WELLINGTON FORM EXCELLENT

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 223, 16 June 1932, Page 9

WELLINGTON FORM EXCELLENT

Four Tries to Ball NEAL KICKS SEVEN GOALS All Blacks’ Poor Game (By “Poster.”) The play of the New Zealand team against Wellington yesterday at Athletic Park raises a doubt as to the wisdom of staging these matches on the eve of an overseas tour. The players probably cannot be blamed for taking care of themselves and declining to risk the prospects of a trip abroad. In this case, however, as it has been with previous touring teams, their prestige has been damaged in the eyes of the Australian public, and the various Rugby unions in Australia will not teal very pleased over the result of yesterday’s game. * * It in no way dulls the all-round excellence of the Wellington team’s play to state quite frankly that many members of the New Zealand team “nursed themselves to the point of making the game farcical. The tackling, as the gross score of 59 points scored in the game would indicate, was ghastly; in fact, with many of the All Blacks it was not attempted at all. Wellington turned this lapse to profitable account. It aided them in many of their scoring movements and the further they went the bigger winners they looked.* * The Wellington selector has reason to feel satisfied with the team he fielded. If they can continue to play the same style of football for the remainder of the season the provincial team will come through with a grand record. • ♦ ♦

In the loose the forwards were always endeavouring to feed their backs, and in line-outs and scrums they won the major share of the ball. Keid, Diederich, Stiver and McPherson stood out in loose play, but the whole pack put its weight into the tight and the result of their work in 1 this department was reflected in the busy time the Wellington half-back had. » « * Tindill confirmed the high opinions formed of him in club football. He filled his role with distinction and the Wellington backs could not complain of the opportunities he gave them. _ His passes to Neal were mostly well directed and fast, some of them being picked right off the toes of the New Zealand forwards. There was a dash of brilliance in the play of Macdonald, the Marist centre,

who was selected as an emergency, but played on the wing in place of Fuller. Macdonald ran rings round Williams before he retired, and maintained his superiority over Proctor, who replaced the Hawke’s Bay man. Macdonald exploits the infield pass better than any back playing in Welling-

ton. and he and Page made much progress with this method of attack. There was no better back on the ground than Macdonald.

Neal was worth his place on his goalkicking alone. He found the right place with the ball on seven occasions—a striking contrast with his effort for his club on King’s Birthday—and thus accounted for 15 of Wellington’s 36 points. But Neal also distinguished himself as an" attacking back despite the fact that he was opposing Lilburne. «'• # ' Killeen was a reliable link in the chain. He profited by the habit Innes developed of going for the centre instead of his opposing second five-eighths. Consequently he shot through the gap time and again, giving Wellington the man in, and Page was always capable of improving the position. Onee again Page emphasised the fact that he plays his best football in good company. He refused to let Caughey through more than a couple of times, and he combined cleverly with his wings on both flanks. Page is one of the few centres in 'Wellington who studies the position of his wings before he gives them the ball, and though his supporters claim he is it better five-eighths I am not converted from the opinion that he is a better centre. * » • Nelson Ball demonstrated that he can produce the football when he is given anything like a chance. He scored four tries, and only one of them was anything in the nature of a presentation. On the other three occasions he beat two .or three men. His tackling, a. point on which he has been criticised since bis rise to big football, was sound. He never let Bullock-Douglas move a yard all day.

Cresswell had surprisingly little to do considering that he was playing against a New Zealand team. When he did have to act he did it cleanly and confidently. Jlax was the only member of the All Black pack who seemed to realise that there was a game on. He was the outstanding forward on the ground, and he is sure to please the Australians. He consistently broke away at the head of the New Zealand pack, and he took all the honours in the scoring of his side’s last :ry. *

Cottrell, Purdue, and Metcalfe showed up occasionally, but never at any stage did the pack play up to the standard of the Wellington forwards. Their effort was absolutely lifeless, and in striking contrast with that produced in the interisland game. We can expect a much different story when they get to Australia, for yesterday's exhibition was nothing like the football they have already shown themselves capable of. Kilby made the best use of the chances he got. He varied his play judiciously, and bad a perfect understanding with Lilburne. The latter is a general in defence. and frequently saved the side from difficult positions. He gave Innes ample opportunities on attack, but the Christchurch man did not turn them to very good account. • * * Caughey was let in for a lot by the failure of Innes to stop his man, but when ho got anything like a chance the Aucklander made good use of it.

Bullock-Douglas saw very little of the ball, and did not get one scoring opportunity. His phenomenal speed was demonstrated on one occasion when Ball beat him. Douglas turned and gathered in the Wellington winger in about ten yards. Proctor on the other wing was a trier, but did not impress. Collins condemned himself, like many of the others, by many poor efforts at tackling. His fielding and kicking were safe and accurate.