QUEENSLAND XV. BEATEN

Press, Volume LXXXIIi, Issue 25214, 19 June 1947, Page 7

QUEENSLAND XV. BEATEN

ALL BLACKS WIN BY 25 POINTS TO 9 FAST PLAY SEEN AT TOOWOOMBA (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) TOOWOOMBA, June 18. The All Blacks gave the best display of the code in this State to defeat a Queensland team by 25 points to 9 at Toowoomba. Both sides sought to play as open a game as possible, aAd the tough rucking and do-or-die tackling that characterised the test and the first game against Queensland were absent. It was only to be expected that New Zealand would ‘‘take it easy.” With a long list of injuries and the second test only 10 days ahead, there was every reason for the players to nurse themselves. Moreover, the ground on which the match was played has a bad reputation. It was here that New South Wales had players injured in the first match of their tour of Queensland, among them the Australian captain, Phil Hardcastle. The New Zealand stars of the game were Johnny and Peter Smith, who played together for the first time in this State. They thrilled the 2000 spectators with repeated back-line thrusts. Johnny Smith used every trick in his attempts to break through the solid* Queensland defence, and New Zealand’s big total was the result. At fullback, Scott was, as usual, safe and clever. He came up to make the man over more often than was expected after his safe, orthodox test display. Scott, nevertheless, was overshadowed by the young Queensland full-back, Marsh, who was playing his first game for tne State. He had the crowd on its feet repeatedly with his brilliant marking, and although his kicking was not as reliable as his defence, it left very little to be desired. He lapsed when he speculated with a rolling ball and gave Hobbs a try. and when he missed Argus flying along the wing for his second try. Tetzlaff, like Scott, showed more initiative in his half-back play than he did against Queensland on Monday. Several times he broke clear from a scrum and ran yards before passing. Argus, too, brought the crowd to its feet on many occasions. He would have scored more often but for Marsh. Argus’s second try was one of the gems of the match. He ran 50 yards at top speed, scoring his try as he knocked the corner nag out of position. Goddard did not get the chances that Argus had, but he made the most of his few opportunities. Couch was just as reliable at five-eighths in the first half as was Kearney when he relieved him in the second. There was little to find fault with in the forwards’ play. The torrid test match atmosphere was missing, and by comparison the forwards appeared to coast along. New Zealand nad charge of the match for about 60 of the 80 minutes of play. The scrums and rucks were even, the better handling and safer passing of the New Zealanders making the difference in the scores.