BRITISH ISLES TEAM WINS AT TIMARU

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26127, 1 June 1950, Page 6

BRITISH ISLES TEAM WINS AT TIMARU

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Margin Of 19 Points In Open Game

SOUTH CANTERBURY OUTPLAYED

The game between British Isles and South Canterbury played at Fraser Park, Timaru, yesterday, provided grand entertainment for a big crowd. With a feast of the ball from set scrums, of which the tourists won 28 to 7 by South Canterbury, the scrum half, W. R. Willis, was given many chances to set in action his fast, elusive outside backs. At no stage was the game kept tight and in the comparatively few chances given them the South Canterbury backs threw the ball about with refreshing freedom and were as well prepared to take risks as were their more polished opponents.

British Isles won by 27 points (3 goals from tries, 3 tries and a field goal) to 8 points (a goal from a try and a penalty goal).

With the exception of the line-outs, which were won by South Canterbury by 26 to 23 with 20 indecisive, the British Isles team showed marked superiority. Half-back and forwards did everything possible to send the speedy three-quarters on their way, and while the object was to get the ball to the wing-three-quarters the play was often opened up again inside and at times the spectators were as much bewildered as the South Canterbury players by the speed and certainty with which the British Isles team threw the ball about.

In some previous games the Brit- ■ ish Isles team had not shown the perfect understanding in back movements that should exist in a really ; good team. The team has gained a ! lot of confidence by its good display in the drawn first test match, and in yesterday’s game there was no j show of hesitancy in taking the ball, and players in difficulties were always assured of the backing-up of I more than one player. South Canterbury’s backs, outclassed from the start, stopped their opponents. but there was not enough vim j in their tackling, and often when a : British Isles back was stopped he was j not dropped, and. with his hands free, was able to send a pass to one of his supports. It was a remark- j ably fine exhibition of good, clean handling, hard, straight running by the outside men. and particularly good control of the ball in the forwards. Willis, the Welsh half-back, is not by any means the finished player without a man of J. W. Kyle's ability j outside him Willis, while playing j soundly on defence, took many risks in wild, unorthodox passes to his; stand-off half. The back-hand whip pass, faster than any dive-pass, was often hurried, and many of the ortho- i dox passes from the scrum were low | and not always well directed. Yet ; Kyle, the master of the team and the ; best handler New Zealand Rugby has seen for many a day. took these transfeis with an ease that made them look simple. Not once was Kyle caught off balance or out of position. Ankle-high passes were snapped up and sent along the line as though this particular brand was ordered, and while this was the general run of play, there were occasions when an opening presented itself, and through this Kyle shot with an acceleration of speed that was amazing. Reaching Form Each game Kyle plays sends him higher in the estimation of students of Rugby. There were others, too. who on yester- i day’s form showed that they were reach- 1 ing the form they were credited with pos- ! sessing before the tour was commenced. I. Preece, the stand-off half-back. who. j because of injuries to other players, has ■ had to go to centre three-quarters, was the right partner for Kyle, and had a perfect understanding with the brilliant ! inside man. He was always a good link. Occasion ally he cut in with great speed i and in these bursts he never lost contact with his backs. In the loss of Bleddyn Williams and the inclusion of Preece as a centre, the British Isles team has not I suffered irreparable loss. N. J. Henderson. the straight-running Irish centre, whose activities have been curtailed be- > cause of an injury' suffered against West Coast, showed up again as a real prospect for the remaining test games. He is different from the other centres in the team. He is big and powerful, weighing 13st 21b. and plays with every pound of his solid frame. He has an elusive jink and swerve and can force his .way through really solid tackles. Much will be heard of Henderson if he remains sound for the rest of the tour. The keenest interest was taken in the form of the Olympic Welsh sprinter. K. J. Jones, and he delighted the crowd with his great bursts of speed with the ball or following the numerous well-placed positional kicks When called on he tackled the strong-running J Taylor in approved manner. R. Macdonald (Scotland), originally selected as a centre, appears to have found his right place as a wing. In the early games his form was , not up to the standard set by some other j members of the team. He is inclined to j hang on too long and he threw away ; an almost certain try when he had only J. W. Goddard to beat and a line of for- ; wards outside him. He paid the penalty ' when he elected to attempt to beat the • South Canterbury full-back. W. R. Cleaver (Wales- played his usual game, handling cleanly, kicking accurately, if not with the length of J. W. Goddard, and when the opportunity offered he joined in the passing rushes. In this move he showed a nice judgment and was unlucky not to score a try. He knocked on —a rare offence with him—just when he had the goal-’ine in sight. The Forwards The captain, P. W. Kininmonth (Scotland, went up high and often for the ball in the line-outs, and though he enjoyed some success he met more than his match in the South Canterbury captain. L A. Grant, one of the greatest line-out forwards New Zealand has known m recent years. Although Grant was not able to take part in the trials for New Zealand selection, his form in yesterday’s game points to his selection for future tests. He appeared fresher and fitter than several of the forwards who took the field in the first test at Dunedin last week J. W. McKay (Ireland), a wing-forward, appeared to be leniently treated by the referee in raiding the South Canterbury backs, and apparent) v he was quite ready to take any latitude given him J. T. Clifford (Ireland ► and G. Budee < Scotland) were two of the most honest workers in the pack and J. D. Robins (Wales), always a hard scrummaser, raised hopes that he would become the Okey Geffin of the team because of hi= go=l-kieking. Robins kicked three goals and others went very close to j the posts. All those which missed were really good attempts from difficult angles. At full-back for South Canterbury -I W. Goddard showed he is still a serious contender for a place in future tests He was placed in more awkward positions j than, his opposite number. Cleaver, and > he came through a trying ordeal with full marks. His handling was only once i at fault when he failed to field a rolling 1 ball. His line-finding was well directed and although outnumbered when the British backs were in action he prevented several almost certain tries. J. Taylor, at wing three-quarters, could never get the chance awaited by his many admirers and while he was once outpaced by Jones, his solid tackling did much to keep the Welsh flyer in check. M P. Goddard tired towards the finish after showing some of his well-known brilliance in the very few chances that c?me his way Like R. Stoddart, he had few chances. T. Doherty and R Moore, at five-eighths, with the half-back. W H. Coulter, stood up to a hard gruelling with commendable pluck. The quick-breaking British forwards «ave them few chances

L. A Grant and J Bryce were the oniv two forwards tn match their opponents in th** line-out. and neither was found wanting in other aspects of play. A splendid game was played by the, Geraldine front-ranker. N. H Hobbs, who worked tirelessly throughout and thoroughly earned a good try. A. H Direen and M. C. Eathorne got through solid work against a better team. The teams were:—

British Isles Full-back. W B. Cleaver: three-quar-ters, K. J Jones. N. J. Henderson. I Preece. R B.T-edonald; half-backs. J W. Kyle. W. R Willis. Back row. P. W. Kininmonth (captain);

middle row. W. G. Roberts. T. Clifford, J. E. Nelson, J. W. McKay; front row, G. M. Budge. D. M. Davies. J. D. Robins. South Canterbury Full-back, J. W. Goddard: threequarters. R. Stoddart, M. P. Goddard. J. Taylor; five-eighths. A. R. Moore, T. Doherty; half-back, W. J. Coulter. Front row. G. Cormack. I. Patterson, N. H. Hobbs; locks. M. C. Eathorne, J. Bryce; side row. L. A. Grant. R. M. Comer; back of scrum, A. H. Direen. Scoring Moves Preece, for British Isles, and J. W. Goddard. for South Canterbury, put in long, well-directed line-kicks early in the game and from the first scrum the ball went out smartly from Willis to Kyle to Preece, who burst through the South Canterbury five-eighths. Grant. Bryce, and Hobbs led the South Canterbury pack and after passing Bryce lost a good chance when he knocked on. Doherty, for South Canterbury, started a bright movement, which was carried on by Moore, Patterson, Cormack, and Stoddart. who was well tackled by Cleaver. A short punt by Doherty caused trouble to Cleaver, who slipped when on his own goal-line. Kyle came to the rescue and Willis whipped a pass to Kyle, who set the rest of the backs going tor the line. Eathorne stopped the move when he tackled Preece, and immediately a scrum was formed the ball shot back to Willis to Preece, who potted a goal from 25 yards out. Preece and J. W. Goddard were again responsible for splendid kicking, and Kyle showed his real class w'hen he cleverly side-stepped the opposing five-eighths and started a brilliant passing rush in which Henderson, Preece, and Macdonald handled. The lastnamed went over for a fine try. which Robins converted from well out. Taylor stopped Jones with*a fine tackle when the Welshman was well on the way to the line, but in another passing rush Jones had the overlap on Taylor and his pace carried him over for a try. which Robins converted with another fine kick. Robins attempted a goal from a yard outside half-way. which went wide, and M. P. Goddard showed speed when he beat several backs and passed the ball to a forward. who knocked on. Taylor was injured in a tackle, and retired from the field. At half-time, British Isles led by 13 points to 0. Willis received in the open and sent a reverse pass to Kyle, who made a great run through the South Canterbury backs. Taylor stopped Jones with a whole-heart-ed tackle, but then the British backs and forwards who started a passing rush from loose play, tossed the ball about in bewildering fashion and after play had gone across the field it swung back and McKay burst through the centre for a fine try. which Robins converted. The next score came from a jpreak through by Kyle, who passed to Henderson. The ball went on to McKay, who scored. A splendid bout of passing by South Canterbury backs and forwards, in which Grant. Bryce, and Comer took part, ended when Hobbs finished off the movement with a good try, which J. W. Goddard converted. For a scrum infringement. British Isles were penalised, and J. W. Goddard kicked a penalty goal. The bounce of the ball beat J. W. Goddard, and Roberts scored. Mr W. Fright was the referee.