AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 227, 25 September 1922, Page 8

AUCKLAND V. WELLINGTON.

! HOME TEAM'S BRILLIANT FORM. I WELLINGTON OVERWHELMED. j SCORE OF r.t TO NIL. j Tbe Auckland representative tenm. which lias performed ill inconsistent fashion throughout the season, chietly because of lhe fact that i lie team was never at full strength, delighed a home crowd of tool) spectators on Saturday hy a brilliant display nt Kden Park. From the very outset of play lhe Auckland backs showed brilliant form, lime and again outclassing the opposing rearguard in sparkling bouts of passing, and they ran up 28 points in the first spell, and in the second look tlu-ir score to ."i4 without having their line crossed. It was by no means a moiiotonv of scoring, fur there were times when tlie Wellington forwards showed bursts of line play, but their backs appeared unable to put on the finishing lunches, and the local team would frequently convert defence into attack and cap tlie effort with a score. It was the combination of Mark Nicholls and Karl Ifwersen as five-eighths, and D. Wright at half, that laid the foundation of Auckland's overwhelming win. Time and again they brought off clever straight and reverse passing ihat breached tbe Wellington defence, and let tbe outside men only n straightaway dash to get the score, lhe Wellington team is a young one. nnd under ordinary circumstances Is considered a good one. bin tlie backs showed lamentable lack of co-ordination on attack, and they were often left standing, puzzled by jibe tactics of Hie two internationals. i Nlchnlls and Ifwersen who gave the best display of inside attacking work seen on v local fielil Tor ninny a day. Realising that their strength lay in their backs the Auckland forwards played consii-tenrty to the ..pen. and O'Brien, Rlghton. nnd McC-ii-lough were prominent in limiting the ehnnces for the rearguard that were so well availed of. | THE TEAMS. The teams were :— Wellington. — Cliristophersou. Algnr, G. Gibson. Kites. McCabe. Mansfield, MeCleary. McColl. Wyllie, Barclay, Matthews. Hopkins. Ryan. Reeves, l'rlugle. T Auckland..— Findlay. It. Thomas, Lucas, Wiseman. K. Ifwersen. M. Nicholls. Wright. Nicholas. Peters. McCullougb. MeWilliams, O'Brien, Taylor. McDonald. Righton. AFCKLAND BACKS BRILLIANT. Wellington had the first advantage of a fairly stiff breeze that was blowing from '.lie Kitigslanil end of the field, but after v forward dash by the visitors, which McCube beaded, Auckland went nt once to the attack in a passlug bout in which Ifwersen made a nice opening, nnd sent the ball to Lucas, to Thomas, who punted on when he met the full-back, nnd knocked forward in recovering rhe hall at the line. From the scrum play went across in front of Wellington's goal, where the ball was sent out to Nicholls. win. bent his man and scored beside tbe posts, for Ifwersen to goal. Almost immediately following the drop-out rhe local backs got going axain. Nicholls and then Ifwersen making Tiril Ham openings to give Lucas a clear run in. and ngniu Ifwersen converted. Agali the Auckland backs cumc away in brillian fashion, nnd Thomas when stopped played the ball on the bounce to touch near the visitors' line. From the throw-ill McCul lougb got. away in the dribble, and n loose rush by the Auckland forwards ended in MeWilliams scoring, nnd Ifwersen ndding the extra points. For n time the visiting tenm by high-kicking got to tbe attack, but Lucas nnd Nicholls in turn were responsible for nice relief work. McColl and Bnrclny wore to he picked out in a dribling dash, and MeCleary got the black bricks going, Algar putting in a tine run to the Auckland line, where his pass was missed. and MeWilliams and O'Brien dribbled clear. The Auckland backs were handling beautifully, and O'Brien was conspicuous in good supporting play, which had the blacks defending. Wright and Thomns put In a bout of cross-passing that missed Its objective only by Wright getting offside for the final pass. HUNDRED PER CENT GOAL-KICKING. Nicholls broke away at the centre in brilliant style, nnd Ifwersen, Lucas ami Ifwersen again bandied before the instnamed scored between the posts nnd converted the try. Shortly afterwards Wright made a fine opening, and sent on to Nicholls. to Ifwersen. who swerved infield where his supports had a clear run. and the chance was missed. A dash by Nicholls sent Wellington to defence, ami when they infringed Ifwersen placed a goal. Matthews was responsible for leading the blackforwards to the attack, and Rynn showed out in a loose rush For a time the AuckInnders were hotly pressed on their line, nnd when th-ir backs failed to get through on being given the chnnce. Wyllie and Hopkins retrieved the lost ground with n dribbling dash. At this stage Wright ami Ifwersen were prominent in cross-passing that set Auckland on the attack, nnd after a bout to Wiseman's wing lind ended at tbe Wellington twenty-five. Nlchnlls got away nnd worked the reverse pass with Lucas to make an opening before the ball was sent on through several hnnds to Thomas, who scored behind tbe posts. Ifwersen registered bis sixth goal, nnd half-time arrived shortly afterwards with the score : Auckland og Wellington ~o WELLINGTONS CAME IMPROVES. On the opening t>f the second spell the Wellington forwards showed Improved form, getting the ball a number of times in the serum, and the backs were glren chances by MeCleary. but .Mansfield and Gibson -time and attain kicked without giving the outside men a chatier. Findlay was ever there to take advantage of tbe chance to return the ball. Wyllie and (Matthews showed up in loose play that had Auckland defending, and O'Brien and Rlgbton retaliated by starting a dribbling lush which went to the Wellington line. The black forwards did some fine loose ■ work in relieving, and MeCleary, Gibson. 1 Algar and Matthews took part in a passinir. Ibout that stopped just short of the Auckland | line. Wright broke away and another snappy passing bout by Lucas and Ifwersen, with a reverse puss to Wrichr, enabled the half-back to score behind the posts. Ifwersen goaled. After withstanding an attach by tbe Wellington forwards, with Rvan prominent, the Auckland backs got awny asain, and Wiseman bumped off Cbristopherson's tackle and scored at tbe corner. Ifwersen's kick, a good one, just missed. SCORE OF HALF-CENTURY. In the rally D. Gibson was injured and was replaced by A. Gibson. Tbe locnl men continued to hold the balance of play nnd were soon agnin inside the blacks quarters. From loose play, following a free kick to Wellington, MeCleary broke away pnst the icntre and sent on to Matthews." who was robbed of the ball. With the game at tAu.-kland's twenty-five, Nicholls whipped the ball out to Lucas, and he gave Thomas n clear run. with Rlggs In close pursuit. Thomns short punted and in the chase bent Kiggs and sorer] well out. Ifwersen once again larded the extra points. Auckland 41. Wellington o. At this stage Scott replaced Kyan. who had to retire. Almost immediately the Auckland backs got going 1 again and were at the Wellington line. ■where jn loose play the ball was sent out to Wiseman, who once again bumped his way across at the corner and Ifwersen landed a beautiful goal. Auckland 4<i, Wellington 0. When play was resumed, the blacks went right up to the Auckland line in loose play as the result of a nice bout by Wyllie and Matthew?, and they appearei] tn have everyone beaten, but could not get the score, and Ifwersen came round to secure the ball and find touch at half-way. I'lay nt this stage was very fast, each side breaking away in turns. Rut It was Auckland's day. and the score came when O'Brien got away and passed to Rlghton. to McCulli-mgl], who got a try ifalrlv hanuv to the posts. Uwerseu's kick failed. Auckland 40. Wellington 0. The resumption of piny was marked by a Wellington bout by MeCleary. McCabe and Algar, willed, ended at Auckland's twenty-five. 'Here Christopherson shot of goal from a free, but missed and play was still left close to the local line. Another free to Wellington, and Mr-C.ibe just missed in his shot at goal, and Auckland cleared to the centre. A spell of ragged play ended in a two-handed passing bout hy O'Rrlcn and Rivhton to the visitors' twenty-flve. Whore Ciinstopiierson cleared the danger. Weilinsrton broke nway acnin, but rood hack play. in which O'Brien featured, brnririir Auckland ■hack on tbe attack, nnd securing the fall from a scrum. Nicholls fooled the defence with the dummy nnd r--'i through t-i score between rhe r" c ?s. T(Vet"--.->u iron led lest .as the hell *~.::r A '•"". mii f.i- gv-ti" ended: -Atiekl-md "i Wd- '!■•-- ■■ >*;• F F. Sfthe-'i'i'' ■■-<■ ""NICmS V. v-T \T-KAP This match played n« a curtain-raiser , to the senior representative game wa« : won by th" Au~kb>nd lnniors by 20 pom's tn (I. For the winners Charles scored P, tries nnd Bridirens one. Kcnry converted j of ;he tries, nnd Charters the fourth. ' Watkins aud Heard scored trios for I Manukau. J