COMMENT ON THE PLAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 190, 11 August 1921, Page 7

COMMENT ON THE PLAY.

MISTAKES OF HOME TEAM. The result of the game was a sore disappointment to Northland supporters, whose judgment that they had an exceptional team was supported by tho fact that five Northlanders had found a place in the Auckland team against the Springboks, and local opinion before the game was that if the Australians beat Northland they would go through without defeat in actual play. Only one of the five picked for the Auckland match. C. Fletcher, who was an All Black last year, came up to expectations. Lack of confidence and inability to get the ball in the scrum was the keynote of Northland's failure. Instead of playing their own game from the outset and breaking down the opposing attacks, by fast tackling, tbey let the visitors carry the attar- to them and outpace them, and only late in.tho second spell did the home men make a good showing, when it was too late. The visitors played a bright and joyous game, reminiscent of the Sydney* University team of last year. Their backs are fast all round, and their handling on a dry ground was very accurate and crisp, frequently reversing "the attack from their own line. In the line-out the forwards played to a code of calls from the man throwing in the ball, making a lot of use of the knock-back, and varying this with bunching and with the drop and dribble stunt. There were occasions, however, which indicated that against a determined, hard-grafting pack their habit of fanning out in the open to' join in the passing bouts will land Uiem In trouble. One notable feature of thpir line play is the quick throw-in before the opposition gets into position. Against Northland they got the ball regularly in the scrum, but apart from a good scrum the only outstanding forwards were Dunn aud Elliott, both fine line men and good with hands and feet. The backs showed no "outstanding star. A. Walker is a tricky scrum-half, and Humphreys" (five-eighths) and Wallace (wing! have to be watched for side-stepping and cutting in. but Wogan. Stanley and Carr depend entirely on speed and good handling. Carr has great pace, but is given to hesitation. Nothling is a brilliant full-back, with pace, a raking long kick, and fine hands. His game to-day was a feature.

Northland were handicapped by an uttw lack of cohesion, tho backs being all at sixes and sevens when they did got the ball. The full-back (Hidings) played a fine game, and indicated by his Work that the brilliancy of the Australians was more apparent by comparison with the local lack of dash than something real. Like the Sydney rnivprstty team, the visitors are great on breakaway scores, and their open play will make them great favourites with the public. The only players of rhe local team that played up to form were the Fletcher brothers and Foster among the forwards and Ridings it full-back. AUhalf-baek Crawford did not got much chance, and while he did a lot of stopping ho was slow at getting the ball away when ho did get it. Clark, at inside five-eighths, was qnite off his game, and Weston suffered in consequence. Caldwell played a good steady game. B. Finlayson's game was spoilt by a lack of dash and hesitation, and though T. Finlayson played a fair game in the forwards, ho also lacked dash, and appeared to bo affected by the stage fright that afflicted the whole side to a great extent.

TnE WAIKATO MATCH. Railway arrangements for the Waikato v. New South Wales football match provide that the usual 3.40 p_m. Paeroa train will leave Frankton Junction at 5 p.m., Hamilton 5.10 p.m. The usual 4.20 p.m. Huntly train will leave Frankton Junction at 5 p.m. The usual 4.5 p.m. Te Kuiti train will leave Frankton Junction at 5.5 p.m.