WELLINGTON BEAT NEW ZEALAND

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 1, 1 July 1926, Page 5

WELLINGTON BEAT NEW ZEALAND

FINE PLAY BY LOCAL FORWARDS

TOURING TEAM SOMEWHAT

DISORGANISED,

General opinion being that the team for Australia is one of the finest Rugby combinations ever selected to represent the Dominion, it was not expected that the tourists wo'-ild be seriously troubled by a Wellington team, minus the services of Porter, M. Nieholls, and Svenson. The New Zealanders, however, were decisively beaten in the match played at Athletic Park yesterday afternoon, and while excuses can be offered on behalf of the tourists Wellington must be credited with another meritorious victory, perhaps more so than the success obtained in the preliminary match to the tour of Australia last year. Certainly, tho principals of the Now Zealand team were absent yesterday, some of them being spelled in order to recover fully from recent injuries; and it was also obvious that the make-up of the team was far from satisfactory, the scrum being badly balanced. Then, the risk of possible injury was no doubt studied by the tourists. Whatever tho effect of these things, the New Zealand team, could not treat the game too lightly, and the local representatives made it quite clear that they were a much tougher proposition than many were inclined to believe. Matters were made so strenuous by the locals, that the tourists were compelled to extend themselves, but rarely did their forwards command any superiority over the Wellington set. In serum work the Wellingtonians were distinctly superior, hooking and packing well, and in tho loose the local van generally showed a better command of the leather. The New Zealand forwards appeared to better advantage when the play was more open. On both sides the backs gave creditable performances. Although the weather was bleak and damp, the conditions were not unfavourable to a good display, and those present—a small crowd for such an occasion—found the play interesting and entertaining, with a pleasant surprise in the performance of the Wellington team. The match was of greater importance to Wellington than to New Zealand, for it served as a splendid trial for the selection of the team to meet Hawkes Bay. Some of the players on trial turned out to be "the goods," one in particular being Grenfell, the centre-three-c;uarter. AVhile the New Zealand team as made up yesterday is not likely to take the field in any match in Australia for the reason that too many, of the players were out of position and a)so because room must be found for the "stars," Wellington must be given credit for a splendid performance, equally as pleasing as that in the match with Canterbury a few weeks ago. The teams took the field as follow:— New Zealand.—Stevenson; Elvy, Blake, Kobilliard; Svenson, Sheen; Mill; Porter (captain); Kirkpatrick, Lomas, C. Brownlie, Harvey, Finlayson, Hazlett, Knight. Wellington.—Malcolm; Tait, Grenfell, Malfroy; M'Kenzie, Corner; Braniwell; Jessup; Wilson, O'Regan, Pringle, Moffit (captain), Thomas, Tyreo, Taylor. THE PLAY IN DETAIL. The toss favoured New Zealand, who played with the wind. In loose play the Dominion representatives worked down, and the backs getting possession Elvy was sent in a dash for the Hue. He was brought down near tho Wellington line, and from a scrum the Wellington forwards removed .' play from the danger . zone. The Blacks essayed passing movements, but with little result.- Svenson then started a loose ,rush, in wfcich Porter was heading well for a try, when Malfroy came acToss to force in the nick of.time. To further Black pressure, Wellington made a hot reply. Wilson dribbled through for some distance, and Tait, Tyree and Corner joined in to' drive well into Now Zealand's twenty-five. From a scrum, Tyree broke away and dived over. Malcolm's kick missed by inches. . ' ■ Wellington' 3 New Zealand 0 The tourists set off in open order to equalise, and the chain of backs worked exceedingly well until Blake hung on and was grounded. Shortly afterwards, Bramwell could not help carrying over. From the resultant . scrum, the New Zealand backs again, showed up attractively until Blake missed his pass. Wellington held the New Zealand forwards, and then broke through for another promising attack, in which the forwards played over the opposition. A, free-kick to Wellington gave Malcolm a chance to goal, but he could not succeed. Punts by. Sheen and Svenson sent New Zealand .away, and after some fumbling by Wellington, Harvey had a great scoring opportunity, but lost possession. Again Wellington drove the stalwarts back, and got as far as Stevenson, who found an opening which gave him room to clear. Wellington pressure was maintained until Mill and Sheen set off in likely fashion, only to lose a possible scoring chance through a forward pass. The advance, however, was useful, as a free-kick was obtained, and Svenson, with splendid judgment, landed a goal, though not before the ball had struck the cross-bar. Wellington 3 New Zealand 3 Just afterwards, Sheen was assisted off, he having received a leg injury. Dalley camo on to play as halfback, Mill taking up the position as first five-eighths. A punt by Stevenson placed New Zealand on the right side of half-way, and when Malcolm failed to find the lino with a relieving kick the tourists got busy. Blake ran into trouble, but the ball was soon sent out to Elvy, and a brilliant dash by the wing-three-quarter placed a try to New Zealand's credit. Svenson'a kick further advanced the score. New Zealand 8 Wellingon 3 More vigorous forward work by the home team, an unsuccessful kick at goal by Tyree, and neat passing by Porter, Lomas and Robilliard, and by the New Zealand inside backs, kept the play lively, and interesting. A subsequent effort in which the New Zealand backs Vreve seen to perfection had the result it deserved., The ball travelled through the line to Elvy, who finished off with a try. Svenson failed to goal. New Zealand 11 Wellington 3 The touring side was now playing like a winning team, and rushing play to the Wellington line, a free-kick was obtained. Svenson did not allow enough for the wind. Still aggressive, New.Zealand were nearly over the Wei-' lington line, -^hen a breach compelled a brief retirement to neutral ground. Before the speU ended they were in vigorous search of more points,, only to be again penalised On Wellington's line. WELLINGTON'S SECOND SPELL. For the second spell Svenson did not come out. Porter took the second fiveeighths position, C. Brownlie played a3 j wing-forward, and Alley fillod the gap

in the pack. Immediately after the interval Mofatt headed a strong Wellington rush, to which the Blacks made reply. In the subsequent play, however, the Wellington forwards hustled the opposition, whose task was made heavier by a slightly-increased wind. A fast follow-up by Grenfell brought trouble to Stevenson, but Elvy was on hand to assist the full-back. Elvy's kick was charged down, and, luckily for New Zealand, the ball rebounded into touch-in-goal. In support of good forward drives, the local backs endeavoured to penetrate the defence, but were held. Success was obtained when.New Zealand were penalised, Malcolm making sure of a goal. New Zealand 11 Wellington 6 Though the tourists livened up, Wellington were still able to gain an advantage in loose play, Thomas, Moffitt, and Corner figuring in a dribbling rush which placed the local team within reach of a score. This came when, from a scramble, Bramwell whipped the leather out to Corner, who in turn passed to M'Kenzie. Grenfell was next to receive, and he completed a neat movement by clearing the opposition and touching down behind the posts. Malcolm's kick was poor. New Zealand 11 Wellington 9 The game'was now in Wellington's favour. Eush after rush kept the tourists busy on the defensive. The local backs were rendering good assistance to the keen-battling forwards, but through • misjudged kicks some opportunities were lost. The chance for the lead came when Hazlett was caught offside, and O'Began made no mistake with the kick. Wellington 12 New Zealand 11 Stirred to greater effort, New Zealand, per medium of Mill, Porter, Finlayson, and C. Brownlie, looked like regaining the lead when a paw forward held up the a_dvanee. Forwards and backs were striving hard, but Welling-, ton kept a strict eye on all movements, and, driving the Blacks.back, improved their position. A free-kick was turned to good account by O'Began. Wellington '. 15 New Zealand 11 For some time the local team carried out its aggressive policy in fine style, forwards and backs playing up splendidly. Occasionally the tourists would effect a change in their favour, but whenever it was started Wellington wore quick to retaliate. Stevenson let the Wellington team gaiu much ground on a couple of occasionally making no effort to field the leather. From one rush Blake endeavoured to clear, and Harvey attempted to assist from an off-side position. This gave Wellington another free-kick, and O'Began directed the ball well, though the leather hit the cross-bar in going over. 18-11. A little later the Wellington backs were seen in a fine bout which cleared the defence and left enough room for Tait to dash across near the .corner. O'Began's kick was a trifle short. 21-11. In.the closing stages, New Zealand showed superiority, but their - efforts, mainly of the open order, were too late. Just on the call of timo Port«r»and Elvy cleared the way for a dash by Finlayson. The big forward galloped off from the vicinity of half-way, and although grounded by Bramwell, who went for Finlayson's ankles, he had enough weigh on to slide over the Wellington line. Porter just failed to goal. The game ended:-— Wellington 21 New Zealand 14 Mr. W. Carson was the. referee.