FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9047, 24 March 1908, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

TOUR OF THE "PRO BLACKS."

THE LAST TEST MATCH,

A ROUGH GAME. BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Received March 23,5.18 p.m. SYDNEY, March 23. English Press comments on the last test match at Cheltenham are to hand. The match was witnessed by three thousand. The North Union kicked off. The English halves got the ball away, Batten running into the New Zealand twenty-five. Wrigley got clear away, and eventually the local team was forced down. Near the mid-field a New Zealandder got off-side, and with a fine kick White kicked a goal. The Northern Union team attacked in great style, with the result that Jolley scored a clever try. The angle was too difficult, however, for the try to be converted. So far tho Northerners had all the best of tho game, and more than held their own to half time, when the score was five to nil. The New Zealanders on resuming broke away. Trevarthen, getting a pass from Smith, crossed the line, but was held up. White also made a fine run, while Taylor was forced to touch down by Wynyard. Keeping up the pressure, the New Zealanders ODtainsd a free Messenger attempted a shot at goal. The "All Blacks" were making tremendous attempts to score, Wynynad, Tyler, and Wrigley doing fine work. "Towards the dose," says the "Daily Telegraph," "the game became extremely rough. The men almost got out of hand. Cross was ordered off the field for striking an opponent. There were several other incidents which created considerablejunpleasantness to everybody concerned. Eventually Messenger scored from a pass by Tyler. Alter Wrigley had obtained the extra points, some more fighting took place, Dunning using his fists pretty freeiy. Johnstone scored again from a fine rush, but Wrigley failed at goal. For the rest of the game .the New Zealanders pressed hard, but there was no more scoring."