SPECTACULAR GAME

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 27, 1 August 1932, Page 5

SPECTACULAR GAME

FIRST LEAGUE TEST

ENGLISHMEN SUPERIOR

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) . AUCKLAND, 30th July. The first Rugby League Test between England and New Zealand was played at Carlaw Park to:day, England winning by ' 24 points to 9. The weather was. beautifully fine, and the ground was a little greasy. The attendance was 25,000. It was a fast and spectacular game. The Englishmen's superior weight gav« the side a big advantage in the scrums. They gained possession in twenty out of the twenty-five scrums in the-first spell ' and eighteen out of twenty-five in the second spell. The New, Zealand backs nullified this advantage to a great extent by playing right...on top of their opponents. The Englishmen were freely penalised in the first spell for obstruction and shepherding. Sixteen, penalties were given against England in the first half.and five against New Zealand. The penalising had the Englishmen rattled a good deal. Oa one occasion Sullivan, the captain, displayed temper and lost his Head by kicking the ball deliberately into the domain lehind his .own. posts. A talk by th« English managers at lialf;time evidently had a good effect, as the penalties decreased in the second spell, four being given against England and three against New Zealand. - Cooke and Brisbane were" easily New Zealand's best backs, and '. with anything like a share of the ball Cooke would have >een a more dangerous scorer than any of his opponents. Calder, O'Brien, and St. George were the best forwards, Hutt spoiling the display bjr presenting the Eng- ' lishmen with two tries. Sullivan's kicking was of great assistance to England. Eilaby, Atkinson, and; Smith proved clever three-quarters for. England. The . orwards were solid- and powerful, and handled well. They were much too good in, scrummaging for the New Zealand pack. '' The teams were as follows:— ' New Zealand.—Laing, Scott, List, Smith, Cooke, Brisbane, Masters, Calder, St. George, Stephenson,-Timms, O'Brien, and Hutt. England.—Sullivan, Ellabyj Atkinson, Risman, Smith, -Brogden, Evans, Thompson, Lowe, Silcock, Hodgson, Fildes, and' Feetham. ..,.-; PLAY DESCRIBED. New Zealand won the toss and played with the' sun. They set up an early attack in which Cooke cut in nicely. Play settled1 .near England's line, and from a penalty fairly wide out Laing goaled. Then :rom. play just inside the New Zealand half Sullivan just missed a penalty; 'he also missed an. easier shot right in front at the twenty-five. The visitors were getting the ball in practically every scrum by superior weight; but the New 7 Zealand tackling was sound. Eventually; Hodgson-picked up in the loose, passed to EUaby, who- sidestepped Laing to score in: the corner. Sullivan missed the shot. England were penalised for shepherding, but Cooke missed the shot from ten yards inside half-way. The visitors were then penalised.for bffside play,' and following a five-yards' scrum Lakig placed New Zealand ahead again with a nice goal. Hodgson then narrowly missed from a penalty near the touch-line. Passing between Evans, Brogden, and At« kinson saw the last-named 'eaten the. de- i fence on the hop; he cut .in and:ran over unopposed near'the posts. Hodgson missed from'. ah easy angle. Cooke, Smith, arid • Hutt; were associated in a splendid bout of in-and-out passing,;which, thrilled the crowd, the: ball going, out a yard from the corner. Play swung to the other side, where Laing failed with a penalty shot. Calder then missed a penalty near .halfway. - SULLIVAN ANNOYED. Sullivan.iobviously annoyed at'the.fre* quent penalties, turned and kicked th» ball deliberately into the' domain' behind his own goal line. The crowd hooted him roundly, and the referee gave a scrum five yards out, although once the ball became dead from a free-kick this -was a doubtful decision. After further "scrums the ball was passed out by Masters to Brisbane, then Cooke, who dummied Brogden beautifully, and scored near the posts, Laing converted. Half-time arrived with the score New Zealand 9, England 6. Shortly after resuming, Hutt foolishly threw: the ball towards the. front of his own goal, and . the: English backs broke away. Cooke brought Ellaby down well, but after further short passing, AtKnson scored in the corner; Sullivan, kicked a great goal, placing England; in the lead. Laing missed an opportunity of evening the scores with a penalty, but the ball never rose. Cooke and List broke right away with a dribbling run, but Masters spoiled' the movement by knocking on when trying to pick lip ball. Scissors passing betjveen Cooke and Smith saw the last-named run. over, But he was recalled for a forward pags. . . ' Silcock headed the English forwards with a rush •well inside the New Zealand half, where Siillivan increased the visitors' total with a splendid goal. Evans raced from a;scrum,;passed to Atkinson, who was almost over. A weak clearing kick by Scott gave' Silcock possession. Ha passed to Feetham, who scored wide out. Sullivan kicked another fine goal. . AN Ey*SY TRY. New Zealand was in a good attacking position when Hutt^ presented the visitors with another try. , He passed straight into the hands of-the English backs. The ball went out, anc| Eilaby, who sidestepped Laing cleveily, finished a sixty yards' run by grounding the ball in the corner. Sullivan missed the kick. ; New Zealand then took anWher turn in tha attack, Laing passing tb Scott, who gained a lot of ground. St.! George missed a try from a scrummage ion the_ line, then Cooke was just beaten; for the touchdown by Brogden. A long kick by Sullivan gained ground, then. Smith picked up in the loose and side-stepped Laing. Cooke appeared to push the Englishman into touch-in-goal, but a try was awarded. Sullivan missed the kick.: The game ended England 24, New Zealand '•&.