RUGBY ALL BLACKS BEAT THE REST, 20-8

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29325, 3 October 1960, Page 16

RUGBY ALL BLACKS BEAT THE REST, 20-8

Some Heartening Signs

For Game In N.Z.

Most heartening signs for New Zealand Rugby was the grand display by the 1960 All Black forwards and the pretty exhibition of running and passing by the opposing backs when New Zealand played The Rest at Athletic Park, on Saturday. New Zealand won, 20-8, and it was a triumph for experience, the difference between chances made and chances turned aside.

The statistics slightly favoured New Zealand and there was no room for argument as to which was the better side. But it must be said that The Rest forwards held their own in the first spell and the backs, with fewer opportunities, showed a great deal more verve and penetration than their more experienced opponents. There remained a lasting impression that New Zealand was lucky that The Rest backs saw so little of the ball.

There was no doubt that New Zealand owed its success to its business-like forwards. They got their share of the ball from the scrums, line-outs, and rucks and whenever they were together in the loose it took great courage to stop them. The forwards had faults here and there and they took most of the first spell to get into top gear—for a time they hardly looked impressive—but once they picked up the threads of the game, the shape of things to come was there for all to see.

Before the match both teams were introduced by their respective captains to the GovernorGeneral (Lord Cobham). The teams were:— New Zealand: D. B. Clarke; R. W. Caulton, R. F. McMullen, J. R. Watt: K. F. Laidlaw, A. H. Clarke: K. C. Briscoe: R. J. Conway; D. J. Graham, R. H. Horsley, I. N. Mac Ewan, C. E. Meads; W. J. Whineray (captain), D. Young, L J. Clarke. The Rest: W. F. McCormick; D. W. McKay, E. J. Thompson, B. E. McPhail; R. D. Hoskin, M. Herewini: D. D. M. Connor; W. Nathan: R. H. Graham (captain), D. G. Harker, S. T. Meads, T. D. Coughlan; M. W. Allen, J. N. Creighton, L. M. Le Lievre. Lack Of Penetration The New Zealand backs scored four tries and two of them were delightful, but with the exception of the wings, there was no real ability to penetrate by means of a sidestep, cut through or sheer pace. Perhaps the style of attack, where the kick ahead was used as frequently as passing, was a legacy of the pattern employed in South Africa. Whatever, the reason, the game of the backs had little that was imaginative. There were times when the backs were able to chalk up individual plusses—and minuses—but no reputation was heavily enhanced or tarnished. Their displays were too solid for that, but nothing more. The Rest backs were favourites with the crowd of 35,000, but it seemed at first that the first fiveeighths were not in their right places. Herewini, who was at second five-eighths for Auckland against Canterbury last Wednesday. was at first on Saturday, and Hoskin, who is best at first, was at second. In the event the experiment could be judged in two ways: as an attempt to discover an efficient inside combination and also a force capable of exploiting the potentialities of The Rest threequarters, who were unusually fast. Conway, who was a pest to Connor and the five-eighths all day, and Herewini, a better handler than Hoskin, proved himself able to collect the bullet-like passes and evade Conway at the same time. Herewini Elusive

Herewini, a cheerful footballer, proved extremely elusive in congested areas and, always a determined runner, demanded much stronger tackling than New Zealand could offer. In many ways he was the find of the match, for he gave his backs great thrustmuch more than his opposite, A. H. Clarke, did—and he did not give up, even in the most difficult situation. His defence was up to the standard of the rest of his play and Clarke often received the ball and Herewini simultaneously. The experiment of the fiveeighths was justified, for Hoskin was quite at home further out and proved a handful for Laidlaw. It was mainly through the efforts of these two in the first snell that The Rest three-quarters were given their chances and McKay and McPhail, both with a s’artling turn of speed, prospered. The greater speed of McPhail over Caulton was clearly evident and McKay proved he was just as good as Watt, the best of the New Zealand backs.

If the match showed anything, it was that there are backs of ability in New Zealand and that not all were with the team in South Africa.

Because of the excellent play bf the New Zealand forwards, the All Black backs had a much easier passage, but there was too often a persistence in avoiding the wide open spaces and kicking for its own sake. Briscoe, a firstclass half-back, who threw out some beautiful passes, invoked the ire of the crowd for kicking as did Clarke, outside him. Once Laidlaw, with the defence in turmoil after a tremendous break by Horsley. kicked for the line rather than run. It was a strange state of affairs, accounted for perhaps by the comfortable lead at that stage and a possible lassitude.

Best Of Backs Watt was easily the best of the New Zealand backs on attack and his display did not suggest that he was resting on his laurels. He appeared faster than of yore, slimmer and aggressive in his approach to the game. He had an interesting struggle with McKay and neither was prepared to concede an inch. If Watt was faster it was never apparent, for McKay made a couple of stashing runs, one of which spreadeagled the defence as he came infield and went right through the New

Zealand backs. Watt was not on hand to counter this, but his defence was very much in evidence throughout the game. It was difficult to fault the play of Briscoe, and with the exception of one or two instances of wild arm swinging, he applied himself to his game and gave an immaculate service. If the passes of Connor, his opposite, were longer, Briscoe’s were just as fast and he was never cautious about running with the ball. All eyes were on D. B. Clarke, at full-back, and he was as good as ever. The crowd must have been expecting too much in the way of line-kicking from him, because when some of his punts went 30 yards only, great sighs of disappointment echoed round the ground. Clarke missed three kicks at goal and two were relatively easy for him, but his dropped goal from 45 yards out and right on the sideline was a great effort. It went so high that spectators in the stands had difficulty in sighting the ball as it soared high above the uprights to disappear in the crowd around the dead-ball area. It is doubtful if Clarke had to tackle once at full-back, but McCormick was called on to defend several times. McCormick was most resolute but he had an anxious time and confusion was sometimes caused by colleagues trying to help. . The display of the New Zealand inside backs was a little disappointing for much was expected of Laidlaw at second five-eighths and McMullen, at centre. They were tactically correct and always did the right thing, but they did not have the improvisation that made their opposites so much better. Laidlaw seemed out of place and he only appeared to be trotting when Hoskin always halted his progress. Once or twice his running was quite sharp in the open, but he was not brisk enough in orthodox movements to give his outsides an advantage. McMullen scored a fine try with the advantage of the overlap, but the full-bodied tackling of Thompson quickly put paid to any ideas he might have had of using trickery.

Forward Clashes

The forward clashes were titanic at times. Weight and experience told in the end for New Zealand was in control for most of the second half. It was easy to see the reputation the All Black forwards had built for themselves in South Africa. Good in the line-outs, fast in the loose and very hard in the scrums, rucks and mauiis, they proved a handful for their lighter opponents. On the side of the scrum, C. E. Meads loomed large and formidable from the whistle and in full cry, his tall, longstriding figure must have presented a big problem to the defence. Conway, too, small and business-like, threw himself in vigorous assaults on The Rest backs and kept remarkably dose to the ball. He was everywhere at the start, but his energy seemed to lessen with time, until he whipped himself into a final effort at the end.

D. J. Graham was cool, energetic and intelligent. He was more likely to extricate his side from awkward situations than would Conway, for Conway had in mind to attack only while Graham excelled in covering as well. two locks, Horsley and Mac Ewan, the former was more impressive, especially in the lineouts. He has certainly Shown a marked improvement on his displays in New Zealand last year, for there was a ruggedness and toughness to go with Ms height and strength. Mac Ewan got a reasonable supply in the line-outs as well, but it was not easy for him opposed as he was by Harker, S. Meads and Allen. Several Runs One of the best New Zealand forwards was Whineray who showed much of the devil of former years when he made sevin X th ® open ‘ These efforts did not lessen his ability in the tight Creston and Young had a ran ? , eI in scrums and at the front of the line-outs, but it was doubtful if either proved the pie Rest forwards did remarkably well in the first spell and although they were beaten in the second half they were not overwhelmed and fought back under toetr captain, R. H. Graham. S • op E? se ? his krothw c. hn «-«rts where he took the ball often and although lock Precluded h£t from running in the open too ehowed much of tte technique of hig All Black mother in the looser mauls. Allen, near the front of the ItaXJS 811 afternoon as did Le Uevrelt notic ® sWe Tile Rest as tt **• ceivea ana at tunes wm to the New 8 great deal 3uat dependable props. Nathan was surprisingly sub-

dued and neither he nor Coughlan covered the ground as quickly and as efficiently as their opposites.

The referee, Mr R. Phizacklea, caused the ball to be put into the scrums repeatedly and both packs must have wearied of the constant pushing and shoving for nothing.

THE SCORING

After five minutes New Zealand worked the blind side and Laidlaw trotted in for an easy try 10 yards from the corner. New Zealand 3. The Rest 0 McCormick missed a fairly difficult shot at goal from a penalty, but a few minutes later he kicked a goal from 40 yards out and near the side. New Zealand 3, The Rest 3 Clarke tried two shots into the wind from near half-way, but both fell short. Hoskin made a run and sent McPhail away but the centrekick went into D. Clarke's arms. Then McKay made a slashing run on the opposite wing, and passed to McPhail who slipped just in front of D. Clarke when a try looked likely. Right on half-time, Laidlaw gave a long pass to McMullen who dummied and scored after a short run. At half-time New Zealand led, 0-3. New Zealand applied pressure immediately, but the backs were unable to penetrate. D. Clarke missed a long snot at goal, but some time later he kicked a magnificent dropped goal from well out. New Zealand 9, The Rest 3 New Zealand returned to the attack and Briscoe sent his backs away on a movement and Caulton scored in the corner after a 20-yard run. New Zealand 12, The Rest 3. When The Rest were penalised straight in front D. Clarke > kicked easy goal. New Zealand 15, The Rest 3 Herewini made a lovely run for The Rest, but New Zealand returned to the attack and Whineray sent A. Clarke away to score untouched near the posts. D. Clarke converted. New Zealand 30, The Rest 3 Right on time McCormick intercepted a loose pass and tore upfield from.his own goal-line. He passed to Thompson who scored after a> long run. McCormick con.'itaai score: New Zealand 20, The Rests. Harlequins Beat Olympians.— A Harlequins team comprising players tram Auckland and Waikato beat Olympians (Poverty Bay, East Coast) 12-8 in a keen Rugby match played in intermittent heavy rain aoccompenied by lightning and thunder, at Gisborne on Saturday. Harlequins led 6-5 at half-time.—(PA.)