RUGBY LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 19394, 1 November 1926, Page 12

RUGBY LEAGUE

' NEW ZEALAND BEATEN A STRENUOUS GAME Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, LONDON, October 30. Bt Helens beat New Zealand by 28 points to 16. The home team was weakened through four men playing in a county match, and fully deserved its victory. It was a strenuous game throughout. Though much tho lighter side, St. Helens wore quicker on the ball, and often had tho visitors guessing. The New Zealanders’ persistent tackling, however, kept tho score down. The passing on both sides was noteworthy, the St. Helens left wing outstanding. Tho Now Zealanders drew first blood, Sanders scoring a gift try in the first few minutes. This was their only score in tho first spell, while thoir opponents put on 9 points. M'Comas forced an opening, and dropped a goal, Grundy got a goal from a free kick, and Wilson notched a try, which Grundy converted. The Now Zealanders started much more brightly in the second spell, but fell away before St. Helens’ persistent lightning attacks. Most of the scoring occurred in tho closing stages. Mason, Avery, and Sanders secured trios for the Now Zeoalanders, Gregory converting one, while Dolan, Smith, Halton, Bailey, and Pike crossed for the Lancashire men, Grundy adding the goals to two of tho tries. The Now Zealand team was:— Gregory, Brown, Cole, Brisbane, Sanders, Delgrosso, Hall, Herring, Parkes, Mason, Avery, Gardiner, and Thomas.

THE TEAM’S DIFFICULTIES LONDON, October 29. Tli© trouble among the New Zealand Rugby League players is said to bo due to half a dozen players insisting that there should be a more impartial selection of the team, and objections to what they consider the ultra-economy of the. management—for instance, the sending of only a bare team to the place of the match, leaving the remainder behind at headquarters. One of the team’s chief faults has been indifferent hooking. It is significant that at Leeds on Wednesday two backs played in the pack, while a wing three-quarter played as hooker, and Gardiner was in the back row. Tho management denies the report that some of tho team had refused to play to-morrow, adding that tho team will turn out in full strength.—Sydney ‘ Sun y Cable.