FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8174, 6 August 1906, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

THE REPS. OX TOUR. TARANAKI 6, CANTERBURY o. PBB PEESg ASSOCIATION*. OHBtsTciirsnr, August P. Weather and conditions to day were anything but favorable for the match between Taranaki and Canterbury, the first of the season's representative fixtures. About noon rain set in from the south-west, but it cleared shortly before the match commenced, and the »nn shone out. The ground was in an extremely u>uddy state, of water lying all over it, and as the match progressed, the players found it extremely difficult to obtain a foothold. Conseqoently the game was little more! than a mud scramble, .scientific p!ay being utterly impossible. The attendance was very satisfactory, however, for inch a miserable dav.

TUB PLAT. Pearce kicked off for Canterbury from the south end, and the return was muddled. A useful kick by Deans sent play into the visitors' twenty-fire and a moment later Taranaki were forced from a flying kick by Bams. The Reds continued to press, but Hsnter checked the rush. Ford! however, returned well and a miskick by Hunter looked dangerous for his ride, but fortunately the ball went out. A monreni later the Yellows had to force down again.

The kick-out give no relief, Murray being prominent in a [forward rush that had the yisitors once more defending. In a Ioo:e ruth the ball was kicked over the Taranaki line, Hardgraves taking some risk by not forcing promptly. Following the kick-out, a pissing rush by the Reds was stopped by a good line kick. Again, however, the Canterbury forwards broke away, but a good speculator from Hardwares found touch. Shannon headed the next Canterbury rush, the effort being spoiled by off-side play. The fre - kick that followed removed play to the centre, and Dive, intercepting a pass, made a useful run and then passed to Abbott, who, however, failed to take the baH cleanly. A cross kick by Fraser was well followed np and Taranaki were in trouble, Hardgraves just saving by marking under his own goal posts. In the scramble that proceeded this, O'Sullivan was injured. It w;s found that he had broken his ccll .r'ione, and he retired from the field, .-.vl was replaced by Harkness. Cant, rbury continned to hold the upper '1 .ml, but at length fine line kicking by 11-rdgreaves and Abbott removed play to tbe home teams 25. There Abbott obtained pos. session, and after a rundown the touch line he kicked into the centre. Fori was tackled with the ball and lost it, and Harkness scored in a good position, flardgreares, however, failed with the kick at goaL Taranaki 3 Canterbury 0 A mark was taken by Cameron on lacking off, and play was taken to the centre, where Ward managed to secure, and passed to Hunter, bot the latter wis unable to get through. Passing between Hunter and Abbott took the game on to Canterbury's goal line, where the ball went out. Canterbury then got on a dribbling rush, hut a Ion? kick by Abbott saved the position. A free kick to Canterbury found the line near Taranaki's 25's, where the visitors were again penalised, and Fraser had • shot at goal, but his kick went wide Crawley and Ryan then broke away with a good dribbling rush, and looked dangerous, but Deans shot in and got the ball. After sliding about a yard and making a good recovery, he dodged' through and saved the position with a kick. Shannon followedjup and got on to tbe ball, and led Canterbury into Taranaki's 25, but Hardgreavcs returned by a long kirk. Fryer picked np the bill and afler a good run passed to Dean*, who took it well into Ta-anaki's quarters. Abbott, however, came to the rescue, and removed the dinger. Canterbury returned to the attack, but Abbott, who was playing a fine defensive game, shifted the scene of operations to tbe centre by a long kick. A free-kick and fast following up by Canterbury had Taranaki again in trouble, but the ball was kicked over. Just before the interval Deans had a good chance of scoring but slipped, and the ball was kicked out near Taranaki's goal-line. Canterbury continued to press hard, but no score resulted. On resnming, a free-kick was awarded to Canterbury in their 25 and the baill found the line near the halfway flag. A kick by Deans was returned by Hardgraves, who found the line in Canterbury's 25. A free-kick to Canterbury was taken by Fryer and play centred in neutral territory, but a rnsh by Taranaki had Canterbury delending vigorously.

A. little later, Hunter obtained a mark in Canterbury's 25 and Hardgraves had a shot at goal, but the lali was touched by a Canterbury forward, and they were forced. The b ill was returned after the kick-out, by Cameron, who followed up well and another force was registered. A forward rush by Canterbury following the kick-out. was stopped by Hardgraves, and play centred

fcTl.e Taran.-iki forwards then com-1 menced a rush which was saved by Deans. Bad passing amongst the Canterbury backs enabled Abbott to get hold of the ball, and he looked like ■coring, but was collared before he could get over. A little later, a forward rush by i Taranaki had Canterbury in diUU-ufFtes, but & smart piece of work in martin:: the ball by Fraser, relieved. Taranaki were penalised a little later for off-side. Open play followed, in which Ford obtained the ball and after a good run was collared by Ilargreavcs. who returned ihe ball into Canterbury'25, where fast following up saw Frascr in trouble, but the ball was kicked out Taking a free-kick, Fitzgerald just tipped the ball, which was caught by Hunter, and passing between the visitors' backs had Canterbury in trouble, but later Gray obtained a mark which saved the situation. A long kbk by Burns and a rush by the Canterbury forwards had Taranaki on the defence, but Hargreaves came to the rescue and saved by a line kick. A brilliant piece of passing was then indulged in by Deans, Burns, Ford, Tearce and Gray, which took play well into Xaranaki's territory, but a long ki:k removed the danger, an.l the scene was changed to Canterbury'25, where Abbott obtained the ball a little later, but in passing to Hunter, Deans cut in *nd intercepted an almost certain score. From a scrum near lnlfway liyan broke away and beating Fraser at fullback, got through and scored a wellmerited try. Hargreaves took the shot ftt goal, lut it went wide.

T&raniki <> Canterbury <> A few minute!- later Ilyati repeated performance, but Ford ran in and Hjkred. Taranaki were pressing hard time was called. t. WA.XGANTI.. FU PBEB3 ASSOCIATION'. WASOAxri. Angu't 5. The Wairarapa-Wanganm reprcK-n. tativc football match was played yesterday afternoon in a gale of wind. The game was evenly contested, \\ naganni winning by 11 to 9. The local men played with the wind behind them » the first spell, during whi-li they scored a try, and Wairarapa scored two ries. Wangmiui played better in the lecond spell and M - ored two trie?, one of which was converted, and Wairayapa stored another try. Mr Powdrelj reterccd.