THE LAST MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6553, 23 May 1889, Page 2

THE LAST MATCH.

MAOTIIS V. SOUTHERN COUNTIES. Oa Wednesday afternoon the Maori • team played their seventy-fourth and last ! match, on English Boil, against a team ! duhbed by courtesy "The Southern Counties," at the Esses County grounds, ' Leyton. The Rugby Union had some difficulty in getting up a teata to take tn*e place of ' the London Scottish, who "cried off " a, day or two before the date fixed for the match, on account of their season being, over and having no team available. The grounds at Leyton are comparatively unknown to the footballing world. ■ and the train Bervice thither being about as bad as it could be, the attendance waa extremely poor, not more than 2000 people paying for admission. The field itself is as good a piece of level turf as one would find anywhere, and was in splendid ' condition. At ten minutes pastsfour the New 3eaJanders appeared on the field, but it was painfully apparent that for some reason or other the majority of the spectators looked upon them with something akin to disfavour, and the cheers which generally greet the appearance of the Maoris were very feeble. This, I afterwards found out, was because a large number of the epectators.had heard garbled reports of the row at Blackheath on the occasion of the "AllEngland match." One gentleman, indeed, went bo far as to inform me that the "English team left the field in disgust !" After about ten minutes' arguing and explanation, I managed, with the help of a prominent southern player, to convince the gentleman in question that he was mistaken. The statement and its subsequent refutation was overheard by several people round, and created quite a "Maori corner." The kick-off, advertised for 3.30, did not take place till nearer 4.30. This was in order to allow " city men " to get down in time for the match. The city contingent, however, was conspicuous by its absence, and the spectators were mainly local folks, whose sympathies were, of course, entirely with the " Counties." The afternoon was beautifully fine, but, throughout, the wind was blowing half a gale, and hence the ball was often sent out of the ground. The Southerners, winning the tosß, elected to play with the wind. At first they had the best of the game, and Stamp secured a try, which, however, was not improved. Towards the end of the spell the Maoris began to get the upper hand, and Elliott and Gage secured a try each, but M'Causland foiled to convert. The play in the second portion of the game was of a more open character, each goal in turn being in danger, and it was only, jusli prior to call of no side that Warbrick got in on the extreme right for the visitors. M'Caußland failed to convert, and the whistle blowing, the Maoris had secured their forty-ninth victory by three tries to one try.