BY A POTTED GOAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 130, 4 June 1930, Page 9

BY A POTTED GOAL.

BRITAIN DEFEATED.

TRIUMPH FOR WELLINGTON.

LUCK AGAINST TOURISTS. I

GAME TENSE WITH THRILLS.

(By Telegraph.—Special Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

Shrewd tactics, tenacity and determination won for Wellington a brilliant triumph against the .British Rugby touring side at Athletic Park to-day. Over 30,000 people watched this battle between two fine teams. All through it was a game of thrills. Play fluctuated, and fortunes changed; it was one long succession of thrills, capped by a sensational finale, in which' thousands swarmed the field and carried the victorious Wellington side shoulder high off the ground. To the Wellington forwards, the shrewdness of Porter, and the tactics ot Mark Nicholls goes all the credit ■ tor triumph. While one praises .Wellington's fine win, it must be admitted that Britain was unlucky. Prentice missed an easy penalty kick less than 2o yards out; Aarvold, with two men outside him, held on to the ball, and was tackled by Heazelwood two feet from the line. But the British are fine sportsmen, and they took their defeat with a smile. One of the biggest factors in Wellington's win was the excellent work pi the scrum. They toiled and worked and scrummaged until no-side was sounded, and because of their honesty and determination they triumphed. They packed a scrum that was as tight as a wedge. There were no "shiners Every member of the pack did hisi job and did it well. Time after' time Wellington heeled the ball, much to the amazement of the British, who found themselves being pushed all over the field. For a long time the British back row persisted in breaking fast from the scrum, with the result that it was an easy matter for the Wellington pack to push their opponents off the ball.

Britain's Great Opening. At the opening of the game, the British forwards were feeding thenhalf well, and the backs were opening out in glorious * passing movements, throwing the ball about with gay abandon and delighting the crowd with their dazzling play. Within seven minutes, Spong, with a beautiful cut-in, carved a passage, the ball going to Aarvold and on to Morley, who crowned a brilliant movement by scoring an equally brilliant try. At that stage it appeared the game would soon be just a procession of the British backs to the Wellington goal line. Time after time the backs, served quickly and generously by Murray, swung into action, the threequarter line sailing away in full cry for the goal line, only to be blocked by the faultless tackling of the Wellington backs. It was brilliant football then, with Britain holding sway over all. , Then came a change. The fates were fiendish in committing the English backs to a dreadful chain of errors, and with Nicholls, Johnson and Porter to take every advantage of the slightest mistake Wellington were on top. The Wellington forwards battled with great determination. They could not be kept at bay. Down they swooped in a devastating movement to the British goal line, and a clearing kick went right into the arms of Porter who had lagged bhind. The Wellington skipper manoeuvred for position, took careful aim, and potted a beautiful goal. Only one point behind now, Wellington changed their tactics and started to play the tourists at their own game. Kilby shot the ball away cleanly. On it went to Johnson, to Nicholls, to Ramson, but that was the end, for the centre three-quarter was the weak link in the Wellington back attack. Soon came a penalty, and with a brilliant kick, Heazlewood goaled from just outside half way. Two points up, Wellington had their tails in the air, and with tactics that harassed and puzzled the Englishmen, they tried the defence to the utmost.

Then came a sensational movement which meant five points to Wellington. From the ruck, the hall went out to Mackay on the blind side. He passed infiold to Ramson. back to Mackay, back to Ramson, to McLean, who sent a clever centring kick to the forwards Jessup snapped it up, passed to Peck, to McPherson, who barged his way over as two. men tackled him. Hcazlcwood

goaled. Sensational Second Spell. If the first spell was full of thrilling football, the second half was sensational. Up and down the field the ball travelled. Attack - and counter-attack were launched, while the crowd shouted, surged and swayed. Morley just missed' a pot at goal. Parker and Kendrew were almost over after a glorious dribbling rush. Aarvold went round the blind side, but, with two men outside him, he hung on, only to be held up close to the line. Forwards and backs combined in glorious passing movements, throwing the ball about with surprising accuracy. Now it was a whirlwind of attack and counter-attack and the British were sweeping down field like an avalanche. But always they were held by resolute defence that never once faltered.

Tactics Changed. Wellington came again with a rally that was really great. Nicholls exploited the line kick and won many yards with his boot. So the game went on, with fortunes changing quickly and the Wellington team being alternately the deUght and the despair of their ardent supporters.

Then came Britain's last desperate rally. They did all they could to penetrate a deadly defence. Time after time they swung out in dangerous movements, attacks that seemed almost certain to succeed, but on every occasion the man with • the ball was downed. There was one continuous roar from the crowd as the Wellington defence never faltered under the relentless attack.

With only two minutes to go, Morley made a last desperate attempt to save the game. He potted for goal. The -towcl gasped as the ball dropped short of the posts. Hea'zelwood kicked into touch, the final whistle sounded and a thrilling game had reached a sensational end. On to the playing field the crowd swarmed in their hundreds and the Wellington men were carried triumphantly to the dressing sheds. So ended a memorable game, with the tourists beaten for the first time of the tour. Spong Matched by Johnson. There were many entertaining features about the tactics of the game. The Britishers threw the baL about at

all through the tour, but "their backs had not met before such men as Porter, Johnson and Nicholls. Spong, the brilliant five-eighth, who can usually be depended upon to bring about many brilliant attacks during a game, was effectively silenced by the shrewd Johnson, who stood Avell up and gave the Englishman few opportunities to produce his box 'of tricks. Spoug, towards the end, flashed through a mere shadow of an opening in an attempt to carve his way through the Wellington defence and save the day. But he was caught eventually because he attempted to go too far.

The British Backs. Bowcott played -well, but was inclined to be a little late in getting rid of the ball. Aarvolcl was erratic. One minute he was brilliant, the next mediocre. Perhaps it was Bowcott's fault. It was a pity he failed to unload at a critical stage of the game, for he certainly cost his side at least three points.

Bassett, the new full-back, started off erratically, but later, when the Wellington attack. Was" at its height, he' never failed.- / Ivor Jones /pent his day keeping a watchful eye/on the elusive Porter, but he was never in the hunt with Porter, and was more often than the Wellington skipper, who is notorious for that sort of thing.

Beamish and Parker were again outstanding among the British forwards.

Kilby, Johnson and Nicholls were a splendid trio behind a splendid pack. Never once did they make a mistake, Nicholls directing both attack and defence with super-judgment. No praise could be too great for the Wellington forwards. It was their honesty, determination and fitness that carried them through,

Porter played a great game, his old anticipation saving Wellington many a time. It was really Porter's potted goal that won the day for Wellington.

Difference Only Four Points. After all, the difference between the teams in this brilliant game was only a potted goal. ' Britain were unlucky. If their well-designed movements had reached the objective, Wellington, would have been the beaten team but, after all, it is the mistakes in Rugby that count so much. Wellington supporters were overjoyed at the win. But, nevertheless, the defeat of Britain must not be taken as an indication that New Zealand will have an easy time in the Test's.