Kiwis Still Have Chance Of Second Test Win

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31134, 10 August 1966, Page 13

Kiwis Still Have Chance Of Second Test Win

ALTHOUGH Great Brl--1 *■ tain’s margin of five tries to two was decisive and deserved there is no doubt that a few alterations would enable the New Zealand Rugby League team to challenge Britain strongly in the second test at Auckland on Saturday week. Britain’s 17-point margin would have been cut drastically had the Kiwis had the services of an accurate, and not necessarily long-range, goal-kicker. Six penalties and one conversion were missed within 40 yards and several were on or around the 30-yard mark. This deficiency and the second major problemlack of sneed in the forwards and the necessity to have a player able to match Britain in turning in the tackles and keeping the ball in motion—could be repaired in one move by the selection of E. Wiggs (Auckland). Wiggs played in one test against France in 1964. scoring a try and a goal. When the Kiwis left for Britain with a serious goal-kicking weakness it was Wiggs and I. T. Drayton (Canterbury) who gave one of the greatest exhibitions of goal-kick-ing seen in this country. Auckland .won, 8-6. in a seven-goal match, many of them from 50 or more yards in paddy field conditions. The naming of Wiggs as a second row forward would necessitate the moving of E. Moore (Auckland) to prop where he has played

extensively. The mammoth Wellington prop, N. Beri, could take the other prop position. H. K. Emery and S. K. Edwards (Auckland) earned much of the credit in assisting C. E. O’Neil (Wellington) to win the scrums 11-6, but this advantage was more than offset by the props’ sluggish all-round play. Only once, when Moore was also in the movement, did they combine to make 10 yards towards the opposing line. T. Bishop (Britain), the smallest player on the field, made several fine breaks, particularly when running from dummy-half and flicking the ball infield after drawing the defence. From the scrums his passing was long and accurate and his defence was sound. J. K. Gowers, the British full-back, drop-kicked a grand goal 45 yards out from the line in the muddiest patch of the ground, near the touch-line. The three-quarters were fast and I. Brooke and W. Burgess, in particular, combined speed with a deceptive swerve. The forwards inpassed and switched play, in reaching positions from which the three-quarters could attack. G. M. Kennedy was the outstanding New Zealand player. He confused and bewildered A. Hardisty and

then F. Myler with his sidestep and was the only Kiwi to make ground consistently and pierce the defence. He kicked the only goal for New Zealand to come within two points of his century for his country. Although G. S. Farrar (Waikato) was not outclassed and proved that he has a fine tactical kick, his problems of captaincy appeared too much. He was not able to rally his team when Britain gained complete domination for a period of 20 minutes. It was unfortunate that the wily Kennedy failed to win the captaincy. The selectors are probably

aware however, that Kennedy might be granted a clearance to Australia next season and in Farrar they have attempted to find a captain for the 1967 Australian tour. The addition of Wiggs to the pack would make R. B. Tait (Auckland) redundant at full-back. B. J. Mann (West Coast) and W. R. Harrison (Wellington) have an advantage on defence and could supplant Tait. _ With Wiggs, Berl and either Mann or Harrison selected the second test team could trouble Britain, International test teams have been beaten by greater margins before and have come back to win succeeding tests. There is no reason why this should not happen on Saturday week.