LEAGUE NEW ZEALAND WINS FIRST TEST, 29-11

Press, Volume C, Issue 29633, 2 October 1961, Page 12

LEAGUE NEW ZEALAND WINS FIRST TEST, 29-11

Fine Display By Kiwis Pleases Crowd Of 15,000

(Special CorrMpondent N.Z.P.A.) MANCHESTER, September 30. The New Zealand League team gave Britain its biggest shock at home for several years when it beat the British side, 2941, in the first test at Headingley, Manchester, today. The crowd, disappointed by Britain’s sluggish play, was right behind the Kiwis as they went ahead to a 14-8 lead at halLtime, and further increased their lead in the second half. Fagan, the New Zealand full-back, was the star of the match, converting all New Zealand’s five tries, and kicking two penalty goals—seven goals in all. Britain scored three tries and one goal.

The Hew Zealand team was given a great reception for a wonderful display by the crowd of 15.000. The teams were:— Britain: A Rhodes; W. Boston, E. Ashton (captain), Hails; T. O’Grady, D. Bolton; A. Murphy; J. Barton, W. Sayer, B. McTigue, Huddart, B. Edgar; D. Turner. New Zealand: J. E. Fagan; B. T. Hadfield. R. S. Cooke, R. W. Bailey; B. T. Reidy, J A. Bond; W. L. Snowden; S. K. Edwards, J. R. Butterfield, H. K. Emery; B. S. Lee, R. D. Hammond, M. L. Cooke (captain). The Kiwis, who had lost six of their previous 11 matches, won Just as convincingly as the score suggests. Contrary to expectations, they were rarely in danger of losing, mainly because of the smooth way they turned British handling

mistakes into points a triumph of teamwork. The New Zealand forwards tackled far more surely, and supported one another more zealously than the British pack. In the backs, the kiwis were always better than the opposition, and their handling was far more sure. Britain was a team of individuals in comparison with the Kiwis, and only once during the match did they uphold the opinion of critics who said Britain would win easily. This was early in the match, when after the New Zealand full-back, Fagan, had kicked a penalty goal from close in, the home side played effectively to score eight points in two minutes. The wing, Boston, scored the first try, after a neat reverse pass from Ashton, and the elusive Murphy raced through for another. A conversion by Rhodes put Britain ahead, 8-2, and it seemed that a runaway win for Britain was on the way, but from this point on it was the Kiwis who played their way to a decisive win. A second penalty goal by Fagan stopped the British run of scoring, making the score 8-4. Then one of Britain’s many mistakes led to Emery, one of the best of the Kiwi forwards, snapping up the ball 10 yards out, and sending Edwards in unopposed for the first of New Zealand’s tries. Fagan’s conversion put the Kiwis ahead at 9-8, and they continued to play with such spirit all round that it was not long before Britain was even further behind.

Inspired by Fagan’s steadiness both in goal-kicking and as a last line of defence, the Kiwis never looked back, and went on to score a great win.

Apart from Fagan, it would be unfair to pick out any other single New Zealand player. They all played splendidly, seizing their chances when they came, and tackling like tigers to keep the British scoring down. A particular instance of their reluctance to give any British player much chance was the way they handled Boston always the most dangerous of the home side. Boston invariably found he had three men on him as soon as he got the ball. From their lead of 9-8, the Kiwis went ahead when a mistake by Britain- led to Snowden and Hadfield breaking their rearguard for the latter to score behind the posts. Fagan again goaled to make the half-time score: New Zealand 14 Britain 8. British Effort

Britain tried hard to come back on the resumption of play. There were individual efforts from Huddart, Tur-

ner, Murphy, and Boston, but there was no tie-up in the strangely out-of-touch British combination. The British bid to score failed, and when the Kiwi wing, Reidy, scored and Fagan again goaled, the Kiwis had an 11-point lead, which they never looked like surrendering. Boston, one of the few British backs to come out of the test with his reputation untarnished, responded with a clever try after good approach play by Huddart and Ashton. With the British hooker. Sayer, on top in the scrams, the dosing stages of the match were fought out in the Kiwis’ territory. But it was a tribute to their determination and solid defence that they not only prevented Britain from scoring further consolation points, but managed to take advantage of slips to score two more tries themselves. Both tries were scored by the loose forward, M. L. Cooke. The first came three minutes after Boston’s try, and was brilliantly converted from the side-line by Fagan. The second came two minutes from time when Cooke took advantage of a bad pass from Turner and raced 50 yards to touch down. Fagan again kicked the goal, to make the final score: New Zealand 29, Britain 11.

“Great Win For N.Z. League”

“Great credit must be given to the New Zealand coach, Mr W. Telford, on the wonderful way he must have prepared the New Zealand League team for the test at Headingley yesterday. The match will go down as one of the greatest win< in the history of New Zealand League.” said Mr C. R. Mountford in Christchurch yesterday Mr Mountford, a former New Zealand test star, has been a League player and coach in England for the last 15; years, and was coach of the New Zealand team at Auckland before it left on its present tour of England and France.

“With the Englishmen’s monopoly of the ball from the scrums—according to the commentators—the tackling of the New Zealand backs had to be almost perfect.” Mr Mountford said. “The way the New Zealanders accepted the loose balls dropped by the Englishmen, and turned defence into attack, proved their enthusiasm

T know how popular New Zealand touring teams have been in England, and the radio commentary emphasised the present team’s popularity,” Mr Mountford said.