FOOTBALL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13606, 28 May 1908, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

BRITISH TEAM'S TOUR

THE SECOND MATCH.

A WIN FOR WELLINGTON.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 27. There was quilt a remarkable attendance at the! first appearance of the English football team in Wellington to-day. The sum. of £IOBO was taken at the! gates which represents about 18,000 people, in fact to the eye there was scarcely any difference in the density of the crowd and that which watched the New Zealand match in 19G4 when 22.G00 were present.. There were fears that, the recent- rain would spoil the ground and at times to-day rain again threatened, but it remained fine, and cool. A fair breez blew, strong enough to afford help to the .side) playing with it.

The turf was dead and inclined to be slippery in places but not actually wet; still it was holding enough to impede the back play to some extent. It was bothered still more by the strong forwards on both sides who smothered the rear division and constantly laid them low before they could get rid of the ball. So close and vigorous was the play that .stoppages were frequent to give some player who had been heeled over time to get his breath back and shake himself to assure his. anxious friends that all his bones were in the right place. These, intervals clearly cam® a boon and a blessing in the second spell when there were signs that their exertions weie telling on both sides and a disposition was occasionally evinced to make the most of them.

The principal feature of the! match was the unearthing of a new first-class halfback in the person of C.- Green; he is little but good, and was easily the best and most admired player on the ground. Though only scaling 9st 41b he was conspicuous all through, now stopping heavy rushes with courage, now flitting round the scrummages and now dashing over his opponents' goal line in brilliant style. He scored one try and was responsible for another which is a .mor-e than creditable first appearance. Hb js a man who will have to be reckoned with in the composition of future New Zealand teams. The Englishmen found a more dougthy set of opponents to-day than they met at Masterton and could seldom set their backs going. They liad the misfortune to lose the services of their full-back (Jackett) early in the game. The Cornishman had no time for fireworks to-day and in trying to stop the second try secured by Wellingion had liis ear damaged. For a tims. England played with only 14 men and during that time eight, points were scored against them. It is all the more to their credit, therefore, that they came out, in the end so well. Wellington ran up 16 points to nothing, enough to discourage a weak team, but they scored no more till their opponents had got so close to them that one more try would tie or win for England., The try scored but it was by Wellington after one of the liveliest and. most exciting five minutes even the most rabid of the'lß,ooo spectators could'wish for. The proportion of the final score—l 9 to 13 —would indicate either that the defence on neither -side was strong, or that Lie two teams contained men who are 100 clever to be stopped wlven they have an opening, and the latter :s perhaps neavei the truth. The Englishmen missed a chance or two bv failure to pass when in a commanding position, bub they ■ made t-lie most of other opportunities. On the other hand, breaches of the- rules were far too frequent among the Wellington men, and thev suffered badly through them again and" again, taking the ball up to their opponents' line and losing ad the ground tiiev had made by a free kick. These breaches*were not intentional; they were a distinct blot on their play, and there should not- have been so many. They suffered also bv having Wallace at fiveeJcrhths instead of three-quarter. He was mostly smothered, and the men who were in the place thai, should have been his were' not Wallaces. Roberts was -in fine form, and responsible for one try that- no one but he would have thought of -essaying, and Thomson did "work too. Gibbs 011 the English side did not tret the chances he had at Masterton, bui> Showed' up well at times, particularly when lie chased and caught Thomson in the second spell. Davev also put in a lot. of hard work. Dyke was a capital full back, and kicked finely: his placekicking was equally good. The forwards on both sides were hard workers, but Wellington "were' the-stronger, and pushed their men about in both the packed and loose scrummages. The Englishmen played the same team as at Masterton, except that- Dyke, one of the full, backs, replaced" Harding as wing forward, and Down was substituted for- Smith, another forward. No alteration was made in the Wellington fifteen. A. Campbell, "of Auckland, the referee, was kept very busy, as is the usual case when two strong fast teams meet, but he used the whistle as little as he could. THE FIRST SPELL.

Roberts was fortunate enough to win the toss, and promptly took the northern end with the wind and sun benind him. The game was started just before 6 p.m. The first incident, typical of many similar ones, was a free kick to England, which took the ball into Wellington (Black) quarters. A fierce rush scattered the Red?. Wilson / punted up the field, the Black forwards followed fast, and England were driven over their line and forced down. They repaid their opponents in their own coin, smashing down the field with Dyke in the van, giving Thomson much ado to stop tnem. England attacked strongly for several minutes, and got another free kick. GibD> landed the ball out; in the Black twentviive, and the latter were penned up till inadvertent off-side play released them with a free kick. They lost the advantage by over-running the ball. 1-ie came galloping back and made a splendid opening, their bacus had a clean field, but a° moment's hesitation lost- their chance. The ball was passed too far back, Ponty Jones missed and was promptly sinoiheied, Green here first coming into notice in a dashing piece of play that cleared Wellingtons una*. Shortly after he whirled round the edge ot a loose scrum and through the siir,pnsed Red backs. Roberts followed him ana tliev ran up to Jackett, who could not tackle both. Green parsed at tlie_ right momentj and hats wers iiung in th<? <iii with a joyous roar as Roberts jumped over the line and drew fiist blooii. viallace did not improve the try. Wellington, 3 to nil. The Blacks kept up their attack, and were bunched in the Reds 25. Roberts got the ball behind, but was J io all appearances blocked after trying the \\ iog and finding no road he came back, bur.-t through his own men, and on reaching tlnline passed to Hardham, and l lit* "latter scored. If was quite a remarkable pure of play on Roberts' part and one that none but a very cool and exp.-vit-nci-ii player would have thought of. 'in;.-; time Wallace found the goal with a good hick, and made the score Wellington, 8 to nil. i In trying to stop Hardham Jaekett was hurt, aud left the field for a- few minim.;. On resuming, Hardham got clean away, but unfortunately passed in ' L lie field wii'-n blocked. Had he noticed Git en at Ins elbow on the other side, ncthing couid have stopned the latter scoring as there was nobocly in iront of him. ihoni-.:i)ii took a fine mark near the touch line, and dropped al goal. Wallace afco had an attempt, from a free kick, but neither was successful. Knglaiul put on a spurt and cleared themselves and an interchange of long kicks ended in Jones and Dyke both going for a lofty catch and missing- it, the

ball going out. . Hereabouts ilie gaine got a little dull, the' to find the line wi'th long lcicks in place of passing wliieh does not- make for intei'esting play. The -whistlefwas "hSard frequently, generally for unintentional breaches, but nothing ever came of l,h-j penalty kicks. Spencer had one idiot .tc goal, hut-merely kicked the ball inio the men opposite. Then England broke a way and gave, a glimpse, of what they might do. IJavey and Williams Jet .in Gibbs, who beat his man, and was shaping dangerously when Spencer flung lion into touch, and .upset the tlag-lioidor at the same time. Jackett- liacl to retire again, and. Dyke, took his place till soiive time on in the second half, and the i'ngJishmen played one man short. Prom a. mark by Green Wallace- made a good kick at goal and nearly achieved it. Some keen forward play followed, both .sides being fast and always on the ball, ajld collaring so smartly that the backs could not open out. Once Wallace got a j.riiss and streaked down the side where- he shot the ball to a- comrade who was pushed' otlt by the corner flag. A scrum followed and suddenly Green appeared from the back with the ball and .squirmed through before the Reds Qould 5.1t.0p him. Evcilson took this kick but failed. Wellington, 11 to nil. - ;

England then played up strongly. Davey secured the ball, and was just about to give a pass thatt might have led to a ■score, his men being close, upon the line, when Roberts upset him. Gibbs- had a shot at goal from a penalty without avail, and after aii exchange of lohg kicks' the spell ended. THE SECOND SPELL. The enormous mass of spectators then settled themselves down to Watch how their, men would shape with the Wind against them. At the start it appeared to make no • difference. First Roberts punted up the field, Wallace and Thomson racing up behind. They reached the ball as soon as the English back, ; but at such a speed that they over-ran -it. ■ Thsi Mitchison on the other side got possession, handed it to Wallace, and the latter passed it to Thomson just inside the English 25, and the latter made straight for the line chased by two Reds. He- sprinted ahead of them at> a clipping pace, :and ran right round-.to ;the goal posts amid'great cheers. From this Roberts kicked a, goal.

Wellington, 16 to nil. The Englishmen, worked . the " ball towards the Wellington goal from the kick out and immediately" got a. ecorei by an error of judgment on Evenson's part. While close to his line he kicked the ball against J. F.. Williams as he charged, the ball rebounded over the line and Williams had- only to go oh to - securer an- easy try, which was greeted with hearty applause. Gibbs failed" with the kick. ' ■

Wellington,: 16 points; 1 ' ' points. ' 1 . ; From a loose scrimmage Thoxrisoix ran a long way round find hall across the ground Hiding by kieknig out. Dykewi'ch ;i lofty kick landed the ball well down and his forwards bore down on= Spender whojust had time and -no more to squeeze into touch. Loose ,scrimmaging 1 followed, in front of the Wellington goal, from which Davey snapped it qub ;to Ji L.' Williams. The latter mad© his effort-, beat his men. with a swerving run, "and grounded the ball at the posts, Dyke: easily kicking a>. goal. > ' .' '

Wellington, 16 points; England, 8 points. • ■ i

Jackett herei came back once more with hig head bound up but went, into th« threequarter ranks. The Blacks became aggressive again and .made several-bursts that were foiled, either by steady., punting or by penalty kicks. .Roberts .had a, try i at goal from a penalty, but .the /distance . was too great. The Red forwards swept down the ground with theball''at.their toes and Greien stopped an ugly'rush by picking it up from under,;, their feet;.; ;3?lay slackened for a little ' and was resumed with greater energy. A round, of applause wept up as Thomson got away helter skelter, but this time Gibbs .was quicker and caught- him in a;. yards. r.-The Blacks began forcing the p.acQ ,once-more, but were too impetuous and several-times took the ball close up to the. line only to lose the advantage by having a free kick given against them. . The ~ crowd didn't like this and booh-liooed, especially, when they thought their men chad, gained l a try and found it. was ,a, free -,kick. to • England as happened- after, a rough and tumble at.the corner flag. • England ha'd-ai narrow squeeze through an ill-timed pass to the full-back which he didn't take, but : by main / strength they. pushed tfredr opponents away, charged dowrii the ; grojrad and spoiled Spencer's, kick. The.; ball Seyv about in a very lively way. .. The Redsseized their chance like goodmen. and passing freely, McEvedy dashed-over the line. Dyke again converted and the sctire.

stood > Wellington, 16 points ; England, 15 points. This was a very remarkable change and little was needed'to convert, an apparently hopeless game into a victory. The crowd got excited and kept up ,a continual .roar. The Blacks responded willingly and the most lively episode of the whole, game marked its final stage. A rattling charge sent the ball bounding towards England's line and a long loose scrimmage took place. Man after man hurled himself for all he was worth into -the fray and was met with equal determination. The ball flew about like a cork, no on,e tried, to fall cn it, no one could get hold of it, and for nearly five, minutes this,was kept up. Then Roberts grabbed it outside the : swaying pack, he saw Mitchinsoa standing on tlie blind side, swung it- to him and in a flash the latter was bounding over the line and the crowd was. shouting itself hoarse m appreciation of his smartness. No goal was kicked. The whistle blew at- once and the game ended : '" ' _j ~ Wellington. 19 points ; England, -o points.

The Canterbury Rugby Union having replied that thev are unable to send a team to Temuka next week, a game will be plaved on the Athletic Grounds on Thursday next between the. team published on Tuesday and a fifteen to be announced in a. day or two.