BIG LEAGUE MATCH

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2200, 13 July 1914, Page 4

BIG LEAGUE MATCH

WELLINGTON MEN/TRIED OUT BY THE ENGLISHMEN t BEATEN BY 14, TO V-.]:' • ■'.}.■ j'- ■ i ' "' A -6rd\yd yof. just, over 5000, including <His Excellency, tlio, Governor (Lord Liverpool), Countess of Liverpool, and the Priino Minister (the Right-Hon. "W," r. Massby) assembled to "sec the first game played by the visiting English league: footballers,l wliicli took" place lit Newtown -Park oa /Saturday'"' aftornbbii,'. againstVirttrbiijj .representatives..: Onc- more the )V'elliiigton .League were •', urifortunateV,:for' the 'elements . were -.'all against, them,.; ,Sqon ; after; pjay: started' the .'rain'; came, .dowii in: torrents, and continued almost throughout the game. ... Under-.- suc-h conditions it was hard to .judge of the. visitors,- : butiny "oiie 'respect .ithoy.'.shoiie -out' .in • 'avremaHtable ; ' passirig, 1 :. .and fast back play. Their passing rushos we're a treat tp: watch;' and it .was ''really '.tho/. 'backs; handled" the greasy'/ '/ ball, •' in ■marked contrast to _tho local 'men,'who found the grbatest/'difficultyin ■ keeping -filial.! score.,' yeas in -JBng, ', land's |-:f iftour-; ,i>y, ■local /men ".'put '■ up, .a • strong I 'Mbnce,'/l)ut'. tljdir weakness/lay in their'taekling.;''lt. .was: hardoto'.judge on such .a day, yet taken. throughout tho showing of -the visitors failed to , impress /one as. beiiig anything beyond what some of the New Zealand teams can: do,, arid tho. Now Zealand representatives should be able ; to , score a win • againsfy them: . ■: . The ;■lnpstyspectacular event of .Satur--' .day!s" match, Vyas ■ the; first score registered , arid- ;the' ev.oiit gave. an • indication of what the English :baoks: were capable ;ySmith,';the'clover half-back, got possession about midlield, and transferred quickly to Prosser. He-evaded n couple of men, and whipped the. ball, out to Davis. , --The latter sent it over to . Houghton;: fright oil ;the' :wing. ; /'- It looked as "if this man would bo -forced over, the corner,, but, at the critical moment Thomas; the full-back, , came up on' the . inside, and' took a beautiful •'pass from Houghton.-/'He evaded" "Weir, 'lingtbu.' s: full-hack, " and y put • tho ball down between tho posts./ This.passing .exhibition' was only the forerunner of many ; more;' One of; the best games . was' played; for, the visitors by S.. B. Houghton, .who .lias: resided -for some time tin; Auckland... He 'was fast on.the; wing, Land ;passed /witlr automatic:pre-. 1 :Cisipii. ,_ l Hq,;registered England's- third "try. mainly./through, following up well ■The ballicame suddenly out to the wing, and lie swooped qn. it, and got a clear' run in. ■ , ■ v .. ■ While the back , play of the visitors was 1 very,good, and pretty to'watch, ■ s the forward , division- did, not shino:out over the local men. They were .much heavier than-tho Wellington team, but' tho ' latter:. "had a: better . idea of the value of dribbling, play , on such a wet .'day. Jack Spencer, who has been- appearing on. tho football field for years past, was. one of the mainstays in tile : Wellington forward division, and for the visitors Chilcott and Guerin stood out as tho 'best.' _ , .. .;, y. The Came Described. / ■ ' .Wellington kicked off against a .strong ■Wind; .which' was. blowing right up -the 1 ! field;: Wilson was : prominent in" a fdtWard rushj and Wellington almost immediately had the satisfaction "of l crossing England's line. Unfortunately tlio ball went over tho dead-ball line, and Wellington lost a chanco, to/score; The homo team continued to press in a forward rush; 'and Lawlor marked well. Tlio visitors showed, to advantage in a .brisk passing. bout, which ended in Wellington's quarter • by Lawlor : bringing Houghton to the ground. Strickland thfcn. got away well, but showed lack of judgment' in sticking to the ball too long.' A beautiful kick by England's full-back, Thomas, bounced out right on Wellington's comer, The local men won the scrum, and, by a dribbling run, took' the centre.. Soon- after, as the result of a long kick, Wellington forced. On ,coming into play again Whitley got. away', but tlio. wet ground 'prevented •him showing to"'' the usual advantage. Off-side play was frequent on both side's, but Wellington, gained littleaground by 'tlwir free-kicks,- owinjg. to the jiigh wind. Tho first "try; came for England after a 'brilliant run. Prosser got the ball about lialf-way,. and sent"' out to the ■ thr;/e----quarter lino. The ball passed rapidly .from Davis to Houghton, and then Thomas caino up On the -inside, and took a brilliant pass from Houghton; Hey- evaded Strickland, easily, and planted the-ball..;bctwemi the posts. He took the kick, but failed to add a goal. -'•■ : England 3 •. Wellington ... 0 ..Immediately after, heavy, rain began to.: fall, and it | soon bccamo difficult to distinguish the. players. -The. visitors were brilliant in.getting the ball out of the scrum, but Wellington's defcnco .proved strong. Strickland had many chances■ of savin?,'aud lie played with great coolness. After a period of "ovcii pliiy, .England . again assorted.-. thdinfblye's, aiid-'Pi"oV,sar'iind. Smith, got well into"WelliaEt6n'js. end/enabling Chilcott J

to scramble over on the corner.. Guorin failed with tho kick. England ........ 6 Wellington 0 Wilson, at.this juncture, was playing one of his best games, and when tho ball came -in ho started a good rush, and transferred to Parker, who sent on to Bradley. The latter was brought down. Parker hurt his leg, but was able to resume after a few minutes. The crowd at this stage were getting a-, .good Seal of enjoyment out of the high' tackling tactics of : tho Wellington toaui. Guerin, a player ofl4st. 81b.,foolc play right into .Wellington's end,, because three men attempted to tacklo him round the head. They found themselves'on the ground as the result of ■a swing of the giant's shoulders. And then England were in again. Houghteii,, out on the wing; picked the ball up and ran over the lino. Guerin failed with the kick; .Eng1and..........:..... 9, Wellington ' 0■'Wellington asserted themselves just ■ before the spell ended. A good rush was started by Spencer." and kept up by Ash'ton. JVhon in England's end the visitors were " penalised for off-side play, and 'Strickland kicked a beautiful goal. At half-timo tho score stood: England 9 ;iWellington 2 ' • - •< The Second Spoil/ r Wellington opened the second attack with 'a strong, good rush.--' Strickland and Wilson gained' ground for tho local men, and Englaifd forced after a long kick. 'From a scrum Barber got the. ball out to Wilson, but the latter was well- marked. The local' meii were doing well .against .a heavy '.-team, • but' they spoilt-their attack by weak tackling. : England-were penalised, and' Strickland took a, shot at' goal from' a, good position; ,but the ball,went wide. ton kept up the attack ; Wilson dribbled beautifully, and then kicked, over tlio lino. Houghton boat liim for the ball,and ;foited.Wellington's hopes ■ were raised wheii: England ;was penalised right-on, the lialf-way line. ,-Campbell took tlio shot, and sent a, beautiful'kick ■ right ovor tho goal. ;' .■■■■ England ;-.... 9. • Wellington ■ 4 . England' retaliate.d in a determined manner. - A passing rush was .started at : midfield,' and. tho .ball, passedthrough: tho'whole three-quarter' lino..'- It .was a treatto watch the Englishmen handling tho wet hall, and when Hall got over it;was a well-deserved try. Guerin took .the'kick,' and .this time goaled. ... - England 14. .Wellington • 4.'.' -(; . Whitley marked well for .'.Wellington-, when . play commenced . again, .but. Campbell, failed, with the kick. From almost half-way Murdoch got a rebounding , ball, for; Wellington, and carried play right,under 'England's ;goal. ; For obstruction, a scrum was ' formed, and Wellington . wonthis,: the. ball; going outitoiMurdoclv, who had no '"difficulty in ■. scoring.;"- ■ Campbell .'failed . with tlio ■kick;^'v;-v-'•■!;r.;'.'.',:," > .- ; G ; v:' ; England 14 . ..: .Wellington... 7 ■Tlio last ten minutes of ■play were not without a suspicion of rough play, on both': sides.. Off-side play was frequent, but;the .'men ' were finding • difihmlty.' in retaining -their,; ;feot on : the. -slippery ground. For, England Thomas marked well, 1 and Guerin took a kick,: which was carried; wide- by tho wind. Time was : 'now;. nearly ' up, and. Wellington if.bcgan to press, .Bradley;and Barber.: being, re- - sponsible for a good run. From a scrum iii England's twenty-five Barber whipped out',;;to' ' Wilson, ■ but. tlio; latter. missed badly, andlost-im opportunity to .score. 1 . .The end came'a'few seconds,late/; .with England in- Wellington's territory.- The final scores wore:,-'. ■ •.England I't ;. ' . Wellington .7 Mr. D. M'Gregor was -rcforeo. IN OTHER CENTRES. . Auckland, July 11. ■*' Tho-Rugby League 'matches .Resulted: ' Ponsonbv 'beat City ,by 5 points' to 2; North Shore'beat Newton by 43 points to 2;: Grafton. : beat. Otahuhu >by 17 pbints to ,8. North Shore, and Ponsonby' havo each scored 15 - points;' and., will play:' off for tho championship next; Sat;, urday.; The positions': of tho;,;. other, •teams>ii'e.^rQfcsV•' 10 points; ■ Grafton,' 6; Newton, 5; Otahuhu, 3., ; • . The/remainder of; the English Northern .Union team 1 arrived to-day-.from Sydney by. the Manuka, tho personnel of: the party being; Clifford (manager), Rogers; Wagstaffe,- Moorhouse, Longstafie,; Sykes,'.-Jenkins,• cis, Colddrick, Wood. ; : - ' Christchurch, July 11. ■■'"Sydenham (22) beat. St. Albans (3); Linwood;(18) boat Addington.(o)."