NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1595, 6 November 1905, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS

another striking victory.

Bjs lelegraph, Press AAs'n, Copyright

Rocoivod 9.14 a.m., Nov. 5. Loudon, Nov. 4.

The matoh resulted - New Zealand 82 Blaokhoalth 0 Beooivod 4.22 p.m., Not. 4, The Blaokheath matoh waa one of the fixtures of thejtoor possessing an unnsual amount of interest, the club holding a prominent plaoo among English combinations. To-day's team was exceptionally powerful. It inoluded no fewer than eight international players. The speotators numborod 15,000, and Were given exoollent opportunity of judging the New Zealanders’ merits, as they wore playing at their top form. The visitors quite ontpaood their opponents, and finished with the convincing record of 82 points to nil. The weather was fine, but dull. Getting to work right from the kick-off the Now Zealanders made a oyolonio attaok, Wallace (Wellington) seouring a try within two minutes of the start, and his shot at goal added the major poiuts. He followed up this suooess by placing a penalty goal to his credit, and in quick 8Q0003910D twice more crossed the line, bal both attempts to convert failed. Before half time MoGregor(Wellington) secured a further try, and tho kick at goal was again unavailing. The Bpell I ended:—

New Zealand 17 Blaokbeath ... ... 0 The scoring was hardly so fast In tho second half, though the Maorilanderß kept the local team steadily on the defenoe, continuously pressing. The first to cross the line was Glasgow (Taranaki),and Wallace oonvorted. MoGregor and Stead (Southland) eaoh added a try and in both instances Wallaoe put the leather between the posts. Time was called with the_soore — New Zealand 82 Blackheath ... 0

Tho Government message states:— M The New Zsaland team beat Blaokheath by five goals, one penalty goal, three tries (thirty-two points) to nothing. The scorers were —Wallaoe three tries, MoGregor two, Glasgow and Stead one eaoh, Wallaoe a penalty goal. There was a great gathering of New Zealanders present oheering *he team.”

It is said that two New Plymouth Enthusiasts made a friendly wager on the tour of the New Zealand football team in Great Britain. In, order to have some interest it was agreed that one should back the New Zealanders at a shilling a point, the other to take the points scored against them. It was anticipated that there Bhould be very little between the wagers, perhdps the matter of a few shillings. However, asjthings are panning out, the wager looks decidedly bad for one of the parties thereto. To date the New Zealanders have played ii matches, scoring 417 points, which at one shilling represents some £2O 17s. So far only seven points have been secured against them. If the New Zealanders keep up their scoring through the tour the prospect looks decidedly dismal for the party 1 who is laying against them. - Great interest will be centred on the international representative matches (says the Sydney Referee), The Maoris played three—against England, Ireland, and Wales, no fixture being arranged with Sootland Ireland was beaten, but Wales and England were successful. The match against England proved very disappointing to the Maoris, who took exception to the decisions of Mr G. Rowland Hill, the referee. The first was in awarding a try

to England after the late W. Warbrick had forced. The ball went across the line from long kick, and “ Billy ” started to ran the ball out, but scenting danger he forced, and then lost possession of the ball. An Englishman fell on the ball, , and was awarded a try. A second “ incident” occurred when Lee mulled a catch in goal, and was tackled by three opponents. A maul ensned, but Lee was a powerful mao, and soon shook off two opponents, and the third man was advised to give up, which he did. The Maoris were preparing to drop out from the 25, when they were informed that a try had been awarded against them. They were astonished. However, those two incidents were quite overshadowed a few minutes later It appears that A. E. Stoddart (who was a magnificent three-quarter, and will be remembered for his dodgy runs in Sydney in 1888) was making a run, when Ellison tackled him. Stoddart wriggled out of the embrace, but left a portion of I his knickers in the hands of Ellison. The cries of the crowd stopped him. He dropped the ball, and the Maoris crowded V; round him in the usual manner. Evershed, seeing an opportunity of scoring, crabbed the ball, and dashed ior the line. He was tackled in the corner. While the Maoris were disputing the try, Evershed picked up the ball and raced between the posts, and the referee awarded the try! That proved to be the last straw, three of the Maoris left the field as a protest against the referee’s decisions. The Maoris were roughly treated by the newspapers, but as they played 74 matches and were beaten on 19 other occasions without making demur, it may be said that there was some justification for their behaviour.

A. column article the London Daily Mail states. . , . _ The players are accompanied by a manager in the person of Mr (i. i±Dixon, a member of the committee ox the New Zealand Rugby Union, who toII personally conduct all the arrangementafor the travelling and accommodation of the team in the United Kingdom, and he |responsihlo also lor the financial arrangements. A “ coach,” selected by the New Zealand Bugby Union, is also one of the party. J. Duncan has been for many years one of the* most prominent players in the colony, and even in the present New Zealand winter he has taken part in a few matches. ,

His precise status, seems to be one of some doubt, and it is probable that the English Union may have to define it. He will travel with the team on the same terms as the players, his travelling and hotel expenses being paid for h'm, and a small allowance for out-of-pocket expenses—similar to that received by the members of I Bedell-Sivright's team that visited the Antipodes last year—being paid to I him, and it seems to be assumed that, I because he will not be in receipt of I wages lio will be entitled to pl&y I the team in some of its fixtures. ■Whether his engagement as a coach, even on the terms mentioned, does not constitute him a professional, is pos-1 sibly, a nice point. The New Zealand Union, apparently, does not read the professionalism rules so strictly as the parent body does. _

Duncan acted laßt year in tne , capacity of coach to the New Zealand , team that defeated Bedell-Sivwnght s team, and the Union did not pay him for the services he rendered, since to do so would make him a professional, but—as transpired at its annual meeting this year—it presented Mrs Duncan with a gold watch m recognition of services performed by herhusband . The composition of ,the New. Zealand team has be@n received m the colony with greater satisfaction than is usually evinced oyer a selection of Savers, whose merits are canvassed bv practically every third adult person jn the community—so keen is the imprest taken by the people of New Zealand in Rugby footbafi, which is distinctly their national game. The appointment of a coach to th exclusion of a twenty-Bixth player, has caused some dissatisfaction, but of the nersonnel of the team, as chosen by the selectors, there is very general approval. v