FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 108, 15 August 1910, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

REPRESENTATIVE MATCH AT 1 HAWJSItA. TARANAKI (31) v. WANGANUI (11). The return representative match between Wanganui and Taranaki footballers was played on Saturday afternoon at Bawera. The weather, which had been threatening in .the morning, cleared for the afternoon. The ground was in capital -order. The attendance of the public was only moderate. It was not a brilliant exposition o£ our national winter game, me Wanganui team had been weakened by the inability or unwillingness of about ten of the original fifteen to travel, and although it contained a few .pikers WHO knew the game and could play it well, there was such a preponderance of "club" men that the Taranaki men seemed to be holding them too easily. This fault gave the first try agahst Taranaki. It was the backs who won the match. The forwards reminded one too much of the village blacksmith, with his "ipeasured beat and slow," and the little chaps who sported the 'blue and black jersey from Wanganui, were jumble as cats, showing plainly the unwisdom of the . Taranaki selectio-r of beef in preference to pace and "steam." The home team rattled up 14 points to 3 in the first spell, yet they were more than half of the time on the defence, which may seem paradoxical. There were one or two men on the opposing side who rubbed corners m clu yellow vanguard, and, kicking downiield with a nice breeze behind them, Kept the home side fairly busy, though the line was seldom seriously endangered. It was very evident from start to finish that the Taranaki selector win nave o re-cast the back division, for to keup a man like Jack -Stohr walking about in front of the goal posts, with hanu on hip, savoured of the ridiculous, and one wondered why Myhott did not .aK» i he responsibility on himself of altering the team; but it wasn't necessary, and that perhaps explains it. The o".ie or two men who were tried in the team for the first time did not come up to expectations. Taranaki's great weakness »'as in the scrum. If the ball was secured by the home hookers, which. achievement was : not frequent .enough to become monotonous, it got hung-up somewhere in the scrum, and took too long in'reaching the back row. And vrnen i| got there Moij- wasn't strong enough to protect his half-back, and Brown generally stood up to pass to Mynott instead of grabbing and passing the call in the one motion. Mr. Spurdle -was lenient in his enforcement of the rules regarding off-side play. Takarangi captained the visitors, and Mynott the home team. The sides were as follow: WANGANUI.

Full back, Kilpatrick; three-quarters, Meuli, Southcombe, and Signal; fiveeighths, Takarangi and Campion; half, F. C. Atkinson; wing forward, Prideaux; forwards, Cummins, Schmidt, McDonald, Brown Dustin, Stratford and C. Stratford., ' TAKANAKi. Full back, Stohr; three-quarters, Dive, 'Cameron, Roberts; five-eighths, Mynott and McLeod; half, Brown; wing ;>rward, D. Moir; forwards ; Tamu, Pini, Milne K. Abbott, Smith, Whittington, and Osborne. THE GAME.

. ' Wanganui played with the Wind "at their backs, l'iiii set the ball in inoiion for Taranaki, return going out at half-way. The Blue forwards, who, it transpired later, had made up their minds to notch the first score, were soon down amongst the Yellow backs. McLeod, followed by Abbott, returned the attack, Southcombe sending them , back with a fine kick. Toostrenuous kicking from a mark allowed Taranaki to force. Cummins marked the an! Southcombe endeavoured to place a goal from half-way, but the effort was a poor one. Taranaki forced. The Wanganui lorvaros set Tamu and Co at defiance, and Meuli streaked along the side-line to the home team's territory. A forward rush followed , a mark by Campion, and «he bounce of the ball beating Mynott,,Stratford picked up, and passed to Campion, who scored. Southcombe's kick at goal was poor. Wanganui .. .. .. 3 [Taranaki .. .. .. 0

The kick-off landed out of touch, and a scrum ensued at half-way. Campi.on essayed a pot vv'hen he got the ball, and negotiated the all right, L;ut one of the Taranaki forwards had touched the ball in its flight. A huge kick by Tamu lined at Wanganui's twenty-five flag, but Dustin, Southcombe and Meuli brought play back to the vgcttaer, and Takarangi had a shot at goal from a penalty against Abbott for „•oil-side. From line-out near halfway Tamu strode through as he liked, fending off his opponents, who tackled the riant too high. When surrounded he passed clear, and Mynott, who .-ad . been shepherding him s sprinted as sniart-

I ly. as ever he did for 25 yards -nd I scored. Stohr mack r. great kick, .;ut the wind carried the ball outside. ( Taranaki 3 Wanganui Taranaki's rear division now took a hand, and there was some exciting play in the Wanganui end. Tamu ami Pini had brought the ball down, and Roberts obtaining possession from a mark by Signal, nearly scored, Meuli just getting near enough to catch him by the jersey. Cameron had only to pick up and score, but the bounce beat him. Dive gathered St up, and passed to Roberts, who was thrown out. From the line-out the ball flashed to Dive, and he lost the ball at the flag. The same player missed the rolling ball when it was passed from The line, and Stohr took it from Takarangi's feet. Osborne was penalised for offside, and Southcombe relieved the pressure.

I A »ood deal of line-play followed, -nd then tlie amber and black forwards romped through, Tamil scoring, although it seemed that one of tlie Wanganui men first touched the ball after it crossed the line. Dive failed with -he kick. Taranaki 6 Wanganui 3 Soon after resuming, Cummins' foot came into contact with Brown's ribs, and the game had to wait awhile. The Taranaki half-back showed the effects of this kick throughout the game, A couple of unsuccessful passing runs by Cameron and Mynott and Mynott and Moir, and Southcombe returned from end to end with a great kick. Roberts secured the ball, streaked down the line, and centred. Dustin failed to hold it and Milen cut in, making a fine opening for his backs. McLeod, Moir and Pini handled the ball, and the last named scored, Stohr failing with the kick. Taranaki ® Wanganui 6 A magnificent line-kick by Stohr was the next reportable incident. By a misunderstanding between McLeod and My-

nott, Southcombe spoiled a nice opening, and chirnged ends. A bunch of Yellow forwards offside, and Southcombe had another unsuccessful shot at goal, flie home backs were now handling the ball a good deal, and presently Dive got away from a pass ( sent out of the ruck. He punted to McLeod, who fooled Signal, and Tan round to the p<|sts. Cameron goaled. Taranaki Wanganui J Opening the second spell, McDonald, Brown and Dustin were prominent in a Wanganui forward rush, which finished near their opponents' goal. A scrum was given in front of the posts, and Taranaki was penalised for lifting feet in the scrum before the ball was fairly in. Southcombe goaled from the free kick within a' couple of minutes of the resumption of play. Taranaki •• •• " Wanganui " Then a forward rush compelled the Blues to force. From a scrum Brown passed to Mynott, and the latter sent to Roberts, but he missed in a posiaon from which a - score was undeniable. Cameron sent down a long kick for his forwards, but Atkinson secured a splendid mark, amidst applause. Takarangi made a mess of the kick, the ball going over his head. Roberts got possession, and played a lone-hand game whilst McLeod, two or three yards away, vainly called for a pass. Then Dive lost ground by running back. Meuli set sail after the ball, which had been booted down by Tamu. Dive was chasing him and Campion shouldered Dive, Free kick. Stohr's first real chance to ao sometliing ,was snapped up. He ran full speed through the first rank,of the dehmce, kicked well up field, and put his men on. Mynott, Roberts, Abbott, and Brow]) made a vigorous attack, and Mynott looked like scoring. Dustin broke away from a line-out, aifd one after the other he eluded the high taeklers. Compelled to kick, he sent the uah to Roberts, who liijed. Ha'vd kicking on the part of Wanganui wats a mistaken policy, for Stohr was siu'e as a church. Their backs attempted 10 meet Taranaki at their own game, and Signal was prominent in a rush which eumpived Stohr to race behind the posts with the ball, afterwards sprinting into the field of play and kicking out. Abbott was penalised twice for offside, and Moir twice in succession for off-side, and a knock-on. Poor tackling let the Blues down to their opponents' end again, but Stohr returned. Dive soon got possession, and wasn't grassed till he was near the comer. When he lost the ball vflre was a scramble. The ball rolled out of it to Abbott, and he walked over and scored. Stphr failed with the kick.

Taranaki - .. 17 Wanganui 6 The next score was a goal by Cameron from a free kick. Taranaki .. .. ..20 Wanganui 6 It was Wanganui's turn next, ihistin and Brown followed a long kick by Southcombe into Taranaki's end, and Dustin got the ball from a scrum near the goal and caught the Yellows napping. He scored by the posts, and Southcombe made no mistake with the kick. Taranaki •• .. 20

Wanganui .. .. .. 11 After some uninteresting forward play, each side taking things easily and playing somewhat carelessly, Cameron sent a, foot-pass to Roberts, and as he was practically unmarked at the time, he romped over. , Dive made a good but unsuccessful attempt to goal. Taranaki .. .. .. 23

Wanganui 11 | Dustin kicked down to Stolir, .vJio came right up with the ball, beat two or three, and then, abandoning a possible but selfish score he passed to Dive, who transferred to Cameron, and he scored, from the finest opening of the match. Cameron registered the major points. Taranaki .•. ~. 28 Wanganui .. ~ .. 11 'Cameron obtained possession early, and made a clever feinting run, but his pass was difficult, and the chance van lost. Abbott tried to get through, but was grassed. A mis-kick by Campion went to his own line, and Roberts being the fastest man in the vicinity, touched down. The kick at goal was a failure.

Taranaki 31 Wanganui .... .. 11 Matters became brisk. .Campion intercepted a pass from Cameron to centre, but Brown got him before he had got far. Dive streaked down the line, and Meuli put liim into touch. Southcombe made a stroiig run, and was badly missed by Cameron, but McLeod was safer. A scramble ensued in the corner, and Takaraiigi made for the line. He was promptly up-ended. Stohr attempted a goal from the field, and Wanganui forced. The last event of the match was a good attempt by 'ramu to kick a goal from a mark. The Taranaki backs were not a happy combination. iMcLeod doesn't neeu. to understand Mynott and won't keep in his place, so that his skipper never knows where to find him. The breakingup of the Mynott-Canieron-Dive-Stohr combination was not justified by results. Of the forwards Tamu and Pinij were the only two wlio- played with r.ny vim. although Milne also did some good work. The new man in the pack (Abbott) was too frequently oil'-side, and too slow.

For Wanganui, Southcombe stood out as the most useful man in the team, kicking, tackling, and running well. Meuli also played a very sound game, and most of the tries were scored on the other side. He has a liking for the

"gallery." Campion was neat in his work. 'Prideaux,'the wing forward, was better than his vis-a-vis. Of the pack, Justin, McDonald, Browti, and Stratford were the pick.