NAPIER FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 212, 16 August 1894, Page 3

NAPIER FOOTBALL.

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August 14. The first of the interprovincial matches was played on the Recreation Ground on Wednesday last, when the local team met the South Canterbury reps. The day was fine and the ground in good order. The visitors arrived by the steamer on the morning of the match, and were welcomed by the officials of the local union and numerous footballers. There was a good concourse of spectators to witness the match, which resulted, after a tough contest, in favour of the Hawke’s Bay by six points to three, the scores being a penalty goal and a try to a try. The fol lowing were the teams: — South Canterbury (black and green) : Fullback — T. Simpson 12.4; threequarters —Alf. Boys 10.7, A. J. Shellard 11.3; W. Johnson 11.3; halves—Artie Boys 10.0, J. Heelan 11.7; wings—J. Gardner 11.8, J. Fox 12.10; forwards — C. Hall 12.4, R. Quinn 12.4, R. D. Stewart 14.4, T. Kerr 12.6, T.Hart 12.3, F. W. Shellard 11.5, A. Thompson 11.3. Hawkes Bay (black and white): Fullback — John O’Connor 12.7; threequarters —W. McFarlane 10.8, F. Law 10.0, 0. Bennett 10.8 ; halves—W. Caradus (captain) 10.12, J. Donnelly 10.10; wings—H. Swan 9.12, H. Kelly 12.0; forwards —Cockroft 12.12, Malcolm 12.12, B. McDowell 12.10, Toohey 12.2, Ryan 13.4, 8ie1‘13.6, Cheer 12.0. Mr W. J. Cotterill, of Christchurch, acted'as referee, and Messrs C. Collison (South Canterbury) and A. C. Bennett (Hawke’s Bay) were the line umpires. Caradus won the toss, and elected to defend the eastern gaol, and the visitors kicked off against a strongish breeze. .. • ■

The local forwards, headed by Ryan, Biel, Kelly and Swan, carried play into the visitors territory, and the two firstnamed rushed the ball over the . line, but Artie Boys saved his side by kicking to touch in goal. Shortly afterwards the visitors were forced. Play remained in the green’s 25 till Hall and Stewart broke away with a fine dribbling rush. Malcolm and Swan relieved, I ut Artie Boys returned to the attack on the local line. A good rush by the local forwards shifted play to the green’s 25, where a free kick was awarded to the local men, and O’Connell placed a neat goal. No further score was obtained during the remainder of the spell, play being principally confined to neutral territory. On resuming, the greens at once assumed the aggressive, and for some time the local line was in great danger, but Caradus, Donnelly, Malcolm and Ryan at last shifted play to neutral ground. The greens, of whom Fox, Quinn, Stewart, Hall and Boys played a splendid game, were not to be denied, and the first named broke away and crossed the local line, but the ball was knocked from his hand in the act of scoring. The greens had their reward, however, shortly after, as a fine dribbling rush ended in Heelan scoring. The local men seemed to wake up a bit, and play became more lively and interesting. Passing and dribbling rushes became more frequent A fine passing rush, in which Donnelly, Caradus, Laws and Bennett took part, resulted in the last named scoring, but the kick at goal was futile. Notwithstanding some brilliant play by the visitors, they were unable to increase their score, and the total stood unaltered when the whistle sounded “ no side.” For the visitors, Artie Boys, Fox, Heelan, Gardner, Quinn and Hall were most prominent. Swan, Kelly, Ryan, Caradus, and Bennett were the best of the local men. On Saturday last the local reps defeated the Marlborough reps by 33 points to nil. The game was, as the scores indicate, a very one-sided one, the local men having the result at their mercy from the start. The weather was perfect, and the ground in splendid order. There was a large attendance of spectators. The local team was slightly different to the one which played against South Canterbury Walker, Jago, Wilson, Geordine, and Barnett taking the place of O’Connell, Kelly, McDowell, Biel, and Ryan. The following composed the Marlborough team :—Fullback —T. Baillie 10.6; three-quarters — W. Redwood 11.7, C. Cohnolly 11.10, A. Carter 10.10; halves—J. Griffiths 11.8 (captain), and W. Carter 11.5; wings— G. Redwood 12.4 and J. O’Dwyer 11.7 ; forwards —J. Neal 12.12, R. Greig 12.8, J. Murphy 12.2, A. O’Dwyer 11.7, A, Stuart 11.10, D. Morrin 12.2, R. Ireland 12.2. Mr C. Sinclair (Marlborough) and Mr C. Bennett (Hawke’s Bay) were line umpires, and Mr W; J. Cotterill (Christchurch) was referee. Play was immediately in the visitors quarters, and Toohey soon scored, but the kick at goal failed. The visitors kept the local men at bay for a time, but a fine passing rush in which Donnelly, Caradus, Laws and Macfarlane were prominent, enabled the last-named to score. The kick was again a failure. For a short time the visitors showed a bold front, but some good passing resulted in Donnelly scoring, but no goal was kicked. Macfarlane was the next to score, he getting over the line after some good passing was indulged in. The kick was again fruitless. Play was very varied for a time, and the visitors nearly scored from a penalty kick, but at last Donnelly, Bennett and Swan carried play to the visitors line and Swan scored. Laws converted, bringing the total to 17 points, at which it stood when the first spell ended. The play in the second spell was a repetition of the first, the visitors making determined but fruitless efforts to stem the tide of defeat. The scorers in the second spell were —Cockroft 2 tries, Bennett and Barnett, Laws converting both of the tries. The best form for the visitors was shown by Murphy, Morrin, Redwood, Carter and Greig. The local men all played a dashing game, and showed good combination. The following have been chosen to represent Hawke’s Bay on their Northern tour Fullback, Walker ; three-quarters, Laws, Macfarlane and Bennett; halves, Caradus and Donnelly; wing forwards, Swan and Kelly; forwards, Cockroft, Ryan, Malcolm, Toohey, Cheer, Geordine and Barnett. Emergencies: Backs, John O’Connell, W. O’Connell, and Matheson ; forwards, Elliott and Downey. The local men left on Sunday by the Tarawera. They play Thames on Thursday, Auckland on Saturday, and on their

way back play at Gisborne. Caradus captains the team, which, taken all round, is a good one, and should give a good account of themselves.