CANTERBURY RESULT

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 133, 9 June 1930, Page 11

CANTERBURY RESULT

THE APPROACHING TEST

Defeats by Wellington and Canterbury in successive matches do not make ! the British Bugby team's outlook for the Test very encouraging, but their Test strength has not yet been fully revealed, the nearest approach to it being that shown against AVellington. In view of Canterbury's', record against teams from overseas, it was surprising to find that a number of the leading lights of the British team were spelled on Saturday. This made Canterbury's task a good deal easier Mian that of Wellington, although full credit must be given to Canterbury for the decisive manner in which tho British team was defeated. On the run of play Canterbury fully deserved their win; in fact, the success might easily have been by a bigger margin than six points (represented by two penalty goals). The Canterbury forwards practically dominated the'play in the first spell, and it was only for a part of the second spell that the British team showed up to any advantage, after which Canterbury did not look like losing.

Whereas almost a Test side was fielded against Wellington, the British team in the match at Christchurch on Saturday was about the weakest selected to date, and it performed accordingly. One keen judge of the game who has seen the British team in its games with AVanganui, AVairarapa, Wellington, and Canterbury states that the form of the tourists at Christelmrch fell a. long way i short of that shown in the other games. Aarvold was the only member of the rearguard to play up to form. There were the usual spectacular movements in the play of tho British backs, but the handling generally was poor. Opportunities were lost on both sides, but there was no doubt about Canterbury's superiority. CHANGES IN THE TEAM. • Only four of the British players who took the field against Wellington were in action against Canterbury. Bassett, the No. 1 full-back of the side, whose game against AVellington evidently did not do his sprained foot any good, was replaced.by Bomier. Morley, the team's best wing-three-quarter to date, and Novis, one of the most versatile of the visiting backs, were looking on, as also was Spong, the brilliant stand-off half. Murray, who has proved to be the best substitute for Sobey as scrum-lialf, was another onlooker at Christehurch. Only two of the. backs against AVellington — Aarvold and Bowcott —retained their places. Considerable change was also made in the vanguard. Kendrow, Parker, and O'Neill, the three front-rank-ers at AVellington, were all replaced at Christchurch, and Hodgson (one of the best all-round forwards), Ivor Jones, and Prentice were three others to have substitutes, leaving Beamish and Black as the only two forwards to play against both AVellington and Canterbury. In view of Canterbury's strength as well as thci record, the selectors of the British team picked the . wrong match in spelling most of their leading players. Of course, in one or two cases, it could not bo avoided on account of players being injured. Such wholesale changes as those made between AVellingtcn and Canterbury might, however, be taken as-an indication that the visitors are concentrating on the Tests, the first of which is to be played at Dunetlin on Saturday week. Tho British team plays a combined AVest Coast-Buller team at Greymouth on AVednesday and Otago at Duncdiu on Saturday, after which thcro will be uo match before the first Teat. TWO VIEWS OF G-AME. The following comment on tho game at Christ-church on Saturday was mado by AY. C. Dallcy, captain of the Canterbury team:—"lt,, was a great game, and'l'm very pleased with the way our fellows worked, the Caiiterbury forwards especially going well. The British backs have learned how to throw the ball about since the All Blacks' visit of 1924, but their backs still lack Lhe penetrative power." Mr. P. Harvey, selector of the Canterbury backs, had the following .to s;l y:—"l don't think the game went too well for our backs, as the style of the scrum was not in the interests of back play, for tho British breakaways were round on to Bailey as soon as the ball was out and halfway across to Hay, behind him. I do not say they were off-side, but they were on tho fringe of it. Their breakaways were much the same as the New Zealand wing-forward; in fact, the wing-forward has nothing on them." NEW ZEALAND'S TEAM. The final trial with a view to selecting New Zealand's representatives for the first Test is to be played at Athletic Park on AVednesday, so that the New Zealand team should be announced this week. There is much speculation as to whether any players not taking part in AVednesday's game will be included in the New Zealand team.