ENTERTAINING MATCH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 56, 4 September 1939, Page 6

ENTERTAINING MATCH

Although not having the good fortune to cap their first appearance with a win, the Centurions, the club recently formed in Wellington on the same lines as the Barbarians in Auckland and in England, certainly did much hi their match with the Wellington B representatives at Athletic Park to establish themselves and to kindle greater interest in the organisation and in the future doings of the team. It Avas no small order for players who had been out of action for some time to come back on a warm afternoon when the ground was flooded with bright spring sunshine and attempt to step it with younger players conditioned by regular play throughout the season, but they did it admirably. Although the Centurions showed signs of the going towards the finish, the way they lasted was a remarkable feature, and this fact, together with some of the play they turned on, pointed to the future possibilities of the side. The Centurions were leu by ' Fraser Smith, a former well-known exrepresentative forward, and it included among other prominent representatives of the past such players as Robins, Bydder, Thomson, Watt, and Jamieson (from Auckland). There was one movement in the first spell in particular which bore the hallmark of skill and experience. There was a line-out near, halfway and a long throw-in to .T. Dellaba'rca at the end of the line. In a twinkling Dellabarca sent the ball back to Jamieson at first, fiveeighths. He made a fine thrust and away went Robins and Pelham.

The Wellington B representatives were quite a useful side, with good strength in the backs. They got more of the ball in the second half than in the first, and Pollock, Baldwin, and Company gave the ball a good airing, but it was not until well on in the second spell that their points margin became clean-cut. Even then the Centurions reduced the gap by rattling on a fine try and converting it, the final score being: Wellington B 17, Centurions ,13.' For the Wellington representatives, Baldwin, Sanson,. and Knowles scored a try each. Baldw.in .converting one of the tries and also kicking two penalty goals. Pelham. Robins, and Thomson scored a try apiece for the Centurions, and two of the tries were converted by Crisp. The referee was Mr. J. GHehrist.