MATCH v. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY, Thursday, 9th November.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 287, 30 December 1905, Page 21

MATCH v. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY, Thursday, 9th November.

New Zealand team: Full, Booth; three-quarters, "Thomson, Smith, McGregor; five-eighths, Deans, Wallace; half, Roberta; forwards, Casey , Tyler, O'Sullivan, Cunningham, .Nicholson, Glasgow, Glenn, Gallaher. Referee: Mr. Crawford Fmlay, Scotland. This match was played on a most excellent ground, and before an assemblage of some seven or eight thousand people. The University kicked off, and it very early became apparent that those critics who had estimated Cambridge to be a weaker si<Je than Oxford were grievously in error. The Gantabs were a much heavier side, both back and forward, and a much better-condi-tioned 'set into the bargain. The Varsity adopted spoiling tactics from the jump, with the result that for the first haJf-hour the game was fairly even., and, although New Zealand repeatedly attacked, solid' tackling and lengthy and accurate line-kicking by the Varsity three-quarters nullified their efforts. Eventually, from a scrum, Roberta kicked high across the field. Smith, following up fast, spoiled the return, and Wallace secured and passed to " Deans, who got over at the corner. A little later, from a scrum, Roberts passed on the blind side to McGregor, who dodged a couple of opponents, and scored near the comer flag. The second l spell was very much a repetition of the first, in so fair that New Zealand's two tries were secured in the last fifteen minutes. In this sped], the Blacks played a closer game, this being rendered necessary by tihe fact that both wing three-quarters had, to an extent, been put out of action^ Thomson having strained a sinew / in his thigh and McGregor one of his ankles. The scores were obtained as follows: — 1, from &icrum, Roberts kicked, across, Wallace to Deans try, Wallace failed, 3 points; 2, from scrum, Roberts to McGregor try, Wallace failed, 3; 3, from loose, Wallace, Smitlh, McGregor try, Glasgow failed, 3; 4, from scrum, Roberts, Wallace. Deans try^ Cunningham converted, 5 • total, 14 points. Our back play in this match was certainly below the standard! played in previous games, the mishap to Thomson being partly responsible, and another cause being Wallace's comparative failure at first five-eightlhs. The latter put m a lot of good! work, especially in defence, but does not possess the faculty for making openings like Stead, Hunter, orMynott. Booth at fall played an excellent game, kicking with fine judgment, and tackling very solidly. Roberts, Smith, and McGregor all did good work, but the best of our backs on the day was Deans. The latter made his first appearance since the Somerset match, and performed right up to his best form. Both of his tries were meritorious efforts, the one in the second spell being the sequel to a fine swerving run. Our forwards played a very solid game, and secured possession nearly all the time. Their one outstanding weakness was hard kicking in the loose, but for which Cambridge would rarely hare obtained a footing in_ our twenty-five, ground being almost invariably gained by them by long touch-finding kicks. The 'Varsity forwards were a fine, fast lot, who showed up well in the loose and in line-out work.