LEAGUE & LEAGUERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1855, 15 September 1913, Page 5

LEAGUE & LEAGUERS.

THE NEW SOUIH WALES MEN. TOO CLEVER FOR HOME TEAM. Tho 6000 people who attended the League matcn ' between Now South Wales and Wellington, played on Newtown Park on Saturday afternoon, were privileged to witness an exciting game, full of interest from start to finish. It cannot be said that the Northern code has, as yet, a really' solid following in Wellington, but if the football-loving publio could bo 'assured of such games aa that of Saturday, tho new' game would always bo more generally patronised than it is at present. There was a difference of 16 points between the teams at the end, and the winners wero really just so much better than their opponents; but tho game was by no means one-sided. The half-time score —18 to nil in favour of the Blue invaders —seemed to indicate tho battle was to bo very much in favour of the strong, aud tho race once more to the swift; for both strong and swift. the Welshmen certainly wero. The second half, howovor, showed that the homo men were also possessed of these desirable football qualities in somo Considerable degree, and the Blacks made quite a remarkable recovery. After half-time, they scored 18 points to the Australians' 16. The conditions were perfect. The feature of tho match was the play of the visitors' backs. It was wonderful to witness. THE PLAY DESCRIBED. It took some little time for the teams to get their stride, and the game showed little of interest until the Black forwards, following up a fine kick by M'Guire, carried the ball right to tho Blue lino. A try seemed imminent, but tho ball was fumbled, and Covno cleared. A free-kick to tho Blacks almost resulted in a score, Bradley sending the ball very close to the posts. Barber made a good run, but was stopped by Hallett, who threw him down and then secured the ball, which ho sent well up the field with an excellent kick. Tho relief was very welcomo to tho Blues, who now began to attack strongly. Tho Welsh backs wero not doing themselves justice, their passing at times being more than erratic. On many occasions the ball was thrown out wildly to a spot where there was no player to tako it. Theso mistakes, however, were not made for long, and the combination of the Blue rearguard began to show itself as tho team got "shaken down" to work.. There was a gleam of excitement when Hallett made a courageous attempt to pot a goal. The angle was most difficult— Hallett was right on the touch-lino just outside tho twenty-five—and half a dozen Black forwards were charging down on him, but the ball went a trifle wide. Tho Black backs got going, but 0. Dean beautifully intercepted a pass, and sent the ball into touch. Then came tho first try of the day, and a beautiful try it was. Cubitt snatched. up tho ball from the ground, and in tho faces of the charging Black forwards whipped it out to Horder. Tho fast and clever three-quarter badly beat tho home backs, rah right round them, and scored as neat a try as ono could wish to see, right under the posts. Frawley had no difficulty with the kick. New South Wales, 5; Wellington, 0. After the kick-out Wellington livened up, the .forwards especially putting in excellent work. Ono determined rush took play to tho Blues' lint. Barber intercepted a pass, and ran almost right through the ranks of his opponents; being brought down just in the nick of time. Finlayson also made a danger-ous-looking dash along tho line, but was effectively collared. Bradley missed a kick at goal from a penalty. Then the visitors again, asserted themselves. S. Dean intercepted a pass in tho Blues' twenty-five, and set out strongly. He made a great run, and was dangerously close to tho Wellington .lino when ho was brought .down. A few moments later, oame the Blues' second try —also the result of a beautiful piece of ■ play. Craig picked up the ball in a forward rush, and threw it out to Murray. Ho then doubled round behind Murray, and overtook him again in time to take his pass just on the touch-line. Ho raced over and touched down near the posts. It was a great try. Frawley failed .to convert. New South Wales, 8; Wellington, 0. The Black forwards were playing a solid gamo, every man bearing his fair share of tho work, but tho Welsh backs wero too good for them, and repeatedly robbed them of tho ball. From a scrum in Wellington territory, tlio ball went out to tho Blue backs—as it almost invariably did—and Cubitt snatched it up. Ho dashed through tho Black backs, and was almost across the lino when he fell. • Tho ball rolled over, and in the ensuing race S. Dean got there first. Horder failed to goal. New South Wales, 11; Wellington, 0. Wellington were awarded a penaltykick, and Bradley made another unsuccessful attempt to place a goal. A few moments later, play having been shifted to the other end of the field by the Bluo forwards, a similar opportunity fell to the Australians, qnd Frawley made no mistake. New South Wales, 13; Wellington, 0. The Black backs then made their best run of tho day, the ball passing rapidly botween Bradley, Strickland, Houso, and Bradley again.. This rush took play into the Blues' territory, where Haddock picked up tho ball while standing a long way off-side. The free-kick took play very close ,to tho invaders' line, but Frawley—who was playing a sterling gamo, especially in defence cleared brilliantly. Another free-kick was awarded to Wellington, and Strickland made a miscrablo attempt at goal. Tho Wellington 'place-kicking was certainly deplorable, and the want of a good goalkicker lost tlio Blacks many points. Bensmann had hard luck in not scoring a try. He got tlio ball near tho twontyfivo, and dodging several opponents very cloverly ran across the line, where ho had tho bad fortune to loso tho ball. Barber kicked tho ball out of tho scrum, and from tho free-kick Frawloy landed a beautiful goal, from the half-way line. New South Wales, 15; Wellington, nil. Play was now exciting, although tlio visitors wero having it mostly their own way, and tho spectators began to mako forecasts of "cricket scorcs." Yet onco moro Wellington had a free-kick, and Bradlev failed to tako advantage of it, tho ball going a long way from Jio juark. Just before half-tuns a rush

by the Blue backs took play into the Wellington quarter. S. Dean passed to 1 Frawloy, who beat several opponents, and ran round from the touch-lino almost to the posts. He took tho kick himself, but was unsuccessful. Tho spell ended: New South Wales, 18; Wellington, nil. SECOND SPELL. The Becond half oponed briskly, botli sides setting up alternate attacks. At length the Blyo backs settled down to it onco more, and a passing-rush in which Coyne, Cubitt, S. Dean, and Horder took part gavo the speedy young winger a chance of showing his heels to tho Blacks—a chance of which he availed himself very effectively. Frawloy sent the ball truly between the posts. New South Wales, 23; Wellington, nil. Things wero looking worse thanliopeless for the Blacks, especially when Horder again got clean away and scored another pretty try. Frawley failed to convert. New South Wales, 26; Wellington, nil. It was shortly after this that the tide began to turn. The first sign of an impending change was that tho Australians ceased to scoro. They continued to attack, but their rushes did not have tho same invariably successful result. Gradually tho Blacks began to assert themselves, ;nd worked play down the field until they wero within striking distance. Craig got off-side, and a freekick was awarded, and once more Bradley failed at an easy attempt at goal. Several Wellington rashes looked very dangerous, but tho defence was particularly solid, and no 'score resulted for a long time. At last, however, Spencor picked up the ball in a dribbling rush, and side-stepping several opponents in the most approved fashion, ran over near the posts. Strickland converted. New South Wales,- 26; Wellington, 5. From the kick-out the Wellington forwards again got away. Spencer got out from tho rusn and transferred to Turner, who sent the ball on to Bensmann. The tall Black forward had a clear run in, and scored under the posts. New South Wales, 26; Wellington, 10. Tho game had now assumed a more cheerful aspect for the Blacks, but they were by no means out of the wood. In order to show that their attacking powers had not been exhausted by those two fast-following reverses,' tho Blue backs again "came at it." The ball finally went to ono of the forwards, Craig,' who scored a good try. New South Wales, 31; Wellington, 10. • Once moro the Blacks carried play into the Australians' quarter.- Tho Blue backs attempted a passing rush, which went wrong. 0. Dean dropped the ball, which was pounced on by House, and carried across the line. Strickland converted. Now South Wales, 31; Wellington, 15. A very few moments later Wellington scored another try, House dashing -over after receiving a pass from Bensmann. Strieldand failed with the kick. New South Wales, 31; Wellington, 18. _ In tho last-few minutes Frawley again scored for the Blues, but failed with tho kick. The game ended New South Wales 34 Wellington 18 Mr. T. Cunningham was refers. JUNIOR TRIAL. As a "curtain-raiser" to the big match, a trial game was played between two selected teams of juniors. Play was of a decidedly ragged description. The A team won by 8 points to 3. HAWKE'S BAY & POVERTY BAY. (By TolccrcEfc—AaMciatlon.J Napier, September 14. Tho match Hawko's Bay v. Poverty Bay, played in tho presence of ISOO spectators, resulted: Hawko's Bay, 34; Poverty Bay, 8. ——