NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8020, 5 January 1906, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALLERS.

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

AGAINST IRELAND. TKU FRKss A LOCUTION. Auck vni>, Jauuiry 1, A writer in this " Sporlsm in," in his account of 111# football lintch, New Zealand v, Ireland, sums up in the following terms: It, was a really magnificent struggle, mid New Zealand lias fought and won the hardest game of its tour;-for though Scotland came out of the orde il belter than Ireland ou points, they hirdlv give th"\r ■ conquerors so hard a game. That the better team won goes without question, while Ireland.it maybe ! candidly said, covered herself with THE GLORIES OP DEFEAT, for her representatives played grandly, ind not a man in fifteen earned the ■smallest share of blame. They played as fine a game as could have been wished, hut they were simply outplayed, Columns ot stuff might be written, lint the whole mateli condenses itself into this, defoat of an interior team by a superior one. Looking at the game, n casual ] observer would be inclined to say that the colonials were never 15 points ahead of Ireland, as the latter had at least three-fourths of the play. This they undoubtedly had, but the other fourth whwh fell to the share of the New Zealauders was ■ multiplied into live-fourths. Once an opening occurred. New Zealand took it, and the first of these was that which resulted in DEANS' FIRST SCOUE, i marvellous piece of judgment and Aeceit. On the other haud, Ireland in the first half got opportunity after opportunity, principally by the aid of her forwards, but these were utterly usolcss as she failed to profit by theui. ALL THE MAGNIFICENT IIUSHES mil grand footwork of her pack went for nothing. As the colonial backs limply eclipsed Ireland in the second half, all was over, anil th« Irish supporters were crying inwardly for the linish. Not that Ireland did not prove just as staying as New Zealand, anil exhibit just as much "guts " to the finish, but simply because of their being outclassed in finesse. The experiment of taking Wallace out of the "scrum" aud making him a.'partial winger proved ill right, aud to the wanderer's BRILLIANT I'EUFOI! MANGE belongs not a little of the credit due to the whole side. He played realty magnificently, anil never once made a mistake.

Telford was a host in himself ami j worked magnificently all while perhaps of the others Allen d. -! serves just a special word of praise j Caddell was probably the smallest h ilf back the Colonials have met with, b t by no means the least brilliant. 11 ■ J TOOK HIS SLOGGING like a lion and never flinched. Rob'n - son, too, waVfjSirte To lli'eend; despite his accident, but the pair were workiii',' 'under,;,great difficulties, especially in the second half. The Irish three-quarter line, though not faultless, performed well. Though many would not, I put tlieiu down as the weak spot in the team. Certainty MacLnar was the hero of the line, and did a lot of brilliant saving, while he was often grand in attack. Parke was on the whole, poor; Robb surprised people by his clever display and cool-headeduess. To Landers much praise is due. He played a magnificent game, his few trivial mistakes being of little moment. Praise for the New Zealanders may be given in globo, if the expression will be pardoned. A distinguishing feature of the marvellous exhibition was' its clearness and beautiful hand work, while the manner in which they got there with the least expansion of energy at once stamped them as the better team. Deans was magnificent of a wonderful lot of backs while, O'Sullivun was marvellous as the head of a brilliant forward combination.