AUCKLAND BEATS OTAGO

Evening Post, Volume 55, Issue 55, 3 September 1923, Page 2

AUCKLAND BEATS OTAGO

FAST, INTERESTING. GAME.

(BI TELEGRAPH.—-PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

AUCKLAND, Ist- September. : ;Auckland defeated Otago to-day by 16 points to's after an open game In ideal weather. The attendance (12,000) was the largest of this season. In the first spell the backs Were evenly matched, the Otago forwards being, if anything, slightly, superior. In the second spell the Auckland' backs appeared- to greater advantage, and, though not up. to the standard of previous games, they wore down the opposition.. Otago kicked eff' against the sun. Play centred in the-visitors' half for somp minutes until a-rush headed by Coombes transferred play .to ne*ar the .home twenty-five. A few minutes afterwards an Auckland; rush carried play to the .Otago twenty-five, Webb finding the line at halfway. Then the visitors transferred operations to • the local twenty-five, where from a line-out Gilbert passed .to: Harty, who scored arid converted. An Otago rush' was terminated by a breach for which Ifwerson had an unsuccessful kick at goal. Play for a time hovered about halfway, and open play took the ball to: -the Otago twenty-five, but it came back to halfway, where Ifwersqa kicked a penalty: ■■ A passing rush by the Auckland backs was nullified, but immediately after Ifwerson sect to Cooke, who scored in the corner after a good run through the. opposition. Ifwerson converted. .Half-time came with the score: Auckland 8, Otago 5. After resuming, Auckland booh set up an attack, which ended in Ot.ago forcing. The attack continued, a promising Auckland passing bout being started, when Mackareth cut in and got into local territory before being stopped. Fast, open play ensued, with frequent incipient rushes, until from inside the Auckland half Wright broke away, passing to Sheen, to Ifwerson, whq scored and converted. Otago attacked, a freekick from the. twenty-five being forced. Play now became fast and open in neutral territory, until a,n Auckland loose rush sent play 40 the corner, a free-kick for a breach in a scrum giving' relief. Play was being rapidly transferred to first one twenty.five and then the other, when the Auckland backs got going being stopped. on the Otago line. Play' swung across.field, where Ifwerson passed to Cooke, to Mollory, who scored. Ifwerson failed to convert. The game ended vi. neutral territory. Auckland 16, Otago 6. . : ' . .