FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1917, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

NEW ZEALAND SOLDIER TEAM. Commenting on the match in which a New Zealand soldiers' team was beaten at Richmond by the famous A.S.C. fifteen, the Daily Telegraph, London, says:—"The New Zealand footballers from the trenches could not come to the Athletic Ground, Richmond, on Saturday to begin a series of Rugby matches in aid of the Red Cross, as had been arranged, but 15 of their countrymen, big, strapping fellows, at present resting after much active service, readily took their place, and some 7000 people witnessed a game which, if not unusually brilliant, will long bw remembered for its healthy vigour. The contest was in every way an occasion. Since the war there has been no such Rugby; to the Old Guard it was as if they had got back to the days when wc were free to play all games.. Only the khaki setting and the presence of wounded soldiers (each a red-hot enthusiast, though he were sadly broken), told that we were at war. "The New Zealanders had for their opponents the Army Service Corps, a combination of men who since they became 6oldiers have not lost a match. In their ranks is Private Wagstaff, a centre three-quarter who has it in him to win a match all by himself. As the old campaigners watched this remarL able player they fell to comparing notes, and it was agreed that the game liad known no better exponent. Since poor Dick Lockwood, Yorkshire has had no such three-quarter as Wagstaffe, and in this match on Saturday, though he was marked closely and tackled with vigour, he won a great personal triumph. There was no phase of thegame in which lie did not excel; in turning defence into attack by one single movement, in swift, straight running, in fielding the ball, and giving passes so that they could be taken easily, in making openings for bis colleagues. Wagstaffe was the outstanding personality of the day, and to him the Army Service Corps owed mainly their handsome victory. They won by 21 points to 3, and their record is now 842 points to 27. The New Zealanders had good, hard-working forwards, among whom was Seeling, one of the original members of the redoubtable 'All Blacks,' and a stand-off half-back of high degree in Roberts. But they were poorly combined at three-quarter, and they were deficient in pace, "No one among the colonial" had the speed of Captain Nixon, who with Wagstaffe by his side is a tremendous force, and, except for Roberts, their backs did not reveal any elevorness out of the ordinarv, It must be said for the New Zealanders, however, that they had not enjoyed the opportunities of playing together as had the Army Service Corps, and, remembering all circumstances, they put up an entirely worthy game. They certainly took no 'breather,' they put every ounce of energy and strength into all they did, and there was a time early in the second half when their forwards by really fine play looked liko making a fight of it. i'or some 20 Ininutes. there was no score. Then Nixon (got over, and from his try Gronow kicked a goal. Before the interval Rosenfeld and Campbell each got a try (one of which was converted into a goal), and the New Zealanders turned roond 13 points behind. "The colonials' score was obtained by Seeling, and Clarke and Cockell, helped by Gronow, brought the Army Service Corps' score to 21 points."