FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue VIII, 24 August 1901, Page 350

FOOTBALL.

N.S.W. V. WELLINGTON. A NARROW WIN FOR WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON BEAT NEW SOUTH WALES BY A POINT. (Wellington 17 points. New South Wales WELLINGTON. Saturday. The New South Wales representatives played the first game of their New Zealand tour this afternoon at the Athletic Park. The day was fine and the ground was in good order. There was a large attendance (about 5000 being present), and they were rewarded by just the sort of match the public likes to see, no succession of dismal-packed scrummages, but a breezy, dashing, quick scoring game at top speed from start to finish. The size of the score does not speak well for the defence on either side; both were much stronger in attack than when on the defensive. There was a stiff wind blowing down the ground, and Wellington should have put on a larger score in the first spell, but they did not get going till it was half over, and nearly lost the game through their missing their opportunity. When the visitors got the wind they at once showed they could play a bold game, and their backs, kicking high, the men followed up fast, and nearly always scored. The Wellington players soon realised that they were going to be badly beaten if they did not smother the backs, and made it an open forward game as much as possible, with the best results, as they got two well-deserved tries, and ultimately scraped through by the narrow margin of one point. Manson was their shining light; he was always in front, backing up at top speed, and scored no less than three tries. The visitors are rather light, but an active lot of young men, keen at following up and quick to take advantage of an opening. Their passing is rapid and accurate, and they seemed in excellent condition. Judging by to-day’s match, their forwards are rather weak, for they could not stand up to the sweeping rushes of their opponents, nor is the defence of their backs of the strongest. Given them an opening, however, and they are very likely to score. The game was played in two spells of 40 minutes. Wellington wore black and

the visitors light blue. Kelly, the local captain, won the toss from Costello. aqd the latter kicked off at a quarter past three against the wind. The blues were at once driven over their line, and Wallace had a shot at goal from a free kick, but the distance was too great. For some 20 minutes the local backs seemed unable to take the ball, and all attempts at passing were a failure. Several free kicks were awarded against Wellington, which gave the blues breathing time, and then Kelly got over after a long punt by Mclntyre, but was called back, as the ball had gone out of touch. For New South Wales Wickham has a try for goal from a free kick, and made a good effort, but the wind was too strong. A score looked imminent at any moment, and as soon as the backs had got properly warmed up it came. Wood made the opening, and, passing to Mclntyre and Manson, the latter got over. No goal was kicked: Wellington, 3 to 0. The blues rather unexpectedly at once equalised matters by a dashing piece of passing, in which the ball travelled from hand to hand, and every man backing up, a wild scramble at the finish resulted in Hughes getting over; No goal was kicked: Three all. The next score was to Wellington, and resulted from a perfect piece of play by Wood and Manson. The latter ran up to the line, and at the right moment passed to Manson, giving him a clear run, free from obstruction, to the back of the goal. This was an easy chance, but Wood’s kick ran along the ground. Wellington 6, New South Wales 3. Five minutes afterwards Mclntyre fairly galloped through the Sydney backs and crossed the line. From a difficult position Wallace kicked a splendid goal: Wellington 11, New South Wales 3. The blues responded by forcing the game to the other end, but the local vanguard came rushing down again, charged Maund, the fullback, and ran over him. The try was, however, averted, but the Sydney fullback got a nasty knock on the hip. The first spell then ended.

In the interval McMahon was shifted to fullback, and Conlon was allowed to fill the gap. On resuming, the visitors, with the aid of the wind, at once proceeded to make things very lively for their opponents. They caught the Wellington men unawares, and, following the kick-off in a body, fairly hustled the blacks out of the way, and scored a try as they liked by the agency of Shortland. No goal resulted; in fact, the place-kicking on both sides was poor, or the scores would have been much larger: Wellington 11, New South Wales 6.- About this point Wrigley, the Wellington fullback, touched the ball for the first time in the game. The blues kept up their attack, and, securing a mark, Wickham kicked a beautiful goal: Wellington 11, New South Wales 10. The rapidity of the scoring fairly took the breath of the spectators away, and matters looked very dismal for the local representatives, but they rose to the occasion, and, recognising that their only chance was to keep the ball from the Sydney backs, they set to work at a ding-dong

forward game that brought its reward. Following up fast, they smothered the skirmishing division, and Kelly grounded the ball over the line. He dropped It immediately, and the ball was grabbed by a blue. I'he referee, who doubtless did not have a clear view of what actually happened, disallowed the try, but it was fairly earned. Kelly, however, came again, and by a rapid pass made an opening for Manson, who scored his third try: Wellington 14, New South Wales 10. In answer, Judd came through the scrum with the ball in his arm, and a series of quick passes gave Wickham a try: Wellington 14, New South Wales 13. The blacks, in return, dashed up the ground, and made a terrific assault on the blue line. Wood was thrown out sft the corner flag, and scrimmage after scrimmage saw them still assailing the blue s defence. Finally Mclntyre got a pass, and went over the line like a catapult: Wellington 17, New South Wales 13. Then came Sydney’s turn. Shortland got in a slashing run, which put Wellington on the defence, and a series of scrimmages similar to those at the other end resulted in Conlon scrambling over. Wickham missed his chance of winning the game for his side by failing with the kick at goal, and the score became: Wellington 17, New South Wales 16. With only three or four minutes to go, there was fever excitement, as it was still anybody’s game. A thrill ran through the crowd as Wallace, after taking a high punt, very finely allowed himself to be tackled in front of the goal, and the next moment the blue forwards were raging round the posts. They could not, however, get through, but still another chance was left, for a catch was secured close handy. Again the kick failed, and time was called, after a rattling game, with Wellington victorious by the scanty margin of one point.

Opinion is divided about the merits of the four three-quarters game, as played by New South Wales. The arrangement gave them a strong attack, which, when helped by wind, sorely tried the opposing side, but the forwards were correspondingly weakened and could not stay against the smashing’ charges of the local men; and it is well known that the latter are a weaker -forward team than Welling l ton has had for years. The combination afforded by the Southern trip stood Wellington in good stead, and but for the practice thus obtained the forwards could not have done the work they did. When the Sydney men have the experience of a few matches together they will be much more formidable, and will probably give the scratch New Zealand team all they want. The passing of the visitors was particularly good, and the backs run level spread across the field, instead of following behind the man with the ball. Several of their tries were obtained in this way. ® ® ® CANTERBURY DEFEATS OTAGO. DUNEDIN, Saturday. The Canterbury-Otago interprovincial football match was played to-day on the Caledonian Ground, which was in good order. ’ Canterbury (red) won the toss and played with the wind in the first spell. The struggle against the heavy pack no doubt took a good deal out of Otago and except for the last ten minutes the game was not very exciting. Canterbury made the play as tight as possible while the blues strained every nerve to make it open and fast. Duncan played a wonderful game and with Armstrong nipped in the bud many of the Canterbury rushes. He was everywhere, and his collaring, kicking and charging down on the opposing backs were mainly responsible for the visitors not showing to better advantage. He got his men together in the last ten minutes and had decidedly bad luck that some of his cleverly organised tactics did not result in a score.

From the kick off play settled about the Otago 25 flag, the home team being forced. The kick out did not relieve them much, and Ormandy securing a mark Harper made a somewhat indifferent attempt to place a goal. The blues then got on a loose rush and went on to the reds’ 25, but a free kick to the reds saw play settle again about Otago’s 25 flag. Hero there was more tight work, and then

Harper getting the bat! from a scrum made an unexpected long pass to Ormandy. The Otago full-back made a poor attempt at collaring and Ormandy slipped quietly round him and scored the first and only try. Harper failed to enhance the score. Despite Duncan’s efforts to open up the game play was for some time very uninteresting until Uttly made a high kick in front of his own goal, which Harvey cleverly marked. Harper was again at fault with the kic}<. For the rest of the spell Otago were on the defensive. From Canterbury’s kick off Otago, with the breeze in their favour, burst into Canterbury's territory and a forward rush ended in the visitors forcing. The blues w’ere soon back again after the kick out, but the Canterbury forwards broke through and play centred for some time. Line out and scrum work followed for some minutes and then the reds with a fine rush invaded the Otago 25, but the blues soon cleared their lines. The blues swept down the ground, and were pressing Canterbury hard, but over eagerness gave the visitors free kicks three times in quick succession just in the nick of time. Duncan, handling his men well, got back dn each occasion, and Bennett had a shot at goal, but he was not successful. In the Canterbury 25 Armstrong whipped out the ball to Duncan, and he passed to Bennett, who sent the leather on to Booth, who had a clear field, but failed to take the ball. Buchanan failed to take the ball from a kick near the corner, when a score appeared certain if he had succeeded. The blues once more returned to . the attack, but a kick by Canterbury finding the touchline the bell sounded no time, and Canterbury thus won by 3 points to nil. © © ® THE NEW ZEALAND REPS. FOUR AUCKLANDERS INCLUDED. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The following team has been chosen to represent New Zealand against New South Wales on the 28th inst.: —Fullback, W. H. McKenzie (Auckland); three-quarters, G. W. Smith (Auckland), R. McGregor (Auckland), Jacobs (Southland), L. Allen (Taranaki); half-backs, Humphreys (Taranaki), Wood (Wellington), Duncan (Dunedin); forwards, Dodd (Wellington), Udy (Wairarapa), Drake and Cross (Canterbury) , Cunningham (Auckland), O’Dow.da (Taranaki), Purdie (Southland). © © © AUCKLAND V. THAMES. The following are the teams selected to play at Parawai, on Saturday, August 24th : — Auckland: —Full -back, D. Sutherland; three-quarters, G. W. Smith, McKenzie, Absolum; half-backs, D. Hay, Kiernan, Gerrard; forwards, Doran (wing), C. Brady, G. Tyler, H. Wilson, A. Wilson, R. McGregor, Bakewell, Bonella. Thames:—-Full-back, Newdick; s’s Buckland, McLean, Kingham; fiveeighths, R. McGregor; half, Houghton; forwards, S. McGregor, A. Cameron (wings), G. Smith, Huddleston, MeDuff, McPike, Mullins, G. Smith and Bennett.