FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 758, 15 September 1904, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

OTAGO V. WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON WIN BY 15 POINTS TO 13. AN INTERESTING GAME. The Wellington representatives met and defeated the Otago team on the Athletic Park Ground on Saturday by 15 points to 1.3. The weather was bleak and cold, and a strong southerly wind blew down the ground, which was very sloppy after the recent heavy rains, only about 2000 people were present. The general impression was that the heavy ground would tend to make the game slow and uninteresting, but things turned out to the contrary. From the kick-off it was a fast and unusually interesting game. The visitors made full use. of the advantage they derived from winning the toss, and, playing with the wind in the first spell, rattled on 13 points, while the home team failed to score. The Otago backs handled the heavy ball remarkably well, while the forwards, both in the loose and open, showed to greater advantage than their opponents. As soon as ends were changed the Wellington men began a vigorous attack. The Otago men in the second spell gave a splendid exhibition of defensive play against the wind. By their win the Wellington team retain until next season the Ranfurly Shield, which they won from Auckland this year. The teams were as follows : — Wellington : Fullback, G. Spencer ; threequarters, W. J. Wallace, J. Barber, D. McGregor ; five-eighths, D. S. Gray ; halfback, J. P. Blacklock ; forwards, W. J. Hardham, A. Griffiths, E. H. Dodd, E. L. Watkins, J. Calnan, E. H. Best, T. Cross, A. A. Wylie, H. Knight. Otago : Fullback, E. Booth ; threequarters, A. Dobson, R. Bennett, C. Gilrav ; five-eighths, S. Bolt, W. J. Munro'; half, J. King ; forwards, S. Casey, B. Spiers, A, McDonald, J. Mitchell, D. Stuart, W. Johnson, C. Stewart, H. Porteous.

Wellington kicked off against the wind, and play for some time hovered near the centre. Then the home forwards broke away, and Gilray cleverly saved by a kick into touch. The Otago forwards, assisted by the wind, gradually worked their way into Wellington’s territory, and on one occasion King, by failing to take a short kick from Spencer, lost a favourable opportunity to cross the line. A passing rush by the Wellington backs removed the scene of operation to the Otago 25, but Booth relieved by a fine kick into touch near Wellington’s 25 flag, where Gilray missed a good chance of scoring through mulling the ball. Soon afterwards the ball was passed to Gilray, but, being bustled, he made an indifferent pass, and the Otago forwards in a bundle rushed the ball across the line, where it was pounced on by a Wellington back. On the resumption of play a scrum was formed five yards out, and the ball was heeled out to King, who cleverly dodged across the line. Booth converted : Otago 5, Wellington nil. After an interchange of long kicks Gilray smartly followed up his own kick and tackled the Wellington fullback, who held on to the ball. A free kick was awarded, but the attempt at goal was a faifure. The play still raged in the Wellington 25, and a fine piece of passing by the Otago threequarters was frustrated by Wallace, who saved the situation for Wellington by rushing the ball into touch near the corner flag. Ten minutes before the call of time Spencer failed to take a long kick from Johnson, the ball going between his legs, and Munro, who had followed up smartly, grabbed it and hopped across the lirte. Again Booth was successful in registering the major points : Otago 10, Wellington nil- Just before the whistle sounded a loose scramble, took the ball across the ground, and Gilray beating a Wellington man for possession near the corner flag scored the third try for Otago. Booth failed at goal, and the spell ended : Otago 13, Wellington nil. As soon as play was resumed the Wellington forwards got on a loose rush to Otago’s line, where Booth secured the ball anti kicked, but the leather made verv little headway against the strong wind, and McGregor grabbed it and fell across the line. He took the kick at goal himself and was successful : Otago 13, Wellington 5. The Wellington men continued the attack with great determination. Hardham secured a mark in front of the goal-posts, and McGregor kicked a magnificent goal : Otago 13, Wellington 9. At this stage the Southerners were putting in their best defensive work, and repeatedly cleared their lines by clever kicking into touch. Sud-

denly the Otago forwards got on a strong loose rush, and McGregor averted what looked like a certain score by a long kick into touch. A capital piece of passing by Hardham, Calnan, Gray and Wallace changed the scene of operations to the other end of the ground, and Wallace spoiled a chance of scoring by badly mulling the ball near the line. From an ensuing scrum Gray kicked across the ground to McGregor, who scored near the corner flag. His attempt at goal was unsuccessful : Otago 13, Wellington 12. Shortly after the kick-off the Wellington forwards heeled out from a scrum, and as the result of some splendid passing by Watkins, Dodd, and Wallace the last-named crossed the line and ran round behind the goal-posts. McGregor made a poor showing in his kick at goal : Wellington 15, Otago 13. The Otago men then made their last effort and rushed play into Wellington’s 25, where a fine piece of passing by the Otago backs was spoiled by Dobson failing to take the ball near the line. A mark by Blacklock relieved the situation for the home team, anti when no time was called play was in Otago territory. McGregor played a great game for Wellington. Wallace sustained a nasty blow in the eye early in the play, which severely handicapped him for the rest of the afternoon. Gilray and King showed up prominently among the Otago backs, the former playing probably the best game on the ground. Johnson was a tower of strength to the Otago forward division in the first spell. The weather was fine overhead, but the ground was very heavy, for the Wanga-nui-Canterbury match on Saturday. The visitors had a slight advantage in the weight among the forwards, and made the most of it, over-running the local men in the loose work. Play was chiefly confined to. the forwards, though the Canterbury backs made occasional passing rushes. The visitors’ backs showed no attacking qualities, but were very sound on defence, tackling as well as any team seen here this season. The only score was obtained just on half-time, Guscott getting over the Canterbury line and Takarangi converting the try. The visitors thus won by 5 points to nil. * * * * The football match Nelson v. Marlborough, played on Saturday, was won by the former by 12 points to 6. The Nelson score was made up of a potted goal, a penalty goal, and a try converted. The Marlborough score consisted of a try and a penalty goal. The game was fast and open, with good passing on both sides, but the high wind often spoiled the play. * * * « The- football match at Paeroa on Saturday was between the junior representatives of Paeroa and Karangahake, the Karangahake team winning by 6 points to 3. For Karangahake tries were obtained by Regan and McClymont, whilst for Paeroa McConnell scored a try. None of the tries were converted. The field of play was very sloppy, there being pools of water in places, and the game was little more than a 1 scramble. Mr W. Moore refereed. During the game Collier, one of the Karangahake players, had his collarbone injured and had to retire. *. * * * The football match, Manawatu v. Wanganui B team, on Saturday, resulted in a win for Manawatu by 9 points to 5 after an interesting game. Finrie and Stalker played great games for Manawatu, the former scoring two tries and the latter one. A. McMinn missed all the kicks at goal, including several from marks and penalties. Just on time Fremont made a clever opening and run for Wanganui. Passing to Thompsan at the right moment, the latter scored and converted the try. In the annual football match on Saturday Poverty Bay defeated Hawke’s Bay by 20 points to 3. The visitors were unable to bring nearly as strong a team as was originally chosen. The losing team made a very hard fight of it and played up well to the finish, the game being interesting throughout. THE BRITISHERS TALK ABOUT THEIR TOUR. Back again ! How well you are looking ! Have you enjoyed the New Zealand trip ?” said a member of the “ Town and Country Journal ” to the Britishers on their return to Sydney. “ We had a splendid ~ time,” large, square Traill answered. “ The voyage was rather rough ; but the papers exaggerated when they said that I was carried ashore seasick.” “ You were glad, thowgh, to lay your head upon my shoulcfcr all the way to

'the hotel,” mischi eviously put in Morgan, the short, merry-eyed Welshman. , Trnill had his revenge ready. “At any rate, I was not the only member of the team to distinguish myself. What about kissing the Maori girl by rubbing noses?” Moro-an was covered with confusion. ; “I think that I prefer the ordinary way,” he said. “ What do you think of New Zealand? “ Most of the New Zealand women are beautiful, and the men are the grandest race in the world. Casual ? Well, perhaps —a little blase. It is only their manner. They are awfully fond of blowing their own trumpet. But they can play football. It is their national game, and the soil and climatic conditions are much more favourable than those of Sydney. The Maoris are passionately fond .of the game, and were elated with their win. To celebrate it they gave a haka, a queer war dance, during which they poke out their tongues, roll their eyes, and manage to look grotesquely savage. We also saw a poi dance. No, not as elaborate, as that in-'Tapu.’ When we were leaving, the great chief of a tribe made a speech, which was interpreted. We rather smiled, as we were charged with this message, ‘Tell the Prince of Wales when you see him that we welcomed you and treated you just as well as we treated him.’ . “As he finished his dignified and kindly speech, each of the braves advanced with a present, and feather dresses, baskets, and greenstone ornaments were piled upon the ground. . . . How wonderful the Rotorua scenery is. We just missed an earthquake, and were much disappointed in consequence. At Christchurch the snow was thick upon the ground.” “Was the trip a financial success ?” “The New South Wales Rugby Union, I believe, made £I2OO out of it. We, of course, receive nothing. All rumours to the contrary are false, particularly the absurd story that each of out team got £SOO before leaving England. We become professionals if we accept a cheque, and may no longer play at home.” “How do you like your Australian publics ?” “They have been excellent —most fair. There has been a little barracking, not more,. though, than in London. I except Newcastle. One of our best fellows, a thorough gentleman, was most unjustly treated there, and as we left the ground a contingent of small boys followed us, and pelted us with mud and stones. The New Zealand crowds are more enthusiastic than either English or Australian. They are very familiar with their statesmen, and always call out, ‘Hullo, Dick,’ when Mr Seddon appears. That gentleman, by-the-way, was most hospitable—invited us to Parliament House, and gave us quite a grand reception.” “You return via Canada ?” “Yes. We were asked to play there, but refused. I think most of us have had enough of football for a time. We shall probably disband at Liverpool. I do not think it likely that we shall finish with any big festivity, but probably at Christmas we shall have a reunion dinner in London. We have had a glorious trip. This is a ripping place, and the people are all very kind. Hope we shall come again. Good-bye.”

Otago beat Wairarapa by 5 points to nil on Wednesday of last week. Neither team played up to their full strength, Otago having had several players crippled on their tour, while two of Wairarapa’s men were suffering from slight injuries.