FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8178, 10 August 1906, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

TAIUNAKI v. MANAWATU,

Fayored by line weather, there was an attendance of about 1,700 people on the ltec, yesterday, when the Manawatn representatives mot Taranaki, The ground was in very good order although no doubt somewhat softer than the visitors arc used to. The game eould hardly be called a brilliant exposition of football, for notwithstanding the huge score piled up by the home team, mistakes an I infringements were very frequent. In the latter respect Taranaki wove the more frequently penalised. Miuiwatu's rout miy be ascribed solely to the back division, which, with the exception of Winiata (who played a rattling game till ho had to retire hurt) and Stalker, was far below rep. form. Had Hew.tt and Ongloy made the trip, the team would have been improved out of all recognition, la comparison with (ho Mamwatu backs, the Cjloman, W .rd, Hunter, Cameron, Dive, and Abbot combination was brillicnt. The feature of tho game, though, was Hardgreavos line-kicking, which was heartbrra'.ing to the opposing vanguard. In contrast, the kicking of the visitors' was weak in tlu extreme, thoy rarely lindmg the line. The visitors forwards, however, were in no way inferior to the Taramki pack, ilather, they were superior to our men in the open, playing with much greater dash, and quite huhliug their own in the scrum*. Kyan (Taranaki) ant McNue (.Minawatu) stood out as the best two forwards on the ground. Play during the first spell was fast and fairly interesting. Tor the first twenty minutes after resuming the Manawatu forwards kept the game confined to Taranaki's side of halfway. When Winiata retired, the local backs opened the game up and simply in over all opposition, scores coming with monotonous regularity. Mr Hopkins made an impartial referee.

THE PLAY. Shortly after 3 o'clock the teams lined out as follows: Manaivatu (grceu aud white.) Full-back : Hughes; Three-quarters: Steycns Wmiata Hammer; Fiye-eighlli: Stalker (Capt,) Half: Boon ; Wings: Taylor AA r illiamson; Forwards: Wingate, Ward, Fenlon, MeNae, Swainson, Broad. ; Tabakaki (yellow and black.) Full-back : Hardgrayes j Three-:juarter.i: Abbott Cameron Diye j Five-eighths: Hunter Ward Half: Coleman: Wing: Sheehan ; Forwards: Osborne, McKay, Harkness, Crowley, Qreonb inks, Loveridge, Ryan. Mmaiyatu kicked off from the south end ; Hardgreaves' return feeble. From the throw-in the Mafta- ' watu forwards rushed the ball over ' the lme, Hardgreaves forcing. On resuming, Cameron secured and kicked ! out in the visitors' 25, and from the : succeeding scrum Coleman whipped the ' hall out to Abbott, who swerved past > three opponents and scored in a good ■ position, within fiye minutes of the I com ucnceinent. Hardgraves converted. ' Taranaki 5 Manawatu 0 Following the kick out, Coleman : securing set up a passing rush which carried play into the Greens' area. Immediately afterwards Hunter got i the ball from a scrum and passed to Cameron, who feinted cloverly ami scorod at the corner. Hardgreaves' kick at goal missed. Taranaki ~, ~, 8 Manawatu 0 Hunter started another passing rush, Abbitt being collared with the ball. The visitors' forwards began lo play tigli l , keeping the hall amongst themselves, and play remained in neutral territory for somo time. Gradually the Green forwards worked play into the home team's quarters, but Hardgreaves cleared with a mighty kick. Stevens put in a good return from Coleman, but failing to find the line, Hardgreaves made up all the lost groiud. Manawatu got the ball, but Ward cut in and intercepted, passing to Hunter when blocked, the - latter losing a good chance by throwing forward. Play centred, but McKay and Loverage were responsible for changing the yenue. Hardgreaves had two abortive shots at goal, Stalker and Win ata next being prominent in checking a dangerous Taranaki rush. Broad, who was playing a good game at this time, had a mishap and retired, De Launay taking his place. At this stage the visitors' forwards were holding the upper hand, although never dangerous, principally through lack of assistance from their backs. Hammar failed to field the ball, Hunter scouring and transfering to. Dive, who scored after a strong run. ilardgroaves converted.

Taranaki 13 Mauawatu () _ Pl.iy settled about lialt-way tor some time, Manawatu forwards breaking the monotony with a good dribble int) Taranaki quarters. Some tight play followed, the visitors being awarded a penalty for an infringement by a Yellow. Ward took the kick and lanled a beauty, Taranaki 13 Manawatu 3

Play returned to Alanawatu's 25, Stalker clearing with a good kick. Dive centered to Abbott, who was ■ s thrown out at the corner. Wingatc, '• Ward and McNae were next promiuent lt in a forward rush, which Ward (Tarai' naki) went down to. The game at this stage was a hard sot-to between the 11 visitors* vanguard and the home backs, [i play alternating from side to side. „ Stalker stalled off a dangerous rush, .. and immediately afterwards interi oeptcd a piss, and cut in, where he was blocked. Hughes failed to tako his pass, and Caneron secured and passed to ltynn, who struggled across. 1 The try was not converlcl The half , time bell sounded immediately utter i with the score - T:iraiiiiki 1<; t Maiuwatu 3 On resuming, Sheehan headed a r-isli 1 into the visitors' territory, but the | Green forwards gradually wore the opposing vanguard down. Winiata cle--1 verly marked twice, and was responsible for removing play to past halli «'«y- Continuing the pressure, the Maniwatu forwards took plav into the home team's 25, where Ward (Mduawatu) had an unsuccessful shot at goal. Hardgreaves cleared, but the ball was returned. Coleman wis penalised for lying on the ball, and Ward again missed a good chance at goal. The Taranaki forwards were unable to force play out of their ground, but their line was not seriously endangered. Stalker cut oil a piss from Colomanj and was looking dangerous when collared by Hardgreaves. Winiata was ngam prominent, hut sustained a nasty Nl when trying to pick up the ball I lie giiiie was stopped for sometime, the Manawatu three-quarter being dazed, and eventually having to retire foon after the resumption of play. Boon secured from a scrum and se* his backs going, Stalker passing to Stevens, who was forced out. Securing the ball, the local lmcks opened up the same, a fust passing rush m which Hunter, Coleman, Cameron and Abbott took part taking the game to the other end. From a scramble after the throw m, Ward kicked too hard,l Manuwntu fore in*. Tarnnaki continued to press, Boon taking a smart murk at the side of the scrum, The

kic.lt Trent to War J, who sent it to Hunter, tlio latter finding tlio lino at the 25. Hunter again secured, and after a good feint, transferred to Dive, who ran in Ilardgreaves converted. Taranaki 21 Manawatu y About twenty-five minutes of the spell had gone, and this was Taranaki's 'irst real look 111, but thenceforward, except for some good individual spoiling efforts by tlio Manawatu forwards, the game belonged solely to the home backs. Playing wilh It men, the Manawatu backs were demoralised. Picking the ball from the head of a Manawatu rush, Coleman passed to Hunter, who dash»d over at the corner. No gcal resulted, Taranaki ~, ~, 24 Manawatu 3

Some close play followed, but as soon as the visitors' forwards let the ball away from them Hunter secured and passed to Cameron, the latter sending it on to Abbott, who scored after a good run. Again tho kick fulod. Taranaki 27 Mauawatn 3 From some looso play near the centre Diye picked up, and after a strong dodgy run, passed to Cameron, who had only to run in. Cameron cjjiycrted, Taranaki ' 32 Manawatu ~, y The Taranaki backs got tho better of an exchange of kicks, and a lot of scrambling play followed near the visitors line. Prom a throw in Love, ridge took the ball and dashed straight across. Hargreaves converted. Taranaki ~, ii( 37 Manawatu 3

Headed by McNae and Wingate, the Manawatu forwards with a strong rush carried the ball, to the Taranaki end, whence it was slowly worked back to mid-field. Here Dive secured irom the ruck, and transferred to Cameron after boating all opposition, Cameron scoring an easy try. Abbott added the major points. Taranaki 43 Manawatu 3

Undismayed, the Manawatu forwards, who stiil had more in them collectively than the opposing vanguard, carried play into the home quarters, where Abbott scoured and set off at a great bat. He was collared by Hammer and thrown out, but the flag was not raised. Ho transferred to Coleman who passed along the ground to Cameron and the latter ran in, Ward converting. The whistle then sounded, putting an end to the debacle in which the vanguished suffered defeat by 47 points to 3. The game needs no further comment, except that it seryed to show that the Tarauaki forward division is still in need of strengthening, and no doubt tho selector can now place his discriminating eye on the weak spots.

JUNIOR REP MATCH, TARANAKI 9, WANGANUI 3,

Per Press Association.

AYanganui, August 9, junior rep match, Wanganui v. laranalri, was played in glorious weather. 'J.ho teams -appeared evenly matched, though the visitors were a sturdier lot than tho local representatives. i

For a long tirno aiter itho commeiicement of the game play was in favouv of tlie visitors, whoso weight and pace in tho forwards gave them an advantage over Wanganui. The visitors made several strong 'attacks upon the Wanganui line, severely testing tho defensive powers/ of tho home- team, and' eventually, after Hooker had made a fine run, tho forwards pushed over tho lino and lieard scored a try, which Stohr failed to convert, tfcar tho end of tho first spell Wanganui wero penalised, and Campbell kickod a fine goal, the spell ending

Turaimki Wuugnnui

Immediately an resuming, Taranaki mulled a return, and Jolly made a line run to the c-ornor, w here Campbell scored. The kick at goul was u failure "ffnnpanui continued to attack, and the visitors w -re forced. Altera series of attacks in the visitors' 25\s, Taranaki rushed the ball to centre, where a long spell of desultory play took place. Then a free to Taranaki went back lo Woon, who kicked to Hooker. The latter made a fine dash 'up the line, and passed to Whitaker, who had a clear rim in,, but was called back for going out of touch. Give-and-take play followed'. Taranaki marked in front, and Hooker placed a neat goal, the game ending Taranaki g Wanganui ... ... 3