SOME CAPITAL GAMES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1843, 1 September 1913, Page 8

SOME CAPITAL GAMES.

AUCKLAND VANQUISH WELLINGTON.

A WELL WON VICTORY.

NEW SOUTH WALES DEFEAT TARANAKI.

Won by A. M'Gregor, lost by veteran James Ryan—that is the Short story cf tho Auckland-Wellington. Rugby match which took place on tho Athletic Park before 9000 people, in the glorious sutir shine of Saturday afternoon. It was not a great game, but it was a most interesting one, made exciting throughout by tho enthusiastic concourse. Just beaten by Auckland in tho Queen City, twice conquerors of tho Ta.rana.ki men who, covered with mud a.nd glory, wrested tho Ranfurly Shield from Auckland, Wellington was on form more favoured than tho northerners. But form was not the only element considered by those who bothered to wonder who would win j the luck- which has shadowed Auckland ,l : Jke a guardian angel for years was reckoned in, and in the scalo of publio opinion Auckland's luck outweighed Wellington's ■ form. However, the Blue and Whites started favourites by very little. - . i Tiie Auckland team was not tho usual representative fifteen. Tresize was absent from the pack, and It. Sellars took his place. Ross played half in place of Webb. The absence of Mackay (wing-threa-qunrter) and Gcddes (five-eighths) necessitated the reorganisation of tho back division. R. Lambsrt (until a couple of months ago playing in Wellington) and J. O'Brien, wero included in tho team. Lambert was placed fullback, and O'Leary, tho usual occupant of tho position, was moved up to second five-eighths. J. O'Bnien went in as centre-three-quarter, and Stewart went out to Mackay's wing. The cliief abssnteo from the Wellington team was U. Roberts, whom Nunn replaced at half. In the second spell Evonsen (fullback) and Gillespie (forward) did not play, this on account of injuries received in tho first spell. Miller replaced Gillespie, and Grace filled the gap in the ranks of the backs, several of whom wcro shuffled into new positions. As on tho occasion of Auckland's success hero two years ago, Wellington led at half-time —a goal by H. Paton., and a try by Kinving, six points. Early ill tlia second half Auckland's (loot winger, M'Gregor, got through, and alittle later he repeated the performance. O'Leary converted his second try, and up in the air went all tho Auckland hats, umbrellas, overcoats, handbags, and other movable belongings v.-liioh wero on tho ground—Auckland- in front, by 3 to 6. More than half-way through the spell H. Paton piloted l an excellent goal, and the ground l rang and rang again with tho cheers wliioh announced that the Blacks wero once more in tho van—Wellington, 9; Auckland', 8. And so tho scores remained till the sun had dipped behind 1 Brooklyn and tlha game was nearing its close.

-'Luck and M'Cregor. People were just beginning to wonder hoiv many games Harry Paton had won by his goal-kicking when luck and M'Gregor sottled all arguments for tho day. Alter toiling strenuously for some tone against Lambert's line-kicking, Wellington's forwards got well down, under the Auckland goal. A scrum. The ball did not come out cleanly to tho half, who, however, could not resist such temptation to get it away to his string of backs all waiting in. position. But it's an old, old story: attacker fumbling to get tho ball up; defender boots it Loftily to tho other end of tho paddock. And so, while Nunii was straining every .effort to . feed tho leather to liis backs some Auckland footwear unceremoniously sp&ilt ©verything. After the oval sped M'Gregor. After, it, too, went James Ryan (now full-back).' lie had a a good start of M'Gregor, but the Aucltlander, flagrantly breaking tho speed limit, gained on him surprisingly. Still Ryan had only to tap tho ball over the side-line with his boot; but he indulged in that fatal business of handling it, and —a stroalc of M'Gregor dashing at tho old Petone champion, a lightning boost, tho ball caj-eering down the paddock, and J. O'Brien arriving-pell mell from nowhere in time to follofr the oval across the line and fall on it.' And once again Auckland's baggage and raiment wae in the air. /

forcing. Twenty minutes gone, Auckland wero penalised, and H. Paton landed a great goal from near 'half-way. Wellington, 3; Auckland, 0. Wellington went away with a passing ruth, but O'Leary intercepted and sot the Auckland backs off. They were only getting undor weigh' when Mitchinson intercepted them and raised the applauso of tho crowd by threading a track through tho thick of tho Auckland team. From now on tho play improved in attractivcnc-ss. Nunn was givni"; the backs good chances by sending tho oval out quickly. F2'om Nunn to M'Kenzie, to Tilyard, to Ryan, through whose fingers tho leather slipped only to bo snapped by Kinvig— and Kinvig only to bo grassed by Stewart. Away they all went again, and this time Kinvig was downed by O'Brien. Tho other wing was then worked. Nunn, Tilyard and M'Kenzie, got tho leather out to Ryan who put in a fine run but sent a bad pass to Mitchinson just when tho field was looking promising for tho tricky wing. A great pot by Kinvig just missed the goal. Auckland forced. H. Paton fielded the drop-out and potted, but he also just failed. With ten minutes of th© spell to go, Wellington increased their lead to six. Nunn whipped tho leather out to Tilyard, on it wont to M'Kenzie, and to Ryan, who made a fine dash and sent on to Kiuvig. The wing flow over and touched down. H. Paton's attempt to goal failed—Wellington 6, Auckland 0. Playing cleverly, Wellington kept Auckland m trouble till half-time. A clover mark by Nunn gave H, Paton a drop at goal, without result, and tho spell ended with tho Blacks leading by six to nil. SECOND SPELL. For the second half, Evonsen (fullback), and Gillespie (forward) did not return. Miller ■ breach in tho pack, and Grace was added to tho backs. Grace played wing-three quarter, Kinvig moved into tho centre, and Ryan went full-back. Auckland opened the spell, with a fine passing rush. 'From Ross, to Weston, to O'Leary, to O'Brien to M'Gregor—and M'Gregor was pushed out. Mitchinson opened tho way for Wellington, and a splendid dash down the centre of tho field by Tilyard mado the chance an excellent one. Tilyard sent on to Kiuvig,' who sent a hard, high pass to grace when a good pass would certainly havo resulted in a score. O'Leary had three shots at goal and missed with all of them. From a scrum Ross got tho leather, feinted nicely, and passed to Weston, who badly beat a conplo of Wellington backs and passed to'..M'Gregor,. who dashed over. No goal—Wellington G; Auckland 3. A few minutes later Weston made one of tho finest runs seen here for many a day. Beating half tho Blacks, ho transferred to M'Gregor, whose paco carried him ovor. O'Leary goaled—Auckland 8; Wellington 6. J Marks and free-kicks gavo Auckland j several shots at goal, but neither O'Leary nor Lambert wore successful in their efforts. A groat Black forward rush was checked bv a brilliant mark by AVeston. Beautiful line-finding by Lambert kept Wellington hemmed un for somo time, but at length the Black forwards' persistence* drove Auckland to their own goal. There tho forwards were penalised for not allowing the ball into a serum, and H. Paton landed a splendid goal—Wellington f); Auckland 8. Splendid forward work bv tho Wellington team kept Auckland hard pressed for a considerable time; but the turn in the tide was sensational. Wellington were attacking undor Auckland's goal. Nunn attempted to get the oval out, but could not pick it up. While tho Wellington backs were thus endeavouring to get possession, the inevitable happened—an Auckhuider hopped in, drove his boot into the leather, and. in a twinkling, the ball was ■■•travelling along the ground towards the Wellington goal, with -M'Gregor in pursuit. Ryan ran back after the ball and near the side-line overtook it., but instead of booting it out tried to pick it up. Whilo ho was fumbling with it M'Gregor arrived and booted the bnll away. Over the lino it went, and O'Brien, getting to it first, touched down. No goak But the game was over. In tho remaining few minutes Wellington again showed a little superiority, but the bell clanged with the scores: Auckland II Wellington 9

The game was over. The remaining fow minutes wero played out as a matter of form, but the bell's announcement of tho end found Auckland in tho lead.

Tho visitors deserved their victory. In a sonso it was a lucky will; that is, -the last try was something of a ■ chanco score. But against that must be set Auckland's two other tries to Wellington's one try. The teams wero very evenly matched, and but for a while at the beginning ol the second spell Wellington played the better Rugby. Tlio most spectacular individual effort of the day was Weston's run when M'Gregor got his second try. The forward of the clay was M'Kay, whose excellent work initiated a number of Wellington forward onslaughts. A featuro of the play was tho good use to'which tho Aucklanders put tho mark, a "fall-back" the value of which is often forgotten. But, however inadequate this analysis may bo, this may be accepted unreservedly: it was a close, clean game, in which fairly good Rugby was shown, and there was so littlo between the teams that 110 worthy Wellingtonian can begrudge Auckland the win the win snatched in the nick of time. Many patrons of the Park, -however, will probably hop© to see several changes mado in the back division beforo tho Blacks appear again. Tho teams were:— Auckland playing in blue and white) were: Full-back, E. Lambert; throe-quarters, 1). Stewart, J. O'Brien, A. M'Gregor; five-eighths, J. O'Leary, L. Weston; half, Ross; wing-forward, J. Hall; pack, 11. Sellars, G. Sollars, J. A. Bruce. W. Cunningham, A. Downing, J. WyJie, Barrett. Wellington (in black) took tho field as follows:—Full-back, A. E. Even sen.; three-quarters, F. Mitcliison, J. Ryan, J G. Kinvig; five-eighths, J. Tilyard, J. M'Kenzie; half, H. Nmm; wing-for-ward, J. Cunninghams; pack, C. Hills, J. Francis, A. Wilson, H. Paton, R. l'aton, C. Gillespie, C. M'Kay. Mr. L. Simpson, of Wellington, was referee. Details of tho Play. Tho advantage in the very early stages of tflie game was with Wellington. Mitchinson put tho Blacks in a gcod position bv following up well r.lld cleiorfv arassiim Jl'Gregor with tho ball. While Wellington wero still attacking, H. l'aton took a long shot at goal, but Hall chargcd down tho kick. Twice O'Brien saved Auckland by running round smartly and kicking out. At halfway Boss went through the scrum, crept past Nunn, and flashed down the lino to tho full-back. He kicked past Even sen, wlio obstructed him, for which Wellington wore penalised. O'Leary attempted tn goal, but- failed. A forward rush by northernoni resulted in Wellington