RUGBY FOOTBALL

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue XIII, 29 September 1900, Page 582

RUGBY FOOTBALL

THAMES BEATS WAIHI. WAIHI, Saturday. The Waihi v. Tham.es match was played here to-day, the latter winning by 15 to X Mr Campbell refereed. About 1500 people were present, and the Waihi brass band was in attendance. The weather was splendid. Garvey captained Waihi and McGregor Thames. A close half-holiday was observed.

Thames won the toss, and had the sun behind them. Waihi kicked off, the ball eventually going out at centre. The Thames forwards worked gradually to Waihi's 25. where McCall relieved by finding the touch-line. From the line-out Mathias headed a rush, but Landy obtaining possession made s smart run and kicked to centre. A mark obtained by Garvey brought play to the Thames 25. From the line-out Auckland obtained the oval, making a run to centre. Play then became open. Waihi gradually gaining ground. Buckland again got possession, punting to Waihi’s 25, where McLean smartly returned. The blues started a rush from centre. Brown stopping by quick play. The Thames backs, however. sent the leather down near the Waihi goal, where a scrum ensued. Thames instituted a passing rush, but Thom broke up the combination. The blues, however, retained possession, and rallied again, but Thom, by smart takes, kept the oval in general play. Hostilities, however, crept down to Waihi’s goal, where a touch-tn-goal ensued. Waihi rushed the play up the line after an exchange of kicks, out the blues retaliated strongly. Garvey marked at centre, and a line-out followed. Thom made a smart dash, but was grassed in the Thames 25. Here the oval came into the blue’s possession, play going down the field into Waihi’s 25. The maroons rallied here, and a passing rush by Ams. McCall, and Landy sent the oval out at centre. Play continued open near the centre, followed by scrums on the boundary. Play then crossed the field. Thom sending the leather out in Thames’ 25. Mathias and Flett started a dribble from the home territory into the blue’s 25. where the maroons obtained a mark. Matbias followed up well and blocked the return. The Thames forwards closed in and rallied, but open play ensued at centre. From a line-out at the centre Garvey marked, and Mathias. Ascott and McMillan followed up smartly and rushed play into the Thames 25. but the defective passing which followed allowed the blues to gain an advantage. From loose play at centre Thames forced the oval along the line, and from a close rush Renshaw drew first blood for the Thames at the corner flag. The major points were not added. Thames, 3; Waihi. nil. Shortly after Lang took Johnston’s place at three-quarter, the latter retiring hurt. Play followed at centre, from which Landy picked up and made a good run into the Thames 25. and Lang, falling to collar, the oval went out. Shortly afterwards play followed In neutral territory, from whence the maroons rushed the ball to the blue’s 25, but play was forced back to Waihi’s 25. Here two Thames forwards carried the oval over the Waihi goal, and a score seemed Inevitable. but Thom fell on the leather, saving a score. Half-time was sounded shortly after. Thames. 3: Waihi, nil.

The second spell opened with some smart piny by the Thames backs, the local men failing to take the oval neattv enough to

gain any advantage. Thom saved rush after rush, but the maroons could not rally sufficiently to stop the Thames backs from getting through. From open play tn the Waihi 25 Coote passed to Buckland who transferred to Lang, who made i smart run. passing near the line to MvPike. who darted over and scored. The kick at goal failed. Thames. 6; Waihi. nil. latter on McGregor added another try. which Newdlck converted. Thames, 11; Waihi. nil. McPike shortly afterwards kicked a splendid goal from the field, bringing the score up to 15 points to nil. Waihi rallied well, and soon had play on their opponents’ goal-line. After some hard piny here the oval came to centre, where Thom. Flett, and Gandy instituted a great rush. At the Thames 25 Gandypicked up and made a smart run along the line, scoring for Waihi. Thames. 15; Waihi. 3. The major points were not added, and play finished with the ball at centre. Mathias was the best wing on the field, and completely smothered his opponent. Thom played a splendid game at wing three-quarter, but Flett, though he did good work, failed in his takes, and was not so certain as usual. Gandy played a dashing game throughout, and McMillan and Arns showed up conspicuously, jt. McGregor, for Thames, played a splendid game, as also did McPike, Cunningham. Gang. Newdiek. and others. ® ® ® ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. This season the contests for the Brown Challenge Shield have been held in Auckland, the competing teams bein" Otago. Wellington, and Auckland. Other teams were expected, but apparently they could not get their men to travel As the result of the draw, Auckland had to meet Wellington, and the winners played oif with Otago for possession of the shield. AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON. This match was played on Thursday last under conditions about as adverse as could possibly be imagined, the afternoon being very stormy, and at times the rain came down in torrents. The ground under foot was very greasv, and consequently scientific football could hardly be expected. As it was not a holiday, a large attendance was not anticipated, but owing to the state of the weather there was a. very small muster of spectators, none but the keenest enthusiastics putting in an appearance.

The game was much more interesting than could have been anticipated, and at times it was really fast and exciting. In the first spell Auckland had the advantage of playing with the wind, but for the first. ten minutes Welligton had all the best of matters, the locals showing lack of combination. They soon pulled themselves together, however. and during the remainder of the spell maintained the upper hand, scoring a couple of goals. In the second spell the play was much faster than in the first, the Aucklanders improving as they went along, and they appeared to be in better condition "than their opponents. Before the close of the game they added four goals to their score, bringing their total up to six goals, whilst Wellington, towards the close of the game, managed to score a goal.

Undoubtedly the better team won, and the locals showed superiority in practically all points of the game. After the first few minutes Wellington was rarely dangerous, and they lacked both combination and condition.

For the locals, Southall, in goal, had very little to do, but he acquitted himself well, with the exception of the mistake which allowed Wellington to score their goal. Wright and Hayman, the full backs, both kicked well, and the former played a fine game throughout, but Hayman was very weak at tackling, seeming to have a decided objection t o going for his man. Of the halves. Sawbridge was the best, Bellamy, though he played a good game, not being up to his usual form.

Amongst the forwards, the veteran Austin Smith gave a clever exhibition at centre, scoring a couple of pretty goals. He appeared, however, at times to be inclined to go rather much “on his own.”

C. and V. Heather showed some very effective combined play, the former especially playing a fine game, and obtaining two splendid goals. Goldie, on the left wing, showed lots of pace, and did useful work, but his shooting was rather wild. Richards, though he got a couple of goals, was hardly up to the mark, being frequently out of his place, and at times he appeared to interfere badly with Smith.

Burns, the Wellington goalkeeper, was rather weak, and allowed one or two shots to pass him that should never have scored. The two full backs, Godber and Swain, were fair, and did a lot of useful work.

Of the halves, Clarke was by far the best, and though greatly handicapped by his lack of weight, he played a really good game, holding his own splendidly against his heavier opponents.

Wells was about the most prominent amongst the forwards, putting in some fine work; and of the others, McDonald, in the centre, was the best. The Wellington forwards, however, showed very little combination, and were therefore not nearly so effective as they should have been. OTAGO V. AUCKLAND. Ibis match was played on Saturday under < limit ions vastly more favourable than was the Wellington game. Ihe weather was beautifully fine; in fact, it was suggestive of cricket rather than football, ami under the circumstances the attendance was unaccountably small, there being- hardly 1000 spectators present. The game itself was disappointing, at all events from an Aucklander's point of view, as after rhe sound display given by the locals against Wellington on Thursday it was naturally thought that, they' would show improved form in their second attempt under more favourable surroundings. The reverse however was the case, and hardly one of the Auckland team played up to his best form, and the showing of the majority was feeble in the extreme. Ou the other hand, the Otago men fairly excelled themselves, ami playeel a sound ami brilliant game from start to finish. Prior to Saturday's match they were deemed inferior to the Wellington reps., having been defeated by them on two occasions, but in the Auckland match they showed a complete reversal of that form, and although they only succeeded in winning by the narrow margin of a goal to nil, they had the best of t’he game from start to finish, and had hard luck in not scoring on other occasions. Had the locals shown the form expected of them a. splendid game would have resulted, but even with our men at their best it is not at all certain that they would have succeeded in lowering the colours of their opponents. As it turned out, Otago was distinctly lucky in scoring their goal, as the free kick from which it resulted was obtained owing to Sawbridge handling the ball, the player picking it up thinking it was out of play. However, had the match resulted m a draw it would 'have been no criterion of the merits of the teams, apd nobody who saw the game can begrudge Otago their victory. Of the individuals, Lothian, who played in goal for Otago, was very sound, but. he was rarely called upon to exert himself.

G. McMillan has the reputation of being the best full back in the colony, and 'he certainly played a fine game on Saturday, but he was hardly pressed enough to show of what he was capable in defence, and this remark applies to all the Otago backs. Brown, who played full with McMillan, also played a sound game, kicking splendidly.

Of the halves, Dodd was the best; in fact, he played about the finest game on the ground. The other halves, Nagle and Middlemiss, both played sound games.

The Otago forwards were a fast and effective lot, their only weakness being in shooting. D. McMillan was perhaps the best, but S. Brown and J. McMillan were little, if any, inferior.

For .Auckland, Southall, in goal, was given plenty of work, and he acquitted himself really well, preventing scores on numerous occasions.

Wright was the best of the full backs, and put in a tremendous amount of work, but towards the end of the game lie appeared to go off a bit in his kicking. Hayman, the other full, kicked well when there was nobody to interfere with him, but his tackling and defence work generally was lamentably weak. Bellamy was the only one of the halves that played up to form. Sawbridge at times played splendidly, but between whiles his efforts were feeble. The forwards as a whole were right iff colour, or else they were so badly overmatched that they failed to show even a glimpse of form. Of combination there was none, a nd their general idea of passing was to place the ball carefully in front of an opponent.

Taking into considusatibn the fact that A. Smith and the H erthaeaors b that. A. Smith and the Heather Bros, are admittedly equal to any forwards in the colony, it is hard to credit that Saturday's showing was the true form of the Auckland vanguard.