FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 July 1926, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

ALL BLACKS LOSE. WELLINGTON PLAY WELL. [by TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, June 30. Tho New Zealand Rugby rep. team to tour Australia was to-day defeated by Wellington reps, by 21 to 14. To say that the provincial team was superior to tho Dominion representatives would bo absurd, hut its members piaved a sterling game, while it .was obvious that many of the New Zealand reps were not taking any unnecessary •risks, in view of their important Australian tour. New Zealand won tho toss and deeded to play with the wind. Led hv Porter, the Dominion reps made some good but ineffective rushes. From a scrum, Tyree secured and scored for Wellington. Malcolm failed, with the kick. Give and take play followed, and Wellington were penalised, when Sveu-sc-n kicked a goad goal, equalising fhe scores. The hall next travelled through tlie New Zealand hacks to Klvoy, who scored, and Svenson converted. New Zealand 8, Wellington 3. Mill secured from a line-out. and passed to Blake, wlio scored, lint Svenson failed with the kick. N.Z. 11. Wellington 3. This was the score at half-time. Tn the second spell, the formation of the team was altered. Svenson did not take tlie field, and Porter went, second five-eighths, and Brownlie wing forward, Aliev going into the pack. Shortly after Wellington secured and looked dangerous. N.Z. were then penalised, and Malcolm kicked a good goal. N.Z. 11, Wellington (i. After a nice forward rush on the part of Wellington, the ball travelled through all the backs to Grenfel, who cut in splendidly, and scored. Malcolm failed to convert. N.Z. 11, Wellington

Wellington came again, and Irom a scrum in front of the N.Z. line, Stewart, scored, and O’Regan kicked a goal. Wellington 12, N.Z. 11. After some interesting play, in which honours were even, Now Zealand were again penalised, and O’Regan kicked a difficult goal. Wellington 1.5. N.Z. 11. ' . Wellington were playing with great dash and had the best of the loose play. Off-side play by New Zealand gave O’Regan another chance, and the ball, though it struck the crossbar, dropped over. Wellington 18. N.Z. 11. Tlie All Black backs now tried to get moving, but they could not work clear. Bramwell secured and set his backs in motion, Tait finishing the movement by scoring. O’Rcgan failed with the kick. Wellington 21, N.Z. 11. Towards the end, tlie All Blacks showed more effective combination. Elvcy secured and made a. spectacular run, taking the ball from, his own 25. The best bit of nlav ol the day followed. Many men handled the hull as the team traversed towards the Wellington goal. Finally it. went, from Mill to Porter and Flvey. Then Finlaysm. picking up, raced for the line like a greyhound and scored. Porter failed with the kick. The final score was: Wellington 21, N.Z. 14.

COMMENTS ON THE GAME. WELLINGTON. .Tune 30.

In spite of the fact that the Now Zealanders were not all out, Wellington’s viqtorv is very creditable. They wedged better in the serums than ti e All Blacks, and this was , due to the work of Moffat, who. in spite of l.is 39 years, can still keep up with Hie best.

F.lvy was the pick of the All Black backs. His try was a, brilliant piece of work in which bo beat three men, and flashed over near the corner. Ho also beat several men before bo gave Finlayson bis try. Stevenson was safe, but Robilliard was not impressive, while Blake was well marked by Grenfel, who playc,d a fine game. Sheen made a characteristic dash before he went off in the first twenty minutes, and his play was impressive.

Mill did not take kindly to the mild, Iml was responsible for a number ol clever pieces of work. His was not as crisp ns that of Dailey. Porter, who played in the li\ccighths line after Svenson retired, was a. tiger for work, but when at 'ring forward, was apt to got offside. Fnilnysou was tho king-pm of the All Black forwards, with Hazlett and Harvey next. Their scrum did not pack too well, ’and Wellington got more of the ball. Still, in spite of the reverse, which is but a repetition of history, New Zealand can look forward with confidence to the doings of the All Blacks when they cross the Tasman.

RUSH v. DANNEVIBKE. PAHIATUA, Juno 30. ;'[ u the Rugby match, Bush Districts team (holders) defeated Danuevirke for the Bebbington Shield, by thirteen to eleven, after a stern tussle. In the first, half, with the wind in their favour. Bush put up ten points. On the change over, the Danuevirke score gradually mounted, but Bush scored again when most needed, and kept the lead. The play was full of excitement, and fairly open, though the. ground was heavy. Tries for Bush were got by 1 . Galvin, D. Judd, and Harvey. Ud? converted one, and Galvin one. O-iep for Dannevirke were scored by ''alkei aiul Prim. Craven kicked a penalty goal and converted a. try.