FINAL N.Z. TRIAL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 14

FINAL N.Z. TRIAL

Brilliant Play By

A. J. Clarke (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 14. The final New Zealand Rugby trial njatch played as a curtainraiser to the inter-island fixture at Athletic Park yesterday, must have given the selectors a few doubts as to the right choices for some of the positions in the island teams. Six of those taking part—four from North Island unions—distinguished themselves in a match which provided the best football of any trial held this season.

Because of sickness and injury several changes were made fn the teams. The match was won by the Probables led by the veteran Auckland prop, H. L. White, by 19 points (two goals from tries and three tries) to 9 (two tries and a penalty goal). The teams were:—

Probables.—M. D. Watson; J. G. Allison, M. H. Ball. R. W. Caulton; M. H. Raureti, A. J. Clarke; W. Batchelor; A. Hayes. D. A. Gorton, D. G. Harker, M. W. Allen, T. H. Ross. H. L. White, R. J. Boon, G. E. Rowlands.

Possibles.—J. L. Bayly; J. A. S. McKenzie. C. A. McDonald, E. J. Keith; R. D. Hoskin. B. A. Watt; R. J. Utbahn; J. Grbich, T. D. Coughlan, B. W. Ericksen, L. Cooper. M. J. Surgenor, I. M. H. Vodanovich, D. S. Webb, C. Sanson. Mr R. L. Hines (Thames Valley)

Of the Six players who impressed most, none had the brilliance of Clarke, at first five-eighths. Everything he did nad the hall-mark of the complete footballer. Twice during the game he worked a, dummy scissors movement with Raureti that looked so genuine that spectators also were taken in. The second time the move brought him an easy try. The best forward on the field was the big Wellington lock, Harker, whose lineout play was far superior to that of any of the others. In other departments also he stood out and he was rewarded with two good tries. He and Caulton were deemed unlucky to have missed North Island selection and from the play of both it was apparent that the critics had good grounds for feeling as they did. Two Tries Caul ion scored two tries, and the rest of his play was of a high order. Pei haps not as fast as the selectors could desire, he proved a very hard wing to stop and time and again beat his marker. Watson played much better at full-back than he did in the final South Island trial, and his place kicking matched in length anything that D. B. Clarke kicked in the other game. His powerful kicking alone would make him a strong contender tor the second fullback’s position next year. The other two players who impressed were Vodanovich, a tough, hard-playing forward, and Surgenor, a youngster who is fast moving to the top. The play of Grbich in the Auck-land-Wellington match earned very high praise from Rugby writers and officials, and it was easy to understand why. Grbich. a former wing, is very fast, cover defends w’ell and tackles hard. Clarke managed to dodge most of his No. 8 lineout play, but ne was unable to get outside him. With the exception of Allen, the Canterbury players did not distinguish themselves. Watt was overshadowed by Clarke and he did not succeed in any of his few attacking runs. Outside him Hoskin made one or two useful breaks and cover defended well, but his tackling was slipsnod- McDonald did not have a good game. For the Probables, Caulton (2), Harker (2> and Clarke scored tries, two of which Watson converted. McKenzie and Grbich scored tries for the Possibles, and Bayly kicked a penalty goal.