ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1507, 1 August 1912, Page 7

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

RUGBY MATCH. ! WELLINGTON—SOUTH ISLANDBIG SCORING. CITY WINS IN SECOND SPELL. The South Island Country team met Wellington on the Athletic Park - ilay altcrnoon. There was a small attendance, and tho ground was exception- ' atiy suit, heavy, aim slip'iiery. The ganie lose from less than mediocrity in the 1 first spell to iin interesting finale. Ilaii ' thero been the crowd there to roar the 1 necessary accompaniment, the end wouid have been quite exciting. The Southern--ei's carried the first spell, owing to indifferent play by the city team, and ran up 13 points. However, Wellington ail along gave the impression that they would more than demolish deficiencies in the second hall'. They duly appeared on top • lieforo the finish, and of their 27 points, 22 were scored in the second spell. The Southerners played in wlute, and Wellington ■in black. J. Nolan captained South, and F. Roberts was skipper of the Wellington fifteen. The Teams, ; South Island.—Full-back, H. Aitcheson; three-quarters, S. llaase, T. Irving, M. Hale; five-eighths, G. Nelson, J. Twomey; half, W. Church; wing-forward, J.Nolan; serum, R. Sheridan, J. Best, T. Fisher, G. Forbes, F. Southgate, T. M'liitosh, and J. Richards. Wellington.—Full-back,. J< G. Kinvig; three-quarters, T. M. Grace, G. Murray, C. T. v Young; five-eighths,!C. Ramsden, j. M'Kenzie; haU', F. Roberts; wing-for-ward, J. Skinner; scrum, 11. Elliott, C. Hills, A. Wilsou, C. pillespie, D. Sullivan', R. Paton, and D. S..Mnefarlane. On the Ball. The game went in South Island's favour for some time from the commencement. The advantage was gained chiefly iu forward play. While Wellington were well down in their own twenty-five, j Nolan marked cleverly, and Church had I a shot at goal, which, however, was unsuccessful. A moment later Twomey got over near tho posts. Twomey converted. South Island, 5; Wellington, 0. The Southerners continued to hold the upper hand, but Wellington made oue . bright bid for a score, an effort in which the cutting and the dodging of Ramsden were the most attractive features. South Island returned to the attack, anil a little passing at .the end of. a forward rush resulted in Richards getting over. Twomey converted. Sputh Island, 10; Wellington, 0. , The need for a special effort to clean the si ato spurred tho Wellington vanguard to get to business with such a will that the visitors were (temporarily) put completely in the shade. Tho ultimate outcome to this spasm was a liassing rush in which the Wellington backs displayed their H attacking quality. Roberts passed out from a scrum to M'Kenric. -The ball flew on to Ramsden, who transferred to Murray. l Murray bept his opponents beautifully nnd passed on to Young, who outpaced the sole remaining southerner and sored behind -the posts. MTarlnne converted. South Island, 10; Wellington, 5. Grace's Groat Lone-Hand. Wellington persisted in kicking just too far. for r their forwards—so' that the sou-, therhers frequently marked in comfort— ' and in omitting to find the line. The result was that .they spent nearly whole of tho remainder of the spell in their own ttfenty-five. South "Island scored another try, M'lntosh touching down after , loose play which gave tho southerners an altogether unlooked-for advantage in a highly dangerous quarter. South Island, 13; Wellington, 5. When half-time was up the official in I charge, of the bell "gave tongue." Tho ball lira's,.'.then, in -piny - and., Wellington, • knowing that Time had arrived made desperate efforts to keep the ball in. Tt was at this stage that Grace, getting tho oval in his own twenty-five, ran right through the southerners to the opposite twenly-fivo whore he was brought down after one of the .greatest lone-hand efforts seen on the par!-:. Second Spell—Wellington Adds 22 Points. Very shortly after the recommencement the Wellington backs were set afoot by Roberts, nnd a fine cut-in by Ramsden resulted in his scoring behind tho posts. South Island, 113j Wellington, 8. . Tho next event was an increase in South's score, Fisher scoring through Kinvig failing, in an effort to touch down. South Island, IS; Wellington, 8 Wellington's score began to mount lip steadily now. M'Farlane scored twice ill a few minutes, nnd a while later Murray touched down after following lip a kick over tho line by Roberts. M'Farlane converted Murray's try, and Wellington were one point ahead. Wellington, 19; South Island, 18. Tho city players continued to ladle out to their southern friends more than tho tourists could cope with. . The tonians contracted a habit of getting within _ inches of scoring in n certain wellagitated puddle; but at length Roberts got well underneath a considerable stack of humanity, from which ho emerged a scorer, and the wearer of such a generous facial plaster of diluted park soil that ho took considerable identifying. Wellington, 22 j South'lsland, 18. South pulled- themselves together, and attacked on the Wellington line verv willingly for §everal minutes, but tho onslaught was repulsed. Just before the conclusion, Young followed up a long kick, and oil getting possession, outpaced tho southern backs; and scored. M'Farlane converted. The final scores, therefore, were:— Wellington 27 South Island is Mr. L. -Simpson was referee. South Islanders' Record. The following shows the results of tho South Island team's matches to date:— . .Tilly 20—Defeated, by Auckland, 29 to 3. July 25—Defeated by Taranaki, 31 to H. July 27—Defeated by Wanganui, 20 to IG. July 31—Defeated by Wellington 27 to 18. NORTH ISLANDERS. WIN AT INVERCARGILL. (By Telegraph.-4?reHs Association.! invercargill, July .11. Tho representative match Sou'thlnnd v. tho North Island Combined Country team was played to-day, and resulted iii a win for the North by six points to three.. Tho weather was dull and threatening and a heavy shower near hnlf-timo made the ball heavy and greasy. Southland kicked oil' against the wind, and soon play entered the visitors' twentyfive, where blocking saved a score, but the freo-kick given ill consequence resulted in a goal by Henderson, the Southland captain. The Northern full-back stopped n likely-looking Maroon rush, but Southland returned to tho attack, Manning and Kaipara doing good work for the visitors. After give-and-take play, another freekick was awarded to Southland, but Henderson's place-kick was charged down. Shortly afterwards the lllack pack came aivtiy strongly,' and Southland was forced. Tho Soulhlanders went- away from the kick-out, and Ridland marked. M'Neece's kick dropped under the bar. The visiting half-back was shortly afterwards prominent in helping to stop a dangerous Southland rush. Then tho visitors Itcsicged the homo citadel, and soon O'Neill secured a well-deserved try for the North Islanders. Lcnnat'd failed-with the kick, the ball hitting tho crossbar. Thre-s all. The visiting forwards now showed great dn«h. Downing, Desmond, and being prominent. A hampering shower set in at this stage, and continued till the adjournment. When the second spell commenced, Ihe ground was slippery, and the wind favoured Ihe visitors. The home team allocked, and the visitors forced lo save. _ There was some fnsl play after this, Kaipara showing to particular advantage. He presently got the ball, and, from a passing rush, Font scored a nice Iry near the corner. .North Island, li points; Southland, 3. There was no further score. Mr. Tsaac Jenkins was referee.