AUSTRALIANS LOSE FIRST MATCH OF TOUR

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28661, 11 August 1958, Page 11

AUSTRALIANS LOSE FIRST MATCH OF TOUR

(New Zealand Press Association) NAPIER, August 10. With a will to win and more than a little luck, Hawke’s Bay scored the province’s third win in as many matches against touring Australian Rugby teams when it beat the 1958 Wallabies 8 points to 6 at Napier on Saturday.

For the Australians, the match was a disappointing start to their 13-match tour of the country, but with lessons learned in the match they could develop into a fine combination. Lack of match play, allied with a lack of knowledge of some of the finer points of line-out and offside play, were their greatest enemies. The backline has plenty of talent, but the forwards will have to learn better scrummaging before they are ready to meet the All Blacks.

On the run of play, which was greatly in their favour, the Australians were a little unlucky. Hawke’s Bay came with a late second half rush which temporarily overwhelmed the tourists. At half-time the score was 3-3, each side having kicked a penalty. The Australians scored a try early in the second half and Hawke's Bay replied with a try latp in the half. The conversion gave Hawke’s Bay the winning points.

For most of the match the Walabies adopted a very deep back formation, and sometimes were foced into error by the Maori test player, G. Koopu. who played a spoiling number eight game. Koopu stood almost in mid-field for most of the line-outs. Good Handling The visitors’ handling was good. They ran well and had an overlap several times, but did not manage to score tries. The Hawke’s Bay tackling was good without being really potent and yet the Australian movements broke down too often.

The match was played in good conditions before a crowd of about 9000. Scorers for Hawke’s Bay were G. Lawrence (a try) and M. Edwards (a conversion and a goal from a penalty). For Australia C. Wilson scored a try. and T. Curlev kicked a goal from a penalty. The Hawke’s Bay full-back, M. Edwards, took the ball well and kicked tremendous touch-finders getting his team out of a lot of bother when the fast Australian forwards were breaking through. Australia’s full-back T. Curley also fielded and kicked well, but did not have the same thorough testing as Edwards. Neither was in goal-kicking form, Edwards missing six out of seven attempts and Curley two out of three. The best winger was Australia’s left wing A. Morton. He may have scored on two occasions had the ball come to him just a little faster. Slower Wing E. Stapleton looked several yards slower than the man who used to make such a thorough job of marking R. A. Jarden on the two previous Australian tours of New Zealand in 1952 and 1955. R. Phelps, at centre, was a powerful runner with a deceptive

swerve and sidestep. He had one good run which took him almost half the length of the field, weaving his way through the defence. His fellow centre, B. Ellwood, having his first match for Australia, ran well, but was inclined to go too far on his own too much. H. Roberts, at five-eighths, another newcomer, also went well, but was nowhere in sight when his opposite number Lawrence streaked away for a fine try. The Australian half-back. D. Connor has considerable ability. Taller than the average halfback, Connor is an extremely neat mover and showed just how dangerous he can be with a number of paralysing breaks from both scrums and lineouts. Lineout Forwards

Of the forwards, the locks J. Carroll and J. White were the steadiest, winning most of the ball from the lineouts. The hooker, R. Meadows, won two tight heads. Of the Hawke’s Bay forwards. A. Coutts. R. Wilkie and R. Sharpen were the best of a hard-toiling pack. Lawrence and the captain, B. Troy, at second five-eighths, were the best of the home backs, the others appearing in an almost entirely defensive role.

BAYS AND COAST DRAW, 3-ALL

(New Zealand Press Association) NELSON, August 10. Golden Bay-Motueka drew with West Coast, three all, in a solid encounter which had its spectacular moments at Motueka yesterday. For West Coast A McNabb kicked a penalty goal and Bays’ points came from a try by G. McDonald. Both teams adapted themselves well to the conditions and played sound football. Bays’ were, weakened by the absence of R. G. Bowers through injury.

RAILWAYS RUGBY AT GREYMOUTH

Coast-Buller Beat Canterbury, 8-3

(New Zealand Press Association) GREYMOUTH. Aug. 10. In a muddy game at the Omoto Racecourse, near Greymouth. today, the Western Districts (Coast-Buller) Railway Rugby team beat Northern Districts (Canterbury), 8-3. The ball was difficult to handle. Western Districts were leading 5-3 at half time. Western points came from a try by Forsyth, converted by G. Nelson, who also kicked a penalty. . For Northern, O’Leary kicked a penalty about 20 minutes before full time.

Combined Team Selected The following combined WesternNorthern Districts Railway Rugby team will play Southern (Invercar-gill-Dunedin) districts at Christchurch on August 24:—H. Waterland (Canterbury, vice-captain); R. Hickling (Canterbury), J, Ackland (Otira), D. Lucas (Greymouth); W. Forsyth (Westport), J. Easton (Canterbury), J. Stewart (Canterbury), G Nelson (Greymouth, captain). D. Gibbs (Canterbury), W. Bowley (Canterbury), M. Duncan (Westport), W. Duncan (Westport), C. Ashton (Otira), G. J. Patterson (Grey mouth). L. Goodman (Otira).

Reserves.—Backs: T. Williams (Otira), O. Gibbens (Canterbury), W. Cummings (Greymouth), C. Pablecheque (Westport). Forwards: D. Morris (Greymouth), G. Orchard (Canterbury). W. Mummford (Otira,, C. Bowden (Greymoufh).

LOWER GRADES

Semgr Reserve.—Teachers' College 24, Linwooa 6; University B 14, Kaiapoi id; univereity a 2a, Marist 15; nigh school Oia Boys 13, Sydenham a Tecnnical Oia Hoys 16, R.N.Z.A.F. 5. Junior.—University A 22, Linwooa 14; Christchurch 36, Marist 9; High School Old Boys B 25, High School Oia Boys A 16; Merivale 6, Technical Ola Boys 3; Lyttelton 8, SunnysideSpreydon 0 Under 2u.—High School Old Boys 9, St. Bede’s 6; University 'B 25, Sunny-side-SjJreydon 3; St. Andrew’s 11, Christchurch 10. Christ’s College 9, Xavier 3. Third Grade.—-University B 6, Linwood 0. Fourth Grade.—Burnside 5, Teachers’ College 3; Linwood 8, Technical Old Boys 3; Christchurch Maoris 8, Sydenham 6. Secondary Schools.—St. Bede’s 6, West High School 6. Under 18.—Albion 13, Sydenham 6: Linwood 9. High School Old Boys 0; Marist 9. Christchurch 0: SunnysideSpreydon 25, Technical Old Boys 6. Under 17.—High Schol Old Boys 25. Marist 6. Under 16A.—Marist A 3, Merivale 3; High School Old Boys A 13, Sydenham A 8; Christchurch 25, Papanui High School Old Boys 3: Linwood A 6, Sunnyside-Spreydon A 6. Under 16B.—Kaiapoi 5. Sydenham B 3: Linwood B beat High School Old Boys B by default. Under Bst 71b. —Linwood 9, Shirley Boys’ High School 0; High School Old Boys 8, Marist A 6; Merivale 24, New Brighton 3. Under 7st 71b A.—Marist A 5, Linwood A 3; Sunnyside-Spreydon A 16. Belfast 0; Sydenham A 11, Shirley Boys’ High School A 8; Christchurch 11, Merivale 0.

Under 7st 71b B.—Bumside 11, Marist B 6; Papanui High School Old Boys 25. Hornby 0. Under 6st 71b A.—Albion 11, Kaiapoi 5; Belfast 9, New Brighton 0: Sunnyside-Sn e.vdon 16, Linwood A 6. Marist A 25, Merivale A 3; Shirley Boys’ High School 25, Lyttelton 3; Christchurch A 23, Sydenham A 0. Under 6st 71b B,—Linwood B 18 Burnside 3; Merivale B 5, Merivale C 0; Technical Old Boys 24, Marist D 8: Sydenham B 3, Marist C 3; Christchurch B 3. Marist B 0. Under sst 10lb A.—New Brighton A 13, Linwood A 0; Marist A 6 Sunnyside-Spreydon A 0. Under sst 101 b B.—Albion 8, Christchurch B 3; Dallington Marist 3 Hornby B 0; Sydenham A 25, Marist B 0: Linwood B 15, St. Mary’s 0 Under sst 101 b C.—Sydenham B 3 Merivale D 3; Christchurch C 25 Merivale C 3; Marist C 22. Sunny-side-Spreydon C 8.

Under sst A.—Merivale A 18, Marist 0; Linwood A 0, New Brighton A 0. Under sst B.—Bryndwr Marist 3 Linwood B 0; St. Albans Marist 6 Dallington Marist 3; Technical Old Boys A 16, Bumside A 0; Sydenham B 3. Sunnyside-Spreydon B 0; Lyttelton 3, New Brighton B 0; Merivale B 5, Sockburn Marist 3. Under sst C.—Bumside B 6. Merivale C 5; Alb’on B 6. Linwood C 3; Christchurch B 12, Addington Marist 3: New Brighton C 6. St. Mary’s 5. Under sst D.—Christchurch C 9. Merivale D 0: Sumner 25. Cathedral Grammar B 3: Sunnyside-Spreydon C 6, Technical Old Boys C 0.