State Defence Too Tight For Kiwis

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31399, 19 June 1967, Page 3

State Defence Too Tight For Kiwis

(From

J. O. COFFEY,

N.Z.P.A. special correspondent)

BRISBANE. Queensland scored its first post-war victory over a New Zealand Rugby League team when it won, 15-6, at Brisbane on Saturday afternoon.

New Zealand played with only 12 men for the last 53 minutes after the centre, F. R. Christian, was sent from the field by the referee (Mr H. Albert) after an incident involving the Queensland centre, R. Cattanach.

Cattanach had kicked the ball through the New Zealand back-line when Christian, who was moving in to tackle, lowered the State player with a stiff-arm tackle. The Kiwis were unable to penetrate the strongest defence encountered on the tour, and Queensland deserved its nine-point margin. Players Hurt In addition to losing Christian, the Kiwis finished the game with three injured players. O. Danielson could hardly lift a badly bruised left arm, G. R. Woollard suffered slight concussion, and E. H. Baker played for most of the second half with an injured shoulder.

Danielson and Woollard were replaced at half-time by B. E. Castle and R. B. Tait respectively.

apart from isolated runs by J. K. Dixon and Sinel, were knocked to the ground in the rucks, usually by two Queensland players. The 20-year-old Marshall, the props, D. Manteit and P. Gallagher, and Weiss and Connell, formed the tightest, most efficient defensive forward pack that the Kiwis have met. Former Kiwi Ironically it was the former Kiwi, Cooke, who did most damage. In the backs his spontaneous acceleration and strong running were too much for the flustered defence on several occasions. The Kiwi forwards were outplayed for the first time. Dixon and Sinel were unable to find running room, and W. P. Noonan, Danielson, G. M. Smith, and O’Neil were crowded whenever they attempted to send the faster forwards away. R. S. Irvine tackled quite well but neither he nor Wollard, who could remember little about his 40 minutes on the field because of his injury, were able to penetrate from set play as instructed before the match. Many Errors Cooke and Cattanach took care that R. W. Bailey was closely marked and, in the wings, W. P. Southom and Baker made many handling errors. Southern was also inclined to wander out of position. The acting captain, Ellwood, had an inaccurate day with his goal-kicking, missing two fairly simple field goals, and Tait badly missed Marshall when the forward set up the try for Cattanach. The penalties favoured New Zealand 10-9, but the margin could have been far greater had Mr Albert been more severe on Queensland’s offside tactics in the play-the-balls.

After the game the New Zealand coach (Mr D. L. Blanchard) said that the result was “very disappointing.” He praised the Queensland defence. Tries for Queensland were scored by Cattanach, G. Connell and C. Weiss. P. Lobegeiger kicked three goals from seven attempts. Tait (two) and J. D. Ellwood kicked goals for New Zealand. Ellwood missed three other attempts. Fast Match The match was played at a fast pace on a firm ground in warm conditions. There were numerous handling and passing errors by both teams. Once more the Kiwis virtually ignored the use of the kick on the fourth tackle. Instead, because they preferred the scrum, the Queensland and test hooker, B. Fitzsimmons, won the scrums 19-17 against C. E. O’Neil and his predominantly five-man pack. O'Neil led at half-time. 10-9. Best Try The best try was scored by Cattanach. R. S. Cooke began the move when he came into the back-line at speed to make the initial break. J. Marshall carried it on, running through a poor tackle by Tait, and reversed to the unmarked Cattanach who scored under the posts. Although the Queensland backs were superior on attack, it was the State team’s defence that won the game. The New Zealand forwards,