FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 82, 23 August 1912, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

DEFEAT OF TARANAKI. WAIRARAPA (ItTtAKANAKI (13). One thousand spectators-for the attendance was not large, the gate .being under iaQ-repeatedl.v asked each other yesterday afternoon on the Recreation (-round.. • \ hafs the matter with Taranaki: there was a screw, nay, several screws, loose somewhere, for the team which ran Auckland so close last week and was. until yesterdav, expected to do great things, against Wellington, was beaten hands down by a fifteen from Wairarapa, of all places. All alon<' the terraces one heard the remark'"l he worst game Taranaki have ever , played." Undoubtedly the better team won, and truth to tell the amber and golds played with as much spirit as if they had just recovered from the effects of an over-dose of sleeping draught. Many a reputation went bang, and in , this respect, the champion stakes should ,go to Smith, Young and tire Kissioks. ,'Tiie rot started among the forwards, the \ backs played well enough at the start—land by half-time had infected the 'much-vaunted back division. The exceptions were Brown, Don Caiiu-ron, Roberts, 'amd occasionally i c --tohr. It was difficult to imagine that it was the game contingent that put up such a sterling exhibition last week on Rotter's Paddock. The team was lamentablv out of form, and in the second half .seemed to have no staying power whatever. At first blush one is inclined to attribute I this lamentable falling from grace to j the hot-house treatment that the bulk , of the team have been subjected to bv .the Union since their return from AuckI land, having rusticated in Xew Plymouth j in wait for yesterday's match. * But ii ] Taranaki gave a miserable exhibition, credit must be given to their opponents for the sterling exhibition which tliie put up. Their forwards are beyond question a magnificent team —it is said on good authority that they are the best pack ever sent out of Wairarapa. Certain it was that they were one of the best swarming racks yet seen in Xew Plymouth. Playing with grand combination, they /epeatcdly swarmed down on their opponents like so many bees. The "queen bee" McKenzie, easily played the best forward game on the field, his line-out work being superb. He, together with Speckman, Diamond, ,and Golder, imade a fine quartette. Their backs, also, were top-notohers, and contain more than one candidate in the near future for Dominion honors. Perhaps their star' man was Matson, quite a young player. The game was unusually fast, and exceedingly interesting to watch. The first spell, which was evenly contested, opened up in favor of Taranaki. who, were aided by a light wind and the sun. Their first score (a converted try) came within a short time of commencement. Wairarapa retaliated with two tries, both of which should have been converted, in fairly quick' succession, and after a long spell of give-and-take tactics. McTCenzie notched a converted try. Well into the first half Roberts notched a beautiful try for the home team, which Sto'hr converted, making the score: Wairarapa 11, Taranaki lfl. Tn this state half-time was reached. Up to this it was anybody's game, and' there were many who thought that Taranaki would make up in the second half, but after resumption they simply went to pieces. Just before the rot set in Stohr put them in the lead by two points, by scoring an unconverted try, but this was their last score. Waira'•apa quickly caught, up to and passed their tally, and when the whistle was i blown for the last time thev were victors to the tune of 17 points to 1.1. A feature of the closing incidents of, the , game was the series of magnificent lone hand efforts on the part of Don Cameron to pull the game out, of the fire. Perhaps never before did he work J so hard and brilliantly to score, hut he was wholly unsupported. The teams were the same as published in Wednesday morning's X<ews. except that McLeod being unable to plav, S. Cameron played at live-eighths for Taranaki. Wnirarap-i kicked off. and Don Cnm- . eron secured and *trrak<Ml i"> the Uno. r - but was unsupported, and ended in kissing the turf. A scrum ensued in Wnirf.irapa territory, and <ind Spec.kman broke through carrying, .all "befoYe 'them fo? somi 4 ' dfs'tance. The backs carried the movement on. .T. O'Brien and ('. Croubc hamlliiv.' the leather with pretty effect. They were repulsed, and Brown to Cain saw : Taranaki move down field. Again Wai- ! rarane. fame mi, Matson passim.' to llarville, who kicked behind Uk> line. The visitors then crave a taste of some good } line-kicking, but Cain, who played a great game, set the Taranaki pack in motion, and the oppoition citadel was in dancer. Desmond and Speckiuan led a counter-attack which was ably checkmated by Cain. Following on this Brown passed to D. Cameron, who electrified the spectators with one of his great runs, ending with a heady kick in field. This was ably relumed to touch by Darville. A fine-kick to Taranaki put them in the opposition twenty-five, and an interesting duel of line-kicking ensued. The Taranaki pack came down like the wolf on the fold, and the opposing full-back (Tahe) ju = t managed to save". The amber and golds were not to be'denied, however, and a passing movement from Roberts to Brown to Roberts ?aw the tricky centrp bore himself through the pack and score. Stohr. who seemed to have reciivered from his place-kicking lapse, converted with ease. Taranaki .. .. ■•*>

Wairarapa .. .. 0 : T!«« kirk-out was cleverly marked by Brown, whose kick in turn wns smofherc(l by MeKenzie. Aided by Dud Camcrcii. who ran nr> and centred to Stohr. T'livnaki had "Wairarapa again penned nu, but \lcKenzio, and later , . on . (.'. Hroube. saved Hie situation. Tlnen Stohr .relieved for fTaranaki with a —-rnifireut pum. Brown wasi twice ii"i'nlised for knocking on—once deliberately. For Hie second offence hie was p.'-:;~ed. and MeKenzie was foolish in ti • essaying a shot at goal. After '■lrs came two tries to the visitors. Mcllenzie secured from tine line-out and s.-cird with a fine effort. Darville failed j ! . 'divert. [ Tarnnaki .. .. f> "Wairarapa .. •■ ;? '■;-irdlv had the game restarted before tV ime playier repeated his tactics, to Holder, who fell over the lb ■• with three nun hanging on to '!'■!•.. MeKenzie failed to convert from I ■la I'lisy position. I Wair.irapa .. .. fi | Taranaki .. .. o. | '"•lit on their mettle Tannaki atiaek-i-r' «irongl<\ Roberts punted down to TV-own. wlio centred. From the lineon) Tate lav on the ball r.ml was penl il>d. Roberts took the kick and j'l'iiht Wairarapa napping by gentlv I-ranting over the throe-quarter's head, I ard rrsuniinn- possesion. Tie was mak- ': - for the line when he collided wit.ll " r. Hue umpire, who had encroached on lb- field, and a certain try wa.s missed. The icw'eH'me forward packs interehang- -■} rushes, and a passing rush ensued '•cfwnen Cain, Roberts and Cameron, nf-t-T which plav liuni.' amidfield for a considerable time. Then came mm-b ■"•■ii'-kiekiii"- in which Stohr shone for , "ir.,nal;i."followed by -another try by ': AV-irrrapa. MeKenzie did the trick ; - <m a good pass by Speckmun, andcon- ', ted his own try. Wairarapa, .. .. HTaranaki ■ • •*•■ I'.-nvkins rc-opened operations with ; . r'endid ktfk to the lino near tv.n

j crips from the terraces for Stohr announced that Taranaki were in for ;i I free kick. The idol of Xew 'Plymouth Hook thie kick, and landed a .splendid kick which just hit the liar. Then for Wairarapa McKenzie put in a good kick, and Stewart just found the line in time, The hopes of the crowd rose considerably when D. Cameron made a skilful opening and passed to Franklin, who transferred to Roberts, who cut in and scored a try under the posts. Stohr converted. Wairarapa .. .. 11 Taranaki .. .. 10 There were chances missed on both sides, and O'Jirien, YVairarapa's hefty | half, retired with a liniised -'wider. biefore half-lime came. O'Brien's place was taken bv F. G'roube, who in turn was relieved by an emergency, S. Seivers who played one of the best games on the field. The lelements were in favor of Wairarapa in the the second half. Soon after resumption the Taranaki forwards swept down the field, the ball Hashed out to Hawkins. He passed to Stohr, who only had to fall over the line to score in the corner. Stohr essayed to add the major points, but although he made a good attempt was unsuccessful. Taranaki .. .. 13. Wairarapa .. .. 11. Wairarapa now changed to the aggressors. Golder broke away <md Stewart badly mulled for Taranaki. Speckman had a shot from a mark, which just failed,' Roberts went to wing. Play for some time hung amidfield, after which Wairarapa got completely out of hand, simply mowing the Taranaki forwards down like hay. The green backs were equally at home as their forwards, and som" (! ne nassing rushes were witOne of their forwards (Henderson—a line player) war. held up on the line only just in .time, and shortly afterwards Speckman landed a goal from a nippy mark by F. Groube. Wairarapa .. .. 14. Taranaki .. .. 13. A try to tine visitors followed soon afterwards, Darville passing to Matson. who dashed in and scored. Speckman failed miserably with the kick. Wairarapa .. .. 17. Taranaki .. .. 13. Wairarapa now (carried all before them, and initiated attack after attack, several times just missing getting home. Tine game was wonderfully fast and open. Taranaki were visibly fagi?ed, and were working without unison. Wairarapa backs and forwards were in fine fettle, and whenever an opposing player did get awav he was a marked man. Oncie Taranaki looked like scor- ■ ing. hut Don Cameron foolishly shortpunted into an or-oonent's hands instead of passing. Towards the end of the rame Taranaki recovered slightlv. and Don Cameron, sjnade-hamled. made valiant attempts to score, hut nil of no avail, and thev left thm field badlv beaten bv 17 points to 13. Mr Hopkins was refereo.