N.Z. FIFTEEN BEATEN IN FINAL TRIAL

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27988, 7 June 1956, Page 7

N.Z. FIFTEEN BEATEN IN FINAL TRIAL

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Convincing Win For South Island

PROBLEMS FOR SELECTORS Yesterday was a disappointing day for New Zealand Rugby. The team the national selectors obviously regarded as the probable one for the first test against South Africa was thoroughly and deservedly beaten by a South Island fifteen by 19 points to 9 four tries to one. Lancaster Park was in excellent order for the match, and it was an entertaining one for the crowd of about 20,000. There was, too, considerable enjoyment for the spectators in the successes of their own favourites. But for the New Zealand selectors, the failure of the New Zealand fifteen backs must have been alarming. Several of the players failed badly, and the team looked rattled and ragged for long periods. “The better team won,” said the chairman of selectors (Mr T. C. Morrison) after the game. There would be few who saw the game to dispute that view.

It may be that the New Zealand Fifteen players were feeling the effects of three hard trial matches in eight days, but that was no excuse for its lamentable showing, nor was it very heartening for the selectors, who have stated that they will not announce the test team until a week before the match. This, they have said, is because they expect leading players to give of their best in their ordinary representative matches. Three games in such a period should not be too much of a hurdle for the highlytrained players at the top of New Zealand Rugby.

The game was a bright one, with the South Island Fifteen doing nearly all the attacking in the first spell and the New Zealand Fifteen taking charge for about 15 or 20 minutes in the middle of the second half. There were many passing movements, although only once could the New Zealand backs get thd ball to the wing in a set movement. Their lack of cohesion and confidence, which possibly had its origins in the poor service of the captain, A, R. Reid, cost their forwards dearly. They were forever racing back on defence after a pass had been dropped or a man tackled in possession. Some of these errors might have been brought about by Reid’s decision to play into the sun. Reid lost the toss but P. B. Vincent decided to take the kick-off instead of the choice of ends. No doubt Reid had in mind that the sun would be lower and more of a trial later in the match, but by the time the teams changed over the New Zealand Fifteen was 11 points down and looked a heaten team. . The New Zealand forwards, with •uch heavy demands being made on them, were shaded in the first spell except in the line-outs, where for a time R. A. White, D. N. Mclntosh, S. F. Hill and J. B. Buxton held charge. Later in the spell the South Island team won more than its share of lineouts, although often the ball came hack to P.» B. Vincent after it had hobbled about uncertainly among the forwards. Later R. H. Duff, playing his best game this season, won , many line-outs for the South Island, and over the whole match the South won *5 decisive line-outs to the New Zealand Fifteen’s 22. . The South Island forwards played rvith tremendous drive and vigour,

and lasted out a hard game fully as 1 well as their opponents. They had the , advantage of going into the game with little to lose, but they played superbly for most of the match. The duel betwen the hookers, R. C. , Hemi and D. Young, has gone on inconclusively throughout the trials. Yesterday, was Young’s day. He won three loose heads from Hemi and lost two, and played good hard football all through, whereas Hemi at times was , little more than an interested spectator. Young went off injured very early in the second spell, and C. A. Woods broke even with Hemi. The Maori number eight forward in the New Zealand Fifteen, A. Pryor, did most/ things splendidly. He stood almost in mid-field for mudh of the match, breaking up many attacks with deadly tackling. But his habit of leaping on to rucks was as senseless as it was dangerous. Mclntosh was a very good flank forward, and he kept W. R. Archer, the South Island first fiveeighths, fully occupied. I. J. .Clarke and M. W. Irwin remain almost certain selections for the prop positions but J. B. Buxton cannot be so sure of his place. He was something below his best, and W. D. Gillespie of Otago was fully his match. - Duff in Form Of the Souths Island Fifteen forwards. D’iff was the best. He has been slow to find his form, but yesterday he was excellent in the line-outs and was seldom far from the ball, wherever it went. F. McAtamney played another good game in the front row of the South scrum and in the first spell, particularly, N. Roberts at the back did well. He saved at least one try with his sense of position and his determined tackling. Of the New Zealand backs, the most disappointing were Reid and the fullback, P. T. Walsh. Near the end of the game, Walsh made two or three slashing runs, but he failed badly to meet the most important requirements of the full-back. He dropped the ball lihder pressure at least four or five times, his line-kicking was seldom better than moderate and on several occasions he was caught out of tionReid's poor service from the scrum contributed to his backs' lack of success. He made R. G. Bowers’s task at first five-eighths difficult, particularly in the first spell. " Bowers and W. N. Gray outside him were also an unhappy combination. Gray looks outstanding in some of the things he does, but yesterday his persistent kicking to

the South full-back, W. C. Wilson, could hardly be commended. The lack of speed and certainty in the handling of the inside backs gave R. H. Brown, the centre, .an unenviable time, for: J. R. Watt opposite him was able to come in on him just as he got the ball quite often. R. A. Jarden was once or twice deceived by M. J. Dixon, but his football sense and his Speed enabled him to make some brilliant saves

in unexpected places. When he ran on the open side, too, he made openings for the other backs. A. E. G. Elsom was not a success yesterday. He was badly beaten by Smith at ledst once, and the run of the play generally did not suit his particular talents. Wilson Plays Well For the South team. Wilson played a superb game, and was never once at fault. It is a pity he kicked only with his right foot, for in every other respect he was outstanding. He tackled well, took the ball beautifully, and was agile enough to get out of some seemingly impossible situations. Watt was excellent on defence, and often showed up on attack. A. L. Wilson, the second five-eighths, also had a good day, surviving the impact of Pryor's relentless tackling well. Like the opposing inside, backs, Vincent and Archer were playing together for the first time, but there was no hint of this in their display. Vincent played . superbly. Twice in the first spell he was not up with the ruck, once in the final minutes he failed to take a ball he might have caught, but these were the only blemishes in a match which was, for the hero of Canterbury, no less than a triumph. His passing was long and unfailingly* accurate, his switches of attacks often caught the defence napping and he made some brilliant runs which gained ground and led to tries. Mclntosh did his best to stifle the attacks at their 1 source, with less success than the South Island flankers had. but on the most impartial judgment, Vincent outplayed Reid by a wide margin. Archer took his share of heavy tackles, but at the end was full of running and ideas.

Fierce tackling broke up several New Zealand back movements in the opening stages. Tine New Zealand forwards took play into the South Island half, and when the ball went along the New Zealand back line. Gray slipped out of Watt’s tackle and made ground before putting the ball back into the forwards. Roberts was quick to the scene, however, and saved. Gradually the South Island took the initiative and South Island came close to scoring when Walsh failed to .hold a high punt from Smith. The first score provided one of the best movements of the match. Vincent received from a ruck and made a characteristic run in midfield. Dixon, who was outside him with little room in which to move, came inside to take the pass and speeding across drew the remaining opposition to give Watt a clear run in to score. Watt missed a fairly difficult conversion.

A few minutes later Dixon made another solid break, but his centring kick was well taken by Brown, who relieved. Vincent came close to increasing South Island’s score when he made another little run and kicked down the sideline. Just by the corner flag Pryor saved when Vincent was in hot pursuit. Smith provided the next thrills, when he received in a back movement and side-stepped Elsom and then Gray before handing on to A. L. Wilson, who was well tackled. From this ruck Brown received and again beat Watt before handing on to Jarden. His centring kick was once more taken by Roberts on cover defence. New Zealand, defending desperately, was kept pinned in its own half. While inside the New Zealand twenty-five Reid threw a poor pass that went behind Bowers, and Archer, flashing through, picked up the ball to score in a handy position. Watt converted. In the closing stages of the half Vincent made two more breaks in midfield. The second of these bbre fruit, for Dixon, once more coming infield took an in pass from Watt, eluded Jarden, and sprinted to the corner for a good try. Watt missed a difficult kick. Jarden saved New Zealand when, coming across from his wing, he took Smith’s centring kick and found touch. At halftime South Island led by 11 points to 0

i. seconn tiau The second spell was only seconds old when a -rejuvenated New Zealand pack burst through the South Island eight and from a ruck close to the South Island line Mclntosh pounced upon the ball as it came loose and dived over for a good try. Jarden missed a fairly easy conversion but a few minutes, later kicked a long penalty goal. Shortly before this Young retired injured and C. A. Woods took his place. . The New Zealand forwards remained in control for about 15 minutes, and it was| South Island’s turn to retreat. Jarden, missed another difficult shot at goal from) a penalty. South Island attempted to get

its backs moving, but Pryor was allowing Archer little latitude. When New Zealand was penalised on the twentyfive yard line Watt kicked a penalty goal from about 10 yards from the sideline to give South Island a 14-6 lead. Little play had been going to Jarden’s wing, so he attempted to put some thrust into the New Zealand line by coming into the five-eighths. Two such runs took him through the South Island defences, but W. C. Wilson and cover defence brought him down on each occasion. From loose play near half-way Pryor received and after side-stepping two men raced upfield. He -could not, however, beat Wilson, who took a splendid tackle head-

Little had been seen of Walsh in the back line, but half-way through the second spell he showed his speed when he raced through the South Island backs and then centre-kicke<L. Six New Zealand forwards were waiting for the kick, but the ball dropped straight through the arms of Mclntosh when the way to the line was clear.

A little later Walsh again came into the back line and his centring kick was again dropped, this time by Jarden. From the resulting melee W. C. Wilson made ground with a long kick and from a ruck close to the New Zealand line Vincent got a quick heel and dived over under the posts. Watt again converted Right on time Jarden kicked his second penalty goal from about 10 yards inside , half-way. Mr S. Whiteford wai referee.