FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1927, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

| WESTLAND v. ASHBURTON

Tito inter-Union R.ugby match between Westland representatives and Ashburton touring team took place on Cass Square yesterday afternoon, and resulted in a win for Westland" by two tries (both scored by Christensen) to nil. The game was played under pleasant overhead conditions, there being bright sunshine and a light- breeze, but the ground was heavy and water-log-ged in places owing to heavy rain over night and in the early morning. As a. result the gamo developed- into a forward one, and the handling of the ball at times was weak. In the opening stages of both spells Ashburton ■showed to advantage, but in the latter half of the first spell ‘Westland evened the play. Tn the concluding half- the visiting forwards were well beaten, anti it was only solid' defence of their backs that kept the score down. The teams were as announced, except that Christensen replaced Whiley. who was ill.

Ashburton kicked off from the north goal. ha vine: a light breeze iir their faces. Devanev showed out, from the first line and then Ashburton gained the scrum. Friedlander getting away on a passing run. A free to Ashburton was followed by another. King being offside and Mulherti bad a kick within easy range that he failed to lilt nil' the ground. The ball went back to file centre, and then play panic I>si ok to inside Westland quarters, where offside play gave Mulhern another shot right in front inside the quarter flag. He made another terribly weak attempt, the hall twisting away along rile ground. Play centred and then tile visiting pack got possession again, but Friedlander’s pass out was m issed. A' scrum followed and saw a visiting forward penalised for handling. CVvrleton gained an advantage in nil exchange of kicks and Day marked a return, but Freitas took bis kick and found the line nicely. The ball came back to Nightingale.. who was tackled with the ball, but. a. danger was stopped by King. Burgess headed a blue rush, but Devancy I woke back with Bannister and Moynihan. MeCloary failed to gather from a. serum and T)ew and Dalton broke away till Freitas stopped' them. A knock-on caused a scrum and Freitas passed to King who was collared by Clarke; offside by Mclntosh, gave Ashburton a free kick, but Freitas’ rcMi.rn went well up. McCormick and ,'veyli broke away but (lie red forwards came hack with a. rush that reached the line where MeDmign.ll was lucky to force. From, the kick out Tainui failed to gather, but King kicked out. A. King got offside and relieved, the visitors taking tile ball to. Christensen who stopped, the rush. Hahn speculated and missed, and a scrum followed in Westland's !to. Ashburton got the hall from the scrum, hut Medea ry reached it. Then Freklhitider marked: but. Devanev returned. A blue rush was stopped by Nightingale. Then Mclntosh and Bannister led a hot rush to the line Me Bengali forcing luckily. Dalton’s kick out was finely

returned by Freitas and went, out at the corner. From an ensuing serum Ashburton were penalised, but Nightingale failed to reach the posts with his kick, a. force resulting. Tainui re-

ceived the kick-out, but his pass went wide and Clarke ran through to King, who made a fine tackle. Freitas opened to King and Tainui to Christensen, hut Robilliard’s mice only saved a score. Getting the ball McClearv set his hacks going but Houston was collared by Day. Then slow nassin-r -aw Westland lose ground, and Ashburton broke av.ay. till Pfahlort saved nicely. Again Fried hinder set his backs going

hut P'fiihlerf stopped Clarke, spoiling his effort then by getting offside. Christensen, Tainui and Houston led a. passing run. but MeDottgall stopped' the latter. Pfahlort getting to the line, v. here from a following serum a force

resulted. From the kick out and u return Dav broke away and kicked well infield hut almost at once Christensen and Tainni came back with a clever passing run. which Hahn spoilt by getting offside. Dav again came away with the ball but IWYiynilian and Pl'ublort stopped him and then King. Tainni and Christensen handled, till Dav put a stop to it. Stephens broke away lint MeClenrv just shoved him out of touch and tho ball went back to tho line where from a. serum McCleary tried to score- on the blind side but was held up. Some ground was then lost

bv bad tactics by King. Freitas and Hahn opened out a. passing run, hut Carle ton cam© back with a. powerful run that lient several opponents till Pfnhlert up-ended him. Ail exchange of kicks found the centre from where Pfuhlert broke away on his. own, kicked to the full-back, beat Trim- andwhen a try was at his mercy, fell over the recumbent full-back and lost an almost sure try, a' force resulting. From the kick out Pfahlort and McIntosh rushed the play, but Carleton fielded well and kicked to Freitas who found the lino as half-time was called without anv score.

Tlie second spoll opened with the wind dropping. Pn.wson broke through and the visiting forwards attacked. Dougherty led a return visit till "Day intervened. A penalty to 'Westland ■ went to the visiting; 2b, but a loose : rush went back to Tainui. Here ■ Pfahlert .speculated and missed and danger showed, hut Nightingale was able to force. Tainui failed! to take cleanly a return from the kick out and a serum was formed on the Tine. A miskiek by King added to tlie danger but Dcvnney and Hahn relieved till Friedlander stopped them, going down in fine stylo. Handling in the scrum penalised the visitors, but Pfalderl Knocked on the return, losing ground. Offside by Day evened matters and then Sevb, Burgess and Pawson gained ground with a loose rush, hut the ball went to Pfahlert who kicked hard. Devancy got offside. Return kicks were even until Nightingale kicking followed up and got to Stephens, the red i forwards breaking away to the 2b lino, where the visitors were penalised within easy range, but McCTeary failed and a force resulted. Return kicks saw Sbyb offside, but a Westland penalty similarly left play in a neutral zone. Then Freitas lost ground with a bad kick, hut Dougherty and Mclntosh came away with a. fine rush down the fife Id. Then Dew broke away, but Stephens lost ground by passing wildly. Robilliard broke away, but being stopped, passed to Stephens who was offside. The red forwards went, with a fierce rush to the full-back, and there ■ was some hard forward work near the line. Dew took' the ball on the lineout but Houston broke back till taken finely by Dalton. Elms got offside, but play wont to the centre. Pfalilert made a fine clash hut was well taken by Stephens. Then Burgess, McCormick and Pawson broke away in a loose rush to the centre, but McCormick got offside. From a following line out King went through to near the line. Then from a loose scramble Halm let McOeary away and Houston and Tainui handling well the hall went to Christenson, who went over at the corner to score a fine try. King failed to improve from a difficult angle 3—o. With fifteen minutes to go, Westland again attacked, Houston. McCleary and Pfahlert taking play to the line. Across the ball came to Tainui who potted, but- missed, a force resulting. From 25 play, Freitas broke away

gwith a. fine'dask; that took him to tho line; but he was thrown, out as-he fell 'for a score, a close shave. From the ensuing lino out Devaney secured and passed in to Christensen, who dropped over the line to score his second-.try, in almost tho identical place as his first. King again failed to improve 6—o. Tho home forwards now had jtheir opponents well beaten and were getting possession. Heeling-out smartly the backs got going again, McClearv, King, Houston and Tainui reaching Mc-Pougall who stopped them near the line. Tainui attempted a solo and kicked, but a-force resulted. J; \n Ashburton passing run broke downat tho centre, and- then a long kick was marked by Nightingale, as the boll .rang. Play continued up and down, a red rush looking dangerous, but Day kicked back, and the ball went into . Westland quarters where a visile? marked, and had a sbot-at goal, which went under the bar and a force down resulted, Westland winning a. hard fought game by <3—o. Mr A. Cut■bush was referee.

WESTLAND JUNIORS v. GREY. The junior representative game was played as a. curtain raiser and Resulted in a win fed-the Westland team by 6 points (a try and a penalty goal scored by Stevenson) to 3 points (a, try by Martin). The No. 2 ground was heavy • with pools of-water in places. There was a strong breeze blowing from the south-west. Westland had the. advantage of tho breeze in the opening-spell, but the visitors held them hack well and it was half way through before ■Stevenson kicked a penalty goal, while 'near the end of the spell'Martin scored for Grey and levelled the position. Not' •using tho wind as well as they might "havt\ Westland had handwork to keep on tho attack, the visitors showing a very stubborn doioueo. Tlicir handling was far safer and surer, and their kicking better, but the forwards were about, evenly matched. Up and down the ball went with much missing anapoor passing. With the changing of ends it looked a cake-walk for the visitors, the breeze appearing to be a very substantial handicap. However, the visiting forwards broke- down badly, and in 'spite of tho wind Westland more than hold their otvu, and they took charge of ihe game. Towards tho end of the spell Stevenson got the ball at the centre and made a fine swerving dash down the line that landed him a fine try easily the best-. individual effort of the gamo. Grey made a hard effort to equalise but had failed when tho bell rang Westland being the victors by 0 points to 3 anti they deserved their victory. For the visitors Fong, TTannam atul 801 l in the hacks were the best; while Mt-Enaney and Grooby wore easily the pick of the forwards. For Westland, Stevenson. Staines and Davidson showed to advantage whilo tho forwards. Hughes, Preston and Kelly were tho most prominent. Mr AY. Kearns was referee.

LEAGUE: MATCH. At Greymontit yesterday afternoon the visiting Canterbury League representative team defeated West, Coast by S points (two tries, ono being converted) to 5 points (a converted try). WELLINGTON DEFEAT SOUTHLAND. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. Wellington defeated Southland lo•dn yat Athletic Park in a represeUtaitivo Rugby match by 21 points to 9. jTho exhibition was a very poor one jaitd Wellington wore undoubtedly the (superior team. At half-time the score jwas 13—9 in Wellington’s favour. The jpla.y among both sets of backs was- intone:- to the work of the forwards. Kilby, a.u ex-Sonthlander. playing half fur Wellington, played brilliantly, sending uafc- fine passes and making . Beautiful openings. Porter, the All Black wing, forward - , was always a

thorn in Southland’s side. Passing rushes broke down frequently through deplorably bad handling. Both teams tackled well and the referee interpreted the rules leniently. Aflut.v grand opportunities to score woto missed by Wellington. Johnston, Taylor, Edgar, Porter and Pringle scored for Wellington, Hanson converting three. Dyaek potted: a. goal: for Southland and McCoy scored a try which Dvack converted.

WAERiAItAPA- WIN. CARTERTON, Aug; 17. Wairarapa and Taranaki met atCari fcerton to-day in bright, fine weather. |The match was an interesting display, | hut Wairarapa were superior to the visitors, particularly in the hack division. Wairarapa scored three trios-, one converted, in the first spell, to TaranakPs penalty goal. In the second spell, Wairarapa added flwo- more tries, one converted, to Taranaki's one try. The game ended ■Wairarapa 19, Taranaki 6. The attendance was two thousand'.