EASY VICTORY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 211, 22 June 1950, Page 2

EASY VICTORY

FOOTBALL

BRITISH ISLES TEAM AT GISBORNE

(P.A.) GISBORNE, June 21. The superior speed, penetration, and combination of the backs, together with opportunist skill, gave the British Isles Rugby tourists a decisive victory by 27 points to 3 over a combined Poverty Bay - East Cpast - Bay of Plenty team' at Gisborne to-day. The weather was fine'and the ground firm. The attendance was about GOOD. Britain scored five tries, three of them converted, a field goal, and a penalty goal, to the Combined team’s penalty goal.

The British team had only 13 men on the field almost from half-time, and in the second spell added 11 points. Just before the first spell ended the wing three-quarters, M. F. Lane, went off with a shoulder injury. He was sent to hospital. He is thought to have a broken collarbone. Two minutes after the game was resumed the*British hooker, D. M. Davies, went off with slight concussion, leaving only six men in the pack, Budge having been withdrawn to replace Lane. In the first half the British backs had a feast of the ball, but with the loss of Davies the Combined team gained possession from both’ scrums and line-outs. It won the scrums 1G to 10, and the line-outs 25 to 17, but this advantage could not be exploited by the Combined backs. They were enterprising, but lacked the penetration, cohesion and accuracy of their opponents, whose swift tackling and clever defence always stopped promising movements. Outstanding in the British backs was the centre three-quarters, Matthews, Captain for the day, Matthews scored two tries and made the openings for most of -the others. He was ably served by .the halves, Preece and Black. Kininmonth'splendidly led a vigorous pack of six throughout the second spell. Stephens, Nelson, and he commanded admiration for, the way they held the opposing eight. Lewis Jones Sound

The British full-back, Lewis Jones, who was flown from Britain last week, was watched with interest. He was sound without being spectacular, and by no means 'shaded the Combined full-back, Welch, whose line-kicking and general defence were good. Of the Combined backs, Lee and Sullivan showed up in an occasional burst. Maraki, at centre, was sound on defence. The All Black, R. White, led the Combined pack well, and was prominent in line-outs. He was ably supported by Turnbull, Hooper, and Shelton.

UNIVERSITIES’ MATCH NORTH ISLAND BEATS SOUTH ISLAND (P.A.) DUNEDIN, June 21. The North Island beat the South Island by S points to G in the annual Universities Rugby match at Carisbrook this afternoop. The game was marred by a high wind, but a crowd of about 1200 saw some bright play, more particularly by the North Island backs. J. M. Tanner (Auckland) a former Otago representative, played brilliantly at second five-eighths for the North Island, and was the best back on the ground. The young Massey College player, J. Hotop.also impressed greatly' at first, five-eighths. The South Island forwards had the advantage of possession, . but the backs lacked the ■ speed and combination of the North Island backs, although they had the competent service and experience of the former All Black, L. T. Savage, behind the scrum. E. N. Roberts (North Island) was also a capable half-back, though perhaps not quite so adept as Savage at getting out of trouble. M. J. Tanner (North Island) and G. J. Moore (South Island) both played well at full-back. Tanner’s fielding and kicking were of a very high order. The best South Island back was C. Moore, at centre. He gave the. attack considerable edge. B. Doherty, W. A. Hargreaves, Z. Dalzell . and E. 1 H. White 'were the pick of the South Island forwards." The best of the North Island pack were B. Hutchinson, G. S. R. Macdonald, W. Clark and D. B. Rope. The latter retired with a shoulder injury in the second spell. For the North Island, Clark and G. scored tries, one of which was converted by Gilmour. For the South Island,\D. R. Wightman scored a try and C. Moore kicked a goal from a penalty. The referee was Mr J. Garthwaite.