WAIKATO BEATS AUCKLAND

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27471, 4 October 1954, Page 3

WAIKATO BEATS AUCKLAND

CLOSE-SCORING GAME (New Zealand Press Association) ~T AUCKLAND, October 3. , . T “, e Waikato Rugby team beat Auckland, 14 "2 3, J” an exci ting game at Auckland yesterday. Waikato scored a goal, a try, and two penalty goals to Auckland's two goals and a penalty. Auckland might have won if it had had more success with goal-kicking. Gedye, the full-back, missed an easy penalty early in the game, and in the last minute hit the bottom of the cross-bar with another attempt. Whether Auckland would have deserved to win is another matter. Its forwards dominated the play and beat Waikato’s pack for possession. Auckland’s backs, however, were not brilliant. A.. Dalton, a reserve, was probably the best Auckland back, as he scored two tries. The Waikato wing whom he was marking, G. J. Carrington, also played extremely well. The line-out play of P. J. Bevin, J. R. Sireen, and J. B. S. Hutchinson overwhelmed Waikato in the second half, although B. Manners often jumped well for Waikato. The scrums were more even, though the Waikato hooker, E. H. Catley, conceded several penalties. _ T. w * Smith and J. A. Roberts scored Waikato’s tries. Carrington and D. S. Clarke each kicked a penalty goal, and Clarke converted Smith’s try. For Auckland, Gedye converted both of Dalton’s tries and kicked a penalty goal.