FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9112, 11 June 1908, Page 5

FOOTBALL.

TOUR OF THE BRITISH TEAM. SOUTH CANTERBURY DEFEATED. BY TELEGRAPH—PBKSB ASSOCIATION. TIMARU, June 10. The match between the AngloWelsh and South Canterbury teams was played on the Caledonian Ground, this afternoon. The weather was beautifully fire, and the attendance was between 8,000 and 9,000 people. The British team was captained by Harding, an J South Canterbury by Roddick. The teams took the field at 2.50, and had hardly settled down when Vassall was thrown on the point of his right shoulder and had to retire. On resuming the leal forwards headed by Roddick broke away, and entered the British 25. A free kick mulled by Carlton let the visitors into the local 25, but the line was soon cleared, and another determined forward rush followed, and Britain forced. On the drop-out McEvedy headed a strong rush, and from a scrum W. Morgan whipped the ball away to McEvedy, who transferred to Jackett, who scored the first try. No goal resulted. Britain 3 South Canterbury ... 0

On resuming the Britishers made a strong attack, but when things looked most dangerous Williams mulled, and South Canterbury cleared their line. Play then hovered about the centre. Budd, Roddick and Hooper came through, an 1 from a line-out at the corner Coles struggled across. The kick at goal failed. Britain ... ' ... 3 South Canterbury ... 3 Play then became hard among the forwards till Fitzgerald dribbled from the centre, and from a scrum near the British posts Coles again whipped over near the goal posts. Roddick failed with an easy kick. South Canterbury ... 6 Britain 3 Chapman and Jackson with beautiful line-kicks broke down the local defence, and Smith got away, but was urought down and had no one to take his pass. Play returned to the local 25, when Williams, gathering up the ball from Roddick's toes, passed to McL'vedy, who transferred to Williams, but the latter getting blocked returned it, and then McEvedy being collared, once more sent it along toWilliams, who dashed over inside the corner flag. Jackson failed to increase the score. Britain 6 South Canternury ... 6

On resuming Bradley took play to Britain's 25, and from a scrum they got the ball, but Carlton and Rodgers spoilt a rush by Morgan, and getting away Britain had once more to force. Jackett made a great line-kick, and from a scrum Bradley kicked out. McEvedy got on to it, and ran clean through the South Canterbury backs to D. Scott, who grassed him, but too late, as the Doctor had sent it on to Williams, who ran over at the corner. The kick at goal failed. The tirst spell en Jed — Britain 9 South Canterhury ... 6 The second spell was Keenly fought out; for the greater part of, it the ball was in Britain's 25. Both Harding and Chapman got rather severely hurt. The visitors line was repeatedly saved by Jackett, who was wel! collared, hut still got in his great line kick. They were of little use, however, as the visitors' passing rushes were smothered, and South Canterbury pressed them very hard. Great struggles on the line at tne corner, however, gained little, though Britain had once to force, and at another time to kick over the dead ball line to save a score. At last the game opened a bit, and from a scrum just in South Canterhu:y's 25 Morgan whipped the bail to Chapman, who swerved right through the local backs, and scored near the north-east corner. The kick at goal failed, and the game ended— Britain l 12 South Canterbury ... 6 As a match the first spell was a treat to witness, but the second was very poor owing to numerous scrums near the line and corners and the many line-outs. AUCKLAND, Juno 10. A letter was received fr„m the Rotorua Rugby Union, to-night, by the Auckland Rugby Union, protesting against the action of the New Zealand Rugby Union in allowing the arrangements for the Maori match at Rotorua to be made by an affiliated body, and asking the Auckland Union to forward the letter on. The Auckland Union decided to forward the letter, and with it the accompanying resolution: —"That the Union regrets the action of the governing body in delegating the arrangements of this match to an unaffiliated body." The Rotorua Union in their letter stated that if the arrangements with the Maori Association was persisted in they could not guarantee that their players would take part in the match, or that the Maoris of Rotorua would welcome them. The following representative programme for the season was drawn up:—June 27th, Goldfields; July 4th, Thames; July 11th, representative trial; July 18th, British match; July 25th, third test; August. Ist, South Canterbury; August Bth, Marlborough; August 15th, Wellington. It was decided to suggest the following dates:—August 22nd, Taranaki; August 29th, Southland; September sth, Otago. THE PROFESSIONAL TEAM. ARRIVAL IN WELLINGTON. lif TISI.BHIUPH —I'HKSS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, June 10. The professional footballers, who recently toured England and Australia, returned to Wellington by the Warrimoo from Sydney to-night.