NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1637, 29 December 1905, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS.

THE MATCH WITH SCOTLAND.

By tclegranh, Press Ass’n, Copyright Sydney, Dec. 28. Harnish Smart, the Drily Chronicle critic, sajs that to describe the match as the most lemarkable in tho history of Rugby football-seems a strong phrase, 1 yet it is a positively poor description I It was the fastest, most fiercely fought' and most exciting ho ever saw. It was the greitest battle of stylos, and had the 1 most dramatic finish on record. At the ■ start the Scottish forwards rushed the 1 New Zealand pack, and for the first ten minutes tho colonials were so bustled that Scotland must hava scored bad they 1 kept cool. / The New Zealand line had many narrow escapes, At length relißf was effected by some good kicking, and the New Zealanders were, ableio set’la down to their own game., Then the battle of styles began. Tho New Zealand .forwards got tho ball in most of the scrums, and the backs were abie to indulge ia many passing bouts, but the splendid tackling of Jhe Scottish backs and quick breaking up by tho forwards kept the .Now Zealandeis out. With regard to the two tries obtained by. New -Zealand in the first half, the oritio declared that both should have been saved.,; : Simpson slipped on the ice whilst trying to piok up tho ball, when Glasgow scored, while McLeod was out of his place idr-<^noe t ,. in a way when, Smith eeorod, the'-secoCoT The second half was a ding-dong-struggle, yet all the time one felt sooner-Ot later the visitors must soore, despite the superb defence of the Scottish, backs and dash of the forwards. Attack after attack by the colonials ws s rep ulsed or came to nothing, and when a great save and line kick by K. G. McLeod took Sootland to the centre with only ten minutes left the excitement was intense. The Scottish forwards worked into the New Zealand quarters, and when they had the visitors pinned-to a corner the game seemed over and tho colonials beaten.. At . this critical point a regrettable accident occurred, resulting in the disablement of Simpson, whioh brought from the referee a severe reprimand. ,The incident probably: cost Scotland the game, though what appeared to be an error of taotics also contributed. L. MoLeod essayed a drop at goal. Tho ball did not rise, and, as it happened, this bold attempt gave New Zealand their chance. They made splendid use of this opportunity, a bout of passing in which McLeod appeared to be obstructed, ending in Smith scoring far out. Tho real struggle ended ,here, though New Zealand scored again in .the last minuts.' The try would not have been allowed if the referee had been able to sse through the glpom and fog. how McCallum was held by one New Zealander while Cunningham scored the touch, If tho referee cohld foflow both ball and men it is highly probable neither of tho two last New Zealand tries would, have boen allowed. At the same time, certain of their disagreeable foatures apart, the visitors played magnificent football. They were just about one s-oro better than the other side. In saymg this, one must not forget that tho disablement of Simpson and McLood helped finally to turn the tide. Either side might have wod, the honours being fairly divided. The New Zealanders gave the best display of their tour. Of the individual honors, . m one can claim a monopoly, Every man on both sides played I ke a great player.