A NOTABLE SUCCESS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 33, 7 August 1924, Page 11

A NOTABLE SUCCESS

NEW ZEALAND WINS THE "ASHES"

ENGLISH TOURISTS UNLUCKY.

New Zealand's standing in the sphere of football under Northern Union rules, Known here as . the League game, has been made more prominent by victory in two ;Xests with the English touring team. Through its representatives on the field of play New Zealand lias succeeded where Australia failed, and today the controllers of the League game in the Dominion, with their players and supporters, are elated over an honoui-. that was hardly expected to. come their way—the honour of gaining the ■ 'Ashes" from England. A surprise was created last Saturday when at Auckland New Zealand decisively defeated the English team in the first Test. Yesterday afternoon at the Basin .Reserve there was another surprise when in the second Test the New Zealand representatives demonstrated that their first win was no fluke. Following up the victory Auckland they set out yesterday, again under adverse conditions, to put tha seal on their claim to superiority over, the formidable tourists. Realising the . importance of the occasion, they put 'their best effort into this game, and they were rewarded. For the energy they expended the reward was just; for the knowledge which they displayed the reward was too great. The visitors knew more about the game, but they were not suited to the conditions—a heavy ground and a cold southerly of gale force. That disagreeable state of the weather no doubt affected the attendance as well.as the play, the spectators numbering about four thousand.

Tlie teams, altered somewhat from those which were engaged in the first Test, were as follow:—

England.—Pollard; Hix, Howley, Carr, Bentham ; Mooney, Hurcombe; Bowman, Bennett, Burgess, Thompson, Darwel), Gallagher. New Zealand.—Dufty ; Mullins, Brisbane, Gilroy.; C. Fitzgerald, Delgrosso, Poison; O'Brien, liowry, Herring, Devine, Avery, L. Petersen.

At no stage of the game did the play reach the standard of brilliancy claimed of the code. It was scarcely to be expected that the play would be of high order under the prevailing conditions. For the most part the play was loose, with many; hold-ups for infringements, an undue amount of scrummaging, faults in handling and in passing (for Which the wind was probably largely to blame)", and quite an amount of individualistic work, in which the best features of the game were disclosed. For the first spell ,the Englishmen had the advantage of the wind, but they were only* able to put on 11 points. A few mistakes lost them good opportunities of . advancing that total, while rulings -apparently new to them also held them back in their search for scores. The first try was some time in coming, but when it did the movement was good. From a scrum near the New "Zealand line Mooney sent his backs away. Howley dropped his pass, but was quick to recover and threw tho ball on, for Xix to pick up neatly and 6core near tho corner. Pollard failed to convert. The next try came when the New Zealand backs, were- out of position. Darwell saw this, and tho . ball • was transferred to Carr, who was not troubled with a couple of weak attempts to stay his progress. This try was also unconverted. Towards the close of the spell the English backs again moved effectively, Carr 'enabling Howley to have a clear run to score behind the posts. Thompson converted. New Zealand failed to score, and England led 11-0 at.Half-time. The second spell was mainly a succession of attacks by New Zealand, although on occasions the visitors made good headway, while their defence was solid. Shortly after'the resumption Delgrosso made a short kick, and fumbling by an opposing player gave Mullins n. chance to pick up. This he did, and going on," he dived over at the corner. Dufty failed to goal. A little later the position was made more interesting, when a follow : through by Brisbane and O'Brien was successful. The ball struck- the goalpost and Gallagher made an effort to force down. Directly afterwards O'Brien fell on the leather, and a: try was awarded. Dufty goaled. After that the visitors showed stout resistance, and it was not until just on the call of time that their defence was penetrated. Dufty, who had moved up to five-eighth, made a short kick, Bentham fumbled, and Brisbane was N quickly on the scene to taKe full advantage of the mistake. His try was greeted with enthusiasm, and this became greater as Dufty made tho conversion which gave New Zealand the lead—and victory on the call of time. New Zealand 13 England- 11

Mr. L. Nield controlled the game.