membership of the teams in various grades. The junior championship goes to Schvyu, third class to the Old Boys, the fifth to Petone, and sixth to Petonc. Selwyn and Berhamporo arc leading in the fourth class, and tho disposition of honours has not yet been decided.