LEAGUE TOURISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 225, 23 September 1935, Page 12

LEAGUE TOURISTS.

AUSTRALIA WINS.

MATCH WITH AUCKLAND,

A THRILLING EXHIBITION,

The Australia Rugby League tourist made a good impression in their first game of their New Zealand tour at Carlaw laik on Saturday afternoon, when they defeated a strong Auckland thirteen by 16 points to 8. The visitovs gave an excellent display of fast and open football, and promise of brighter things when they have had an opportunity to settle down. The match rose to great heights at times as the teams fought for the mastery, which only came in the- last minute of play. The teams were:— Auckland (Blue and White). Full-back: A. E. Cooke (captain). ' Three-quarters: L. Brown, E. T. Mincham, C. Hall. Five-eighths: A. Kay, S. Prentice. Half-back: R. Powell. Forwards: L. Hutt, S. Quirke, W. Telford, J. Laird, C. Satherly, H. Tetley. Australia (Green and Gold). Full-back: L. Ward (N.S.W.). Three-quarters: R. Hines, D. Brown (captain), R. MeKinnon (N.S.W.), W. Mahon' (Q:).' • Five-eighth: E. Norman (N.S.W.). Half-back: V. Thicknesse (N.S.W.). Forwards: F. Curran, P. Fairall, R. Stehr, S. Pearce and W. Prigg (all Is .0.W.). The Play Described. The pace ,vus on right from the jump, with the Australians throwing the bail, about crisply and the home side defending resolutely. Fortunes Hutrtuated continually, bath sides having their turns on the offensive and defensive. .. The .visitors were first to scor^'after ! Normah aud D. Brown tad penetrated "to Auckland's last line; with brilliant concerted play. Norman knocked oil with a try looked certsiiij,;;, b'ut from subsequent forward exchanges Curran gathered and bullocked his way acr,oßs. Brown converted. Australia 5, Auckland 0. Then Brown, who was never far away from where the attack was thickest,'went;..through in a characteristic burst; I 'but-went doSvp 'on his knefis when tackled;' '.He Vas. up ;ini;&; flash, "however, and darted across f<?v"a'try. His own kick failed. Australia v ßy Auckland 0. After a period of 'give and fyike play Mincham cut in between MeKinnon and Hines and sent the ball along to Lou Brown. The winger made ground and then whipped an in-pass to Miucham. The centre accepted and .finished off a. really' magnificent effort. Satherley -■ misaedr Australia 8, Auckland 3. There was a hectic, period of fast and open play just before the interval, play swinging from end to end at a great pace. It ended in Thicknesse getting the ball out to Brown, who cut between Mincham and Hall for another try; Brown's shot missed the mark and the half-time score was, Australia 11, Auckland 3. There was another bright interlude following the change-over, but it was some time before the next score came. Tetley sent Mincham away, to be hauled down inches from the' line, but shortly afterwards Telford gathered and dashed « across. Mincham failed to convert. Then a penally came Auckland's way and Mincham further reduced the deficit with a neat kick. • Australia ll, 1 ' Auckland 8. D. Brown returned, the compliment for Australia and the - teams fought on a 13—8 basis until a minute of the finish, when Brown chimed into smart passing by the visitors on three occasions. Finally Gibbs received a pass well out on the left flank. Cooke came across in an effort to check his progress, but 111 failed to get up and Gibbs ran 1 in to score in a handy position. Brown's kick missect and-the game ended: Australia 16,- Auojtland 8.

the Critical Aspects. It was a game that ran the gamut of modern Rugger on a 'high plane, the play sweeping to all parts of the field in team work that both electrified and gripped to the very end. The climax came in the (second half when Auckland threatened to take charge, the challenge of the blue and whites taking them to . 'within a tryvalue of victory. Reminis.cteiKvdf.tHe winning try which gave this lOSS'iJßritiali team this? honours in their last ntiifcch -on the' saine ground, the Kangaroos- fairly-.may be said to have had a shade of good luck on the day—this without detracting one whit from their creditable success. With eight men who have international distinction, including one who has twice toured England, Australia pitted practically their Test selection against Auckland, so it says much for the home thirteen that it was able to keep the visitors to an eight-point margin in a total of 24 points spored. In spite of the gruel: ling, speedy and spectacular nature of the contest, with its tense forward duei,,i neither team lost a man in action—■* tribute to the fitness of the sides. The' visitors had the advantage of pack weight and ruled the set scrums. This, combined with their ability to retain possession and their finesse on attack, contributed: to their win,'-, That alone, however,- would not have been sufficient. They were called upon to face brilliant attacks by Auckland and their covering defence, with few exceptions, was equal to the task, even if. they did have that extra ounce of good fortune in the process. • Auckland's Fine Showing. Cooke generalled the Auckland thirteen as to the manner bom and his full-back display was always inspiring. Mincham was brilliant at centre at times, one of which was his fine run from half-way past McKinnon, cutting out Hines, to accept the inside reverse pass from Lou Brown and score. There were occasions, however, when his defence appeared in question in a side which was strong in that direction. Lou Brown went well, but sometimes got out of position in his overeagerness. The occasion was just a trifle too much for Hall, on the other wing, but, nevertheless, ne stood his ground, and like Kay, who was second five-eighth, will benefit much from this first big match experience. Kay, with Prentice, made a fine defensive line, but the need for more speed in moving up to tackle was. apparent. Though behind a sextet that was beaten for the ball, Powell did his duty satisfactorily. Tetley was a commanding. figure among the Auckland for: wards, whose play' in the open was a ; revelation, particularly in the second half, 1 when the team generally played with greater confidence. Laird was always in \ the fray and.showed form and speed in the loo'se, as did Quirke, who well made up for his hooking failure. Hutt, < Satherly and Telford were solid' ruckers : and. Telford revealed his usual oppor- < tunism when the line is in sight. How Powell juggled that ball to him for the ' second try will be discussed by them! It was the culmination of several of the thrilling forward rallies which the clash \ featured. 1

Visitors In Review. early in' the dityf arid .had ; rested after a perfect voyage acrdiss': the Tasmari, took the field splendid (condition. "With a monopoly; fjjgm,/the,scrums, itheir. .backsmoat:. of.Mt,. r -titit . an, excess of kicking early in the second spell; enabled i -.S 0 !? re its' merits, and, better bjr.-.thb, forwards, who commenced-t4 l t/eXery l .oiAice of energy Vu° „ elr dcrtims, the game; Mffsv.tp; meii&hU ni Auckland cbanengeaiy The visitors' lead was rapid^r^jj^fjirsthree joints and. the public h{Wi : yiacjfl#,,iifi-, a possible Australian' defeat. not to b<fesTi& consistent^lJaVe -Bfovtfn-, who seemed to be on< i; the field, after adding two points off,.-hifr,' boot, handled • three 1 times in an' irresistible flank bout for three parts the length of the field which resulted in Gibbs scoring., . Scoring ten of his team's 16 points, the calculating centre was ably supported by McKinnon. After early uncertainty Ward, at fullback, gav« a masterful exhibition of full-

back play, frequently running his backs into action. To a certain extent Hines was bottled up by Lou Brown, but, nevertheless, he was dangerous and proved that he is a hard man to stop in possession. He was suffering from a shoulder bump in the later stages. The Queensland flankman Mahon did not impress much, /but' wii3' eventually in good stride. Aii outstanding man was Norman at fiveeighth—fleet, rugged' and with adept backing-up methods. Of course, Thicknesse was opening up moves with lightning facility and drawing the opposition successfully before letting the ball go. The half-back has greatly improved since last seen here and his brilliance is undoubted. Fairall made the best use of his hooking chahc6s in a strong pack, of which Stelir, Gibbs and Pcarce were the best ruckers. Curran was an effective and honest toiler in the tight and loose. He scored the opening try and contributed to the last. Prigg played the ideal loose forward "game as befitting his experience. As predicted in these columns, the Eastern Suburbs' inside back formation played a big part in the game.

TEAM FOR WELLINGTON. The tourists will leave by the 3 p.m. express to-day for Wellington, where on Wednesday they will meet a combined team, returning to Auckland on Friday •morning for Saturday's first Test match. In the Wellington fixture three backs and four forwards will make their first appearance on the field in the Dominion, the team being as follows:— Full-back. —J. Whittle (Queensland). Three-quarters.—S. Goodwin. D. Brown, R. MeKinnon, R. Hines (New South Wales). Five-eighth.—V. Thicknesse (New South Wales). Half-back.—F. Gilbert (Queensland). Forwards. —11. Bicliel (Queensland), M. Shields, R. Stelir (New South Wales). Second row: E. Collins (Queensland), E. Lewis (New South Wales). Breakaway: W. Prigg (New South Wales). The combined team is announced as follows:— Full-back.—lvan Wilson (late Auckland). Three-quarters.—Gladding (Wellington), Hunt, captain (Taranaki), Smith (Hawke's Bay). Five-eighths.—Atkins, Lilburne (Wellington ). ITalf-back. —O'Connor (Wellington).

Forwards.—Moisley. (Wellington), Ward, hooker (Canterbury), .Coutts, Gunn, Yule (Wellington)," Serra (Canterbury).