FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 389, 26 May 1908, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

Gibbs and Harding, of the British team, met with accidents in the match against Wairarapa on Saturday, The former got badly jolted, and the latter injured his ankle.

Britain’s First Win.

Masterton, Saturday. The Anglo-Welsh players opened their tour of New Zealand this afternoon when they met a combined Wairarapa-Bush Union fifteen. The weather was fine but threatening and a strong wind blew from corner to corner of the field. The - ground was in good order and an attendance of some six thousand spectators followed the play with keenest interest. Harding won the toss and Wairarapa kicked off. Almost immediately the red, white and blue of the Anglo-Welshmen came flashing down the field in an attack and the ball was kicked over the dead line area. Shortly afterwards the colours gave a taste of their- passing abilities, the ball going through several hands till Ponty Jones found touch. They stormed the line and for some m.nutes the native-born had a busy time defending, but presently Darville broke through and relieved. The relief was only temporary however and back again the colours came amidst much excitement. In spite of their apparently haphazard scrums the visitors got the ball repeatedly in the pack, and, heeling out, indulged in a succession of passing rushes which, like pots at goal by Davy and Ponty Jones, were resultless so far as points were concerned. However, the vigorous attack was bound to meet reward sooner or later and twenty minutes after the start of play a passing rush between English and Welsh backs ended in Ponty Jones scoring in the corner. Gibbs failed with the kick at goal.—AngloWelsh three points. Only four minutes later Gibbs got the ball from Davy and scored. This time the captain (Harding) himself took the kick and also failed. —Anglo-Welsh 6. Another three minutes passed and then came a fresh passing rush in which the ball passed through the hands of Raxon, Davy. McEvedy, Jones and J. R. Williams to Gibbs, who scored. The scorer again failed with the place kick.—Anglo-Welsh 9. Harding had a kick from a mark, which reached Groube at five-eighth. The local man missed taking and Ritson, following up fast scored still another try. _ This time Harding made no mistake and placed a good goal exactly two minutes of the watch after Gibb’s score. —Anglo-Welsh 14. Stung by the reverses the local men put fresh vigour into their play and for a short period there was a Wairarapa rally. Brenchley, Workman and McCarthy broke away and the visitors were put on their defence. The New Zealanders got a free kick just beyond the 25 in front of the AngloWelsh. goal but O’Reary made a poor kick and a good chance was lost. Another fine Wairarapa forward rush only resulted in forcing the visitors down, and then the whistle went for half time with the local men pointless and the visitors with a solid 14 points to their credit.

The game so far had been very fast, but as the second spell developed it soon became noticeable that both teams were taking matters easier. A dangerous Wairarapa attack, in which O’Leary was prominent, saw J. L. Williams save finely. The visiting backs started another passing rush, the ball going through the hands of Jones, Harding, and Williams. Williams streaked for the line, but Darville grasped him firmly. Wairarapa attacked. Jackett missed the ball, and a horde of Wairarapa-Bush-men swarmed on him, but he recovered himself and made a fine run for about 25 yards, then he passed to Jones, the ball eventually going out of touch. The Wairarapa combination played better together now, and Jackett, at full-back was called upon to do extra work, out of which he came with flying colours. Laxton started another passing rush from which J. L. Williams scored. Again Harding failed with the kick. —Anglo-Welsh 17. Both teams were palpably tiring rapidly. The New Zealanders rushed the ball dow« and a freekick was awarded them from which O’Leary kicked a goal. This proved to be the last score, the Britishers having thus scored five tries without the local men crossing their line. Shortly after the end came and the final points were —Anglo-Welsh 17, Wairarapa Bush 3. The result of the game was never in doubt. The strangers had good combination on the whole, and the local team was very ragged in this respect. The passing of the visitors’ backs was an eye-opener to the Wairarapa cognoscenti. Certainly nothing better has been seen here for many years. They threw the ball abouin fine style, and there always ap peared to be a man to take it. They had a fine turn of speed too, Ponty Jones in particular being a powerful runner. Their kicking was also good, and that of Jackett was excellent. He initiated a number of passing rushes and repeatedly got his side out of trouble.

The Wairarapa-Bushmen hardly ever attempted passing and when they did they made a poor show, badly lacking the combination of the Welshmen opposed to them. The native-born forwards, however, showed out well. They, in

fact, got the ball nearly always in tiie scrum after the opening. The Wellington team against the British footballers for next Wednesday will be as follows: Full-back. G. Spencer, n.io. Three-quarters, A. Kvanson, 12.0; F. Mitchinson, 10.10; H. D. Thomson, io. 11. Five- eights; W. Wallace, n. 12; F. Roberts, 12.6. Half: C. Green 9. 4- Wing-for-ward: Hardham. 12.6. Forwards: W. Ready, 13.4; J- Hamilton, 12.10; A. Wilson (Wellington), 14.8 ; D. Rush, 12. 9 ; A. Wilson (Athletic), 12.x2 ;H. Dewar, 12.4 ; W. Alexander, 13. x. Emergencies: Back: J. Ryan, 11.10; forward, Knight, 13.9. THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM.

Following is the New Zealand team to meet the visitors at Dunedin on June 6th; -Full-back : W. Wallace, Wellington. Three-quar-ters : Cameron, Taranaki; Deans, Canterbury, Thomson (Wellington). Five-eights: Hunter, Taranaki ; Stead, Southland. Half: Roberts, Wellington. Wing-for-ward : Gillett, Auckland. 80,.wards: Front rank —Casey, Otago; Hughes, - Southland. Rock Cunningham, Auckland. Supports— Francis, Auckland ; “ Rangi Wilson, Wellington. Back-rank —Seeling, Auckland ; McDonald, Otago. Emergencies: Back — Mynott, Taranaki; forward—Hayward, Auckland. The New Zealand team includes thirteen players who were .members of the New Zealand combination which visited Australia last year, among them being eleven “All Blacks.” The football match Queensland v. New Zealand Pro-All Blacks, was drawn, each side scoring 12 points.