FOOTBALL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13651, 20 July 1908, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

MAORI TEAM IN SYDNEY. BressAssociatiott-ByTelegraph-Copyrigiit SYDNEY. July 18. There wao at oik* time a probability of two Maori teams tiling oil to the field to play the Australians in the final test match to-day. 1 *ti- v difficulty arose through dissension over thy selection of the team. The officials picked one t'.om and* tha dssentients another, but after some difficulty tho dispute was settled. The weather was fine, and there was an attendance of 8000. Tlia gan.t w?ts very fast and exciting. In the early part the Maoris- carried all before th- tii. playing with ten points to their credit before Australia scored. Tries were obtained by Haira and Papokera, the latter of which Asher converted. Asher also kicked a penalty goal. The Australians levelled the scores by half t-me to ten all. The second half was marked by many fins rushes on the part of tb* Maoris, but. they failed to penetrate the defence. The visitois tired towards the finish, a Ad tha home team added two more converted tries, leaving the fir.al stoie — Australia 20, Maoris 10. INTER-STATE MATCH. SYDNEY. July 18. In tha Bugby football roa'rh, New South Wales defeated tjneem-land by 1. points to 10. ANGLO-WELSH TEAM. BEATEN AT AUCKLAND. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 18. j The Anglo-Welsh footballers met tho Auckland team at Alexandra Park to-day when the weather was delighttully fine. Some 20,000 spectators attended, stand accommodation being provided for 14.QG0. The ground was dry and tlv game wa« fast and fairly interesting. Britain was without the services of several of the "cracks," through injuries. The teams were at> follows : Britain. Auckland. Dyko Kenwick Chapman Wilson Vassall Mage« J. P. Jones Murray McEvedy Laxon Norte U. L. Williams Baker -Ki-erilau Harding Gillett Dibble McGuire Morgan Herring Down Cunningham Hind Francis' Smith Nicholson J. F. Wiliam3 Seeiing Thomas itavwurd THE FIFvST SPELL. The home team test the tuas and Francis kicked off agaicbt the sun and a very light wind. Gillevt was the first to show up at all prominently and beating several Britishers gave Auckland ;i slight! advantage. When less than five minutes had gone Baker unexpectedly broke away itotn the loose and had a clear run in from near half way. He was quite unuuppcried, however, and l>yke brought him down a few yards from the British line. The teams packed round the ball, and in the ensuing struggle the laJier went over the line, and Hayward wUo was handy pounced on it drawing first blood for Auckland. Ilia kick was not a difficult one, but Kiernan failed to improve the score. On resuming Auckland forced the game, but Laxon and U. L. Williams ttopped an ■ugly r ush and returned play to neutral territory. Britain's forwards unproved their position slightly, and for an iniringcment Auckland was penalised ami Harding had a long shot lor goal from about half way, but his kick felt short. Chapman and Vassall then gave an indication of their quality, but tJ» tackling was sure and nothing resulted. Dyke attempted another penalty from half way with the same result as before. The ball did noli go out of play, and Francis, Seeling and Magee in a -useful .passing rush reached the British twenty-five, and for an infringement just later Francis attempted a goal from a difficult angle with-, out result. Thereafter the Britishers became decidedly aggressive, Chapman and Vassall showing up prominently on more than one occasion. The visiters were attempting an open game while Auckland was relying on its forwards to. smother attempts to get away. ■ At lengoh, through a back failing to take a pass, tho whole team turned the tabloi on liiieir opponents and were getting into" a dangerous position when a free kick brought relief and a long punt, by Harding removed all danger. Hard forward playabout half way followed. The visitors were securing the ball from - all the scrums, but. were ■ unable 'to get it away owing to the smartness of the Auckland van. • Half - way - through the spell the visitors were having much the: better of tho game, and kept Auckland penned up within • their' own territory. A fine run by Tuan Jones- and - Vassall looked - ominorts r but the litter lost the- ball when not far from the line and Murray saved with a'dedgy run to-the 25.- Almost- immediately McEvedy on the other side snapped up the ball and' made a determined bid to get in at) the corner. Morse and Wil-

bat ween them. held him up and when tlio bunch was separated McEvedy was found to have sustained an injury to his Lead. Play was resumed however after a. short interval. Britain continued to force tha game,, bub found tho defence very oouna. The only incident of note in the closing minutes of the spell was an exciting rally in which Tuan Jones, Vassall mid Chapman participated- The pjay slowed down considerably during the last ten minutes and tha spell ended slightly in Britain's favour. THE SECOND HALF.

Britain secured the first advantage in the second spell and maintained it for tha tirsfc few minutes. Then Hayward, who together with Francis, Gillett and Seeling was doing a lot of spoiling, took charge and rushed play into Britain's twenty-five. At- length Chapman broke away and racing round the opposing forwards, who were hard on the ball kicked out at half way. Tuan Jones and Chapman followed this up with a run to the'twenty-five but Nicholson came to the rescue and returned play to a safe distance past halfway. Baker coming on the scene gave the home team the advantage. The Aucklanders continued to maintain the upper hand and the last-named player and Magee looked liko scoring but Murray proved a weak link in the chain. The British had their hands full for some time, hut eventually Dyke saved by marking on the goal line. The visitors were getting no respite and were miable to clear their line. A welltimed kick by Harding gave temporary relief but clever line play by Gillett resulted in Herring eluding the dfeence and scoring at the corner. The kick by Francis was a good one bub went wide. Auckland 6; Britain nil. Morse. Baker and Wilson appeared likely to increase the score immediately after ibe ball was returned to play but a faulty pass to the latter spoilt the chance a, few yards from the line. The British defence then appeared to go to pieces, and the backs for the most- part appeared content to find the line without attempting any passing play. Tuan Jones saved at a very critical time by marking in the nick of time right on the line and Harding's kick removed immediate danger, play being resumed at halfway. Francis attempted a penalty goal from halfway at this stage, but the hall did not go out of play. In the subsequent scramble Francis secured possession in the loose and whipped the leather out to Nicholson, who passed to Baker. The latter gave a poor pass to Magee, who lost the ball. Then followed the most exciting piece of play of the day. Murray ran in very determinedly from near the 25. Dyke collared him when near the line hut he struggled loose and managed to register a try. The kick which was from a good position was taken by Magee, who secured the additional points. Auckland 11; Britain niL Tho Auckland forwards set up a vigorous attack and gradually pressed the visitors back, going on to their line, where a succession of tight scrambles followed. Auckland was within an ace of scoring on more than one occasion, hut faulty passing was responsible for two good chances being lost. By using the line, the British effected a clearance and within ten minutes lo go play was at the halfway. Principally through Harding Britain succeeded in reaching Auckland's 25, but the advantage was only temporary and the Auckland forwards soon afterwards rushed play pact the half way Hag. Here the home team wag awarded a free kick for a scrum infringement, but Magee's attempt at goal was a failure. Nicholson initiated a fine passing nirdi but a. forward pass spoilt- an almost certain scute. Raker tigured prominently in the ensuing play, but any chanciis were thrown away by the erratic passing of the local backs. In the closing minutes of the epell the British attempted to open up play for their backs, Vassall put.ing in one i,r two bright rushes. The defence was, however, very. sound, and the vVsitoi.s were never really dangerous. The ball shifted Tip and down the field once ■" r twice, and 110 ti'me sounded with play iu Britain's territory, the iinal scores being Auckland . - H points Britain Nit. The play was net of a very interei;tI ing description the sptctatniis never lining roi'oed to much enthusiasm. The visitors on many occasions gave glimpse* of what they might have done against- a weaker defence, buti the fi'.'-l following lip and the sure tackling of the home forward division particularly spoilt their ■ chances of opening up play for the backs. In the scrums' Britain was nearly always successful in obtaining the ball, but Gillett was usually wide awake to what was going forward and frequently smothered the half back's attempt u> feed the flying three-quarter line. Quite a feature of the game was Harding's magnificent line kicking. The defence of the British lvieks and their tackling was weak while their attack did not come up to expectations. Yassall, Harding, and McEvedy were. the. popular favourites while, for Auckland Gilletit. Francis, Nicholson and Seeling were mosfc prominent. Magee. Murray and Baker Mere the hi *t of the back division. As referee Mr Angus Campbell, of Auckland, . gave satisfaction to playeiß and public. Th'e Bri'ish team left for Rotcrua by special train in the evening. An informal game will be played against- a Rotorna Maori on Wednesday, and it is- intended 'that the team shall have a full day's rest previous to the third U.st match on Sat-u'rdav next.

CANTERBURY Y. WAIRARAPA. Per Press Association. CHIIISTCHUItCWi duij* 19. [iif iiiM of liie seasun E> iiiterprovincial matches was played this afternoon when Canterbury and \Vairarapa met oil Lancaster Park. 'Die ground was in a very bad state but the display cf football showed ill:it it would have been a very interesting match on a dry ground. In the first fjpell with the advantage of the wind the Canterbuiy backs played a rcmarkab.y good game. They handled the greasy ball in fine style, and some of their par-s----ing rushes were extremely pretlj". In the second half the Wairarapa lor wards played a. much brisker game, and iit the lobse Mofk tliey H ; cie miieh superior to their opponents. The Canterbury forwards seemed disinclined to t'iit llie itecessary amount of " boot:" into tlieir work and their rushes were easily checked. The mat fli resulted—Canterbury 15, 'Wairarapa, 5. DUNEDIX, July 18. The following will represent Otago against Wairarapa next Saturday :—Kindley, U\Sullivan, Bennett, Stalker, McLeod, Kckhold, Sutherland. ->S. Casey, Fiitopatrick; Pitt oil j Iviiitei'i McDonald) Mackenzie. ijblilretcn, M. CaseV: Tb-dity Aliiaiiibrtl 3pts diew nlith j Duilerliil ,3 : Sbiijhern 21 pt>s_ beat Ziiigari iticiihiohd iiil; Kaikoiai ißJits beat_ Pi. C'iialiiieru mi; Pirates ilp s beat Lnion nil: Taieri Hovers secured a win agaiastf University by default. Members of the Sou'h Canterbury touring team are requested to attend at the Star training rooms to-morrow night for practice. , 'Hie Main .School met Waimataltai in their sectutd rotind fixture hi the schoo's eonlpetiliotl <;lt Saturday aiid inflicted rathel- it, jleavy defeat; winning by 29 points to iiil; ' The score was made .up of seven tries scored by Duncan (2) CoxIfad <Z), liuiit, Mitchell and Fritter. lour of these were couverled by Davie. The winners played a very good game, indulging in some pretty passing which proved too much for their heavier opponents who showed lack of condition in the 6ecolid spell. Mr C. Hassall was referee.