Lions Unable To Check Combined Onslaught

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31135, 11 August 1966, Page 19

Lions Unable To Check Combined Onslaught

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI. Magnificently led by C. E. Meads, the combined King Country's anganui side vanquished the touring British Isles Rugby team by 12 points to six at XV anganui yesterday.

This was the Lions’ fifth loss in 17 games in New Zealand, rrom start to finish the combined forwards held the Lions and kept them inside their own territory for the majority of the game.

It was a torrid forward encounter, dominated by the Meads brothers.

Not that the Lions would want an excuse, as on the day they did not deserve to win, but for 32 minutes of the second spell they played with 14 men. The outside centre, F. P. K. Bresnihan, who was injured in the first spell, left the field when the second spell was eight minutes old. The No. 8. A. E. I. Pask, played the remainder of the game at centre. His absence was really asking too much of the Lions forwards who had been unable to contain the combined pack with a full eight

Many back-line movements by the Lions looked dangerous but came unstuck, either because of poor passing or chronic handling. The Lions forwards tried hard but were far too loose and allowed too much possession to be taken from them. Line-out Shambles The line-outs were about the worst shambles seen on the tour so far. The ball bobbed along a row of hands and there were very few clean takes. C. E. Meads was a real hero in the line-outs and in the loose. His brother, S. T. Meads, also jumped well but suffered from some poor throwing-in of the ball by his wingers. This was the first combined side to beat the Lions in New Zealand, and the first time the Lions have lost a mid-i week game. Only at odd times did the Lions look as if they could[ have pulled the match out of the fire, but this was only towards the later stages. They were trailing by three points and it was obvious that they would have to split the defence by using their backs. Yesterday the valiant efforts of the touring skipper, M. J. Campbell-Lamerton. proved futile against the Meads, who were ably assisted by the former Maori All Black prop, H. Paiaka. Tried Hard Campbell-Lamerton tried desperately at times to straighten out the line-outs but got more in the road than anything else. He kept changing his position from No. 2 to No. 3 in the line-outs and the English prop, D. L. Powell, did not know where he was going.

W. D. Thomas won a reasonable amount of ball for the Lions from the line-outs but he was not allowed to get near much ball. The combined flankers, G. Peake and M. Rush featured in a lot of loose play and Peake in particular gave the scrum-half, R. M. Young, a torrid time. The Lions’ hooker. K. W. Kennedy, had to share the hooking honours for the first time on tour. W. R. Wordley took two tight heads, as did Kennedy. The front rows virtually cancelled each other out. with Paiaka and D. Williams having a tremendous battle. Williams played at his best for some time and also featured dominantly in some vigorous loose play. He brought C. E. Meads crashing to the ground once when the big King country farmer was storming away with the ball from a line-out. Speed At Centre Pask showed great speed at centre. Before this he had tapped a deal of good ball back to Young from the end of the line-outs.

Young had a poor day behind the Lions’ pack. He threw out some shocking passes to M. P. Weston, who started off some dangerous movements in the first spell with high up and unders, but did not see much of play in the second spell. C. W. McFadyean had his worst match of the tour at inside centre. He chopped through the combined backline on one occasion but this did not make up for the

dreadful passes he dished out. He was always watching his opposite number and often passed the ball without taking the tackle. S. J. Watkins on the right wing fumbled three passes and lost one almost certain opportunity to score from a kick by dropping the ball. S. Wilson was very safe at full-back except for one occasion. which cost his side a try. He fumbled the ball after trying to take a C. E. Meads punt on his owm line. Forced A Try As the ball dropped to the ground the combined winger, J. Redward, was through in a flash and forced for a try, the only one of the game. The Combined backs tried hard all day and often looked very dangerous. Most attacks were spearheaded by the first five-eighths, I. Ingham, who often worked some neat reverse pass movements with the centre P. Johns. Another to impress with his dash on attack, the winger, R. Paid, brought off two grand saves, one of which would have almost certainly cost the Combined side three points. He raced across from his own wing to take a long upfield kick by K. F. Savage. The full-back, J. Sowter, was not in sight and Savage would have run in for an easy try [if Paki had not been there. Sowter was particularly [impressive in getting under some ow Weston's high kicks in tne first spell. Sowter kicked two penalty goals for Combined, Redward scored a try and Ingham dropped a goal. Wilson kicked a penalty goal for the Lions and Weston dropped a goal. The game was played in sunny conditions on a hard turf before a crowd of about 17.500. At half-time the score was 6-3 to the Lions.