BRITISH STAMPEDE SLOWED A LITTLE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31139, 16 August 1966, Page 17

BRITISH STAMPEDE SLOWED A LITTLE

f.Vew Zealand Press Association'

NEW PLYMOUTH.

After running all over Taranaki in the first half, the touring Great Britain Rugby League team was given a much sterner task in the second half, but still managed to win by 51 points to 17 at New Plymouth yesterday.

Great Britain led by 35 points to five at half-time but in the second spell could add only 16 points while Taranaki added 12. The Taranaki total is the highest tally recorded against the tourists so far on their tour of New Zealand. Taranaki’s three tries is also more than any other side has scored against the tourists so far. The Taranaki winger, W. Southern, with two tries, made a great impression and showed that he could be a big danger to the British team when he plays for New Zealand in the second test at Auckland on Saturday. Both his tries came from determined running that left his marker, the former sprint champion, B. Jones lying on the ground behind him. Put Into Clear Jones scored three tries but on each occasion was put into the clear by his inside men and his pace was then too great for any Taranaki player to catch him. Jones also made it clear that he was going to show Southern a thing or two about hard play for he once caught the Taranaki player with a

head high tackle that earned him a caution from the referee, Mr J. Campbell (Wellington),. The British team not only found Taranaki something of a bandful in the second half but had also great difficulty' in pleasing Mr Campbell both in scrums and in off-side play after the play-the-ball. 22 Penalties Mr Campbell penalised Great Britain 22 times in the match, 11 times from scrums and several times for coming up too quickly after Taranaki

played the ball. Taranaki was penalised three times.

The consistent infringements allowed Taranaki considerable respite from the British attacks and also allowed Taranaki to play much of the second spell within Great Britain territory. Pace And Power For much of the game it was a case of big, strong British players having too much pace and power for Taranaki. Weak Taranaki tackling did not help matters and in the first half especially, the British players ran through with ridiculous ease. Some of big British forwards impressed with their mobility, with K. Roberts, C. Watson and T. Fogerty showing out. I. Brookes was an incisive runner in the backs with the full-back, A. Keegan, coming into the line well. Keegan also had a field day with his conversions, landing nine for a total of 18 points. Most of them were, however, near or in front of the posts. The hooker, F. Flannagan. was a fine distributor of the ball and featured in an incident with his Taranaki opposite G. Fenton. More than 1000 people watched the match, which was played tn fine weather and on a firm ground. The teams were:

Great Britain: A Keegan. B, Jones, I. Brookes, F. Myier. J. Stopford (replaced by W. Burgess), W. As’pinall, C. Pooler. D. Robinson, C. Watson, T. Fogarty, G. Crewds-on, F. Flannagan. K? Roberts (captain). Taranaki: M. Parker, W. Beaumont, J. Watson, R. Isaacs, W. Southorn, G. Broughton, K, Fowles, D. Southorn (captain), R. Edgecombe, E. Stone. P. Gordon, G. Fenton, A. Marshal 1 !.

The scorers were:—Great Britain: Tries, B. Jones (3), F. Flannagan (2), J. Stopford, W. Aspin aid, C. Pooler, T. Fogarty, I. Brookes, P. Robinson; conversions, A. Keegan (9). Taranaki: Tries, W. Southorn (2), W. Beaumont; conversion, R. Isaacs; penalty goals, Isaacs (3).