Brilliant Leaguers

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 1, 13 July 1914, Page 8

Brilliant Leaguers

mmiXK TJ MASHES WELLINGTON. COLONIALS BEATEN FORWARD AND RACK, By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. At league lVotbati England defeated Wellington in the opening match of the tour by 1-1 points to 7. Rain fell part of the tune, and the ground was slipJ>cry, but a- g'lod game was, nevertheless, played. The following were ti« teams: —

England. FulKbaek; G. Thomas; three-quarters, J. O'Garra, W. A Davis (capt.), \V. Hall, S. B. Houghton; fiveeighths, & Prosscr; half-back, F. •Smith; forwards, W. Jarman, J. cihilcott, J. W. Smalt*, J. W. Guerin, J. L. Clampit, A. Johnson. Wellington.-Pull-bi.ick, V. Strickland; three-quarters. B. Whitelcy. J. Patrker, <!. Bradley, W. Wilson; five-eighths, A. 0. Murdoch; half, J. Barber; forwards, 0. Lawlor, J. Spencer, A. Donaldson, V. Planning, L. Campbell, J. Asfliton. The Blacks got right aw*y off the mark, and rushed over the. line, but the ball went dead. The Blacks quickly followed up, and from a soruin oii the twenty-five- got the ball. Barber passed to Murdoch and from him it went to Parker and on to Bradlev. A tackle brought down the winger," but from a return Bradley marked and Campbell attempted a kick at goal, but did not achieve success, llhe Englishmen took up the running from their own twentylive, and with. smart passing right across the lino to the wing reached Wellington territory. Prom the half-way, the ball Hashed back to the hacks, J. W. Smith to I'roaf.er, to Hall, to Hougjhton, and buck to Thomas the full-back, who run in and scored a beautiful try behind the posts. His kick at goal failed. England 3 • Wellington 0

The rain now came down in sheets, and spectators and plavcrs alike wpre drenched. Still the handling of the ball, mi the English side, at least, was marvellous for such a day. The reds opened up a passing* movement ill their own territory, and flinging the ball about with, the greatest abandon, to the delight of the crowd, tho forwards participating too, swept forward. Near the Welling!on goal-line the passing evolution.- broke' down, but Ohilcott managed to pick up and fvm-p the second try. Gucvin failed with the kick.

England fi Wellington 0 From th? kiek-oIT. Wellington temporarily asserted their claims, but when they reached the danger zone the Englishmen were always Teady. Tjlvj excellent tackling of the Blacks' for a time prevented a score. However, the machine operate 1 like clockwork, and witli lighting speed tile oval slipped from Hall, right, out through Prosser and I).i\ : s to Houghton, on, the wing. The speedy o!it-i;le man out in and round, outstripping Strickland, and grounded ■a :'••!>• in a fair position. Cuerin just raised the posts with his liick. England .... 0 Wellington ...... 0

The Blacks rallied, and went through the English defence lite an old-time Auckland pack. They did not get right but England , were penalised for infringing the rules in a dangerous position. Strickland took the kick, and put ilie ball between the posts. ■ England 9 Wellington 2 Half-lime wait immediately' afterwards. The weather improved slightly in the second spell. The Black* made the pace willing for a while. Strickland secured giound with 1 well judged kick, and on the return Bradley marked well between th.- twenty-five and !balf-way. From within about three-yards of halfway tes. Campbell drove the ball beautifully between the post', the best place-kick by far of the day. England 0 Wellington 4

1 his was encouraging, and both sides went out to. do things. The English men gave ji taste of t'leii- 'bests. Whitley and Jack Spencer, a back and a forward, co-operated with si mo useful work. Then O'Garra got away from Lis own twenty-five, and, dodging and twisting, reached nearly llw half-way on his own. Thon,. seeing further progress barred, he dropped the. ball, and sent it-along with a dribble. The Black* got hack again, and in the rush Donaldson was fended) oil' with a -traight arm. winch caught him under the jaw. The crowd, -unused to su-eh apparently ouite legitimate tactics, hooted vigorously. Sinales and Clampit, with the Red pack at their back, carried an effective forward rush, showing what the Englishmen could do forward when they c'.ioo.-e that form of play. Near the Wellington line, Smith passed to Prosser, and Proswer to llall. TJie inside three-quarter eluded! Strickland, and scored the fourth try in a position which enabled Giterin to. kick ti goal without much effort.

England 14 Wellington 4 l'Voni the kick-off the ball came to O'Garra, who slipped' away and made an opening, pa-wing tlien to Davis, and from the captain the ball shot in and out, from arm to arm till it came to Houghton. That player was -well tackled by Parker, and the Wellington forwards seized the opportunity to push and dribble their way back to nridl-field. There was a melee on the goal-line-, -when reinforcements came, and out of this came by good luck the ball to Whitley, who had only a yard to go to M-ore, and lie scored Wellington's orfly try. Campbell failed with a fairly easy kick. England 14 Wellington ,7 This was the final score, though botfi| sides tried haT(i. Les. CawpTjell liadl another chance from a penality, but did' not quite manage the. kick. England re-' taliated with some brilliant passing,but, nothing canw of it in th« siiape of scores, and the gama ended soon after.' Mr. Duiic>:i McGregor was referee. 1

THE SECOND CONTINGENT. Auckland, Last Night. The remainder of the English Northern Union team arrived to-day from Sydney by the Manuka, the personnel of the party being Clifford (manager), Rogers, Wagstaffe, Moorhouse, Longstaffe, Sykes, Jenkins, Uamsdale, Francis, Coldrick and Wood.