“COVER DEFENCE TOO GOOD”

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 7

“COVER DEFENCE TOO GOOD”

No Excuses By Manager

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SYDNEY, June 14. The New Zealand Rugby League team’s manager (Mr W. Moyle) said today that Australia’s cover defence was too good in yesterday’s test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

“The Australian second row. Proven and Paterson, and the lock. Raper, played outstanding games, we failed to counter them, he said. "Our boys didn’t handle the ball as well as they should have, even though it was heavy. "We made more mistakes than Australia. True, we scored the extra try; but Australia, with such a solid performance, deserved to win.” Australia beat New Zealand 9-8. The Australian coach, Clive Churchill, said: "It was anybody’s match I was pleased that our forwards played so tight and tackled so well."

The "Sunday Telegraph" Rugby League correspondent said Aus-' traha’s team rose to unexpectedly great heights to beat the visitors. The forwards excelled themselves on the sloppy field, he said. New Zealand was the better team in the first half.

"The Kiwis’ passing and handling of the slippery ball in the driving rain and southerly wind was delightful,” he said. “Few teams would have equalled it in perfect conditions.”

’ The "Sun-Herald” correspondent said the somewhat unlucky Kiwis had their biggest fault in mishandling. “The five-eighths, George Menzies and Eastlake, strove to create openings, but what with the dropped balls and the strong home covering the Kiwi wingers, Denton and Griffiths, were neglected,” he said.