Field Sport

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 7, 18 August 1900, Page 13

Field Sport

THE return match, Wellington v. Wairarapa was a succession of surprises. For the first place everybody was surprised that the ground was not a quagmire, after a week's rain. It would have been so, if Zephyrns had been in the slightest de.gree.,,parsim.onious, but under his drying influence the field presented few imperfections. Then the Blacks were surprised when the Greens scored thirteen points in the first spell ; and the Greens were much more surprised when the Blacks notched fourteen points in the second half (the spectators shared this surprise). The referee created a few surprises owing to some of his decisions, and lastly .Wellington men and their barrackers revelled in a huge surprise when" no-side " was called, and they were returned winners by 17 to 13. * * » In the first spell, with a slight breeze in their favour, the countrymen were strongly offensive, particularly their vanguard, which, aided by the operations of Wrigley, Boss and Brunton, kept the Blacks in a thorough state of siege. The Wairarapa wing- forwards were much surperior to their vis-a-vis, and with Udy, Moore and Ahipene repeatedly went over the Wellington backs like avalanches. Meredith and Roberts were very strenuous in their opposition to these mastodons, but the efforts of Wood and Hales were peculiarly ineffective, owing, perhaps, to an absence of that temerity which should, at times, characterize the defensive operations of back play. * * * At half time it seemed that Wairarapa would win — to use a vulgarism — " hands down." But in the succeeding spell the scene was changed. Kelly — whose operations on the left flank had not been as successful as their owner wished, decided to take the position of an extra fiveeight, and draw McGuirk from the " pack " to fill the vacancy. A back game was played for all it was worth, and the fickle goddess, smiling on their heroic efforts, ultimately invested them with the much coveted laurel. The weather looked threatening — if a heavy shower had fallen Wairarapa would have won the match, but it kept fine, and the Blacks, getting possession, and heeling out with tireless monotony, gave their rearguard as much of the leather as, was possible under, the circumstances. Wood, Kelly, and Boberts carried war into the enemy's camp with a vengeance, and the score mounted up with a rapidity that struck horror into the hearts of the Green partisaus. On many occasions Boberts and Wood, on being threatened with attack, would pass to a confrere, run round, and again participate in the possession of the ball, and this mode of attack paralysed their opponents. The Wairarapa wing-for-wards — who are excellent footballers — neglect one ot their principal departments, i.e., they do not inculcate in the best degree the gentle art of stultifying back play by a " pushing " mode of defence. » • # The Green vanguard seemed to tire ; they lacked the virility which illustrated their efforts in the first spell, and the burden of the defence was thrown upon the broad shoulders of " Ted Me " and sturdy frame of Harry Wrigley. The latter is just as much at home when collaring and stopping rushes as in his dashes on the offensive, and he stuck to his task like a Spartan. McKenzie, whose billet of full back in the first spell was a sinecure, had a surfeit of work in the second, and gave an admirable exhibition of all the qualifications. He was unaccountable for the scoring, inasmuch as on all occasions there was a plurality of Blacks when he was forced to assume the role of the remaining bulwark. At times the six Wellington forwards pushed their opponents, besides getting possession, which proved they were strangers to " vamping," although the charge would have firmer foundation if applied to their opponents. In the first half Meredith stopped rushes with a look of ineffable resignation ; in the second his features assumed an air of ineffable sweetness ; he passed with ineffable promptitude, and on one occasion he ineffably went into the scrum, " yanked " the ball out with an ineffable "yank," and beamed with ineffable innocence on the referee, who was that time, for some reason, ineffably blind.

McGrath was not a wonderful success on the wing. Hales's performance at full back was not above " par." Eoss was at times brilliant on the offensive, and was generally up to date. Wrigley was the mainstay of the Greens, likewise the ribs and the backbone. Taken all round, Brunton would not get the D.5.0., and Marsh was only " so, so." McGuire was fair, but the referee ought to have penalised him for trying to go to sleep with the ball. McGuirk and August grafted with praiseworthy eagerness, and at times you couldn t see 'em for steam. McAnally and Spencer hooked with an ingenuity which was almost Satanic — in fact they smelt of brinSstone. " Clarry " Moore keeps up his love for the " thin white line." You could not stop " Clarry " scoring with an axe. " Joe " Calnan led his stormers like that antiquated hero, Bill Adams, and with OBrien and Coady, inculcated many a rush. Brodie, a novitiate, gave promise of greater honours in the future. His work was marked by common sense if not brilliance. " Cocky" Eoberts was all there on the defence, and he streaked for that chalkline like a young Maorilander after the scalp of Kruger. Wood, in attack, resembles " Tiddley " White, the great Canterbury five-eight, but"Morry's" defensive work is only good in spots. " Georgie " Howe started well at three-quarter, but got punctured or something, and will probably be sent down to guard the line of communication. Ahipene a'ild D. Udy expended as much wind and strength as could be worked oil with safety. They are both maiked 100 Al. Jackson and Wellington took observations horn the back of the scium. Sometimes they played that new song, " The Soldiers of the Queen," with eclat — accent on the c. "Ted Me" was N.T.S. at full back. His conversion of one try, projected with a tour-point kick from the touch-line, wab a '-jim-dandy." The ball struck the post in its flight. Callister hummed "As my hair grows whiter," and as his legs kept time with the lefiain, he iniused considerable vim into his actions. " Alf "is like a " fuzzy wuzzy " when he plays Bugby. Kelly handled his team like an Alexander, and grafted like Achilles in the second spell, which is saying a lot. One fault— his grasp of the ball is slightly of a mucilaginous nature. L. Armstrong and " Jack " McKenzie ,to therr-repaiations, will soon be as long as'their arms. The latter otten swung his arms about careless-like with a Wellington man at the end of 'em. Treasurer Pagni gave a short " turn " as a lightning change artist. The multitude received it with a salvo of applause, and we shall have pleasure at advertising the New Zealand Biondi — at the usual rates. " How's the game going to go ? " said the writer to a pastoral enthusiast, when Wellington were within two points of Wairarapa. " I don't know," said he in a doubtful tone, " but I wish the referee would blow the whistle now ; then my ten bob would be safe." Faith and hope illumined his old bucolic " phiz," until presently the Blacks notched three more points, and then with a brace-breaking sigh, he floated into the great beyond. " Get off the ground ! " yelled a burly Green partisan who was sitting on the fence, after dodging the gatekeeper. " Let us see what we've paid for," he continued. These remarks were uttered to the football editor of the Post, who was touch judge for Wellington. "On this extremely felicitious occasion I am occupying an official position," was William's answer, given with triple-ex-pansioned saicasm, and the man fell back with a dull sodden look as if somebody had " bashed " him over the face with a spade. It is probable that Mr Angus Campbell, of Auckland, will be asked to referee in the Wellington-Taranaki match. Mr W. G. Garrard will act as refeiee in the Auckland- Wellington match, and Mr Evans in the Wellington-Otago match. The Wellington representative team commence their Northern tour on Monday morning, playing Hawke's Bay next Tuesday and Auckland on the Saturday following. Canterbury and £ Wellington meet on the Athletic Park on Saturday. His Excellency the Governor has accepted an invitation to be present. Mr A. D. Thomson has been chosen to act as referre in the Canterbury-Otago and Canterbury - Wellington matches. In both instances the ■ interested unions mutually agreed to Mr Thomson.