FOOTBALL: ENGLAND AND THE MAORIS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 291, 27 April 1889, Page 3

FOOTBALL: ENGLAND AND THE MAORIS.

k FULLER ACCOUNT: UNPLEASANT SCENES.

[Age Special Cobbxspoxdznt.] London, February 23. There is a strong element of luck in foot ball, as in all other games, and during their prolonged tour the Maoris have had their fair share. On Saturday last, however, the •• fickle goddess ” entirely deserted them. Firstly, the weather was awful. It rained hard all the morning, and by 3 o’clock the Rectory field at Blackheath was a quagmire. The Englishmen didn't mind this. They are accustomed to playing in bad weather, have all sorts of appliances to prevent slipping, and say they fall softer on wet ground. The Maoris, on the other hand, were seriously handicapped by the condition of the ground and by the rain. They play 23 per cent, worse under such circumstances than they do on dry ground, and they know it. It was not therefore in the best of spirits that the New Zealanders began the game, though the team one and all determined to do their utmost to win. About 12,000 persons assembled to see the match, but the town contingent, owing to the rain, was small, and the onlookers were nearly all local folk. This, no doubt, accounted for the crowd’s lack of cordiality towards the Maoris. The defeat of Blackheath had been a bitter and unexpected pill for the district to swallow, and many of the onlookers feared even worse was to come. There can be no doubt the defeat of their Sicked team by New Zealand would have eeply mortified the Rugby Union, and they instructed the English captain not to risk a point. This came out when some of the crowd urged the Englishmen to concede the visitors the disputed point. •' No, no, we can't afford to give these chaps anything,” bawled Stoddart. The Maoris were so anxious to distinguish themselves that they seemed to play rather a jealous game. At any rate their pissing looked poor beside the splendid performances of the Englishmen. The first 20 minutes, play promised a brilliant match all through. The Maoris “backed” up grandly, and neither side seemed to have much the best of it. Then •Ist! W. Warbrick, the New Zealand full back, meat try and distinguish himself, but instead of that blundered horribly. Ths ball being punted over the Maori goal line, Warbrick here got possession, and as the English forwards were right upon him should have touched down in Hit defaces. Instead be foolishly attempted to run and being collared loot possession, and gave the English team their first point. The general opinion of the and the people io the pavilion was that Warbrick had, as he claimed, touched down successfully after being collared, but the referee decided otherwise. The decision of the latter was protested against by the Maories, who wore obviously much angered and disheartened at the point being given against them. As the game subsequently progressed the back play of the home team became more and more brilliant, and the Maories afterwards never appeared likely to win. Behind the scrum* mages, the home team had a great advantage, all the three quarters passed and ran splendidly, while Bonsor and Scott wore pro* minent at half. Forward the Maories ware fast, and kept well on the ball, whilst the pretty kicking of the backs at times forced oven the unwilling spectators to applaud, Keogh took first honors in this respect. Early in the second half of the match an incident occurred which caused much unpleasantness, and for a tew minutes threatened to be a premature end to the game. This was caused in the rollowing mannerStoddart in run-

ning collided with the referee. Just previously hie clothes had been torn in such a b*- manner as to neoessiate bis immediate withdrawal, The players formed a ring round him, and be left the field to change. Then the Maoris claimed to have a scrummage where Stoddart had run against the referee, but while they were protesting Evershed went in and claimed a try. The Maories protested wrathfully that the ball was dead, and when the referee again gave the point against them, and the try was successfully converted, their disgust knew no bounds. Williams, Tairoa, and Beuna wars indeed so much out of temper that they sullenly walked off the ground, some of the speotators cheering and others booting. Mr Scott very properly peremptorily ordered them to return, but for a few minutes without succes. Then Tairoa consented to listen to the persuasion of friends, and led the way back, Williams and Renne following. After this the Maoris buckled to with great vigor, carried the ball right down into the Englishmen’s 23, and again and again were on the verge of scoring, but luck and the splendid play of the Englishmen were against New Zealand, and the Jime endedjin a decisive victory for England. Reviewing the whole circumstances of the unpleasantness of the game in cool blood, I am distinctly of opinion that Evershed’s “ try ” (converted into a goal) was obtained by something very near akin to sharp practice, and ought not justly to have been allowed. Stoddart admits having said “let me go ” before he passed the ball, and Ellison immediately did so. The catastrophe to the Englishman’s clothing, was so serious, and laid bare such a large portion of his particularly fine figure, that for the moment both Maoris and Englishmen thought of nothing but the imperative necessity of sparing bis blushes. That the ball was dead every one took for granted, and Evershed’s run in claim for a “ try” surprised the Englishmen quite as much as the Maoris. The referee, nowever, held that in law, if not in equity, the ball was alive, and the “ try ” must therefore be allowed, mA The protest in Warbriok's case was a different matter. The man himself, and some of the spectators, thought he touched down, but the referee was of a different opinion. The Maoris ought to have given in cheerfully and at once to the latter’s decision. In the pavilion after the match, I yegret to s.y, that Bat Keogh and one or two Others, whose tongues run along too fast when they’re angry, said some pretty strong things about the referee, These were either overheard by Mr Rowland Hill or repeated po him, and on Monday Wurbrick received a letter demanding an apology- Of course it was scut. I fear the habit of grumbling at the referee and questioning his discisions during and after a match is rather common amongst the Maories, Jf so it should be discouraged as ungeotlemanly and, worse still, perhaps, unEnglish. I ought by the way to Mention that when the game on Saturday was over tod the Maories well beaten they were heartily cheered by the crowd, XOTKS OS ALL KNOLAND MATCH. Most of the newspapers remarks on the contretemps which spoilt the All England patch- The Daily News says“ More than one prominent Unionist thought the English should have given way.” The Athletic News imagines the Maories who left the field are ashamed of themselves, and suggests the least they can do is apologise to the union. The Star considers the Englishmen were guilty of a piece of sharp practice. The Evening Post says the Maories were falcated but not disgraced. The Pall Mall Gsxstte ears the Maoriee marred the good impression mads by their play by continually disputing with the Umpires and referee. The Manchester Sporting Chronicle condemns the ill-temper shown by tbe Maories M very regrettable in a match of this importance. Mr Scott, the manager of the New Zealand (Cam, was laid up ill tbe greater part of last week, and appeared at Blaokheath on Satur. day against doctors* orders and looking very unwell. He felt naturally much upset at the eontr,temps which, to some extent, marred an otherwise brilliant game,