The Football Season

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1067, 15 August 1904, Page 3

The Football Season

NEW ZEALAND v. GREAT Ullll'AlN

THE HOME TEAM WINS BY 9 POINTS TO 6,

A FAST AND EXCITING GAME,

TWENTY-FIVE THOU SAND PEOPLE WITNESS THE MATCH, Ilj Tologrnph.—Press Association. Wellington, this day. Pebfkct wonthor and conditions prevailed for Saturday's match, to which tho wholo of tho colony has been looking forward with (ovcrish interest for many days, Tho sun shono out strongly, and a light northorly brcezo, which blow down the ground, did not materially affect the chances of cither side. Soon afior breakfast people stavtod to wond their way to tho Athletic Park, and whon tho gates wore opened at 10 30 a crowd of about two thousand immediately took up their positions. From lhat hour onwards a steady stream ol humanity ponrod into tho Park, and by noon tho attendance numbered between ten and fifteen thousand, which was increased to about twontytftvo thousand by tho tiuio the teams -entered on tho big ovont, The Wellington-fiullor match served as a welcome- curtain-Miner and kopt tho iuiuionso crowd from growing weary of thoir long wait, Lord and Lady Plmiket and party, Mr Seddon, and other membors of the Ministry occupied seats on tho stand,

Tho Now Zealandors won a moritorious vicloiy by nino points (two tries anil a penalty goal) to three points- (a penalty goal). The dash and effective loose work of the colonial forwards prevented tho British backs from playing the centreing gamo, which has been snch a prominent feature of their play. Tho game w«s fast and exciting all through, but the crowd r.l times mado emphatic comments on tho "pointing" proclivities of the Britishers. lii the first spell the New Zoalandera played with tho wind, but they failed to make full use of their opportunities for scoring. Scvoral free kicks within roasonablo distance of tho goal pos-s went wide oltho mark, and openings, which Bhnuld havo resulted in the British line being crossed, woro not takon advantago of, The team was obviously ovor-tanxious, The collaring of tho Now Zoalanders all through tho game was deadly, and seemed to poralyso the opposing backs, who often preferred kicking to passing, In tho forward play tho colonials had all tho best of tho contest, tho way in which they took chnrgo of tlfe scrums and suiothorcd tho opposing backs was a treat to witness, Whou ends wero ohauged at half time, with tho scoro at tlneo points each, the general impression was that the New Zca-» landers wero a beaten team, it being expected that on tho dry, fast grouud, with tho wind in their favour, the English backs would provail with some of thoir meteoric runs. The unexpected, however, happened, and tho colonials attacked wilh dash and vigour, which yielded them two tries,

The teams wero as follows: Britain.-Full back, O'Brien; throoquarters, Morgan, Gabe, Llowellyu, MoEvedy; halves, Vilo, Bush; forwards,., Dobson, Rodgers, Traill, Bevan, Edwards, Crowthcr, Hardin«, Swannell, Now Zealand. —Full back, It. McGregor; thrcc-qnarterH, Wallnco, Harper D, McGregor; halves, Wood, Stead, Harvey; whig, Gallagher; forwards, Tyler, MoMinn, Cross, Fanning, Nicholson, Seeling, Glenn, Stead won tho toss, and England defended tho southern goal. Play was soon centred in tho visitors' 25, and a fierce onslaught at tho corner was rolieved by fiuo kicking. Shortly aftorwards Wallace crossed the British lino, but was called back for off sido play, During tho next few minutes' play several penalty kicks were given in favour of tho Now Zea. landers, but Harper, Wallace, and Wood wero ea chuncqual to tho occasion. The Blacks kept up tho attack for somo timo, and thon tho Englishmen broke inrav, Wallace stopping an ugly rush by kicking I into touch. Shortly beforo the call of half timo the English had ut frco kick given against them for tho third timo within a few minuios for not putting the b:ill properly intc tho scrum, and Wallaco landed a goal,

NewZoahnd » Britain 0 As soon as play was resumed the Britishers wero awarded a free kick and Harding registered'a beautiful goal from a difficult angle, tho spoil ending- • Now Zcalaud 3 Britain 8 'At tho start of tho socond spoil tho visi * tors rushed piny into the home team's territory, but tho coloninl forwards wero not '0 bo denied, and play was boou at tho other end of the ground, From a scrum D, McGregor snapped up a pass from Stead and got ncross the lino at the corner flag amidst a scone of wild enthusiasm. Harper failed at goal, New Zoaland 6 Britain i) Both teams now sottlcd down to a very hard and fast game, of which tho New Zealanders had tho best, but tho fine kicking of tho British backs vory often got their sido out of a tight place O'Brien had a shot at goal from tho centre of tho ground and onrned a round of applause for his lino effort, tho ball just falling short, Within fivo minutes of tho call of time Hickolson picked up tho bull in a looso rush and passed lo Harper, who transferred to D, McGregor, tho latter scoring near tho cornor flag, Wallace's kick at goal was a failure Now Zealand 9 Britain ii The game ended with play m neutral territory, Bush shono out as tho bright particular star among tho visitors, The New Zealand backs generally played up to form, and it would bo hard to say who wbb tho pick of the bunch. INTERVIEW WITH NEW ZEALAND CAPTAIN THE LOCAL TEAM NERVOUS "THE GAME OF THEIR LIVES" By ToloKraph.—I 1 ™ Assooiatiou, WkmilNOion. this day Interviewed, Mr, Stead, captain of the New Zealand team, said ho was surprisod at tho combination shown by tho Now Zealand team, considering it had not played together, To thought thai tho liritish loam wits ii liltlostalo on Saturday. With reference lo (he bad place-kicking of tho New Zealanders, he considorod that the great excitement which had swept over tho colony had affected tho men, Every man who had a shot at goal was nervous, and ihonholo team started nervously. They wero playing the game of their lives.

hf.tcii, and that the host team had won, V, O'Brien said it was umlonbn ni.v a f-ict tli.' tho British teem had been onicliwscd, at,! ho prophesied that the New Zoidand team wlion it went, finiue, if it did not carry all before it, would win tho majority of matches, THE NEWS IN AUSTRALIA rn"i- A«ioflntitm -Copyrtithl Hrair, fhin d«y. Much gratification has been oxprcsiod at Now Zealand besting the Britishers, AUCKLAND V. THAMES) The Auckland team joumoyod to the Thames on Saturday, where they met and defeated tho local team by 15 points to 5, PAEROA V, KARANGAHAKE Tho abovo match took placo at Maknytown on Saturday afternoon, and, contrary to expectations, resulted in a victory for Paeroa by 8 points to nil, Sherson scoring a try during tho last livo minutes of tho game, Karangahake was assisted by Ward, tho orstwliilo Southland fivcoightli, and Paeroa wore without tho services of Brennnn and Oaoto, two of their best players. A lot of inonoy changed hands over the result, JUNIOR REPS v, SENIOR REPS Tho above match was played on (lie local reserve on Saturday, and wis won by tho juniors by 6 points to t>, THE TARANAKI.MANAWATU TEAM The following team will represont Tarenaki and Manawatu against Britain at New Plymon'h on the 17th inst: —Full back, Dr. FooKes; ihroequartcrs, Thorn, son, Hunter and Abbott; uvo'eighih Mynotl; half, Frewin ; wings, Guy and Glasgow; forwaids Wilson, McMinn, O'Snllivan, G'enn, Douglas, McKay and Thomas.