FAST, OPEN GAME

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 295, 2 September 1918, Page 8

FAST, OPEN GAME

CANTERBURY V. WELLINGTON RUGBY MATCH WIN FOR THE HOME TEAM Wellington defeated Canterbury at Rugby on Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon.' The weather was oxcel-lc-nt and tho attendance large. 'Hie game «as fast and willing, and r t uito {rood to look at. Wellington wero superior all round, hut did not iv.ake full use of their advantages. Much of their early play was marred by i-iis-takerf which gave tho visitors, tho chance of attacking for a considerable portion of the first spell. Canterbury ran up eight points soon after the game commenced, and hak'-time was close at lmnd before Wellington hoisted a mark on tho board. However, they changed over only a point to the bad. and in the second spell they ran light away with tho match. It was generall.v reckoned that as Canterbury had done well in the first spell with tlio viind and the sun against them,_ "Wellington would go down heavily in the second half, lint there was really little excuse for this view, for it should have' jjooii clear that Wellington had only to avoid tuo commission of s.ime of their errors to wini Very easily. The Blacks' win was well-deserved. They made every effort to open up the game, and were not afraid to throw the ball about even in their own twenty-five. Their backs played cleverly, and they were given many chances by the forwards, who are a- capablo combination. The Canterbury forwards also did -«ell, end the backs wero sound' defenders, but poor attackers. Morris and Nioholls were of great service to the Wellington team, and the other Wellington backs (except Scott) all did well. Mullins'was the mainstay of tho Canterbury backs. Both full-backs were weak.

The team 3 were:— ~ CANTERBURY (Red and Black). Full-back: Touch. Three-quarters: M'Lood, Boag, Grant. Five-eights: Mullins, Guinoy. Half: Cowan. Forwards: Gray (wing), Crawsh.iw, Hogarty, W. Cumniingß, Murray, E. Cummings, Henry, Drake. WELLINGTON (Black). Full-back: Scott. Three-quarters: Porter, Corner, Thomas Five-eighths: Tilyard, Morris. Half: Nicholls. ■ Forwards: Bowo (wing)-, -Arthur Parker, Albert Parker, Eberhardt, Tancred, B. 'Thomas, Marks, Scott. Mr. L. Simpson was referee.

' The Opening Play. Wellington won the toss, and Canterbury kicked off from the southern end. NicLolia fielded the kick, snd, getting off the mark smartly, sent tho ball on to Porter, who ran to the Canterbury 'twenty-live, and kicked. The movement ended in Canterbury being forced within half a minute of tho commencement. Faulty play on the part of tile Wellington back? gave Cantorbury chances, i.nd Wellington had several .narrow escapes. M'Leod had a shot at goal for Canterbury, but the ball hit tho bar and bounced again. Canterbury remained on the attack, and a passing rush was opened up in front of the Wellington goal. One of tho visiting backs missed a pass, but Mullins (the Canterbury fiveeighth) fitepped into tho breach, and, gathering the oval smartly, streaked ever the line. The try was not converted Canterbury '3 \ .Wellington 0 Within a few minutes Canterbury ,were over again. Some of the Wellington backs were not fielding cleanly, and Canterbury took advantage of this, Cowan scoring near the vests. M'Leod converted. Canterbury 8 Wellington 0 Wellington' rallied, and worked play to the Canterbury twenty-five, v.'iiore B. Thomas had a long shot at goal. It was. a fine kick, but flow a little wide. Wellington maintained the pressure, and Canterbury wero twice forced. '

Wellington Make a Late Start, The play which followed was very dull, but after a while the Wellington backs opened out, and some fair exhibitions of the passing game were given. Play hung in the vicinity of the Canterbury goal K'or quite a time, but hard kicking and'other faulty methods killed good chances. Porter was given a long shot, and missed. Then the Wellington forwards were at times almost .irresistible; they kept up a terrific pressure, and gave- the backs opportunities. In one Wellington .passing attack the ball travelled across the field twice, but there was an absence cf finish about the work, and nothing was gained. Howerer, the Blacks stuck to their work. A good centre by one of the backs was fielded by Tench (the Canterbury full-back), who could have saved the-situation by, marking, but instead he kicked, and got the team into trouble, from which Scott (forward) scored. Nicholls took the kick from in front'of the goal, but missed the easiest of shots. Canterbury g Wellington , ;.,, 3 Wellington returned to the >-ttnck, and when near the Canterbury twentyfive line Nicholls potted a beauti/ul goal from a rather awkward angle. Canterbury g Wellington 7 There was no alteration in the score tcioro half-time.

/ The Second Spoil. Early in the second spell Wellington gave Canterbury a taste of their quality. From halfway the backs struck with a passing rush, which they carried right to the visitors' line. The ball went out through the hands of the various backs to Corner, who galloped for the, goal, but was thrown out by Mullins just in time to avert a score.' Wellington immediately went off again with another passing rush but they wore held up in front of the Canterbury posts. Canterbury were penalised, and Nicholls kicked a penalty goal. Wellington 10 Canterbury, .; 8 Without any delay Wellington returned to the passing game, and Morris, gathering in a good transfer, outpaced the opposition and scored beside the posts. . Nicholls converted. f ■ Wellington 15 Canterbury 8 The tide turned in favour of Canterbury, who swept Wellington back to their own territory. Several hot scrums were formed on tho Wellington line, but from one of theso Nicholls secured the hall, and making a clean' break away cleared tho Blacks' lino. Wellington were kept on the defensive, but this did not prevent their backs from throwing the leather about. Blacks Still Throwing the Ball About. Canterbury tried a passing attack, .and an attractive movement saw ll'Leod travelling well for the Wellington line. Porter failed to tackle him properly, but Corner came to the rescue and grassed tho southerner. Wellington mado play willing again, and took every opportunity to open up tho game. Porter wound up a passing rush with a good run down tho side-lino, but

he was thrown out at tho corner. From close play which followed Nicliolls snapped up a short kick and passed out smartly to 'filyard, from whom the ball wont on to Corner and then to Thomas, who scored wido out. Porter's attempt to add tho extra points failed. Wellington 18 ' Canterbury is "Wellington wero now showing very marked superiority to tho visitors, and they were still throwing tho ball about at every chance. Tailored (in the for- | wards) got the ball out to tho Black backs, but a mistake let tho Canterbury forwards through, and tho Wellington, line for a while was in danger. Tench (the Canterbury full-back) had a shot at goal from just inside halfway, hut the kick fell short. Wellington again attacked, and from near halfway B. Thomas was given a chance to distinguish himself by kicking a goal against the wind. The attempt of course failed. Thero was no addition to the scoro before the call of time, so the game ended: — Wellington 18 Canterbury 8 CANTERBURY V. TRENTHAM. , An interesting match is to be played at Athletic Park at 11 a.m. to-day between tho visiting Canterbury teajn and the Fifteen from Trentham Camp. The Trentham team will be as follow :p Backs, Corporal Cowio, Rcgiment/d-Sergeant-Major Packer, Corporal Uavlclsonj Sergeant Cloke, QuartermasterSergeant B. Roberts (captain), Lieutenant Milliken, Corporal Taylor; forwards, Quartermaster-Sergeant'Blucl er, Sergeant M'Kenzio, Sergeant M'Qvarrio, Sergeant-Major Brooks, SergenitMajor Cowdrey, Sergeant-Major St< ry, Corporal Pooley. Emergencies—Backs, Corporal Hardwicke, Corporal G. W. Bradley, Corporal G. H. Roberts in; forwards, Corporal Ivil, Corporal J. F. Given, Private W. Phillips.