Australia wins league battle

Press, 10 July 1985, Page 64

Australia wins league battle

By NZPA staff correspondent STUART DOUGHTY, in Auckland The Australia rugby league team ran rings around Auckland, scoring 50 points, in a hard fought battle at Carlaw Park last evening.

In a fierce game marred by brawls, Australia beat Auckland 50-10. The tourists, who lacked any determination in the second and third tests, were fired up by the home side’s rough tactics early on. The Australians scored eight tries to two as they ran rampant over the interdistricts’ champions. The match was a fullblooded encounter as the Auckland side tried to soften up the tourists, but those tactics back-fired and the Kangaroos fought fist with fist. Three players were sent

to the sin-bin for 10 minutes. The Auckland referee, Mr Dennis Hale, failed to keep control of the game. The Australian forward, Peter Tunks, and the Aucklanders, James Goulding and Frank Tiniteila, all spent time off the pitch after flare-ups. But the Australian side was too strong and fast for Auckland, and was never really tested. Auckland lost its unbeaten home record under the coach, Mr Bob Bailey, proving no match for the tourists. The centre, Chris Close,

dropped for last Sunday’s third test, scored three tries. Fellow back, Michael O’Connor, also out of the test side, kicked nine goals from 11 attempts and scored a try. The Ausralians led 20-0 at half-time and took only two minutes to open the scoring in the second when forward Noel Cleal broke through three tacklers. Auckland man of the match, Dennis Stewart, scored the home side’s first points after 47 minutes, carrying Tunks over in the tackle for a try which Nick Wright converted.

Close, and the winger, Des Hasler, replied with two more converted tries before the big winger, Mark Bourneville, scored Auckland’s second, going in the corner after a long pass from half-back Sam Panapa cut out the defence. Cleal scored a second try, and O’Connor made it 50 points when he converted his own try from the touchline with three minutes remaining. Scorers: Auckland 10 (D. Stewart, M. Bourneville tries, N. Wright conversion). Australia 50 tC. Close 3, Cleal 2, G. Jack, D. Hasler, M. O'Connor tries, M. O’connor 7 conversions, 2 penalties).