AUSTRALIA BEATS WEST COAST

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27075, 25 June 1953, Page 5

AUSTRALIA BEATS WEST COAST

TfflGBY LEAGUE

Gruelling Game On Heavy Ground margin of six points (From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH. June 24 The Australian Rugby League team had o hard game to beat the West Coast representatives. 17-11 (five tries, one converted, gone converted try and three penalties) before a crowd of about 3000 at Wingham Park this afternoon. The half-time score was 14-9. After heavy ram yesterday, again last night, and throughout this morning and early afternoon. Wingham Park was partly covered with light sheets of water, and ♦he surface rapidly deteriorated into a virtual quagmire. The West Coast side fielded half of the first test forwards. Muicare, McLennan, and Neilson, and had versatile supporting forw’ards. It was felt that there was comparative weakness among the more youthful and inexperienced backs, but they too rose to the occasion with magnificent defensive play. The team missed a penetrating five-eighths of the calibre of G Menzies, whose continuing disability forced him to stand down. Injury prevented the promising young five-eighths. R. Broome, from taking the field, but his place was most capably filled by the recognised wing three-quarters C MacGougan. who showed greater thrust than any other inside back on the field. Brilliant Defence Lack of the ball from the scrums because of the precise and machine-like raking of the Australian hooker. A. Hornery, was disastrous to the West Coast but what the side lacked in drive on attack was compensated for by brilliant defence. The full-back, J. Soster, emerged with high honours, and kicked four goals His positional play, kicking, handling, and tackling were features of the game, and on the day he outshone his opposite Churchill, who appeared nonchalant throughout. It was perhaps unfortunate that N. Kennedy, on the wing, was hesitant about tackling Pidding when the fast Australian brushed him off for Australia’s first try. Otherwise the side’s defence could not be faulted.

In the first spell there were some outstanding passing bouts, particularly by the Australians, but a quagmire in the second spell precluded the possibility of much concerted effort. The visitors, however looked like being a good team on a reasonable ground. The game was a real test of stamina and though Australia hammered awav unceasingly in the second half in an effort to increase its tally, it was unavailing except for the occasion when the hefty forward. F. Ashton who was responsible for the bulk of the thrusts in typical bulldozing rushes, cleverly worked a reverse pass to the enterprising centre, McCaffrey, who broke through a gap and returned the ball lor Ashton to score a fine However, in spite of strong support from Davies. Cowie, Bull, and Gill Ashton did not achieve a great deal in his determined efforts, and at times was brought down by two West round his ankles. * McCaffrey Plays Well

Both the wingers, Pidding and Carlson gave glimpses of brilliance, and though Pidding was not well suited to the bad ground, he showed initiative at all times on attack. Carlson was a trifle unlucky in not getting more than one try. He was waaL? hdme ° n the bad ground than Pidding and made several fast runs along the right flank only to fail narrowly on each occasion. The most solid back was the vice-captain and centre, W. McCaffrey, who figured in every scoring movetbou£b Wells, too, showed all-round ability and, like McCaffrey, handled much more proficiently than the fly-half. R Banks, or the scrum-half, G. Hawick. The young Brunner forward. F. Hassan, was little • behind his three Kiwi colleagues in all-round ability. He burst through from defensive positions on a number of occasions and was rewarded with a good try engineered by the Coast captain. R. Neilson, late in the first spell. Hassan, like the other West Coast forwards, appeared to be in his element under the conditions. Neilson was brilliant at times at the head of driving rushes, with McLennan, Hassan, and Kerr in full cry. Muicare was not as prominent as usual, particularly in the second spell when he often endeavoured to come in as an extra back. Neither R. Pinn, the West Coast half, nor I. Hay saw a great deal of the ball from set scrums, but their defensive work was of a high standard and actually their play far exceeded expectations. Similarly, I. King, on the wing in his first big'

PfiSied a afi ttat P r a „ S .o°H ’ at .1 entre - accomexpected of them W posS!bly have been

lead e wtth St tw OaS ‘ lew F^ y °( 1 to an ea rly wills aftpr and in-passed to wZii after drawing the opposition and toeiv ThT„„° Ver t under tbe P po sts with a . 16 rmnutes McCaffrey made a third try. sending Carlson over in a Piddm» a£ e e r tW ° unluck V earlier efforts, (° c ° nvert - Now more uo rneir „« e £ OU ?J• the Australians kept up then- attack, though the West Coast ritort rY a t “ rc , ak t into Australian terHantli £ w * u , ch Was stemmed brillnto tly Churchill, who turned defence Chiirohlli^ > S° on after, however, Churchill speculated and mis-kicked ina de his twenty-five, and Neilson snapped wav to ovo nd f °” tO . Hassan - who made his SL? for ? handy try ' Soster conTwo, hjinutes before the interval Ashton handled like a back, twice figura mt> vement with Hawick and Pi^ a^rey ’ - and the latt er scored wide, Pidding again missing. T 2l e West Coast tested Australia early him 1 ?* second spell and Churchill saved brilliantly on two occasions. Soster landed his fourth goal early in the second spell, and Ashton contributed his try, after rugged efforts throughout the gruelling game, six minutes before full-time. Carlson failed to convert. The West Coast won only 13 scrums to Australia’s 39; five to Australia’s 19 in the first spell, and eight to Australia’s 20 in the second spell. Sixteen penalties were awarded against Australia and eight against the West Coast.

The referee was M r W. Wilkinson, of Christchurch.

FIRST TEST

NEW ZEALAND TEAM ANNOUNCED The New Zealand Rugby League team to play Australia m the first test at the Show Grounds on Saturday is as follows: Full-back: D. White (Auckland). Three-quarters: B. Hough (Auckland), J. Edwards (Auckland), R. McKay (Taranaki). Five-eighths: T. Baxter (Auckland), W. Sorenson (Auckland). Half-back: J. Haig (Canterbury), captain. Forward: G. Davidson (Auckland), vicecaptain; J. Bond (Canterbury), W. McLennan (West Coast), F. Muicare (West Coast), R. Nielson (West Coast), A. Atkinson (Canterbury). Reserves: C. Paskell (Canterbury), D. Richards-Jolly (Auckland), and T. Kilkelly (Canterbury). The withdrawal of C. Eastlake and G. Menzies caused a reshuffle of the backs. Hough flying from Auckland yesterday to play on the wing, and Sorenson going in as first five-eighths. The New Zealand manager (Mr C. Telford) said that the team would practise at Athletic Park xnday, and might do a little light training tomorrow.