FOOTBALL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 29 September 1913, Page 6

FOOTBALL.

WELLINGTON v. WAIRARAPA, . KASY y IN FOR VISITORS.

Football enthusiasts who had been looking forward, with anticipation to Hie Rugby match between the local representatives and Wellington must have left the old showgrounds on Saturday in a very disappointed frame of mind. Not that the game was devoid of interesting features, but the fact that Wairarapa's. best gave a shockingly" poor display. Wellington had a reputedly weak team, many of the players originally selected failing to make the trip - . The result was that a. team arrived which, with one or two exceptions, could not claim any pretensions to being Wellington representatives. .Not that they did not play excellent football; indeed it is doubtful if the best team that Wellington could put in the field colulH have given a finer exhibition. The local men, forwards and backs, were right off, and at no stage did they look like winners. Everything seemed to go wrong, the result being that the visitors played against a disorganised fifteen. Hodge -was the only player who played up to form, and this' sterling player, was always in the thick, and made several fine ldnehand runs, and on more than one occasion had the worst of luck in not scoring, Clark worked well, as did Dixon, but the combination and dash; .Which we know the green vanguard possess, was lacking, and therein lay .their .downfall, . Ryan and Beard played high-gt&de football, the former'/line kicking being a feature of the match. The green, backs refused point blank to tackle low, their efforts to embrace their opponents round the neck being almost ludicrous. The second spell was responsible for a most unfortunate incident. Right through the game there was quite too much "playing the man" tactics employed, both sides being responsible for glaring breaches, which sjiould never have been allowed. Had the players been checked or cautioned early in the game, the incident about to be referred to would never have happened. Well into the second spell, a Wellington forward deliberately dumped a Wairarapa iplayer wliilo the latter was some yards from ■' the ball. The referee apparently saw nothing of this, and was probably the only man on the" ground who did not. From an ensuing line put, the local player, apparently having let go all control, swung his hand or fist and •struck x the player who attacked him a few moments previous. This-time the 'referee did see what happened, and had no option but to order J the local man.to stand on the line. The incident was highly, unfortunate, happening as i.t did in the final match of the year, and marring the excellent record put up by the local team this season. It should never have happened, and would not have happened had there been a check put upon the play ofvseveral players early in the game. • Both Mr D. K. Logan, President, of the Wairarapa Rugby Union, and M*,D. Weir, s of. the Wellington Union, while 'speaking at a dinner -tendered to the players after the match, agreed that the breach was a serious one, but also that it was committed under severe provocation.' Mr Weir went further, and said that the player who so far forgot himself should not have been playing, but should have been on his way to California with the New Zealand team.

THE GAME. Wellington (black) won the toss,' and just at the commencement Wairarapa (green) pressed, 'but Kinvig soon put his side on the attack with a fine line kick, and shortly after Tait forced an attempted pot by the same player. It was early evident that the greens were up against it. Whenever the ball got into the hands of Kinvig, Beard or Ryan, some pretty passing bouts resulted. Play had commenced ten minutes when Little ■"set his backs in motion, and after some clever passing Beard drew first blood for Wellington, Drake converting. Wellington 5, Wairarapa nil. <The green forwards, headed by Hodge and Clark, now set up a fine rush, but it was not sustained, and Ryan returned to haff-way. From here the black forwards, Parker, Francis and Ryan being conspicuous, carried play to Wairarapa's line. A scrum being formed near the line gave Wellington another opening, and Kinvig made.a fine mn and trasferred to Beard the latter scoring in the corner. Drake failed to iinprove the score, j Wellington 8, Wairarapa nil. A free ' kick to gleens in a good position gave McKenzie an opportunity to test his goal-kicking, but the ball went' wide. Wellington were soon attacking, and several passing bouts were essayed. . Young picked up and raced down the side-line, where he was pushed out j by Tait. From & sorum shortly after j Little whipped the oval to Ryan, | who made a beautiful opening and transferred to Young, who raced for the line and, reaching tlhe full-back, passed infield to Little, who got over near the posts. Drake made no mis- , take with the kick. Wellington 13, Wairarapa nil. From this to the

half-time call, the blacks had all the best »i matters, but the scores were unaltered. & Early in the second spell the greens gave indications of improving, and the forwards, headed by Hodge, C. Ross, and Dixon, carried play near the black line, but a lucky .speculator by a black forward saw the oval go out, at the twenty-five line. Some midT field play followed, and then Kinvig with a great line kick, found touch near Wairarapa's line. From the ] following line-out Ryan secured and shot out to Beard, who beat all the opposing backs and scored, Drake failing to convert. Wellington 16, Wairarapa 0. A loose rash by the green forwards was stopped by Beard marking. Strang marked the return, and from the kick the greens were all but over, several forwards overrunning the ball, when a try seemed imminent. Kinvig and Ryan were now finding the lino in great style, gaining much ground. From a scrum in Wairarapa's twenty-five a nice rush was started by Little, ( Ryan ending by scoring cleverly, and con-* verted with a magnificent kick. Wellington 21, Wairarapa nil. From the kick-off the greens set np their only solid attacking rush.of the day, <McKenzie, Clark, Dixon and Hodge taking part in some nice passing, the latter racing past a couple of opponents and scoring in the corner. McKenzie failed- with the kick. Wellington 21. Wairarapa 3. The local backs were letting the opposing forwards mm all over them, and the blacks went eldse to improving their score on several occasions. At this stage the a-eferee ordered a Wairar ; rapa player off for striking an oppon* ©nt. Shortly after Darvill made a good run and made a nice opening. A faulty pass, however, spoilt the opportunity. Ball then opened $ nic,e-rush,' from which a. try sjaould have resulted* bxit v - the green backs seemed as if they could do nothingright, and the opening was lost. Wairarapa forwards made a few spasmodic rushes, one of which should have proved of value, but with three greens and two blacks scrambling for the ball over the line, the Jblacks forced. was called with the scores Wellington • 21 Wairarapa 3 Rev. Ashcroft refereed; *' v OTAGO 1 (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Last Night. At Dunedin on Saturday, Otago defeated Southland by 11 points to 10.

AUSTRALIA DEFEATED. • ■- v '. ■ • (By Telegraj)K--Presti Association.) AUCKLAND, Last Night. -' The final match of the Auckland Rugby season was played to-day betweeh the New Zealand Natives and Australia, and resulted in a win for the Natives by 12 points to 9. The game was played by way of a benefit for Piki.who was injured in the Australian Native tour. Taken all round, the Natives;had the best of the game, ,and they deserved their win. Rylands (2), Takerangi and Sellars scored for the Natives,, and Oarr (3) scored for Australia.