INTERPROVINCIAL FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XI, 13 September 1902, Page 660

INTERPROVINCIAL FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON BEATEN BY OTAGO. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The Otago touring team beat Wellington to-day by eight points to nil. The first try was the result of smart passing, and the second was secured from a scrummage on the line when time was actually past, and the refesee was only waiting for "dead ball” to stop the game. The local men were outplayed tn tlje last twenty minutes, and a score was only a question of time. All through the visiting backs were much superior to those of Wellington. but Wallace was of great service to Ills side with- his long and accurate kicking. There was a Strong wind from the north, and the game was played across the ground to neutralise it somewhat. About 4000 people were present, Including His Excellency the Governor and Sir Joseph Ward. Who had an interesting game to watch till the later stages. ''Mr Evans was referee. Wellington played , the same team as aga-,st Southland, and wore white to distinguish them from the dark blue of the Otago team. Play went against Otago for a while after the start, as the fullback was nearly penned on the line, and only just got the ball out of touch. Wallace and McIntyre put In two dashes, and for a little while the Wellington backs gave promise of a good performance, but this was not kept, as Otago finally got on a loose rush, and rau up -to the other end, where a free kick extricated Wellington. A fine return dash was stopped by Stalker passing . forward, . and already the blue forwards showed up morts -strongly than their opponents, especially In loose work. After some up and down play, Knowles. Munro, Duncan, and Stalker handed along in a succession of .passes, the last named flitting over the line. Roddick's kick was a failure, but he landed the ball under the bar. (Otago 3, Wellington 0.) The blue forwards kept close on the ball, and had the best of the game for a time, till Mann and Clachlund charged through, and eafne close to the line. Duncan was there, and made room with a clever kick. His men-followed im fast, and another piece of quick passing saw Stalker pulled down just in time. A free kick was awarded to Otago, and Duncan, with a cunning little kick; pressed the whites in the corner; Their forwards pulled themselves together, and -by the best piece of concerted play they had shown, drove their opponents away by sheer strength, the spell ending- in tho blues' 25.

On_ resuming the. Wellington backs, for the first time, tried some systematic passing, but made nothing of it; in fact, they- lost the-ball, and nearly came to grief. From a free kick Wallace landed the ball in ' the' corner, and Dodd nearly got over. This was the first and only time Wellington looked like scoring. The referee had to award far too many of these penalty kicks, Wellington being the chief offenders, at this juncture. It was by means of two of these that Otago cleared themselves. The whites were back again, only to suffer in the same way, and for some minutes the game ranged up and down, the backs all finding the touchline at every opportunity. Then; with a great wish, the blues swept their men before them, and Wallace was hard put to it to stop them. A shock-’ • Ing piece of off-side play by Watkins gave Otago a rather easy kick in front of the goal, but Roddick missed the chance. From, this ■ out tho visitors had all the best of it. Both sides had played a free,-fast game, and the Otago men lasted longest. The Wellington forwards were about done, and tho blue backs were getting the ball from the scrummage eyel-j- time. The only good piece of passing the white backs had shown ended in Mclntyre beng run out at half way. After that they confined their defence to kicking out of touch, and occasionally by a good kic-k gained some ground. The ball always vent back, and finally the* blues fairly tied their opponents up close to the line. A succession of scrummages shifted play 'across the ground, and It was eventually concentrated a yard from the line. Timo was actually up. and a dead bait would have ended tho game, but instead of letting it over, and touching down, tho whites struggled to keep the ball away, and Knowles, picking It up from a scrummage, dived through a number of feet and legs in front of him, and was allowed a try. It was very doubtfur whether he did not take the ball out of the scrummage, but any way, the score was well deserved, and when Roddick kicked a. difficult goal, great was the joy of Otago, who thus won hv 8 to nil. SOUTHLAND BEATEN BY CANTERBURY. CHRISTCHURCH. Saturday. The Interprovlnclal football match, Canterbury v. Southland, was [flayed at Lancaster Park to-day. In the presence of about 2500 spectators. The ground though a trifle hard, was tn good order, but the nor’-wester which prevailed occasionally made matters uncomfortable. The match was of an interesting nature, both sides paying a fast,- open game. The visitors' team was somewhat below their full strength, owing to tho ilhu ss

of several of their beat players, and thia, coupled with a substantial improvement In the home forwards, enabled -Cajiterbury to score an easy win by 21 points to six. In the scrum work the Southlanders showed to advantage, almost invariably hooking the ball, but once in the open■>the local vanguard had much best of the play, whilst their backs showed that, given opportunities, they are all capable of dashing and occasionally brilliant play. In the first spell the visitors succeeded, with the assistance of the wind, in holding their own, but in the second half the -home team held the advantage throughout. Christophers scored two tries for Southland. For Canterbury? McGregor (2), Rice, Phillips, and Harper scored, and three of tho tries were converted. THE INTER-ISLAND MATCH. The following team has been chosen by the Selection Committee to represent the South Island in the inter-island match on Saturday at Wel!ingtork<Fullback: E. Booth (Otago). ThreeQuarters: Smith (Nelson), E. . Harper (Canterbury). D. McGregor (Canterbury). Five-eighths: M. Wood, captain (Canterbury). Half: P. Harvey (Canterbury). Forwards: A* McNle (Southland), W. Duggan (Canterbury), Fenwick (Otago), B. Fanning (Canterbury), J. Roddick (Otago), R. Cook (Canterbury), W. Drake (Canterbury), Porteous (Otago), and F. Given (Otago). The committee found itself considerably handicapped owing to,several prominent players being? unable to get the necessary leave of absence.