FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 199, 29 August 1901, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

TIIE NEW ZEALAND TEAM.

(Special to Timks.) Wellington, last night. About 1000 people turned out to see the

New Zealand team play a practice match against a local fifteen. The latter were not strong, as a number of men could not get leave. Burt and O’Brien filled tho places of Drake and Cross in the representatives’ team. There was a chilly wind blowing, and with its help Wellington did well enough in the first spell, scoring 3 points (a goal kicked by Wallace from a try), to 8. Wood scored for New Zealand between the posts, £and kicked a goal, and later on Smith gave a specimen of one of his famous sprints, and secured a try. Before this he had followed up a well-judged kick-off of his own, and was only baulked of a score by the ball crossing the dead line. During the interval Duncan experimented with his scrumiuagers in various formations, and more satisfactory results were obtained. On resuming, four more tries were secured, by Allen (2), Smith, and Duncan, and Wood kicked two line

goals from them, making a total of 24 to 5. The local men made some vigorous rallies, but were always driven off in the end, and < ould not add to their original score. Seme of the selected players wore very much at sea, particularly the full hack, and woul,. be all the bettor for some

more practice, but tho team looks quite strong enough to give a good account with tiie Sydney men, especially if tho ground is wet, on Saturday.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) Wellington, last night. The New Zealand team recently selected to represent the colony against New South Wales next Saturday met a scratch combination representing Wellington to-day. Play was generally open, and occasionally fast; hut on either side

there was a lack of effective combination. The weak point in the colonial team is its back division. McKenzie, at full-back, had not a groat deal to do, but he did

that little unsatisfactorily. Allen’s play was also inferior, both his tackling and handling of tho ball being poor. Smith and Jacobs played well, the former putting in some particularly fine work. These two, and possibly Duncan, wore undoubtedly the best men on tho ground, though the latter was frequently beaten by opponents. The vanguard proved

themselves to be a really good lot, but had a marked tendency to play offside. The game ended in the New Zealand team scoring 24 points to Wellington’s 5. For tho winners, tries were secured by Wood, Smith (2), Allen (2), and Duncan.