FOOTBALL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 268, 25 August 1949, Page 6

FOOTBALL

AUSTRALIA WINS AT GISBORNE BRILLIANT play by visiting BACKS (P.A.) GISBORNE, August 24. Playing with 14 men for most, of the game,- the Poverty Bay-East Coast team, gave the Australian Rugby team a thorough testing in a fast, spectacular game to-day. Australia won by 20 points (six tries, one converted) to 12 points (two tries and two penalty goals). There was an attendance of 7000. The Australian backs were bottled up in the first spell by the fiery home pack. In this spell the home team lost Fitzpatrick, five-eighths, with a dislocated shoulder, and Birell was diverted from the pack to replace h,im. The Combined forwards lost a fast breakaway who had played havoc with the Australian inside backs. The home pack also lost the edge it had enjoyed in rucking, in which it frequently won the ball to set the backs going. These movements,- however, lacked cohesion and thrust, in marked contrast to the swift changes of direction of the Australian backs, which carved holes in the home defence in the last quarter. Served well by Burke, Blomley, Emery and Allan,' in the Australian backs, showed elusiveness and tactical skill, which often caught the defence on the wrong foot. .Tries scored by Allan and the wingers, Ware and Davis, in the latter stages, were the result of brilliant movements. The Combined pack put up a spirited fight and held its end up splendidly! Fit and rugged, they batted hard in loose rushes throughout the second spell, testing the Australian defence and curbing tlie activities of the visiting backs.

OTAGO BEATS NORTHLAND (P.A.) WHANG ARE!, August 24. The Otago Rugby football team beat Northland by 17 points to 8 this afternoon. Eight minutes after the kick-off Northland w T as penalised and Orr kicked a good goal. Nine minutes later McKenzie snapped up a short punt by Graham and raced over. Orr converted. ■ This was followed by Orr’s kicking a penalty goal, bringing the score to 11-0. After vigorous forward play Orr kicked his third penalty goal. Early in the second spell Beasley scored a try, which w r as converted by Pearson. Northland was bustling Otago, and only lack of finish and great cover defence 'prevented scoring. An Otago man was penalised for offside play, and Dunn kicked an v easy goal. Toward the finish McGill scored a try for Otago. SOUTHLAND BEATS TARANAKI (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 24. Scoring a try in the last two minutes of the game, Southland snatched a narrow win by 9 points (two tries and a penalty goal) to 8 (two tries, one converted) from Taranaki in a representative Rugby match played at Hawera to-day. There was little between the teams in the first spell, hut in the second half Taranaki, apart from Southland’s desperate last-minute effort, dominated play and was unlucky to lose. A strong wind and driving rain made conditions difficult. NELSON BEATS NORTH OTAGO (P.A.) NELSON, August 24. Nelson beat North Otago by 11 points to 6 to-day. The team’s backs were the deciding factor. For Nelson, King scored two tries and J. Garguilo one. Eden converted 'one. For Otago, Halverson kicked a penalty goal and Kilgour scored a try. SOUTH CANTERBURY BEATS TARANAKI B (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 24. South Canterbury, with move lively backs and greater purpose among the forwards, beat Taranaki B in a Rugby - match at Hawera to-day by 11 points (three tries, one converted) to 6 (two tries). Taranaki had the better of line-outs and scrums, but South Canterbury ,made full use of the high wind in the first spell and in the second spell the touring forwards were on top, and, in spite of the wind, had an advantage territorially.