FOOTBALL

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue X, 8 September 1900, Page 438

FOOTBALL

OTAGO V. AUCKLAND. The local Rugby Union has been extremely unfortunate as regards the weather for the big matches. After the wretched afternoon experienced for the Wellington match, most of us looked forward to a fine day for Saturday, just to average up matters a bit, and certainly on Friday afternoon everything looked extremely promising. However, fate or the clerk of the weather was unpropitious, and on Saturday morning it rained steadily and heavily, and kept it going pretty well all day. For a time between two and three it cleared a bit, and no doubt a good number turned out, hoping that the change would prove permanent. At all events more than 4000 put in an appearance at Potter's Pactdock to witness the Otago men perform. . The only alteration in the Auckland team was that Donovan replaced Hay at, full, the latter player having a bad hand, the result of a kiclc received in the Wellington match. When tlie two teams lined out before pla.i started it was apparent that Otago had the advantage as regards weight, especially in the forwards, whilst ttie backs must have been nearly equally matched in this respect, with Otago a little the heavier. Auckland won the toss and decided to play with the wind, which was not very strong. Play for the first few minutes was mostly in the Otago 25, but it was not <o'f a very exciting nature. Wilson had a futile shot at goal from a mark, and a little later Kiernan got the ball away from the scrum and gave Harrison a good opening, but that player after running a few yards in a half hearted manner, punted over the line, and Otago forced. By a series of fine kicks the Otago backs removed the play to the other end of the ground, Wallace and McKenzie being especially good, and never failing to find the line. After some give and take pluy between the Auckland twenty-five and half way.

Stephenson obtained the ball near the touch line, and punted across in front of Auckland’s goal, where a scrum resulted. Otago continued to attack, and kicked the ball over the line, a force resulting. In play again the blue had for a time the upper hand, and again the ball was carried oven Auckland’s line, and Harrison forced Only just in time.

From the kick out play centred, and the Auckland forwards put in some good work, but their efforts were nullified by the fine kicking of the Otago backs, and a rush by the blue forwards ended in Auckland again forcing. On resuming Auckland tooK a turn at attacking, and for some minutes kept Otago very busy defending. Stephenson by a good kick brought temporary relief, but the blue and white forwards soon had the ball back. From a line out just outside Otago’s 25, the ball was thrown in to Irvine, who was unmarked, and he dashed through and then passed to Tyler, who beat the Otago full back by feinting to pass, and fell over the line just as he was tackled. A. Wilson was entrusted with the shot at goal, but his effort was rather a poor one, the kick lacking both direction and strength.

The score seemed to rouse the blue and whites, for the next ten minutes the blues were kept very busy defending. A force only brought temporary relief, as the Auckland forwards immediately rushed the ball back, and then Kiernan started a nice run, and passed to Riley, who in turn transferred to MePike. The latter player had a really good chance of scoring a try, but preferred to pot, making a very poor attempt, the ball striking an Otago forward, and rebounding up the field. A couple of minutes later half time was called.

Soon after play restarted, Burt, one of the blue forwards, injured his ankle, and had to retire, his place being taken by Adamson. For some ten minutes the play was of an even and unexciting nature, consisting of a series of line outs and scrums. The blue and white forwards then got ton a very dangerous rush, which was only just stopped in time. Then Kiernan was all but over, but the ball was knocked out of his hands and rolled over the line. Doran dived for it, but the goal post was in his way, and what Seemed a. certain try resulted in a force.

On resuming Otago carried the ball to the Auckland twenty-five, and the blue backs getting ton some nice passing runs began to look very dangerous. On one occasion McKenzie crossed the line, but Kiernan prevented him grounding the ball, and a scrum five yards out took place. The local forwards relieved the pressure, and carried play to the centre. Otago again attacked, and a. lot of touch line work ensued. From a throw in, in Auckland territory, the ball was passed out to Armstrong, who transferred to Duncan, who in turn passed to Booth, and the latter to McKenzie, who ran over Donovan, and scored in a fair position. Wallace failed in his attempt to convert, the ball going about a yard wide.

Having evened matters, Otago made great efforts to obtain the lead, and lor some minutes they kept up a strong attack. Then the Auckland forwards, headed by Doran, removed the play to the opposite twenty-five. At this stage Auckland again looked like scoring, the ball being carried right up to the Otago goal line, but the effort failed, and the blues shortly afterwards removed the play to a less dangerous quarter. Line play was again the order of the day, and at this Auckland showed superiority, and the ball was gradually worked back to the blues’ twenty-five, but good kicking by the Otago backs removed play to the centre. During the remainder of the spell the play was of a very even nature, though it was not of a very exciting character. Just before time Duncan forced Auckland by a. hard kick, and that was practically the last Incident of the game.

It cannot be said that the game was as interesting as the WellingtonAuckland match, at all events from the spectators’ point of view. This is accounted for by the fact that the play was confined to a large extent to the forwards, the backs mostly confining themselveg to kicking. On the whole the teams were very evenly matched, and although on the opportunities that offered Auckland ought to have won, it cannot be said that they had any the better of the general play.

It was generally held that the Auckland backs would prove stronger than

their opponents, but such was far from being the case, the Southerners having the advantage in back play. In no department was their superiority so marked as in kicking, and In this respect the blue and white backs failed most conspicuously, and it was quite the exception for one of their kicks to find the line.

Of the Otago backs. McKenzie, at three-quarter, and Wallace, at half, were the most prominent, the firstnamed gaining Otago’s try in nice style, and both he and Wallace kicked splendidly right through the game. Adams at full played a steady, safe game, and Stephenson did likewise at three-quarter.

Duncan was disappointing. We were led to believe that he was as good as ever, but on Saturday he certainly was not the Dunean of old, and he appeared to be endeavouring to make up for the loss of his former brilliancy by pointing and playing “cunning.” He was certainly lucky to escape being penalised on many occasions. Still it must not be thought that he played a poor game, for such was not the case, and had it been anyone whose reputation was not so good, he would have been said to have played a fair game. On the Auckland side the only back who played up to form was Kiernan, and right through he played a really fine game, his defence work being especially sound, though his kicking was not up to his usual standard. “Dick” McGregor, at centre threequarter, was next best, but failed to show his best form, but then he was handicapped by a kick on the leg, which rendered him very lame. Riley, at five-eighths, at times did good work, and his tackling was first rate, but he was most erratic in his taking, and passing.

Both Harrison and MePike played a lifeless kind of game, and, though neither of them made any bad mistakes (barring McPike’s shot at goal), they did nothing of note. In Harrison’s case especially the difference in his form in this match and the Wellington game was most marked. I should have liked somebody to have given them an electric shot every now and then just to waken them up a bit. The weakest man, however, of the Auckland backs was Donovan at full, and his display was certainly of the most feeble description. It was always considered that no matter how weak he was in some respects his tackling was beyond criticism, but after the way he allowed McKenzie to score on Saturday, even that claim must be denied. I have for the past two seasons contended that Donovan was not class enough for a “rep.,” and Saturday’s game more than ever confirms me in that opinion. Although Otago had the advantage of an extra forward, and their men were also considerably heavier than the Auckland vanguard, still the locals more than held their own in this respect, having the advantage both in the pack and in the loose. Their rushes, however, were generally minified by the good line-kicking of the Otago backs. In line play the blue and whites also showed to advantage, though now and then the blue vanguard came through with a good rush from the line, but this was generally the result of a crooked throw-in by Duncan.

In the open Doran was the most conspicuous of the Aucklanders, and he certainly gave a very fine display, and had hard luck in not scoring on at least one occasion. A. Wilson, McGregor and Tyler were about the best of the scrummers, but every man in the Auckland forward ranks played a good game.

The Otago forwards hardly proved up to expectations, but still they were a really good and even lot. It is extremely difficult to pick out any individual as having especially distinguished himself, but, taken right through, McKewen was perhaps the most noticeable.

Mr. G. Symes had charge of the whistle, but he was hardly up to his usual form, and missed a good deal of off-side play and deliberate breaches of the rules. I never quarrel with a referee for overlooking trivial and unintentional breaches of the rules, but on the other hand a referee cannot be too strict on some points, especially where foul play is concerned.