A ROUGH GAME.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 12

A ROUGH GAME.

MATCH AGAINST UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Next day Saturday) we again visited Berkeley to play our socond gome against the .University of California. Tnc return to the dirt Hold after three games on clio turf was by no means enjoyable, and the tactics employed by our opoonents in the effort to* check bur scoring caused considerable unpleasantness on both sides. The result was that this was the most uninteresting match, from a Rugby point of view, of tho tour. The California team certainly showed marked improvement, and when they played clean football, and forsook their obstructionist tactics, they showed up to some advantage. Thoy were certainly the first team to score against us, and when the scorer. Abrams crossed th« line of the All Blacks, the spectators went mad for a few minutes—the din-of the band, the yells of the students, and the roars of the. rest of the crowd, produced a record which should take a deal cf beating. From the kick-off the- homo team threw themselves" into the play with extraordinary x'igour, and the garao soon developed into an unusually hard one. Interference, illegal tackline, and obstruction were, rampant, and effectually prevented any score for the first half of the spell. Finally, Taylor got over the line near tfie posts, and Graham kicked a goal, while towards the end of the si>ell Roberts got a try, the .score being 8 to 0 at halftime. In the second half the defence of-, the locals broke down considerably, and our team added SO points, while as before mentioned, the University team scored 3 points. - Murray, Graham,

Lynch, Cain, Wylie, and McDonald scored tries, Graham converting three, and kicking two goals from penalties. As will bo seen by my remarks, the game generally was a most unpleasant one, and quite exceptional to our previous- experiences here. BEDLAM LET LOOSE. After the game we returned to the city and were- entertained at dinner at the Oiympia Club by Mr W. M. Roberts, an old Otago man and a keen Rugby enthusiast. After spending a very enjoyable two hours we all adjourned to Market street to view a grand electrical parade and procession, which marked the close of the festival so far as the official programme was concerned. The «-treets were so closely packed, however, that very little of the procession came into our line of vision. And then what a night it wast If your readers could imagine'a combination of about twenty Sydneys on New Year's. Eve they might get raise slight idea of tho crowds andf the <lin they made. The ground was soon literally covered with a thick carpet of confetti of all colours, while streams of the coloured ''serpentine" papers were strewwl everywhere. Towards midnight hands were stationed at intervals ;i!oii£ tho s-treets, and dancing was freely .indulged in (mostly ragtime) in the rondway. from -which all tram and vehicular traffic was excluded. In the targe hoi'•lβ the spacious lobbies were cleared and dancing.' free to all, t«s kept lineal! night, while both f-in,gir»<: and dancing- wt;rr- general in all the <-;\f<«. In the streets every description of musical (F> instrument was in use by the pedestrians to the accompaniment of horns, bells, squeakers, and other injstrumeutß of torture. Altogether the scone was a veritable eye-opener to us all. anil will long livo in our memories. THE FINAL MATCHES.

•To-day and to-jnorrow we rest, and on Tuesday evening leave by train for Reno, -where wi« play ngainst tho University of Nevada on Wednesday, L'Dth inst., returning on Friday for our final game against the University of California, which is .scheduled for Saturday, Ist November.