RICHMOND'S EASY WIN

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 19, 22 July 1935, Page 4

RICHMOND'S EASY WIN

DISAPPOINTING DISPLAY

RAIN MARS GAME

Little assistance was given to the revival of Rugby League in .Wellington by the playing of the match between Richmond Rovers and a representative side at the Winter Show Stadium on. Saturday afternoon. A bright exhibition of-the code was expected from one of the-finest club combinations in the Dominion, but. the standard of | football fell below expectations, ; al-. though Richmond did not have their i line crossed, and won by 32 points to 4. Heavy rain in the second spell t completely ruined the game as a, spectacle for the 3000 spectators, many of whom left before it had ended. The spoiling tactics- adopted by the Wellington forwards were mainly responsible for the lack of exhilarating football, but the Auckland visitors failed to reveal that 'combination Which has made them the champion side of the Dominion. • The forwards did not use their weight and pace effectively, although there were some splendid individualists amongst theni, while the backs tossed the ball about indiscriminately, and their faulty handling caused many promising movements to go, astray. • Richmond showed better form in the second spell, despite the handicap of a wet ball, but even then there was a total absence of the swift and penetrating passing rushes expected from backs of their calibre. The visitors were playing a side of comparative novices in the code, but even this advantage failed to produce good football. They beat Wellington, not by giving a scientific exhibition, which was expected from them, but by'unorthodox movements, ability to seize opportunities, and their experience in playing together. They gave the spectators a few attractive interludes, however, which indicated that the code would have been better assisted if they had been matched against another Auckland club combination, WELLINGTON NOT DISGRACED. Although they failed to cross their opponents' line, Wellington were. not disgraced. They did as well as could be expected of a side that had never played together before, and which contained, a number of players who were quite new to the game. Richmond had more weight and pace in both the backs arid forwards, but the home side were able to overcome this disadvantage. The forwards played a fine game under, the circumstances, and although ; their spoiling tactics militated against attractive football, they succeeded in bottling up the visitors' backs in the first spell. The backs had few opportunities, but there are some promising players amongst them, and provided the side has further chances of playing together, they should become first-class exponents of the code. Amongst the Wellington backs, W. Dustin, who captained the side, was outstanding. He did his best to make the game attractive,, always trying to initiate passing movements amongst his own backs, while he played, a wonderful defensive game, saving the side from trouble on numerous occasions. Two other backs to impress were W. Scorringe, who kicked Wellington's two penalty goals, and the full-back, L. Simons, whose kicking was a feature of his play. He was forced to go off as the result of an injury just before half-time. ; The Wellington ■ forwards were no match for the Richmond pack in the scrums and loose play, but their spoiling tactics were quite effective, and their tackling was always deadly. E. Pilcher and G. Dodd were two ■■. fine forwards in a, pack which played at a disadvantage' throughout. ' , A, E. COOKE SHINES. The star of the Richtnonud side was A. E. Cooke, who showed that he has lost none of the.genius which gained him fame on the Rugby field. Naturally he has lost a lot of his pace, but he was too fast for the Wellington backs, either in the full-back position, where he kicked and fielded brilliantly, or at second five-eighth where ' he scored two tries with elusive runs, reminiscent of his best. . . Two other . good backs were E. McNeil, who made some determined dashes on' the wing, and A. Mitchell, who scored two tries in the second spell by fine solo efforts. Although the Richmond pack did not play its best game, some of the forwards showed glimpses of the form that has gained them New Zealand and representative honours. • C. Satherley, A. Broadhead, and W. Telford were usually prominent in every movement. The teams were:— Richmond Rovers: A. E. Cooke Ccaptain), E. McNeil, A. Mitchell, E. Mincham, E. Fletcher, N. Bickerton, R. Powell, T. Tetley,.C. Satherley, R. Lawless, W. Telford, A. Broadstead, J. Satherley. , ... .. Wellington: L. Simons, K. Mailman, W. Dustin (captain),, W. Scorringe, L. Merson, R. Kyle, M. Mouat, E. Pilcher, G. Dodd, L. Burns, K. Boswell, A. Yule, A. Kreyl. THE PLAY DESCRIBED. Richmond scored early, an unorthodox movement, in which' both backs and forwards shared, ending with Telford going over in the corner. C. Satherley converted. Richmond 5, Wellington 0. . Play was dull for the next ten minutes, Wellington's deadly tackling spoiling any movements begun by the speedy Richmond backs. Then Cooke came through in a spectacular dash down the side-line, and cross-kicked for McNeil to gather in the ball and send Broadhead across in the corner. The kick missed. Richmond 8, Wellington 0. McNeil made a brilliant run down the right wing to score in the same comer s C. Satherley missing the kick. Richmond 11, Wellington 0. The home side/began to attack, and just before half-time Scorringe kicked two fine penalty goals, making the scores: Richmond 11, Wellington 0. -•....■■.• Cooke, who had moved up from fullback to second flve^eighth, opened the scoring in the second spell with a typical try which C. Satherley converted. Richmond 16, Wellington 4. Cooke dodged through again for a second try, which was unconverted. Mitchell helped the score along with two tries, C, Satherley succeeding, with one kick. Wellington's resistance was crumpling up against Richmond's extra weight and pace in the forwards, and Telford scored-a runaway try in-heavy rain. C. Satherley converted. Dustin was nearly over, the greasy ball slipping out of his hands with a clear field before him, but that was Wellington's last effort, and the game ended. Richmond 32 Wellington. 4 • ' Mr. W. Simpson '(Auckland). was the referee. .;. ,■;'- ' -. : In a curtain-raiser Central' B drew with Randwicfc—B-all. . ; . ' ■ .---.;