FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9179, 31 August 1908, Page 7

FOOTBALL.

WAIRARAPA v. BUSH. The Wairarapa and Bush representative teams met at Carterton on Saturday afternoon. The weather was fine and the ground in good order. A fast game was witnessed, interspersed with plenty of scoring on both side 3. Wairarapa had the beat of the game and won by 29 points to 12. But ior the fine play of the Bush forwards, the score would have been much greater. They secured the ball in the scrum every time Wairarapa repeatedly changed their front-rankers, but all to no avail. The amount of dash the visitors' forwards put into their play was surprising. The local pack put up a good fight against them, but it was in the back division that Wairarapa held the balance of power, notwithstanding that they were unable to secure the ball from tne scrum. Wairarapa put up a meritorious performance considering that practically the same team played a hard game against Wanganui on the Thursday before and a number of them were suffering from injuries received in that match. The inability of several older players to take part in the match against tie Bush and also against Wanganui left the way open for younger and untried players to show their worth, and they came out with flying colours. One oHhe most df shing forward games on the ground was played by R. Welch, a young Wairarapa player who made a successful debut against Wanganui He •was ably assisted by Henderson and H. M-'Ktnzie. The local backs all played well, Duggan having the unique experience of scoring a try from full-back. The Bush forwards were a dashing, even lot, but the backs were on the weak side. For Wairarapa, tries were scored by Fairbruther (3), R. Welch, Duggan, Henderson and J. O'Leary, two of which H. McKenzie converted. Fairbrother also potted a goal. The Bush score consisted of two trjes (one converted) and a potted goal. Smith and Biasett scored the tries, one of which Smith converted.

AUCKLAND v. TARANAKI

BY TELBOIRAPH —PRE3S ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, August 29. | Th 3 Ranfurly Shield match, playtd I here to day, between Auckland and Traranaki, was won by Auckland by 9 points to nil. There was an attendance of about 8,000, and the weather, though fine, was chilly, . with a heavy wind during the first spell blowing down the field. Auck- , land had the best of the luck, for alter playing with the wind in the first spell it dropped to a breeze wh'jn they had 11 face, it. Auck- : hri pa'ilc again demonstrated its sujr.riority and rendered the efforts vt t'": backs to open up phy {\tj"..]tlefas. In the first spell Gillett kicked a penalty goal and scored a try. In the second spell, Murray scored a try after a very clever piece of back play between Wilson, Johnston and himself. A great deal of the play was uninteresting, the Auckland pack at times keeping play very close. WELLINGTON v. CANTERBURY. BY TELECHtAPH —PRKBS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, August 29. Wellington and Canterbury met on the Athletic Park this afternoon, on a good dry giound and under excelent climatic conditions. The game was mi exceedingly interesting and exciting on". Wellington had the best of the play, especially in the second spell. The forwards particularly played excellently. Wellington won by 11 points to 5. In the first i spell Magee scored two tries for the home team, and Baker scored for ! Canterbury, Weston converting. In the second spell, Magee added a third try for the Blacks, Ryan converting. ■ OTAGO v. SOUTHLAND. ' BY TELEGRAPH PRESS AHSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, Augu3t29. I Ota%o beat Southland by 28 points ; to 6. HA,VKE'S BAY v. WANGANUF. ; i BY TBIiBaHAVH—I'BBSS ASSOCIATION. j NAPIER, August 29. ' Hawke's Bay defeated Wanganui | by 11 points to nil. Three members of the Wanganui team were injured in the match. J. Hogan had a }eg broken, E. Paton had a knee put out, and G. Aitken had 9 rib broken. On Saturday last Opaki beat Kopuaranga by 25 points to 3. Rangitumau deteated Mauriceville by 9 points to nil. B. Chamberlain, T. Chamberlain and J. Harvey scored tries for the winners.