Australians thrash Welshmen, 30-13

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33870, 16 June 1975, Page 3

Australians thrash Welshmen, 30-13

(New Zealand Press Association-—Copyright) SYDNEY. Australia looks to have the Rugby league international ehampionship in its grip after thrashing Wales, 30-13, at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

The Australians scored four tries to one. The Welsh try was scored in the last minute of play by the hooker, Tony Fisher. The match was a bitter disappointment for a crowd of 25,386 which braved bleak weather. After Wales’s surprise 12-7 victory against England in a brutal encounter in Brisbane! last week, most criticis had expected that Australia would have to work hard to w.in on Saturday. Instead, it was a cake-walk! for the well-drilled Australians, who seldom looked: extended. The forward engagements were rather tame, apart from a flare-up after eight minutes of the second half. The Australians still held their 18-8 half-time lead when the violence began. Marlborough success Marlborough made a successful introduction into minor representative Rugby league when it beat the Canterbury senior second division side, 11-3, at the Show Grounds yesterday. Tries for Marlborough were scored by M. Gordon, D. Timoko and K. Gill, and K. Jones kicked a goal. Canterbury’s try was contributed by F. Karr.

Virtually every player onji the field joined in. It took]’ the French referee, Mr' Escande, more than a minute i to restore order. After reportsji from .both judges, hep awarded a penalty to Wales. |i The Australian five-eighths, 1 Tim Pickup, was the out-!< standing player of the match,:: making clever dashes through i the defence. He was warmly 11 applauded for his evasive work before sending Tom Raudonikis over for Austra- i lia’s third try. The captain, Graeme Long-;' lands, the left wing, Mark 1 Harris, the lock, Paul Sait, and the hooker, John Lang, also played well for Australia. FINE KICKING The goal-kicking was ex-! cellent, despite a strong wind.: The Australian centre, Mike: Cronin, landed nine goals! from 10 attempts, including three from awkward angles. The Welsh centre and captain, David Watkins, kicked | five goals from five attempts, i For Wales, only the prop,! Bob Wanbon, and Fisher i emerged with untarnished reputations. Wanbon tackled, with great determination,! and Fisher shaded Lang, 11-1 10, in possession from 1 scrums. The penalty count favoured, Wales, 12-9. The Welsh wing, Clive Sulli'van, suffered a shoulder in-| (jury, and was replaced for;

the second half by Frank Wilson. The Australians used one replacement, John Donnellyj replacing Gary Stevens, who suffered a groin injury early in the second half. However, they paid quite dearly for their success, Saitj suffering knee trouble, and' the centre, Bobby Fulton, and the prop, Terry Randall, in-' juring elbows. Scorers. — Australia: Cronin, nine goals; Harris, Lang-i lands, Raudonikis and Bobby; Fulton, tries. Wales: Watkins, five goals; Fisher, a try.