THE FIRST TEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 152, 29 June 1926, Page 9

THE FIRST TEST.

RETURN OF AUCKLANDERS. COMMENTS ON THE PLAY. The Auckland members of the New Zealand team which played in the first Test match at Christchurch last Saturday returned to Auckland on Monday morning.

In the contest with the Indians, they say, the New Zealand representatives were out manoeuvred by the unexpected tactics of the opposition, and it was not until the second spell that the home team were able to cope with the skilful attacks launched against them. After getting, to some extent the measure of the Indian movements the New Zealapders held their own after the change over.

There was not a weakness on the Indian side, every man rose to the occasion and played at the top of his form. There is not the least shadow of doubt that the visitors gave the best exhibition of the tour, and the New Zealand backs would have required to have played super hockey to have overcome the splendid methods of the Indians.

In the Canterbury match most of the Indian attacks developed from the centre, but in the Test quite a different procedure was adopted, the wings playing the most -prominent part in the open, and proving themselves expert- in the attack. The centring was quick and nippy and invariably at the correct moment, giving the inner forwards excellent opportunities which they were not slow to accept, and this led to the defeat of New Zealand.

In the second spell the Dominion team realised the quality of the attack and made strenuous efforts to counteract the tactics, with the result that the second spell was really in their favour. Although both sides scored a goal, the majority of opportunities were with the locals.

Fletcher, in goal for New Zealand, played well, stopping many difficult shots. The shots that passed him were mostly from rebounds. Both full-backs, Soper and Perrin, were beaten many times by the cleverness of the visitors' advance guard. Towever, they were a hard working pair and deserved credit for the stand they made in warding off and breaking up the persistent efforts of their opponents. The middle division was the main weakness of the New Zealand team. The trio frequently allowed themselves to be drawn out of position, and failed to give the forward line the necessary opportunities of initiating attacks. In the second half, however, they redeemed themselves, and were instrumental in the improvement of the team. Mahony, on the right, was decidedly the best of the trio, his defence being' particularly sound. The forward line- lacked cohesion and the work was more of an individual nature. C Watts and S. Bell made the most use of the opportunities which came their way.