AN IMPRESSIVE WIN

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 101, 23 January 1936, Page 6

AN IMPRESSIVE WIN

New Zealanders’ Success Over London Counties

E. W. TINDILL IN FORM

‘‘Dominion'’ Special Service. —Dy Air Mail. London, December 27. E. AV. Tindill played himself into the New Zealand team to meet England bv his display in the second match against London Counties, regarded for some time as a severe test of the All Blacks. In the first place, the previous game against a similar side, though won by 11 points, had been far from convincing. On this occasion New Zealand could not play either C. .1. Oliver or T. 11. 0. Caughey, while J. E. Manchester acted as line umpire. M. Corner played instead of 15. S. Sadler and was given the well-deserved honour of captaining the All Blacks at Twickenham. The London Counties side bristled with well-known names. At full-back there was V. .Tonkins, and on one wing G. It. Rees-Jones, botli of whom played for Wales at Cardiff. One of the centres was R. C. S. Dick, who was prominent for Scotland against New Zealand. Also in the side were I'. L. Candler (stand-off half) and D. A. Kendrew and E. Hamilton-Hill (forwards), wiio play for England. In addition there were several other players of international trial class. In the New Zealand side J. llore made a welcome reappearance after his accident in the Scottish match, while I<’. Vorrath, the other Otago representative, and J. Wynyard, the young Waikato forward, also found places in the pack. They all played very well, while of the regulars 8. T. Reid and R. R. King were always prominent, Reid in particular doing good work in feeding the backs. Ou paper there were all the constituents of a very close tight, and so far as the forwards were concerned everything went in accordance with expectations. The All'Blacks did not get the better of the tight work, and it was significant that throughout the match London took scrums instead of lineouts. But in the loose there was some great work .by . the. New Zealand forwards, who threw the ball about in splendid style and were unfortunate to be baulked right on the line on several occasions. Three Dropped Goals. Tile match will be best remembered for the remarkable nature of the scoring. Three dropped goals to one side must be almost unprecedented in a match of this importance. Tindill, who scored two of the three, has reduced this method of scoring to a line art, and both Corner and the forwards helped to provide him with ‘ opportunities. To-day ’’The. Times” says that Tindill ‘'will always be remembered as the most effective positional dropkicker seen for many a long day, either British or from the Dominions.” Tindill’s first goal was the only score for most of the first half and a penalty from G. Gilbert did not make the New Zealand lead much more convincing. But early in the second spell, N. S. Mitchell gave another superb example of his ability to make a scoring chance out of almost anything. He got the ball a yard from the sideline, from a kick by E. J, Unwin, gave a brilliant dummy to the wing threequarter, ran up to and side-stepped the full-back to score a great try in the corner.

The All Blacks were now fairly safe, and they kept up a fairly constant attack. After one rush the ball came back to Corner ami found its way out to N. E a U, who had come in from the wing to midfield. Though two or three men were very close to bim, Ball had a drop at goal. His success brought him much laughing congratulation from the rest of the team. Apparently dropping goals is not thought to be Ball’s strong point. Dick, who was always dangerous, ar last made one breakaway which nobody could stop, and he punted over Gilbert’s head to score it good try wide cut. But the London rally was shortlived, for Tindill almost immediately replied with a replica of his first goal —-a neat kick from about' a chain out. A second try from Mitchell and a penalty from Gilbert, making the score 24-5, were the final scoring episodes in a remarkable game. A win by 1.9 points over such a side was certainly heartening for New Zealand after the reverse at Cardiff, and should have a good effect on the training for the match against England. There has been some criticism of Prince Obolensky’s qualification to play for England, but his long residence appears a better qualification than that of 11. G. Owen-Sniitb, who is a medical student from South Africa and has played in test cricket against England. However, the English Rugby Union, which is a stickler for convention in most things, has always had liberal views as to what constitutes a qualification to play for England.