ALL BLACK TRIAL

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21483, 27 May 1935, Page 6

ALL BLACK TRIAL

MATCH AT DUNEDIN FORM OF CANTERBURY PLAYERS [From Our Own Reporter.J DUNEDIN, May 25. The comprehensive series of trial matches to assist the New Zealand selectors to choose an All Black team to tour Great Britain in 1935-3G was advanced a stage to-day when combined provincial teams played at Carisbrook. The combined Canter-bury-South Canterbury-Ashburton team defeated the combined Otago-Southland-North Otago team by 10 points to 9. As a guide to the selectors the match was a little disappointing, general lack of understanding among players brought together at short notice—a feature unavoidable in such trial matches—and unenterprising play by the inside backs marring the perfect development of scores of attacking movements which were promising at their initiation. Otherwise the match produced fast, hard Rugby in which the tackling by both teams was outstanding. No representative match in Dunedin for years has produced such consistently strong defensive work and the combined Canterbury team excelled in this. The weather for the match was perfect—brilliant sunshine, a light breeze, and a soft but not holding ground. The attendance was 12,000. The New Zealand selectors, Messrs V. R. Meredith (Auckland), E. McKenzie (Wairarapa), Alan A. Adams (West Coast), and W. Pearson (Otago) watched the match from scats at the touch-line.

Good Backs Beat Good Forwards The score was a very good indication of the merits of the two sides on the day. In brief, general terms the dominance in the forwards by the southern combined team was more than counter-balanced by the superiority of the northern combined team's backs, which were faster, cleverer, and much more mobile on both attack and defence. Only desperate defending stemmed attack after attack launched by the northern backs. With a much more experienced front row to the scrum brilliantly led by the All Black hooker, J. Hore, the southern combined team secured a disproportionate share of the ball from the set scrums in the second half of the match. The inability of the southern backs to* turn this to account provided striking evidence of the lack of initiative of the inside backs. Gillies and Trevathan neither of whom made a break throughout the match. Trevathan showed up well on defence. The northern five-eighths were little better, both Gaffaney and Mortlock failing to give consistent thrust to the attack. This appeared to be mainly due to Gaf?aney's lack of understanding with L. Brown at half. Gaffaney made many neat individual bursts past the scrum, and on the blind side, but in orthodox movements appeared to lose thrust by checking in his stride before passing. This hesitancy spoiled many of Mortlock's opportunities. Both Gaffaney and Mortlock defended grimly. It was clear that both were cleverer inside backs than those playing for the southern combined team, and they undoubtedly should figure in the later South Island trial matches. Gaffaney has not fully recovered from a severe bout of influenza, and Mortlock is just" reaching form again after a similar bout a fortnight ago.

Simon a First-class Half Simon, the Otago half-back, played an outstanding game behind the southern scrurn. He was in every attacking movement, and his passing was admirable He whipped the ball away very fast and passed accurately. On form in this match Simon is entitled to be classed as the best half-back in the South Island to-cay. Trevathan

and Gillies had only themselves to blame that they did not make a firstclass showing. Simon served thern tirelessly and brilliantly. By comparison the northern halfback, L. Brown, of Canterbury, was slow, but his display was a very {Xlucky one. He had a great deal to contend with because the southern pack was superior, but he did not shirk any work. His anticipation was good and his tackling hard and low. His one fault—and it seriously hampered Gaffaney and Mortlock —was a lack of sharpness in his passing.

Oliver Best Back in Game The three-quarters did not have the opportunities to give any real indication of their comparative merit in orthodox attacks, but the form was interesting. C. J. Oliver, of Canterbury, was the outstanding back on the field as centre three-quarter for the northern combined team. On attack he was versatile, fast, and always dangerous. He missed one tackle in the match. On this season's form it seems impossible that Oliver should mi3s the trip to Great Britain. He is the best centre in the Dominion—better than Caughey of Auckland—and if the selectors do not find it. necessary again to play him in the fiveeighths line because of the scarcity of good inside backs, he should not be prevented from proving that quality beyond doubt this, season. The Southland back, N. Mitchell, playing centre for the southern side, played a sound game and although not as versatile or brilliant as Oliver demonstratod that ho is n powerful runner with ability to give thrust to an attack and thus give his wings a chance. He appeared too slow oil the mark to be classed as an outstanding back, but, in his stride, is a hard man to tackle and is most determined. He may be seen to better advantage in the later trials as his quality is certain to earn further chances for him.

Two Sound Full-Backs There was very little to choose between the two full-backs, G. T. Nolan, of Canterbury, and J. Taylor, of Otago. Both did all that was required of them. Nolan was more uncertain in gathering (he ball in than usual, and Taylor and Nolan both showed an inclination to try for too much length in their kicking, and thus not finding the touchline. Taylor kicked two very fine penalty goals late in the match. The first was from 50 yards out. Nolan tackled furiously. Once Mitchell cut in in loose play inside the twenty-five line and was travelling fast for what appeared a certain try under the goalposts when Nolan grassed him with a very strong, low tackle. Hart was the best of the wings. Ke must be one of the certainties for the All Black tour. He was very

closely watched by Olliver, the former Wellington representative and All Black, who now plays in Southland. Olliver has great pace and tackled well. It looked as if he has regained some of 'the form that won him All Black honours. He was not given a chance on attack. Morrison, of South Canterbury, and Watt, of Otago, had an interesting duel on the other side of the field. Neither was given an opportunity on attack. Watt has a great reputation in Otago for speed and dash. This match gave him no opportunity to show true form. Morrison has been exceptionally unlucky in the trials to date. He has not had the ball in chain passing movements. It will be a pity if such a promising young ,three-quarter is not given a further opportunity to prove his worth outside backs who send the ball out.

Many Solid Forwards The scrum work of the forwards was not very impressive, although the superiority of the southern forwards in the set scrums was most pronounced. There were several disappointments. Berry, playing as lock—a position to which he is unaccustomed—did not play well, and the loose forward, A. Carrodus, was not up to standard. He was keen, but his play lacked direction. Purdue was sound without being outstanding at any stage of the game. At the head of most of the southern attacks were L. Niven, a very promising forward, Hore, L. George, and F. Vorrath. All those players should figure in the later South Island trials. George Is a splendid type of forward for the front row.

In the Canterbury pack R. Seaton, the loose forward J. Manchester, G. Giddings, and H. Deavoll were easily the best. Manchester had the misfortune to receive a kick on the hand in the first half of the match, which broke two small bones. He did not return to the field after half-time, and it is very doubtful if the hand will be healed in time for his participation in further trial matches. Manchester should be one of the first forwards picked for the All Black tour, so that the injury at this stage is not as serious for him as it might have been for other forwards who are striving to reach peak form in the trials. Manchester played a sterling game in the first half, being the best forward on the ground. Seaton played the game of his life. He was everywhere on attack and defence. He should be certain of further chances in the trials. His dribbling is excellent. Giddings and Deavoll both played outstanding games. Deavoll is im: roving with every match and should become a firstclass forward with experience in this class of Rugby. He never shirk 3. Giddings is at the peak of his form and is playing better now than when he had his chance in the All Black trials last year. In him South Canterbury has a strong candidate for All Black honours. Adkins and Hattersley, two of the front row forwards for the northern combined team, played solidly. Hattersley had to leave the field injured. McKenzie, the hookei\ played pluckily against such an experienced hooker as J. Hore. N. Hawke assisted Deavoll to lock the scrum efficiently. This was Hawke's first taste of big Rugby, and he is likely to develop later.

B. Doi?,c replaced Manchester, and during the second half frequently showed up in the loose. There was some amusement in the second half when Hattersley left the field The northern team had no more emergency forwards, and E. Black, of Ashburton, a back, took the field in the forwards. He was far from being disgraced.

The Teams and YVcfchts The teams were as follows: Otaßo-Southland North Otago Full-back. J. Taylor (Otago), list 81b. Three-quarters: J. Watt (Otugo) 12st, N. Mitchell (Southland) 13st, D. Olliver (Southland) list 21b. Five-eighths: T. Trevathan (Otago) list Gib, C. Gillies (Otago) list 41b. Half-back: H. Simon (Otago) lOst Gib. Forwards: Front row, L. George (Southland) 13st 101b, J. Hore (Otago) 13s 71b, G. McDonald (Otago) 13st 31b; middle row, L. Nivcn (Otngo) 13st, R. Berry (Southland) 14st, G. Purdue (Southland) 15st 41b, F. Vorrath (Olago) 14st 21b; back row, H. Carrodus (North Otago) 13st Clb, Canterbury-South Canterbury-Ashbur-ton Full-back: G. T. Nolan (Canterbury) 13st. Three-quarters: G. F. Hart (Canterbury) list 101b, C. J. Oliver (Canterbury) list 121b, T. Morrison (South Canterbury) 12st Clb. Five-eighths: K. S. Mortlock (Canterbury) list 81b, G. Gaffaney (South Canterbury) list 61b. Half-back: L. Brown (Canterbury) list 41b. Forwards: Front row, G. Adkins (South Canterbury) 14st 81b, E. Mc-Kenz-'e (Ashburton) 13st, O. Hattersley (Canterbury) 14st; middle row, J. Manchester (Canterbury) 14st 31b, H. Deavoll (Canterbury) 13st 81b, H. Hawkc (Ashburton) 13st 91b, G. Giddings (South Canterbury) 14st 71b, R. Seaton (South Canterbury) 13st 71b. Both B. Doig (Ashburton), 14st, and E. Black (Ashburton), 12st 31b, took the field during the game when first Manchester and then Hattersley of the Canterbury-South Canterbury-Ashbur-ton side left the field injured.

The Scoring Movements The ftrst score of the match occurred a minute before half-time. Deavoll burst from a loose rush in mid-field and broke past three defenders before Seaton joined in and pushed the thrust home to the twentyfive lino. With excellent judgment he linked up with the three-quarters racing outside him, and the ball flew from Giddings to Mortlock to Oliver to Hart, with the southern defence at sixes and sevens. Hart made no mistake and raced outside Olliver and past Taylor for a fine try near the corner flag. Deavoll kicked an excellent goal from the difficult angle. Canterbury Combined 5, Otago Combined 0.

Before 10 minutes of the second half had passed the northern representatives had increased their lead. The try was a triumph for the two best opportunists on the field—C. J. Oliver and R. Scaton. Simon had opened play neatly in northern's half when Oliver sent a wild pass into a ruck. Seaton pounced on it in a flash, struggled clear of the milling forwards end, confronted by Mitchell and Trevathan, kicked ahead. Oliver "came from the clouds" to race past the defence, desperately rallying, and he kicked the ball past Taylor, the full-back. For 30 yards Oliver and Gillies raced for possession, the ball rolling over the goal-line. As Oliver dived for the ball Gillies tackled liim and threw him aside, and Seaton,

R. Seaton (South Canterbury), who played an outstanding game as loose forward in the All Black trial match at Dunedin.

again on the spot first, touched down. The referee, however, properly awarded Oliver a penalty try for Gillies's obstruction. Deavoll kicked another neat goal. Canterbury Combined 10, Olago Combined 0. With the southern forwards controlling the set Ecrums for almost 20 minutes continuously their backs had a feast of the ball. The defence could not be shaken, however, the northern back line tackling desperately to a man. It remained for the forwards to make th 3 ftrst score for the southern side. A loose rush ended inside the twenty-live line, where Simon worked the blind side unsuccessfully. The forwards rallied round Watt quickly and Hore picked the ball up very smartly In loose play and crashed over at the corner flag. Taylor's kick was just outside the nearer upright. Canterbury Combined 10, Otago Combined 3.

Again and again defensive work saved for the northern side, and counter-attacks were developed from the loose play in which the northern forwards were more than holding their own. making up to some extent for less satisfactory combination in the set scrums. Gaffaney cost north three points. He went down to a rush well, but lay on the ball. Taylor kicked a magnificent goal from 50 yards out from a position almost in front of the goal-posts. Canterbury Combined 10, Otago Combined 0. For a time it appeared that there would be no further score, the defensive work of both sides being outstandingly good, but the crowd were given an exciting ending to the match when Taylor kicked another penalty—this time fvom 30 yards out. Canterbury 10, Otago Combined 9. The pace was fast in the four minutes of the game that remained. However the northern forwards dominated the loose play and the backs, by combined passing, were attacking strongly on Hart's wing when the final whistle sounded. Canterbury Combined 10, Otago Combined 9. Referee, Mr L. E.' Macassey. TRIAL MATCH AT ' WESTPORT COMBINED TEAM CHOSEN

(tasss ARBOCUTIOK TI2LEQRAM.) WSSTPORT, May 25. Buller and West Coast had their first home and home Rugby match of the season at Victoria square this afternoon under ideal playing conditions and with a good attendance of spectators. The match was of special interest because from it the combined team was to be chosen to meet the Nelson-Marlborough-Golden Bay combination at Nelson next Wednesday. The Coast fielded a much heavier pack than Buller, and while the latter held them 3-0 in the first half, the weight told its tale in the second, when the Coast backs had a feast of the ball and started many passing movements, in which the forwards also joined. Mann, the Coast vying three-quarter, was first to score, an unconverted try. Play up to half-time was very even. In the second half West (2) and A Scandrett scored trier, for Coast, Hughes and Gilbert each converting one, while E. Holder scored two unconverted tries for Buller. On the day's play Graham (Buller) outshone Gilbert (Coast). Buttress, Orman, Harding, Robertson, and Brown were the best of the Buller team, while Mann, M. Davidson, Hooper, L. Hughes, W. McNeight, Preitas, and R. King were outstanding for the Coast. The following were chosen to meet the northern team at Nelson:—Gilbert; Holder, Ahern, Mann; E. Hooper, W. Hughes; Davidson; Uniacke, Orman, M. Scandrett, Buttress, R. King

Harding, McNeight, C. Robertson, with Brown (forward) and Graham (back) as emergencies.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

The draw for the seventh round of matches in the Canterbury Rugby Union's first grade competition, to .be played next Saturday, is as follows: University v. Sunnyside. Albion v. Linwood. Old Boys v. Christchurch. Sydenham v. Merivale. Athletic a bye. • • «

I. Crockett, the Sydenham backranker, was ordered off in the match against Athletic at Rugby Park. This is the first time this season that such action has been taken against a player in the senior competition. The incident occurred when Sydenham was pressing Athletic in the second spell. A scrum had been ordered, and mogt of the forwards had packed down when the referee (Mr L. A. Keys) blew the whistle, and ordered Crockett, who was standing behind the scrum, to leave the field. To the spectators in the stand there was no apparent reason for the action, but the referee stated after the match that he had ordered Crockett off for talking back at him.

Sydenham's defeat was the team's first logs of the season, and it was totally unexpected. Indeed, the match was full of surprises—the changed form of Athletic from the whistle; the success of a second-grade olayer. E. Malley, at second five-eighths; the devastating finish by an apparently beaten team, which scored two tries in 10 minutes; the failure of usually reliable men with easy penalty kicks; the confidence of the Athletic backs in passing rushes; and their sterling defence.

Malley, a splendidly built, agile player, was very sound indeed, and made all the difference to the play of the backs. He was always cool, and with few exceptions passed accurately and at the right time. But he was more than a connecting link in the chain of backs. His kicking on attack showed that he used his brains. He frequently found the weak spot in the defence, and it was a short punt to the open field which led to Moran's try early in the second spell. On defence he was often prominent for his coolness in the face of fast forward attacks, and made only, one mistake, but that was covered up safely. He scored the try that put Athletic in the lead.

L. Moran, at centre-three-quarter, was not on form with his kicking missing two easy conversion kicks and a penalty; but otherwise he played his usual valuable • sme, his work in the second half, when Sydfenham opened a series of hot attacks, saving his side again and again.

il _ Th !L, S , yd ? nham P3 ck coul( J »ot hold the Athletic forwards, who played a more spirited game, and kept on the ball with surprising persistency. The best forward on the ground was Athletic s captain, D G. Simpson. In hne-ouls. in the tight, and in the loose he frequently caught the eye. He played with the dash that has been lacjpng in his game this season, but which won him representative honours a season or so ago, He took some knocks, but he was as much in ihe iront at the finish as he was when the game began. M. McKendry and V+ <?. mmor i /^? re both invaluable. At the end of the game the Athletic foi wards had the spectators on their toes, for with a two-point lead <hev kept the play open, throwing the bail about almost recklessly, but these tactics paid, and the Sydenham defence Simply could not cope with the surprising burst of form at such a stage of the match. 6

rZu C i,.h am Z h l tw r ecn Sunnyside and Christchurch, at Lancaster Park on Saturday, was far from the slowest seen this season, and at no stage did

players give the impression that they were wasting time. It was just an average game for line-outs, scrums, and infringements, and it can be taken that the play would give an idea as to how much time is wasted In a game o'f Rugby. In this game more than half the first half was taken up in stoppages of various kinds, and 40 line-outs occupied eight minutes 43 seconds, the time taicen averaging from six seconds to 20 seconds. From the time the first try was scored until the ball was kicked off again 48 seconds elapsed, and force-downs took another 39 seconds. Free-kicks to both sides took from 50 seconds to nine seconds for a total period of three minutes 31 seconds, and an injury to a player cost 80 seconds. Nearly 30 scrums, averaging from 30 seconds to three seconds took another five minutes 20 seconds. A conservative estimate of the time spent in stoppages of play in,this game is 23 minutes 12 seconds, and shows that actual football was being played less than half the time. In calculating the time loft a stop-watch was started as the whittle was blown, and stopped when the half-back put the ball in the scrum. In the case of free-kicks the time was taken from whistle to kick being taken.

* ♦ C Although the forward play in the match between Sunnyside and Christchurch on the Oval was not particularly hard, there appeared at times to be a certain amount of tension in the scrums. On several occasions fists were used, but warnings from the referee made a great improvement. Practically no instances of deliberately late tackling were noticed * * * Ollivier, on the left wing for Christchurch, made the best of the opportunities that came his way, and in a clever piece of individual play scored the side's only try. Before that, however, he threw away an almost certain try by failing to take a pass cleanly. The Christchurch backs were making a rush and had only a few yards to go when the ball was thrown to Ollivier. The winger, however, appeared to be watching Oliver, the opposing wing, so closely that he did not look for his pass, and knocked it on.

• • • Oliver, Bisphan and Chinnery formed a fairly strong three-quarters line for Sunnyside. Both Oliver and Chinnery showed speed off the mark, as well as considerable resource, while Bisphan, a powerful runner, gave late thrust to the movements. The inside backs, although showing patches of good form, on the whole served their three-auarters poorly. » • • One of the chief faults of the Christchurch backs was slow lob passing. The fast breaking and heavy Sunnyside forwards were quick to realise the possibilities of these passes. They smothered many attacks and from them started profitable dribbling rushet which Christchurch found difficulty in stopping.

Christchurch must have been giving away a considerable amount of weight in the forwards, but for most of the game kept their end up with extra vigour. Towards the end of the game, however, the weight was beginning to tell. Frengley was a frequent v? ?* tlle Christchurch rushes and Almond was working solidly in the tight. Newton and Howell were probably the best of Sunnyside's forwards. ♦ • *

Old Boys deserve credit for the enterprise of their play and their effective changes in tactics on Saturday. They started with their characteristic dash and in a few minutes had scored two unconverted tries. For the remainder of the spell their backs got going on every possible occasion, sometimes starting rushes from inside r own twenty-five. University had stiffened their defence against "these tactics. Early in the second spell Old Boys suddenly changed their style to forward attacks, one hot sortie resulting in a try. The two penalties alsO came through "University players beinf penalised for holding on to the ball in the attempt-to step similar forward rushes.