INTER-ISLAND LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Issue 207, 26 September 1927, Page 13

INTER-ISLAND LEAGUE.

NORTH DEFEAT SOUTH.

MARGIN OF FIVE POINTS.

A COLOURFUL EXPOSITION

Auckland's v&riegated weather was in repentant mood on Saturday afternoon. The inter-Tslnnd League game was played in sunshine, but the ground was like the curate's egg of renown, and it rut up badly before the contest ended. On an insecure foothold a colourful exposition of the League code was given, the North Island backs handling the ball in spectacular fashion, swniging into their work with speed, dainty, crisp handling, and perfect rhythm, driving ahead witli the chain lightning kind of attack that was razor-edged and that did not require relays of supports or complex reverse movements to penetrate a maze of tacklers. The speed of the North machine, pins trickiness, completely bafTlcd the S«itliern backs, who were repeatedly beaten in positional piny. The game nil through swung pen-dulum-like in a fascinating manner. It was the popular conception of the code, bright, pulsating, eventful. South had their purple patches, but most of the journey their outlook was grey, and at times a drab monotone. Gallant defence n lone saved the South from a greater defeat. From the spectators' viewpoint it was easily the best game of the season, and decidedly encouraging in view of the big programme ahend next year, when the British team will be on tour. The teams were:—

North Island (Black). Fullbnrk: Dufty. 14.3 (Auckland). Thrce-nunrtcrs: TCnvnor, 13.0 (Waikato), Wetherill, 10.9 (Auckland), List, 12.0 (Auckland). Five-eighths: Prentice, 11.7 (Auckland), Gregory, 11.7 (Auckland). Half: Peckham, 10.7 (Auckland). Forwards: O'Brien 13.12 (Aucklr'irl), Somers. 12.9 (Auckland), Timms, 13.5 (Waikato), Love 15.0 (Wellington), Chell, 13.3 (Wellington), Clarke, 13,9 (Auckland). South Island (White). Fullback: Sullivan, 12.0 (Otago). Three-quarters: Blackaby 12.3 (Canterbury), Robins, 1017 (Canterbury), Olliver, 11.0 (Otago). Five-eighths: Dodds, 10.8 (West Coast), McKewen, 10.8 (Otago). Half: Woods, 10.0 (Canterbury). Forwards: Goodall, 13.7 (West Coast), Griffiths, 13.0 (West Coast), W. Quinn, 13.0 (Otago), Hands, 13.7 (Canterbury), Woodgate, 13.4 (Canterbury), Tallentire, 13.0 (West Coast). Referee: Mr. W. Mincham. South Island won the toss, and Auckland kicked off against a slight breeze. Hard forward play was the opening phase of the game, but the southerners soon broke through, and North Island had some hard defending to do, Dufty and Wetherell standing out. A penalty came to the visitors directly in front of the posts, but Goodall's shot sailed just outside the posts. Oliver showed a burst of speed along the touch line, and when he kicked over Dufty's head the position was interesting. Wetherill, however, got back in time to save the situation. The South forwards were playing dashingly, the outstanding man at this stage being Goodall, the Biiller representative, who was showing splendid ball control in the rushes. In scrambling play at the North end, both Gregory and Dufty missed a chance to clear, and Hand, coming up fast, kicked across the line, followed through smartly and registered the first score after 22 minutes' play. Robin's shot flew low.

South Island 3 North Island 0 Stung by the reverse, the North forwards, with Timms in the van, swept through to the visitors' end. Wethenll St a pass away between his legs to tynor, cleverly came up on the outside for the return, drew two of the South Island backs beautifully, and then sent an in-pass, which Raynor gathered cleanly and shot across In the proximity of the corner flag. Dufty's shot had direction, but was short. South Island 3 North Island 3 Brilliant play by Gregory put North Island in the lead. He beat all the inside backs with a swerving run up the centre of the field. Coming to Sullivan he passed to Prentice, who had List in support. The latter had a clear field when his pass came, and crossed near the flag to circle and score In a good position. Dufty made no mistake with the kick. North Island 8 South Island 3 The black backs began the second half by a clever passing run, commenced at the base of the scrum, which resulted in List beating Blackaby badly. There was no one to gather hie pass, however, when he came to Sullivan. The North backs were passing with a breezy abandon, Peclcham and Wetherill in turn getting in some spectacular work. The play was bright, changeful, and swinging to and fro in a way that delighted the spectators and kept them on their feet. Clever in-and-out passing by the black backs bad the South rattled, but the defenders came away with a raid and the Northerners had to fight their hardest to keep them out. In the heavy going, both teams were showing signs of tiring. Oliver made a nice break, beat two opponents cleanly, sending to Hand, but when the latter sent the ball on, Raynor intercepted brilliantly. Showing a nice turn of speed, he side-stepped one of the South backs, swerved inside Sullivan, who dived full length on the ground, and then, amidst cheering, raced on to score behind the posts. Dufty converted. North Island ........r<... 13 Soutih Island 3 The crowd cheered encouragingly when Griffiths broke through at the centre, his pass to Goodall giving the latter a clear field ahead. A yard short of the line the Buller man was collared by List, who saved a certain score with a big burst of peace and a high tackle from behind. At this stage the whites rallied splendidly. Woods, the Christchurch colt, who was one of the shining lights of the South backs, stab kicked through, followed fast, and scored near the cor-

ner flag, a cleVer piece of solo play that was vociferously applauded by the spctators. From an acute angle, Sullivan kicked a magnificent goal with the sodden ball. North Island 13 South Island 8 North were attacking when the end came with the scores unaltered. ■

COMMENT ON THE PLAY. It was expected that the North Island would triumph over the South on Saturday, as the home of the game is in Auckland, but, even in defeat, the play of the South Island representatives was an achievement, and the value of gallant and resolute tackling was emphasised by the fact that they finished up but five points behind. Forward there was nothing between the two teams, except that the Northerners were quicker to link up with their backs in attacking movements. Comparing the backs, they were as like as chalk and cheese, the Northerners throwing the ball about freely, and for the line from all sorts of angles and distances. They gave a brilliant exhibition of handling, and, but for magnificent individual tackling, South screen would have been riddled time and again. In a word, the North backs had superior combination, and their pretty passing movements delighted the crowd, who of late have felt disposed to recall the visit of the Queenslanders for all that is brightest and best in back play. All the North Island backs justified their choice. Wetherill was tb-» shining star of a very bright constellation, and at times his play was akin to jugglery. Dufty showed splendid resourcefulness, and gave one of the best expositions seen on a local ground in opening up the play for his confreres.

Timms, of Waikato, was the best forward on the ground, and throughout he revelled in the heavy going. Good support came from O'Brien, Somers, and Clarke, although the latter was inclined to be uncertain. Love, a fifteenstone son of New Zealand, played well in the tight work, but in the loose he did not show any disposition to bolt. On the day, the South Island backs were inferior to the rearguard that opposed them, and in the face of incessant attack they were at times uncertain, while on the move they did not display the certainty of the Northern seven. They are a young lot, and very promising. Wood, a colt, played brightly at halfback, and is all that the southern critics claimed of him—a worthy successor to Wilson Hall. The intermediate line was a shade stereotyped in style, and McKewen had a penchant for the lateral line on attack, instead of going straight. Robins, in the centre, played splendidly, but the most convincing was Oliver, who was the greyhound of the side, a speed merchant, blessed with a dazzling side-step— a player who got few chances to play the role of scoring three-quarter. Sullivan showed superlative defence at fullback, and repeatedly saved his side. _ Goodall stood out as the best of the South vanguard, and repeatedly caught th® eye. Griffiths, Woodgate, Tallentire, and Hand were a quartet who played gallantly to the end, and chased every fleeting hope to the last ditch.