KIWIS LOSE THIRD TEST AND SERIES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30171, 1 July 1963, Page 12

KIWIS LOSE THIRD TEST AND SERIES

Superb Try Inspires Australian Victory

“The Press" Special Service SYDNEY, June 30.

A try right on half-time by its brilliant full-back, K. Thornett, pav.ed the way for Australia’s convincing, 14-0, victory over New Zealand in the third and deciding Rugby League test at Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. The 14] st former English club player crashed through eight tackles in a 20-yard burst to give Australia a 3-0 lead at half-time.

This became the turning point of the match and Australia added three more tries during the second half, although the Kiwis had more than 80 per cent, possession during the game.

As both teams had scored a victory in the series—Australia won the first test, 7-3, and New Zealand the second, 16-13-—the margin of the Kiwis’ defeat came as a surprise. The teams had been evenly matched in their other encounters, but although the New Zealand forwards outplayed their opposition, the back-line had little penetration. The Kiwis had every chance but lacked the sting they had shown in the first two tests.

New Zealand held possession for 10 minutes immediately after half-time but could not get out of its own half.

In fact, the team was pinned down by the solid Australian defence for almost the whole match.

The win gave Australia the test series, 2-1, and the Trans-Tasman Cup, symbol of supremacy between Australia and New Zealand, which it has held since 1956. It was the first time New Zealand had ever failed to score a point against any country in a test match. Fine Handling

New Zealand handled far better than Australia, rarely dropping a pass and spinning the ball across field from wing to wing, but the move ments seldom gained much ground. Man for man, the Australian back-line was more dangerous and they seized every advantage that came their way. A crowd of 46.567 saw Australia handle only three times for their first two tries in the second halt A last-minute change in the Kiwi side weakened both forward and back-line combinations. The half-back. W L. Snowden, withdrew on the morning of the match because of an ankle injury. The captain, M. L. Cooke, was transferred from loose forward to half-back, while H. R. Sinel, who celebrated his 21st birthday on Friday, played his first test match at loose forward. Tactical Blunder This may have been a bad tactical blunder by New Zealand as Cooke’s strong

cover defence was not as effective as in previous matches while he tried to do two jobs at once, that of half-back and loose forward. The teams were:

New Zealand: J. E. Fagan, B. T. Reidy, K. R McCracken, R. W. Bailey, G. M. Kennedy, J. A. Bond, M. L. Cooke (captain). H. R. Sinel, R. C. Ackland, B. S. Lee, S. K. Edwards, H. K. Emery. J. R. Butterfield. Australia: K. Thornett, K. Irvine, E. Lumsden, R. Gasnier, G. Langlands, E. Harrison. A. Summons (captain), J. Raper, B. Harnbly, K. Day, P. Gallagher. N. Kelly, I. Walsh. The best backs for New Zealand were the centre. Kennedy. and the fiveeighths. Bond, who showed up well on both attack and defence. The wings, Reidy and McCracken, received few chances on attack. The two Maori forwards, Emery and Edwards, worked the hardest in the forwards. Muddy Ground The ground, which was covered in mud between the 25-yard lines, suited Australia’s game as both teams were forced to use their forwards to make most of the play Thornett was without doubt the best player on the ground. As in tile other two tests, every time he handled the ball he was dangerous and appeared capable of either scoring or setting up a scoring movement.

Pt was hard to fault any of the Australian back-line, and the centres, Langlands and Gasnier, never failed to capitalise on their few chances when they were in possession. Butterfield and the Australian hooker, Walsh, broke even, 12-12, in the scrums, and the penalties favoured New Zealand. 10-5. There

were few stoppages in the fast second half, with only eight scrums and four penalty kicks.

After some torrid play in the first half the game appeared as if it might get out of hand When both packs of forwards converged in a wild melee and took some time to break up. The incident started when Harnbly appeared to throw a punch at Emery during a tackle. The referee, Mr J. Bradley, soon restored control and from then on players concentrated on football without any further incidents. Early Danger Australia looked dangerous after two minutes when Thornett came into the backline and took play to the half-way line, but Cooke

broke up the movement. Reidy took play to the Australian 25-yard line with a good break, drew Thornett and centre kicked but there was no-one backing up and Gasnier cleared. The speedy Gasnier ran from his own 25 in a clever break and beat Fagan, but once again Cooke killed the movement. Five minutes before halftime Thornett was again dangerous. He saved a touch kick by Fagan, ran 20 yards down the sideline, and put in a short up-and-under which bounced over the New Zealand goal-line. He was just beaten in the race for the ball by Fagan. However Thornett* scored soon after. He picked up a loose ball 20 yards out from the Kiwi goal-line and crashed past Kiwi defenders to score near the posts. Langlands missed an easy conversion from in front

Australia 3, New Zealand 0

New Zealand dominated possession for the first 10 minutes of the second half but Australia scored from the first scrum. Summons switched play to the blinjiside, and Langlands ran down the sideline from halfway to score Australia 6. New Zealand 0 Five minutes later Australia scored again. Summons swooped on a dropped pass by Bailey and gave the ball to Kelly who crashed over. Irvine converted. Australia 11, New Zealand 0 Eighteen minutes before the end Australia scored its fourth try Langlands broke clear down the sideline, drew Fagan and centre-kicked to Irvine. The Australian professional sprint champion kicked the bouncing ball ahead twice, outsprinted the defenders and dived on the ball over the goal-line The kick missed. Australia 14, New Zealand 0