FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9100, 28 May 1908, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

ANGLO - WELSH TEAM v. WELLINGTON. FIERCELY CONTESTED GAME. BRILLIANT WIN FOR WELLINGTON. BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, May 27. The Anglo-Welsh team met the Wellington combination on the Athletic Park, this afternoon, and was defeated by 19 points to 13. Ihe weather overhead was fine, and the ground was on the soft side. A smart northerly breeze was in evidence throubgout. The attendance officially is given as 18,000, .and the takings amounted to about .£1,125. The game was fiercely contested on both sides, the iorwards in particular giving a line exhibition, their nippiness and strenuousness nullifying the efforts to a material extent of the rival rearguards. The smashing tactics of the scrummagers was felt so keenly and strongly by the backs that the latter were barred repeatedly from exercising passing and running tactics. There was an inaccurate manipulation of the leather on numberless occasions by the back divisions, and passing was not infrequently inacurate and ill-timed. j.his remark applies to both sides. A t times the visiting backs gave evidence of plickness and speediness, and only the hard and sure tackling of the Wellington forwards stoj ped their chalk-mark from being crossed oftener. In scrum work neither side could claim to have a material advantage, the Britishers being slightly superior in the tight, while the local rearguard were seen to best advantage in open play. The visiting players gained repeated stretches of territory by their quickness in throwing out the ball on the line-out, th& home team leaving several of their opponents unmarked. The Wellington forward brigade shaped better than was expected, and worked cohesively. Time after time in the second spell they drove home an attack with telling force, but over-eagerness caused them to get off-side, and the visitors were enablad to clear their citadel from danger by penalty kicks. The Britishers were handicapped for some time by the loss of their full-back (Jackett), who received a nasty knock on the head in stemming a fierce Wellington forward onslaught. Dyke, who was taken out of the forwards, replaced him, and did some fine saving service. Jackett came on again when the Britishers had notched eight points, playing on the three-quarter line. A stubborn fight among the forwards was responsible for players on both sides being temporarily disabled. The pace was made a cracker by the rival vanguards, and the suspension of the hostilities owing to a player being knocked out ga\e them an acceptable breather.

Wellington, playing with the wind and sun behind them in the first spell, notched 11 points, Roberts, Green and Hardham being the try-gettero, Wallace converting the latter's. In the succeeding sr.tdl Thompson, " Wellington, notched a try, Robertsadding the major points. Then the visitors get to work. E. J..Williams, J, JL Williams and McEvcty crossing the homo team's chalk-mark, Dyke converting ofi two occasions. A few minutes .to no-side Green slij ped across the British goal-line. Wellington won the toss, and England kicked off. The letter was soon aggressive, Thopmson checking a dangerous rush on his own line. Wellington worked the ball into the visitors' territory, and from a scrum Green secured possession of the ball, and beat Davy and Laxon (halves), and passed to Roberts, who eluded the lull-back and touched down. Wallace failed at goal. Wellington 3 Britain nil The visitors indulged in two fruitless passing rushes near the quarterflag. Roberts got possession and ran through the opposing cordon of backs, and gave a timely pas 3 to Hardham. who burst over the line. Wallace added the major points. Wellington 8 Britain nil Shortly after Hardham broke away, but neg'ected to pass to, Green, who was lying handy, and threw away a splendid scoring chance. Strong counter charges among the forwards was followed by a pretty piece of concerted passing by J. A. Williams and Gibbs, the latter being bowled into touch when looking dangerous. Jackett, at this stage, retired temporarily from the field, his place at full-back being filled hy Dyke.' The Wellington backs opened up the play, but indecision and fumbling on their part failed to gain much headway. From a scrum near the visitors' line Green cleverly baffled his opponents and slipped across the line, Roberts failing to notch the extra points. Wellington 11 Britain nil The first feature of the second spell was a fine bit of passing between Mitchinson and Wallace. The latter Vst possession of the ball, but recovered himself, and kicked up the field. Thopmson raced down at a great bat, but overran the ball when within a couple of yards of the goal-line. Another passing rush was set in motion by Mitchinson, who transferred to Wallace, who in turn sent the leather on to Thompson, who showed a clean pair of heels to his opponents, and raced behind the posts. Roberts converted. Wellington 16 Britain nil The visitors now put plenty of energy and "ginger" into their work, and the sequence to a strong assault on the Wellington citadel was Evenson making a mis-kick, and the leather being smartly grabbed by J. F. Williams, who touched down. Gibbs failed at goal. Wellington 16 Britain 3 Encouraged by their success the Britishers made a succession of hot attacks in the Wellington territory, where from a scrum Davey got possession, baffled Roberts, and transferred at the right moment to J. L. Williams, who went clean through the Wellington three-quarters, and

full-back, and over the goal line. Dyke converted. Wellington 36 Britain 8 The visitors still kept up the pressure, and the local men's hands were full in repelling an invasion. At length Wellington assumed the offensive, and the Britishers were called upon to exercise thei'* best defensive abilities to ward off danger. On fuccessive the Wellington forwards, aided by Green and Roberts, penned their opponents on the latter's goal line, but over-eagerness caused them to infringe the rules, and the Britishers had acceptable saves per medium of free kick?. Dyke distinguished himself by robbiiig Wellington of two seeming scores by sound tackling and smart kicking. The struggle was suspended at intervals owing to Green and Roberts and then Down being laid out. A brilliant rush by the British vanguard down the field wound up with McEvedy getting possession of the leather and finishing up a splendid sprint by going over the Wellington line. Dyke was successful at the goal. Wellington ... ;.. 16 Britain 13 The excitement was now intense, and both teams played with deadly earnestness. Wellington gradually shifted the play into their opponents' quarters, and Roberts picking up the ball in the loose, cleverly transferred to Mitchinson, who sprinted across very cleverly. The try was not converted. Wellington 19 • Britain 13 Play was in the Britishers quarters when the whistle sounded for noside. The Anglo-Welsh team was the same a3 that that played at Masterton, excepting that Harding and Smith were replaced by Down and Dyke. There was no alteration in the Wellington team as originally published. Green was undoubtedly the hero of the match, and on his showing proved his undoubted claim to a place in the New Zealand team. Roberts also played splendidly. Among the British backs Davey, Gibbs, McEvedy and Dyke did sterling service. All the forwards in the respective vanguards did sterling service, and no player nould be singled out for special excellence on either „ side.