FOOTBALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 958, 3 August 1903, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE MATCH. HAWKE’S BAY v. POVERTY BAY. The annual representative match between junior teams of the Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay Rugby Unions was played at Victoria Domain on Saturday afternoon last under most adverse weather conditions. Tho heavy gales experienced recently in the South apparently worked up this way towards the end of last week. Captain Edwin’s gales duly came to hand, and a boiatorous sou’-wester accompanied with deluges of rain, held undisputed sway on Thursday and Friday. There wore signs of abatement on Saturday, but about noon rain set in again, and tbo teams repaired to tho convincing ground in tho teeth of a southerly gale, with heavy rain, and the temperature very low indeed. The members of tho Hawke’s Bay team must havo had anything but a pleasant trip up, but they appeared little tho worse for tho by no means gantlo roekmg they must have received in tho cradle of the deep tho previous evening. Notwithstanding the wretched weather there was a good attendance at Victoria Domain when tho te.ams took tho field, and the

great interest taken in tho game was proved by the largo number of ladies who braved tho elements in order to witness tho play. Exactly £2l was taken at the gatos, and the Union must have felt highly gratified at this result under tho prevailing conditions. Punctually at 3 o’clock tho toams took tho field as under :—Hawke’s Bay (black and white): Full-back, H. Tuke ; threequarters, Morrisey, Maddison, Minett ; fi.ve-oightb, Bogle ; half, Angrovo ; wings, Tyne and Crossman; forwards, Hunt, Roulston (capt.), Nicholson, Ah Keong, A. Palmer, Cummings, Mullaney. Poverty Bay (blue and black): Fullback, Holder; three-quarters, W. Coleman, Puflett, G. Roderick (capt.); fiveeighth, Witty ; half, Grinlinton ; wings, Sharp and Bright; forwards, Clarke, Wells, Watson, Piesse, Somervell, Peterson, McCullough. As the teams lined out it was clearly apparent that tho visitors had tho advantage all round in weight. They were a sturdy, well-set-up lot, and contrasted very favorably with the local representatives, who included several fcathor-weights, who might with advantage have been replaced, considering the conditions under which the gumo was played. G. Roderick, tho local captain, won. tho toss from Roulston, who led tho visitors, and to tho surprise of everyone decided to defond tho eastern goal, and Hawke’s Bay started with the treble advantage of the kick off, the strong wind, and tho sun behind them. Nicholson set the ball in motion for tho visitors, and Witty returned with a good punt to Minott, who fumbled, and allowed Witty to get down on him, tho ball going out at tho visitors’ quarter flag. Loose play followed the throw-out, till Morrisey got possession and made a strong run into tho homo team’s quarters, where Palmer got in front in taking the pass. Madison found the line near the corner flag from Pufflet’s kick. From looso play in front of the posts, Angove passed to Bogle, who sent a wild pass along tho ground in tho direction of Minett, but Coleman cut in and intercepted finely, making a strong run right up the ground. He kicked over the full-back’s head, and an exciting race ended in Tuke luckily saving by forcing. Hawke’s Bay soon cleared tlioir lino, and a fine forward lush, headed by Tyno and Palmer, took the ball well inside the home team’s 25. Some rather weak kicking by the backs ended in Coleman mulling a high kick near his line, and tho Hawke’s Bay forwards, who were very smart’ in tho open, swept the ball ovor, Roderick just preventing Tyne from scoring. On resuming, Witty failed to take a high kick from Hunt, but Coleman came round and saved with a nice kick to tho centre. A little later Hunt put in a high punt from a penalty, which Somervell mulled badly, but Bright snapped up the ball and passed to Rodorick undor tho posts, and the local captain found the lino at the quarter distance. The visitors’ forwards got on a fino foot rush, but Mullaney knocked on ]ust as the line was menaced. Angove broke away, but sent a bad pass to Minett who failed to take it. A littlo later Angovo passed out smartly from a scrum to Minett, who lost a likely chance by knocking on. The homo team were at this stage hard pressod, and were not showing to advantage on defence. The visitors crossed tho line again, but Coleman secured possession, and pluckily ran round behind the posts and kicked to the lino in the field of play. Hawke’s Bay kept up the attack. In attempting to clear his line Grinlinton made a mis-kick to Minett, who was directly opposite the posts. A general yell of “ pot ” came from all parts of the field, and the Hawke’s Bay three-quarter coolly and collectedly aefcod on the advice. Ho made a good kick, and had the satisfaction of Beeing the ball strike the upright and go on its course ovor the bar. Hawko’s Bay 4 Poverty Bay 0 Aogove mulled tho kick-off, and a strong attack was made on the visitors’ line, and Tyne smartly averted a score by forcing. Bogle wus next to show up with a smart dash, but Poverty Bay came back with a passing rush. Grinlinton sent the ball to Witty, and the latter gave it to Puffiet, but the centre three-quarter failed to send it along to Roderick, who was waiting in a handy position. The Napier forwards organised another of the sweeping foot rushes which proved so effective time and again, and were so eminently suited to the day. They swept the ball through the local men, who made futile efforts to stem the rush, but to no avail. Tyno was alone with the ball at his feet well over the line before tho local men well knew what had happened, and had no difficulty in scoring. Hunt failed with the kick at goal. Hawke’s Bay 7 Poverty Bay 0 Soon after resuming Roderick was cheered for stopping a forward rush, and putting in a fino line kick. Witty, who appeared as if ho had scarcely enough stamina for tho company ho was in, here got a knock, and tho game was delayed until he was rubbed dowu. In the ensuing play the whistle wa3 frequently heard. Gisborne’s feather weight half-back, Gvinliuton, was applauded for putting in a long kick and getting down on Tuke, the opposing full-back, before ho had time to return. The looal men had the advantage in the serums, and generally secured the ball, but wore altogether outclassed in the open work. Tho visitors’ forwards gave as good a display of dribbling as we bavo scon for a long time. There was no further score in the first spell, and the teams crossed ovor with the score standing— Hawke’s Bay 7 Poverty Bay 0

With a strong breeze behind them, and only 7 points against them, it was confidently expected that the local men would soon assume the uppor hand. Pufflet’s kick-off dropped in touch, and another kick was domanded. Tuko mulled the second effort in front of the posts, but recovered possession, and sent the ball straight along the lino to touch. Minett stopped a dangerous-looking rush, headed by Wells, Petersen, Somervell, and Sharp, and kicked well to the line. Ah Keong took splendidly on a line-out, and started a rush, but Somervell, Peterson, and Wells, who were working consistently, took the ball right on to the visitors’ line. A wild kick sent the ball out to the Gisborno backs, and gave thorn a splendid opening, but in their eagerness they overran the bail, and Madison kicked clear. A sweeping rush, in which both backs and forwards had a hand, took the ball right up to the other end of tbo field, where Tyne came nearly scoring. A five yards’ scrum was ordered, and from this the ball went right across the field to Morrissy, who ran over and scored. Hunt made a I weak effort to convert. Hawke’s Bay 10 Poverty Bay 0 Clarke headed a rush which took the ball down the field. Tuke in attempting to take the ball with one arm, gave Poverty Bay a chance, and it was nothing but over-eagerness which prevented them from getting over. Offside play in front of the posts gave Pufflet an easy chance in front of the goal, but he made a weak kick. Shortly afterwards, from play in 1 midfield, Pufilet punted high in the direc- | tion of the Napier goal, and Sharp and

Petersen got down very smartly on the backs, who seemed to be taking their time in forcing. Sharp considerably surprised them by flopping on to the bail first. Prolonged cheering greeted this score by the local men, and it increased when Puffiet steered the ball over the bar. Poverty Bay & Hawke’s Bay 10 The game livened up considerably after this. Tho spectators—whose sympathies, it was very evident, wero all with the local boys—recognised that a goal would make honors easy, and they encouraged the Gisborne side with heart and voice.. At this stago, tho referee ordered Cummings, tho visitors’ wing-forward, off the field for rough play. The play following was fast and exciting. Several men got slight knocks which placed them hors de combat for a short space, but they were the result of accidents. Tuke, at full-back, played finely towards the close, and his taking and kicking wero alike excellent. Poverty Bay were awarded a free kick on their own line, and Puffiet put in a fine, long punt, which tho forwards carried on to tho opposite end of the field. Here McCullough was penalised for obstruction, and the Napier captain successfully appealed to have the bali scrummaged where last play. Consequently, tho players trooped back to the homo team’s lino, and Grossman dodged over from the scrum and scored. The kick at goal failed. This placed the issue beyond all doubt, and brought Hawke’s Bay’s score up to Hawko’s Bay 13 Poverty Bay 5 Roderick made a fino run, and was only

stoppod near the visitors’ lino by Mrnett, and Tuke pouncing on him simultaneously. There was no furthor score, and tho game thus ended in Hawke's Bay favor—

Hawke’s Bay 13 Poverty Bay 5 Mr \V. S. MeCredio was referee, and Messrs J. Mullaney aud A. W. Rees wero tho line-umpires. There can bo no question but that the better side won. The victory was solely due to the visiting forwards, who were a fine lot, and had the advantage of weight, combination, and experience. The backs were not a brilliant lot. They handled the ball badly, and the little passing they treated the spectators to was of a bygone age, being much too slow and high. Still, they played safely, collared well, and also kicked well at times. Minett’s potted goal was a cool and finished piece of work, and was the first goal placed from the field on No. 1 ground this season. Angove (half) and Bogle (five eighths) wore a clever pair, and would havo made a fine showing had tho ball and ground been dry. Considering the local men had never played together, they have no reason to feel dissatisfied with the result. The team was undoubtedly too light, and men of the stamp of D. Scott, Moore, and Higgs would have stood up to their opponents better than several of tbo team on Saturday did. Roderick played a fine game, and was here, there, and everywhere. Coloman failed to take the high kicks well, and did not appear to revel in defensive work. Puffiet (centre) kicked well, but huDg on too long oh several occasions. Witty did not appear fit enough to take tho field. Little Grinlinton (half) played very pluckily, but was altogether too light for the company. Of the forwards Wells, Petersen, Somervell, and Sharp played hard and well throughout.

SOUTH CANTERBURY v. HAWKE’S BAY. (Per Press Association.) Napier, last night. 'The football match South Canterbury v. Hawke’s Bay was played here yesterday. The weather was fine, and there was a largo attendance of spectators. The game was very even all through, and resulted in a draw, each side scoring a try, which was unconverted. The Hawke’s Bay men were a slightly heavier lot all round than their opponents.

WAIHI DEFEATS THAMES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Thames, last night. Waihi beat Thames by three points to nil.