HEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1662, 31 January 1906, Page 2

HEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS

MOKE DESCRIPTIONS. By telegraph, Press Ass’n, Copyrighi Sydney, Jan, 30.

The Daily Mail says : The attendance at the Cardiff match was 50,000. The fortune of the game ebbed and flowed from first to last. There was never a, moment when either side was not quivering on tho teDter-hooks of anxiety. It was a better game to watch than the international, being played in better spirit. The crowd, satisfied probably with the victory of December 16th, moderated their transports considerably. There was little to choose between the sides territorially. Both missed chances—the New Zea'anders most—bus the visitors’ defence was superb, especially that of Wallace. The duel between Wallace and Winfield was worth goiDg a long way to see. Winfield’s kicking was very safe and accurate. Wallace extrioated his side time and again from very tight corners. Kicking as good or better than Winfield, he saved one certain try in the middle of the second half, when tho Cardiff pack broke away with only Wallace to stop them. This he did by throwing himself on the ball at the cost of a penalty. Meanwhile O’Sullivan retired with a broken collar-bone, Gallagher entering the scrummage, with Stead as wiDg. Halfway through the second half the bail was kicked over tbe Welsh line. Apparoatly it was an easy force. The New Zealanders following rapidly. Winfield, turning to field the ball, slipped. Bush, evidently thinking it hazardous to throw himself on the ball, tried to kick it dead, and missed. Nicholson, SeeliDg, and McDonald arrived, Nicholson seoripg before Bueh could reoover, and Wallace placing a magnificent goal. Cardiff, in an effort to remove the margin, particularly Nicholls, whose speed and skill were equal to the best of the day’s, made opening after opening, but the taokling was excellent, notably that of Wallaoe, Booth, and Deans. Finally Thomas secured a try at the corner after a fine bout of passing. Wjnfield made a good attempt at goal at a difficult angle, and it went so close that a large portion of the crowd departed thinking the game was drawn. Many telegrams to that effect were despatched before the error was discovered. The excitement in the last stages of the game was intense,

The Daily Chronicle says tho Newport match was fast and keen throughout. The New Zealanders had no territorial advantages. Their forward rushes did not seem so difficult to stop as Newport’s were, The visitors excelled in speed and determination of back play. The New Zealanders’ passing does not come up to the Welsh standard. The Newport baoks passed quite as weli. Had their wing had Bimilar qualities they would have won the game.

In tho Cardiff match the retirement of O'Sullivan after 20 minutes’ play must have affected the play of the Now Zealanders. At the same time Cardiff more than held their own before O’Sullivan retired, and until ten minutes before the end it looked like a win for Care iff or a draw. Then from a break away by Now Zealand the ball was kicked over the Cardiff line. I Bush had plenty of timo to touch down, but tried to kick dead, and the result was that New Zealand was presented with a try, and Wallace kioked a goal. It seemed all over when just on time Thomas got a try. Winfitll failed at gca', and New Zealand scrambled homo by two points. It was a lucky win. Even whin allowance was made for the IO3S of O’Sullivan, the genetal opinion was that it would not have been aobieved but for Bush’s misake a id the genera! orror iu tactics.

THE SOUVENIR, (Per Press Association.) Wellington, yesterday. Tbo New Zealand Rugby Union has decided to preient each member of ibe team touring England with a handsome pendant emblematical of their footbali successes in the Old Country, also framed photo of Ibe team. Tho presentition will be made at the reception function at Auckland.

Wellington, last night. The design for the souvenir to bo presented to the New Zealand footballers takes tho form of a ehield upou a Gothic pointed Maltese cross. Goal poets and a football are abovo end below the shield, which is clasped by fern fronds and beais a rose, thistle, shamrock nud flsur delis, emblems of nations which succumbed to the All Black*, and the mouogram of the New Zealaad Rugby Union on the reverse will appear on the inscription.