THE PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 2, 3 July 1922, Page 4

THE PLAY

(BI TSIiEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

AUCKLAND, .Ist July; The North v. South Rugby match was' played ait Eden Park in wretched weather. Tho ground was sodden and heavy from rain overnight and drizzling rain throughout the forenoon. There was an attendance of about five thousand. When play began rain bad ceased. South kicked off against a fresh westerly breeze, and Gooda.ll headed an invasion of North's twenty-five. Mathieson opened v, passing rush, and Hickey took a bad pass- beautifully. His forwards rushed the ball over the line, but foai'd kicking, reached the dead ball Txrundaxy. .North, attacked, l&o forwards

carried on, and Brownlce dribbled over and scored. M.. NichoHs converted. ■ North' .1 5 South 0 The game continued at a great pace, the North being mostly on the defensive. They forced as fche result of a. long- kick by Steel-e. A fine tvoi by Byrne again put them at a disadvantage, but a mark and. touch-line kick by Brook put play well into the centre. A breakaway by Dickinson, saw Sopi-h attacking. Croodall improved the "position, and Hickey made a try imminent as Fea fielded the ball, but Syenson knocked on the pass close to North's goal; and from the scrum -North, cleared. Nice play by Fea and a tricky run. by Fitzgerald saw a certain try thrown away as the result of Sven- ! son failing to gather the pass. South ! lest another score from a free-kick taken by Bell close to the goal. ;-.Fea led a fast forward rush, and play settled in the northern quarter. H. E. NichoHs broke away, and play wont to the South twenty-five. Three" Northern forwards carried the ball in front-of the Sc-!'.hern.goal line, where Svenson cleverly iaved with'a force down. A sweeping rush by South was stopped by. H. Nicholls, and play went to half-way. O'Brien retired hurt, and was replaced by M'Nat. A breakaway led by Bellis was stopped at Souths line, and in a passing rush from Fea to Fitzgerald, White and Steele, the latter was downed close to the North line. Heeling from the scrum North forced. : Fine work by Fea, Fitzgerald, and Richardson carried play to the mouth of North goal, where the defenders infringed, and. Bell again missed an easy' shot. Carnegie and GoodalLheaded a raking- South foot rush, but North counter-attacked. In scrambling play on the South line Fitzgerald was conspicuous for fine defensive play. M, Nicholls was bustled into dropping a pass, but Siddells recovered tho ball and sent it to Hickey, who went down, but recovered the ball again and scored. H. ■Niahojls failed with' the kick. The spell ended1 with'the score:— "' ■ . ■ North '.... 8 , South. ..;........ 0 Changing.over, South set up a determined, attack. The North full-back dropped the ball at a critical moment, Steel made a. good opening, but overran the ball a few-feet, from the line, a Northerner kicking into touch.. From the throw-in Bellis headed the North forwards in a great rnsh,- which was stopped by Mathieson, who turned defence into attack. He passed to Fea, who beat several of the opposing players, and transferred to Steele, who raced over the line and scored. Bell foiled to convert. North 8 South ..." 3 White retired, and Stewart took his place, and play zigzagged across th© field, South having the better of exchange kicks. Several beautiful passing rushes, initiated by Mathieson, opened with promise, but broke down as the l-esult of infringements.' North became dangerous, and Brook saved the situation frequently by turning defence into attack. Steel gained possession in a good position, kicked across to Dickinson, and the latter was almost over, off-side play spoiling an almost certain score. North forwards then cam© away with a dribbling rush, and South was forced down. Steel retired, and C. Badeley took his place, his brother, ; V. Badeley, having replaced Borrell in the" North team. A few minutes later Bellis was carried off with an.injured left leg. „ .' South set up a determined attack, and overcoming the opposition Williams scored. Bell failed to convert. • North -.;.;..;-.- .-.'...':;...; '-8 " South 6 Returning to the attack Mathieson opened up the game, and the SoutE backs gave a good exhibition of passing, con-. sid«iruig- the conditions, Fitzgerald scoring again. * Bell failed witJi the kick at goal- - '' ■'■'■■'.. .:.■■;'■'■■ .' ';'':' South :v,... ..9 North : : 8 A few minutes later C. Badeley almost SCOTcd for South. North made a determined effort to .retrieve the position,\ and play went up and down the field at a great pace, the Southerners changing- defence into attack in a wonderful manner, and evoking cheers from the crowd. *'„ Time and again North attempted to get through, only to be sent back and placed on the defensive by the work of "Ma-tihieson and Fea, and a great battle amom; the forwards waged, of which tlio Northerners had a slight a-dvantage. The Southern ba.cks, however, more than made up the difference,. and the game ended without , further score with the Southerners attacking. Final score was : South Island 9 North. Island 8 Mr. W J, Meredith refereed.