LUCKY WIN

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 8

LUCKY WIN

KIWIS IN ULSTER

FORWARDS FAIL AGAIN

(Special N.Z.E.F. War Correspondent.)

BELFAST, November 14

While 10,000 Belfast enthusiasts went wild with excitement Ulster put up a great performance in holding the Kiwis to a one-point lead. The visitors undoubtedly were very lucky to walk off the field with a win 10-9 after a fast, hard match in which the home team did most of the attacking and the visitors were frequently very bustled.

Under heavy pressure, fast, hard tackling, and fine defensive covering play, the visiting back line seldom showed its expected form and once again the forwards were unable to obtain possession.

The teams were:—

N.Z.E.F.—H. E. Cook; W. A. Meates. J. C. Kearney, J. R. Sherratt; I. Procter, A. N. King; W. S. Edwards; J. Finlay (captain), D. S. Bell, J. G. Simpson, N. J. McPhail, A. W. Blake. L. A. Grant, S. W. Woolley, N. H. Thornton. Ulster.—A. O'Connor; D. S. Hyndman, H. Greer, J. D. E. Monteitli. W. H. McKee; J. Kyle, F. Strathdee; H. G. Dudgson, T. Cromey, C. , I. N. Wauchob, R. D. Edgar, D. McCourt, S. J. Edgar, PI. Martin. Earl Granville, Governor of Northern Ireland, and the Premier (Sir .Basil Brooke) attended.

Play opened quietly. Finlay started a passing rush from a line-out, but it was smothered. Twice Ulster burst through dangerously with close following up, but Cook, who played a fine game throughout, cleared under pres-

sure. The scrum-half, Strathdee, made an excellent solo run until Proctor dropped him, but from the scrum Ulster went into a good passing movement, Monteith kicking for the corner; Hyndman gathered in the ball at full speed and raced over in the corner, Greer missing the kick. The first score came in five minutes.

The Kiwi forwards broke through from a line-out but kicked too hard, O'Connor clearing well. Then from a scrum, King cut in, descending on the ball which went out to Meates and in again to r Kearnay before the movemejit was stopped.

Fine tackling broke up two more Kiwi passing rushes, and then McCourt led a fast loose rush to Cook, who found the line with a very long kick. McCourt, who was never in the scrum, but gave a great exhibition of old-style New Zealand wing-forward play, was a continual menace, his covering in both attack and defence being a big factor in Ulster's fine showing. The Ulster forwards were swarming all over the Kiwi pack at this stage.

Then came sensational play. The ball went out to Sherratt, who centred, but the New Zealand forwards failed to gather it cleanly, and suddenly Kyle and Greer broke away, Ilynd-ma-i coming up fast to receive Greer's pass and kick ahead, but Kyle knocked on as he tried to pick up the ball on the *Kiwi line with nobody in front of him. The Kiwis began throwing the ball around almost frantically, but the Ulstermen were hunting it like terriers after a cat.

Blake broke through in a dribbling rush, supported by Finlay, and from the loose play following the ball went to Sherratt, who in-passed to Kearney, who kicked a field goal from 30 yards out right on half-time, which made the scores—Kiwi 4, Ulster 3.

Early in the second half Cook put the Kiwis on the attack with a fine line kick, and Woolley led a loose rush, but Kyle relieved with a brilliant run right through to Cook, who dropped him as he got the ball away to McCourt, whom Finlay tackled. From an infringement here Greer put Ulster ahead with an easy goal. Finlay, and then McPhail, broke from lineouts, but were unsupported, and then Meates made a fine run, beating one man, but being beautifully downed by O'Connor. From a , scrum infringement, Cook kicked a fine goal. The Kiwi forwards made a good loose rush, but a long line kick drove them back. However, they persisted, and in a further smashing rush down the touchline Finlay dived over in the corner, Cook missing the kick. Kiwis 10, Ulster 6.

Finlay started a passing rush from the kick-off, but it was smothered up and from offside play in the loose Greer kicked a good goal. Kiwis 10, Ulster 9. Ulster pressed with dangerous rushes, to which the New Zealand backs replied with equally dangerous moves, and the game ended without further alteration to the "scores. v Simpson was injured a little before time, and went off.