ON THE CALL OF TIME.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144459, 21 August 1914, Page 4

ON THE CALL OF TIME.

THE RAKFUULY SHIELD. RETAINED BY TARANAKI. A ONE POINT MARGIN. There was- another stirring struggle for the possession of the Raniuny Shield when Canterbury met Taranaki on 'ihiu*sday afternoon. Tito game wa v s a frantic battle between the two teams, and provided a climax that rivalled in excitement the famous British match a tew veal's ago. There was an attendance of. about 2500 people. Tho Canterbury loam, was the-first one from the- bigger provinces to challenge for the Shield, and although the visitors little thought they would win, they made a. tremendous light. In tho first spell vanguard and rearguard both combined in splendid fashion and overwhelmed the homo team with slashing attack and deadly defence. Five points were in their favour when the second spell started, and then tho visitors dropped their open methods and adopted purely defensive tarries. They found the lino with monotonous regularity, but thou tho Taranaki men gradually gained in strength and cooped up the Canterbury players within their fort. Swifter and swifter became the local forwards, surer and surer did the yellow backs become. Innumerable charges were staved off by good defence. Thou Stohr managed to outrange tho Southern men with a penalty kick, which sailed between the sticks, and several previous narrow misses were avenged. So rho margin was narrowed down to two points, but try a.s they did, tho attackers could not get through. Five minutes, four minutes, only three minutes were left ior play. Then a sweeping forward rush cleared, tho way for a swinging parsing bout and -Whittington sailed over near tho corner. Taranaki had won! Tho local team was weakened by the absence of several players who had gone to tho front, notably Dewar, C. Young and Bertrand. However, Roberta and Cain, who only arrived in Wellington tho previous night from Australia, were motored up with all haste to New Plymouth, and arrived fifteen minutes before tho game started. Both played fine games, though Roberts diet not shine out a.s much as usual and confined himself to solid generalship. Aided by tho useful work of CM in an and Brown, and in a lessor measure of Cameron, tho local backs engineered some telling movements. Abbott was a disappointment, whilst Whittington try was tho result of some determined dashes. Stohr played a splendid game, and besides some tremendous kicking, he got in some enterprising runs. Of tho forwards Taylor, Paul, Robertson and Kissick showed up tho most in a hard Jot of grafters. Of the Canterbury backs Amodoo, M‘Lcod and Gray (the veteran Ail Black) played splendidly, and among tho forwards Maxwell, Carnegie and liasoll wore perhaps tho best. THE TEAMS. CANTERBURY (Red and Black). Henry M*Leod Boag Guthrie Orawshaw (ca ptain) Gray Amodoo Carnegie Cummings Maxwell TV. Cummings Fanning Symo Ha-sell Hogaviy TARANAKI (Amber and Black). Stohr Whittington Cameron Abbott Column Roberts Brown Taylor Patterson Paul Ivissick Young Robertson Whittington Cain A LIVKLY opening. Matters were lively from the start. Taranaki won the toss and Canterbury ’ kicked off at 3.15 with tho sun in their eyes, but with the advantage of a slight cross wind. The ball was sent to halfway by Brown, and from tho : ensuing line-out Carnegie and Maxwell galloped nwn3’ in great style. Roberts stemming the rush just in time. The homo forwards were penalised for offside play, but Hasell’s shot at goal foil short and Stohr was able to get in a fast rim and kick well up. Paul and Taylor carried the movement on, smothering work by Amodoo and Gray enabling Hasoll to kick right down. Stohr returned the boost with added power, and the forwards swept along grandly to the attack. Soon Brown 1 whipped the leather out from a j scramble,, am! Column tossed it on to | Roberts, whence it wont to Whitting-j ton. This player got in a determined run, but) M'Leod gathered him in with a deadly tackle. Play was pushed hack to midfield, and another scrum took place, the screwing tactics of tho visitors proving unsuccessful. Hero Robertson was caught offside and Stohr returned Gray’s kick to Amodoo. who sent the leather back again to tho Taranaki full-back. This time Stohr ran too far before kicking, and the result was that the southern cavalry charged for the line. Carnegie shone out in some hot work among tho forwards, hut next moment a force was registered, after ton minutes’ play. A BRISK ATTACK. Then Canterbury attacked. Tho drop-off was driven back to quarterway, and despite a good kick by Roberts, Amodoo centred and Crawshaw kicked well upfield, Stohr marking. This gave only temporary relief, however, for tho Canterbury machinery settled into action and backs and forwards alike attacked relentlessly. A pretty passing bout among the visiting rearguard from Amodoo ended in M’Leod losing a good chance by bad handling. From the scrum, the nippy Canterbury half slipped the ball away to Gray and then to Boag, who was hold up right under the posts. Ultimately a free was given the homo team, but tho visitors came with a rattle and. bang, Boag running strongly almost to the line. He had a man with him, but through selfishness did

not pass and was heaved into touch. Then the yellows were awarded a free

for obstruction, and Stohr cleared to the half-way fiag. The team managed to keep play in Canterbury territory until Amodeo saved, bub then Column was penalised for a forward pass and the yellows were penned up again. Stohr earned applause for a temporary save, but i.» was only for a very short time, as tho irresistible combined work of the visiting forwards cleared a way for open and concerted play among tho ha-cks. Amodeo had a fruitless pot at goal, and a little later the visiting forwards got offside, Stohr’s kick being well taken by Henry, who started an ugly rush. Roberts snapped a timely mark, however, and his kick saw M*Lood hard put to it to repel a dash by Young and Kissick. Eventually some ground was gained, but CuJman equalised. Crawshaw knocked on, and then Brown and Whittington stopped a lively attack at the twenty-five line. Canterbury again tried to screw tho .scrum, and this time Amodeo secured and lined right at tho corner. Tho yellows fought tooth and nail to drive tho invaders out, but although they succeeded in clearing their line, Amodoo upset then plans by marking near the twenty-five liag. Crawshaw’s attempt, although a good one, went to the left of the uprights. This was after twenty-five minutes’ playSOME FINE KICKING. Next Guthrie followed up a kick swiftly and had Abbott on toast, Stohr coming to the rescue with a tremendous boost nearly to quartor-waj*. Taylor marked tho return nicely at halfway and Stohr had a kick at goal from nine or ton yards on tho wrong side of tho centre line. A magnificent attempt was the result. Tho kick, which was perfect in every other detail, just shaved j.ho left upright on the outside. Play settled down again and Roberts and Column wore conspicuous for good work. Then Brown marked in midfield and Stohr had another shot from almost tho same place, hut this time tho oval slewed to tho right of the posts. Tho crowd, however, recognised tho fine attempts and there were outbursts of loud and prolonged cheering. THE VISITORS SCORE.

Half-an-hour had now passed without any score, and excitement became intense. The heavy cavalry of tho visitors made some sweeping dashes into tho local territory, aud although tiie home men had managed so far to hold the tort, it seemed that tho attacking movement must brush aside the rather weak tackling of tho defenders. And soon it did. Amodoo was smothered with tho ball, hut Kissick was offsido. However, tho freekick rebounded off a Taranaki man, and no ground was gained. Abbott intercepted a nass, hut was laid low before ho had sent tho ball away. Guthrie, Stohr and Amodoo exchanged long kicks, and then Crawshaw had an unsuccessful shot from a penalty, tho ball going to tho side, Taylor, with Kissick, swept down to tho attack in good style, but Boag drove them back with a big kick which went out near tho corner. The scramble from tho lino-out ended in Hcgnrty, a tall forward, securing and passing to Hasoll, who touched down safely. Crawshaw added the minor points with a splendid kick. Canterbury 5 Taranaki 0 Brown came through tho opposing forwards in dashiug stylo, and passed to Taylor, who was grassed. Tho visit- ] ing forwards kept the bull at too 1 splendidly, and swept through tho homo team irresistibly. Nothing seemed to stop them, anti tho amber -and blacks resembled so many pins, so easily did they seem to be bowled over.' Stohr was called upon to relievo his team trora a tight position, and Amodoo, who received the ball, kicked too hard and a foreo was registered. The tricky half was hero temporarily knocked out on account of a ricked ankle, hut went on again in time to stem a determined rush by Young and Kissick. Whittington made a strong sprint, but onco more M'Leod unerringly brought him down. Brown was smothered and Abbott fumbling, tho position looked serious. Cameron, however, was handy and saved. Taranaki thou attacked for a short while, hut the Canterbury forwards, with Carnegie, Maxwell and E. Cummings in the lead, took play hack to midfield. Hero the half-time whistle wont with tho score— Canterbury 5 Taranaki 0 LOCALS LIVEN CP. The play at tho start of the second spell was fairly even. Then M'l/ood and Amodeo kicked upfield well and tho

visitors swarmed into tho homo territory. Cameron made a weak kick, winch was marked by Amodeo, but Crawshaw’s kick failed. Robertson and Raul got away on a splendid dribbling rush to half-way, and here, from a scrum. Gray found the line well up with a good kick. Brown gained a little ground with a speculator, and then Abbott let out with a good kick. Next Maxwell got away from a lineout, but was called back for a, knock - on. Tho ball was shot out to Abbott, on the wing, but tho pass was a bad one and spoilt a good chance. However, tho forwards, Patterson being prominent, swarmed over tho lino until relief came to the Southerners in tho shano of a force. Brown kicked up well towards the corner, and following up fast, collared his man promptly. A little later be again secured aucf sont ol'.t to Cameron, who in turn tossed oa to Abbott. Tho veteran All Black, however, was unable to force his way through and a force resulted. The drop-olf was nullified owing to a man being in front, hut from tho scrum Canterbury hooked and Gray got in a splendid kick upfield. Stohr was called on to relievo with big kicks, and the forwards following up smartly, Amodoo was lucky to save. Just here tho play was far from gentle, and members of both sides indulged in some rough play. Cain and Amodeo, who appeared ; to bo on tho verge of coming to blows, were given some words of advice by tile referee, hut this did not have the effect of toning down tho play to any extent. AN EXCHANGE OF KICKS. Stohr took a good mark and kicked well up to Henry, wjio exchanged kicks with Roberts. The two latter players were also compelled to listen to so mo fatherly advice, and then the game continued. M'Leod kicked up, and Whittington returned with a. low kick along the line, which was, however, just too hard, a force resulting. Thirteen minutes had gone when Brown received a nasty kick on the head, which compelled a stop of throe or four minutes. On resuming, Boag marked a return by Cain from tho drop-off and Henry hit out. well to half-way. Column took a froo for offside nlay by tho visitors, but again the kick 'was too hard and Boag forced. A moment later tho Canterbury hookers wore penalised in the scrum, but Colman’s kick was well taken up by M'Leod and Amodeo. Then Stohr marked, hut his kick gave only momentarily relief, ami tho visitors, who had a short time ago appeared to be tiring, became galvanised into new life and pressed down upon their opponents. Gray was responsible for some fine work, which Roberts neutralised. SOME CLOSE SHAVES. Then Stohr was cheered for two pretty side-stepping runs which once more put tho yellows on the attack. Play hummed within striking distance of the visitors’ goal and then Amodeo miskickod into his own corner. The locals, however, wore unable to grasp tho opportunity and tho visitors pushed back to quarter-way. Hero Stohr had a penalty from a fair angle, missing by a very narrow margin. Roberts sent a Canterbury rush back and Amodeo staved off two determined Taranaki rushes. Still tho home team kept up tho pressure at full speed, hut try as they did, all efforts to pierce tho defence'proved unsuccessful against tho purely defensive tactics of tho visitors. The methods of tho Southern men were, however, a little too marked a/ times, and the crowd showed its disapproval of tho wasting time tactics by hooting. Near quarter-way Young marked in a scramble and Roberts took tho shot himself .this time. His luck also was out, for the hall, which kept very low, just hit. tho cross-bar and dropped underneath. Just now, Abbott dropped back to full-back and Stohr took his qilaco as wing threequarter. AT LAST. Column made a good run along tho lino and centred, Cain and Paul carrying tho hall right on to tho Canterbury lino, a force resulting. Taranaki backs next took part in a passing movement, but this failed through Stohr being given a had pass. Next tho Canterbury forwards wore penalised for not throwing the ball out the necessary distance, and Stohr took the shot “from past quarter-way. Amid wild enthusiasm tho ball sailed beautifully between tho sticks. Canterbury o Taranaki 3 Canterbury rallied and Taylor, Column and Abbott each made good saves. Symes was hurt temporarily, and then Roberts attempted to feed Stohr. but tiie New Plymouth flier, although he , showed a clean pair of heels, was push- | ed into touch. Brown kicke.,- up and

Taylor got away, M'Leod sending him back. Next Maxwell broke away from a serum, but passed forward. Stohr 3 kick was well returned by M'Leod, and with twelve minutes to go Taranaki relieved with a free. Then Amodoo kicked too hard into touch-in-goal. Elovon minutes; The drop-off was returned by Crawshaw, and from a scrum in Taranaki country, M'Leod made a dash, but Roberts gathered 'him in. Ten minutes: Young, Robertson and Paul swept all before them iu a splendid rush right to tho line, but a scramble near the posts only resulted in a free for tho visitors. Then Roberts failed in an attempt to pot. Niue minutes; Amid wild excitement, the homo team engineered some dangerous attacking movements. The ball was whipped out to Stohr on the wing, but ho was pushed out after a short dash. Eight minutes: Paul, Taylor aud Young were conspicuous in a forward rush to quar-ter-way, but Gray- found the line safely. Next Whittington streaked hard along the line, but M'Leod turned him up unerringly. Seven minutes; Canterbury worked up to half-way, and then past it, and the. local supporters looked glum. Roberts did sonic tricky feinting, but tho visitors kept at it, and Column was luckily ready to help Abbott out of a tight place. Six minutes: Roberts transferred play quickly to tho opposing twenty-five, and tho ciowd yelled as it realised there was still a chance. Out shot the hall from Roberts, to Cameron, to 'Whittington, but the collaring was deadly and the movement was fruitless. IN THE NICK OF TIME. Five minutes to go: Once within striking distance, however, the yellows wore not to bo denied so easily. Then Cain headed a rush which ended in < Canterbury forcing near tho corner. Four minutes; From the drop-off Paul, Young and Robertson got away on a good dribbling rush which carried tho play to tho Canterbury quarter-way. Three minutes; Hero a scrum was formed and amid intense excitement Brown whipped the oval our. to Colman, who transferred to Roberts. Tho skipper tossed it' on to Cameron, who in turn gave to ’Whittington. Tho young Stratford colt cracked on the pace, and scored near tho coiner amid tumultuous excitement. Stohr’s kick was a splendid one, but again missed by the narrowest of margins. The remaining two minutes of play saw activities remain at midfield., and then the whistle went with the score— Taranaki 6 Canterbury 5 Mr. IV. J. Meredith, of "Wellington, refereed in a very impartial manner. The. teams were entertained at dinner by the Taranaki Rugby Union at the Imperial Hotel in tho evening. The Canterbury men left by this ’ morning’s mail train for Wanganui, and play tho Wanganui reps, to-mor-row. ‘‘Gentlo Hint’’ writers as follows re the football match yesterday:—“There are many, I think, after yesterday’s wielding of tho flag .on the line, will come to the conclusion that the day is not far distant when it will ho nuito desirable to have a steward to watch tho “aggression,” 1 will term it, that goes on as to where the ball usually drops out. Such acts of cribbing aro not conducive to tho well-being of clean football, and it would bo as well to remind footballers generally, to-be British and “play tho game” of Rugby ak it should bo played.” SOUTHLAND (20) v. SOUTH CANTERBURY (5). PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. TIMARD. August 20. Southland boat South Canterbury by 20 points to 5. The game was played in a. thick fog. The best of the local men aro away in camp.