FOOTBALL NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 20 September 1913, Page 6

FOOTBALL NOTES.

(By "All Black.") The Wairarapa representatives proved on Thursday that on their own ground they are an extremely difficult team to beat. TheWanganui reps, have put up some very respectable performances during the season, and fresh from their victory oyer Wellington, were rather confident of their ability to defeat Wairarapa. The visitors are a clever . combination, j more especially in the back division. On several times they broke away, but a faulty pass or some other mistake generally prevented their attack from having the desired effect. Faber at full back was probably the pick of a godd rear-guard, his fielding and line-kicking being a feature of the game. Meuli and the two Colliers were also in good form, and played really good football. The green forwards were up against a good pack, but they acquitted themselves splendidly. Johnson 'and Ross hooked the ball on almost every occasion, and Ball behind the scrum made several nice openings) Ball was seen to better advantage than I have seen him this season, his play being reminiscent 6f his best form. He was always in the thick of it, and did a lot , of sterling work. C Grdube was also in good form at five-eighth, and he and G. Ross were seen to advantage. The three-quar-ter line did not shine out, although they made no serious mistakes. Taft at full-back did all that' Mas required of- Jiim, Vut in the second spell had very little to do, tKe visitors- rarely reaching the greens' twenty-five. In the forwards, Hodge wa* the, pick .of a fine pack, hie try being, a . particularly fine effort, while on the | line-out this player, McKenzio, and ( 0 Ross were responsible for a lot of excellent work, and started some great rushes. JMcKenzie kicked two goals, one being a. really fiiie effort. : Brough at was prominent all through the game, and played brilliantly at times, his display being the best seen in the Wairarapa ! for some time. Brough gives the impression that he .would make a fine, five-eighth.; The second spell was all in favour of the home team, which played the "up and under" game with good effect, proving that the best defence is attack."

From their display on Thursday, one may be justified in expecting the local representatives to give Wellington a good go 1 for their money next Saturday. The .match* _ which is the last of the season, will he played on the old showgrounds, at Masterton, and should draw a big crowd. The Wairarapa v, Wanganui rortch wag easily the fastest game seen here this seasrtn. The ground was in excelled order, and the play of the local men indicated that they are n.ore at home on a dry ground than on a heavy one. . The Wellington team, which is touring the South, is so far unbeaten, although, from reports received, they have had to play their best to secure their victories.

The All Black team, which is now on its way to California, will play eleven matches, although it is possible that an additional game or two may be played. The first match takes place on October 4th against the Olympia dub.

An interesting match should be witnessed on the old show grounds this afternoon, when Red Star juniors (Wairarapa champions) and Petone juniors (champions of Wellington) will try conclusions. The local boys have shown already that they are capable of playing good crisp football, and as their opponents are a reputedly fine combination, the game should prove well worth witnessing. The Wairarapa Friendly Societies' seven-a-side tournament ig down for October 4th. This event will conclude the football season in the Wairarapa, and looking back, it must be generally conceded that the 1913 season has, from all points of view-, been one of the- most successful in the his-tory-of the Wairarapa Rugby, Union. The Southern tour, although the tourists did not succeed in winning a match, may be regarded with a certain amount of satisfaction, as in no I mVtch were they badly beaten. The southern teams have promised to visit , Wairarapa next season,. and perhaps I wa_will have our revenge. It only remains for the locals to defeat Wellington next Saturday, to add the crowning touch to the season, as this would more than make up for the southern defeats, and giving Wairarapa the record of not losing a single I match on their own ground in the season. Let us hope this desired result will eventuate.