BRITISH TEAM LOSES TO OTAGO

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26118, 22 May 1950, Page 8

BRITISH TEAM LOSES TO OTAGO

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Margin Of 14 Points

WEAKNESSES IN VISITORS’

BACK PLAY

From Our Own Reporter

DUNEDIN, May 21

Otago played dour Ranfurly Shield-winning football to score a clear-cut win over the British Isles by 23 points to 9 in a game that revealed very of high-class Rugby at Carisbrook on Saturday. The free and open British back play was not effective against the match-winning style adopted by Otago, which had the game in safe keeping long before half-time.

There was plenty of weight in the forwards on both sides and in the loose scrums and rucks the teams were fairly evenly matched. The Otago team packed as one man and in the tight rucks kept together and used every ounce of weight. The Otago passing rushes found gaps in the defence when any individual back attempted a straight run.

The fears expressed that the British carefree, open passing game would not stand up to the hard tackling of a good team were more than justified. In the easier games played in the last fortnight a mistake in handling could be covered up by other backs, but in this game mishandling—and there was plenty of it—exacted a hard penalty.

Otago scored four tries, one of which was converted, and kicked three penalty goals. The visitors’ points came from two penalty goals and a try.

Just as the South Africans had j beaten New Zealand by their relent- j less, and close, if uninteresting play. Otago beat the British Isles. The ■ ground, with the sting out of it, was j in perfect order for a fast open game and suited one team as well as the other. Much really good football was | played, and on occasions the British Isles opened out in a bewildering fashion that should have had the big crowd of 35,000 cheering wildly. In the- games at Nelson, Westport, and Greymouth, the visitors had had their own way. Yesterday they met big, hard, vigorous forwards who could xr.atch them in all departments except speed. In the set scrums Otago was successful 18 times and the British Isles 12. and in the line-outs an advantage of 30-20 was held by Otago. The referee, Mr A. Roberts, found many causes for complaint against Otagu. for he awarded 16 penalties to the visiting team and nine to Otago. It seemed that he was lenient, lor the side rankers on both sides were breaking too quickly from the scrum and maxing the life of the half-backs anything but a happv one. Gaps Near British Scrum To many, the long passes by the British Isles, with the receiver standing flatlooted as the ball swung along the line, did not appeal as high-grade lootball, tor neither of the wing men had any chance of running round W. A. Meates or R. K. Bell. The usual procedure was to send the ball along the line, and possibly the British Isles backs expected Otago to play a similar game. With this idea in mind, the visitors .ert big gaps close to the scrum and there the most w r as made of the chances by the Ctago first five-eighths, L. S Haig, who went through twice for match-winning points. Not only in the forwards were the visitors beaten. Otago, with its straightrunning L. S. Haig and R. R. Elvidge, and the brilliant wing three-quarters, W. A. Meates, showed up weaknesses in the defence and only for unpardonably weak handling several times Otago might well have put on a few more points. L. Haig and Meates were the two best backs on the ground, and each man scored two tries, the result of brilliant dashes. The Otago forwards showed how unlikely it is that any provincial team in New Zealand will take the shield away. With eight New Zealand representatives in the Otago pack, the British Isles team was up against a stiff proposition. To-day’s game and the one to be played against Southland on Tuesday should do much to give the British Isles team the training and ruggedness required to meet a team of New Zealand’s best. In the four games played, the British Isles have finished the game with only 14 men because of injuries. M. F. Lane left the field in the match at Nelson, J. W. McKay, who has played 15 games for Ireland, retired half-way through the game against Buller. N. J. Henderson, a brilliant centre, was hurt while playing against West Coast, and yesterday M. C. Thomas, the highest scorer in the team, ■was compelled to retire with a ricked back. B. L. Williams, the vice-captain of the touring team, took the field for the first time, but it was evident on his play that he is not only lacking in condition but is unsound. He made a very weak link between the mercurial Kyle at standoff half and J. Matthews at centre threequarters. The Otago Players With the Otago forwards more than holding their own in all phases of forward play, and the opposing forwards breaking quickly, the Otago half-back, A. R. Haig, had an unpleasant time behind the scrum. He started off badly when he sent a rolling ball to his brother. L. S. Haig, at first five-eighths. This was his only serious lapse, however, for while he was continually harassed by the attentions of the two wing-forwards. R. T. Evans and E. R. John, he sent out well-timed passes which were always easy to handle. Haig plays the orthodox style of football and never attempts to go on his own. On the day, L. S. Haig, at first fiveeighths. was the most reliable back on the ground. His defence was solid, although he might well have attempted to give his backs more work to do instead of punting to the line. While not a highgrade attacking player, L. S. Haig is his forwards’ best friend. R R Elvidge did not provide any fireworks, and yet on yesterday’s display he was the general who dictated the stj.e of plav. In this game he was just a good solid outside five-eighths. C. Moore, at centre three-quarters, was the weak linK in a useful chain of backs. W. A. Meates had few scoring chances, although he went over for two very fine tries and his wort all through was thav of a master. Ir. his position at wmg threequarters he was never out of position, vet always ready to capitalise on the mistakes of the opnosition His tries were difficult and well scored. The full-back. G. J Moore, was never severely tested He handled cleanly and kicked reasonably well. In the forwards. P Johns>one. at act 8. was’ always a trouble to the < °PP" S ’" C half-back, and while J. R. McNab and V A Lunn, on the side of the scrum both appeared to be allowed plenty of latitude in their quick breaking from the scrum, both did well in 1m«-outs and ward rushes. The best *>nvards. ever were L. R. Harvey and H. W. Wil son. ’two locks who. though not Prominent in the loose, did more than their share tn line-outs and scrums.

K. L Jones, at wing three-quarters, used all his great speed with his football sense, and may have been unlucky when he missed a try in the second spell. He could never get a clear break, but in his defence he showed the quality of a good game footballer. Like the other backs, G. W. Norton, at full-back, appeared to allow the importance of the occasion to affect his play, and the hard following up and bustling by the Otago forwards did not allow him to show his West Coast form. His goal kicking was well below what is expected of him. The British Forwards In a useful pack of forwards that was shaded by Otago on the day. E. R. John, K. D. Mullen, and J. T. Clifford stood out for their all-round performances, with P. W. Kininmonth doing fine work in the line-out. For a good part of the second spell, the pack was a man short, and this affected the scrum work. For the first time on its tour the British team was soundly beaten in line-outs and scrums. The following were the teams:— British Isles.—G. W. Norton (Ireland), 12st 9ib; K. J. Jones (Wales) 12st 61b, B. L. Williams (Wales) 13st 61b, J. Matthews (Wales) 13st 81b, M. C. Thomas (Wales) 13st; J. W. Kyle (Ireland) 12st 71b, ” - WIIIIS (Wales) 12st 41b; J. D. Robins (Wales) 14st 101 b. K. D. Mullen (Ireland) wst, J. T. Clifford (Ireland) 14st 71b, V G. Roberts (England) 12st 121 b, E. R. John ale f.L 7l b’ D - J - Hayward (Wales) d S \ht R T - Evans (Wales) 13st 71b, P- W. Kininmonth (Scotland) 14st 131 b. Otago.—G. J. T. Moore 12st 101 b: W A Meates 12st 101 b, C. R. Moore 12st 41b, R. H- Bell 12st 21b; R. R. Elvidge 12st 21b, L. S. Haig I2st 121 b; A. R. Haig 12st 21b; R. A. Dalton 14st 71b, N. JL. Wilson 13st 71b, K. L. Skinner 14st 121 b, J. R. McNab 14st, E, £5 ar X ey T 14st 12,b ’ H ’ w - Wilson 14st 121 b, W. A. Lunn 14st 21b. P. A. Johnstone 13st 121 b. THE PLAY firrt°co? fter kick-off Otago won the rjpflr 5 ! Uni l nd Pl Haig had his te am defending when he sent a bad pass to L. Haig, Roberts taking play well into the Otago twenty-five. Kininmonth took the ball u cleanl - v in the first line-out and then . 7? a , lg sent a long kick to Norton, who misfielded. Kyle gained good stretches of ground with penalties awarded against Otago. When Otago heeled the ball in a scrum. L. Haig sold a dummy to Kvle, but Matthews tackled Elvidge in possession. From a scrum Willis sold a dummy to L. Haig, and after a well-placed up and under kick G. Moore was tackled on his own line. Meates tackled Thomas when the latter seemed well on the way to score, and a penalty kick by Norton fell a few yards short. Roberts did good work in stopping the Otago backs, who were nearly over when A. R. Haig. Elvidge, Moore, and Bell handled. Otago kept on the attack and when Evans was penalised for playing the ball on the ground after a tackle. Bell opened the scoring with a penalty goal. Meates was almost over when he just failed to take a low pass from Elvidge who grubber-kicked a little later and Norton carried over. From the ensuing scrum A. Haig sent a quick pass to L. Haig, who ran over unopposed. Bell’s kick went wide. Matthews was left without support when he side-stepped L. Haig and Elvidge and he was forced to kick for the line. Norton missed an easy shot at goal and when a kick by Kyle was charged down Elvidge secured and sent Meates over for a good try. Otaeo now had the better of the play and after Elvidge had hung on too long Meates narrowly missed a try. ! Willis was penalised for playing a tackled i ball and 801 l kicked his second penalty < goal. At half-time Otago led by 12 points to 0. The Second Spell Early in the second spell Otago was penalised three times and after Robins had failed with two long place-kicks, Thomas succeeded in kicking a goal. British Isles held the upper hand for a time, and after Jones had badly beaten C. Moore and Bell, he started a bout of passing in which the ball was tossed round at .great speed, the rush being spoilt by a short kick which went over the line. Williams, who had been shifted from centre to the wing, was feeling the effects of an injury and he failed to show speed when Kyle opened up a passing rush. After taking a difficult pass, Thomas went off with an injury to his back, but returned 10 minutes later. For a scrum infringement the British Isles was penalised and Bell kicked his third penalty goal. G. Moore was heavily tackled by John, and just when the British Isles looked like scoring. Bell intercepted a pass. With a line of backs ready to handle, a great chance was lost by a forward pass. Thomas again returned and Roberts played on the wing. Matthews cut the defence to ribbons when he went straight between Elvidge and Moore, and after a bout of passsing Kyle kicked over the line and was on hand to score a try. Clifford missed the kick, and after Meates had beaten Roberts he sent in a centre kick which was mulled. L. Haig followed a short grubber kick, picked up the ball, and went over for a good try. Bell converted. The spectators jeered when Robins attempted a kick from half-way. but cheered when the ball went over the bar with yards to spare. Bell, who had a clear field at the end of a passing rush, was overtaken and tackled by Jones, and when the ball rolled clear A. Haig sent the whole line of attacking backs moving and Meates went over for a good try at the corner. Mr A. Roberts (Hawke’s Bay) was the referee.

British Backs Bustled Many who expected the British Isles team to play fast, open football. andd S moralise the opposition with their speed, were sadly disappointed. The ,. bard t ta^ i ; ling and fast following up did not suit their style of play, and often backs were bustled into hurned passing. It was on very rare occasions that K'le was able to side-step his way throughi tne team as he had done in previous matches, nor was Matthews allowed to make his fast straight bursts for the line without being well tackled. The side was unlucky when it nlaced in the field an unsound man in Williams, and still more unlucky when Thomas, wing three-quarters, had to leave the field with a strained back. W R Willis, at half-back, had to take a gruelling from the quick breaking Otago forwards, and many of his passes were hurried and uncertain. Kyle, too, was worried, and in the early part of the game made several bad errors in handling which had not been noted in his earlier games. As the game progressed, however, Kvle showed glimpses of his true form, and when in the mood he side-stepped his opponent cleverly and did the work of three men on defence. He made a mistake, however, when he allowed L. S Haig to race past him for tries which looked very simple. Matthews, at centre, was the best of the British Isles backs. Always sound on defence, he made valiant efforts to break through the solid defensive back line He showed that it was not impossible and Elvidge and C. Moore had a big job on hand to attend to him. Matthews has played in all four games, and with the number of injured players m the party, it seems he will have to keep on playing.