FOOTBALL. ENGLAND DEFEATS THE COMBINED TEAM. Dunedin, Sept. 26.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 303, 29 September 1888, Page 4

FOOTBALL. ENGLAND DEFEATS THE COMBINED TEAM. Dunedin, Sept. 26.

The firsb match between the English footballers and the South Island team wa s played on bhe Caledonian Ground to-day. The attendance was large, probably about 4,000 being present, the weather being fin© and cool, with a breeze blowing fair up the ground. The teams were as follows : — England : Full-back, W. Burnett ; threequarters, Haslam, Stoddart, Dr. Brooks, half-backs, Speakman, Bumby : forwards, Eagles, Mathers. Paul, Thomas, Penketh, ' Laing, R. Burnett, Stuart, Dr. Smith. South Island : Full-back, Thomas (Oamaru) ; three-quarters, Lynch (Clinton), Thomson (Dunedin), Harper (Nelson) : half-backs, Croxford (Dunedin), Donnelly (Christchurch); forwards, Sontag, Hunter, Morrison, Slephenson (Dunedin), Anderson (Taieri), Treseder, Ekenstein (Invercargill), Evans, Bean (Christchurch). Messrs Banks and Chapman acted as umpires, and Mr Marchbanks as referee. Paul kicked off for England against the wind and the first scrum was carried by the colours ; but Thomson, by a good kick off a pass by Donnelly, transferred play to England's 25, where a pot by Croxford caused Burnett to force. From the kick-out the blues' 25 was invaded. Good forward work, assisted by a serviceable kick by Harper, carried play to England's 25, where Harper marked in the centre of the ground. Bean, taking the ball, placed a splendid goal about thirteen minutes from the start of the game. Paul lost ground at the kick-off, and a strong run by Stoddart failed to clear the English lines. The forwards gradually worked play half-way, and then Stoddart, failing to take the ball from a long throw out, lostalotof ground. Stephenson marked, but thedistancewastoogreatfor Bean, and play settled right in front of England's goal. The colours' forwards, by a errand msh, cleared their lines, and a strong run by Stoddart transferred play to the blues' 25. Give-and-take play followed in the centre, and then Stoddart made another terrific run, which which was only stopped by Thomas, the full-back. Play -was worked to within a few inches of the blues' line, and after a series of scrums Stuart scored a try in a good position. Stoddart took the place - kick, but it was charged, and a score prevented. South Island, 3 ; England, 1 point. The blues got up a splendid rush from the kickout, but Dr. Smith headed a dribble that forced the combined team down, Thomas being compelled to kick into touch-in-goal. Harper by good play and a fine kick carried the ball to England's twentyfive, where Croxford passed to Thomson, who made a good pot, the ball going a few inches outside the post. The play was in the centre for some minutes, Donnelly doing good work at half, while Stephenson was prominent among the forwards in dribbling, and Ekenstein and Bean doing good work on the line-out. A splendid passing rush, started by Speakman, enabled Stoddart to get over the line, but he stumbled back into play, and the blues steadily cleared their line, and the ball was in centre-field when ' half - time was called. Soore : South Island, 3 points ; England, 1 point. Morrison started the second spell, and Stoddart marked, kicking to Thomson, who made a splendid run. ' The colours were, however, not to be denied, as carrying the scrums they invaded the blues' territory. Thomas by a dodgy run cleared his line, and then Stoddart had an attempt at goal off a mark by Speakman. Thomas made a brilliant ran, ' but the next minute placed his side in danger through attempting another run instead of kicking. Dr. Brown forced the blues down with an ineffectual pot, and from the kickout the colours at once had it in their opponents' 25. Twice the blues were forced down within a few minutes, once off a pot, j and again off a beautiful passing rush in which Stoddart made a grand run. After the kick out', more hard play ensued, and Harper got a mark, but in exchange for the kick Mathers secured the ball,, and running down the touch line, got in and, scored a try, from which Paul kicked a splendid, goal from a difficult angle. England, 4 ; points ; South Island, 3^ The Englishmen were jubilant, and, \ playing, stronger than,' ever, they quickly had the ball back 1 in the blues' 25,and.Dr. Brooks tried, another ipot, 1 but the ball went wide. AJbrilliarit, ruii made by, Stoddart, from . passes-., by;, Brooks and Spealunan ; nearly* c caused another score. , The blues < cleared '.jiheir, lines] and .after some hard.play~ Harpei^ailed/toViiake a. .kick', and beingvpounced4>6n,l,th'e! play was u on r the r j blues'; line. >,* The yball was heeled* out, arid m Mathers,; making a run

across, was pushed into touch by Thomas at the corner flag,"But fell over' the goal-line and claimed a try; which was disallowed of course, though, a lot of time was lost in the colours, arguing. 7 , Eventually- the blues forced down, and play, settled down once more on their side of , the 25 flag, with only a few minutes of "the time to elapse. From a scrum in.the centre of the ground, Mathers secured the ball, and by a fine dodgy run got over the line, Thomas being out of his place. No goal was kicked, and time being called, the game finished in a victory for the Englishmen by 5 points to 3. The game was hard and fast right through, the visitors having evidently made up their minds to win. Nearly all the finer points of Rugby play, except passing and screwing scrums, were absent, and there was a good deal of " bullocking." The feature of the game was t the wonderful play of Stoddart. Next to Stoddart, T)r. Brooks was the best, but of the others all played so hard and well that none can be individualised, except that Dr. Smith showed how effective and hard to stop a good dribbler is. As individual players, the South Island team was stronger than Otago's of last Saturday, but as a combination they were generally regarded as weaker.