ENGLISH TEAM BEAT AUCKLAND

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 27, 31 July 1924, Page 10

ENGLISH TEAM BEAT AUCKLAND

FAST AND INTERESTING GAME.

(BI TELBOIUPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

AUCKLAND, 30th July. The English League fo6tballers defeated Auckland Province by 28 points to 13 to-day. The ground- was rather soft in places, but the ball remained dry and the conditions were favourable for a good open passing game, such as the visitors specialise in. The attendance was 7000. Wilson, of Waikato, was not available, M'Donald taking his place in the scrum.

It was apparent from the start that the visitors would require to exert all their cleverness in attack to emerge victorious. The provincial forwards, playmg_ with fine dash, got among the opposing backs, and for a considerable lime broke up their combination. Passes were missed or went forward, and the visitors were penned in their twentyfive. The first score went to Auckland as the result of snappy passing. The Englishmen eventually got o their backs moving, and this made" try-getting easy for a time. The second spell was very strenuous. Each side added eight points, but in general play the province ;iad rather the better of matters. They ■«ere attacking hard at the finish. The visitors were without Parkin, who is a pastmaster at making openings, but Mooney filled the position of scrum half light royally. A feature of the game was tho scrum work of the provincial forwards. They were better at hooking than the visitors, and tho local backs got a good share of the bull. As a result there was hot work in front of the visitors goal.