INTERISLAND MATCH

Evening Star, Issue 19949, 20 August 1928, Page 4

INTERISLAND MATCH

SOUTH BEATS NORTH VICTORY BY ONE POINT. Ll’i-ai United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 18. South Island beat tho North Island in th.c animal match. Tho weather was line and the ground in good order, thou'di a trifle heavy. Before the game NorlTi were favourite, the general opinion being that its torwards would prove too good fox* the southoincis. However, ms was the case last year, the South Island forwards held their own. Neither set of backs combined well on attack, the North Islanders in particular being disappointing. North island saw more of the ball irum the scrums and hnc-outs than the .South side, but they generally failed.to make rmod use of their opportunities. Braniwoll (North island half) and Langlands (first live-eighth) were both .weak on attack, with tho result that Cooke's play .suffered. Nevertheless, the Waivarapa crack was responsible_ for many pieces of brilliant play. The _ North island three-quarters were not impressive, though, of course, owing fo tho failure of the inside backs, they did not see a great deal ol the ball. Canson failed to live up to his; reputation, hu handling being weak. Roach played a fair game at full-back, hut it was not equal to Hie display he gave fur Wairarapa against Canterbury. Of the North' Island forwards the three Aucklanders—Finlaysoii, Knight, and Batty—-were always to the loro. Knight was one of tho best forwards on llio ground. Purler played a dashing game at wing forward, but was frequently off-side. Holden went quite well behind the South Island scrum, but .Bradanovitch (at first live-eighth) was erratic on attack, and lie frequently he*hi on to tho ball too long, lie defended soundly, as also did Hay, who played a good allround game. Oliver was very uncertain in his handling, and he spoilt sev end promising movements by dropping passes. Tbo best wing on the field was Snodgrass, and it was unfortunate that ho fin'd to retire injured. He stored a great try in the first spell. M'Clymont, on the other wing, made some good runs, but lie did nob seem to know 7 when to inpass the ball, and ho was often collared in possession. Stevenson was disappointing at fullback, and was not up to intcrisland. standard. Freitas ami Marslin were tho. tv.;o' outstanding forwards for the South, and Clark, Jackson, and Bird were also good. Robinson (wing forward) playedi with splendid dash, especially in tfl| second spell. fl|

THU TEAMS. H .North Island. —Dull-back, (Wairarapa); three-quarters—-(Wanganui), Kent (Waikato), and Anderson (Waikato); five-eightlß Cooko (Wairarapa) and (Poverty Bay); half-hack, BnlniWoH (P.nverty Pay); wing forward, (Wellington); forwards Knigh«| ('Auckland), S. WiHoughhv (Waira-y rapa), W. Willoughhv (Wairarapa); Steers (Hawke's Bay), Batty (Auck-' land). Palmer (Auckland), Finlaysim (Auckland). South Island. Full-hack, Stevenson (Otago) ; t-hvcc-ijiiariiuv -M‘('l.vmont (Otago), Oliver (Canterbury), and Snodgrass (Nelson); live-eighths, Brandanoviieh (Otago) a ml Hay (Canterbury) ; half-back. Holden (Otago) ; wing forward. Toby Robinson (Canterbury) ; forwards -- Freitas (West Coast), . Mar.sliu (Otago), Jackson (Canterbury). Batchelor (Southland), Bird (Southland), Muwden (.Southland), Clark (Canterbury). FIRST SI’KLL. South won the loss and played with :i light wind in their favour. Alter a good deal of scrambling play, when passes went astray and promising-look-ing attacks broke down on both sides. Carlson secured and ran infield and passed to Kent, who transferred to Anderson. The. last-named sprinted for the. corner, evaded Stevenson's tackle* and scored a good try. Roach’s kick just, failed.'' North 3. South 0. South throw away a chance of equalising the scores .soon after, when Bradanoviteh sent Hay away, and the ball wont to Oliver, to ARClymom, the winger breaking through well, hut Oliver was off his balance when he was given the hail with a dear field ahead. South kept‘tip the pressure. A rush broke down, but Snodgrass snapped up, and in a 50yds run outpaced Anderson anil Porter, bursting through Roach's bard tackle, and scored hrdliant.lv at the corner. Ho failed with a difficult kick. North 3, South 3. South continued to press a.nd North were forced. From a serum the North backs set off with Porter and other vorwards backing up. The rush went half the length of the field before it was stopped. South counter-attacked with a rush, in which Toby Robinson and Oliver figured, play being carried to North’s twenty-five, where Bradanovifcli secured and dropped a pretty goal. South 7, North 3. It was a few minutes later that Roach tried to drop n goal, but the ball fell short. At this stage Snodgrass retired with an injured eye, to appeal' later with his head bandaged. North looked clangorous when Cooke broke away and passed to Carlson, but Snodgrass intercepted, a good kick following. A forward rush by the South saw Freitas, Marslin, and Robinson with the ball in turn, and Robinson scored near the posts, Stevenson converting. South 12, North 3. The final score of the spell was the result of Cooke’s speed and opportunism. Brarnwcll sent the.backs away, ami Cooke came round, look a pass on tho inside, and sent on to; Anderson, wlio cracked on the pace, side-stepped two men, and sent, to Stcei'c. Stevenson had three men. to stop, and Carlson came up, took his pass well to score a brilliant try. Roach failed to convert. South 12, North 6 SECOND SPELL. South scored again not long after the second spell opened. Toby Robinson made a break of 15yds or so from

a scrum and passed to Freitas. The latter’s pass went astray; but"'Holden took the ball. He failed to pick up, but Freitas did, and scored wide out. Stevenson missed Hie kick.' South 15, North 6. - _ North attacked at once.* first with a back movement and then with a forward'rush headed by Finlaysoii, which broke past 'Stevenson, and Fmlayson scored a great try between tho posts, Laimlancls convened. South to, .North 11. North were defending lor a considerable time after the kick-off. Snodgrass was again hurt alter meeting with a sure tackle by Roach. This time his log was injured, and he was carried from the field. Chcsloy replaced him. North pressed■ for a space, but Holden cleared with a long kick to halfway. From a ruck in midfield a succession of North forward moves was started, and presently the North backs broke away. Cooke short kicked. Stevenson wont for a mark, hut mulled llio ball badly, and Cooke clashed up to score. Langlands missed an easy kick. South 15, North ]!.; Tho failure uf that kick meant ttfie loss of the match. Cooke was nearly over again from a pass given him well by Porter. Another move by the backs ended in Cooke cutting in, and his sprint finished inches from the line. There was no further score, find the game ended:—•

Fontl i LI North M .Mr E. A. Simpson was the referee. PREVIOUS RESULTS. The results of previous matches between teams representing the North and South Islands are rs follow: —

Date. Played at 18D7-—Wellington Won by ,\ort 1) Scores. 1G-3 11)02—Wellington South 20-14 1903—AucHand South 12-5 1904.—Dunedin ... Drawn 3-3 1905—Wellington North 20-0 1906 —Wellington North 9-5 1907—Christchurch North 11-0 1908—Wellington North 12-5 1909—Wellington South 19-11 1910—Christchurch South 14-10 1911—Wellington North i 9-9 191.2—Namcr ... North .12-8 1913—C h ri s tc 1 1 u r c 1t South 25-0 1911—'Wellington South 8-0 1919—Wellington North 28-11 1920—Wellington North 12-3 1921—Christchurch North. 28-13 1922—Auckland' South 9-8 1.923 —Wellington !••• Drawn 6-0 1924—Wellington *•« North 39-8 1925—Invercargill Nor I h 10-5 1920—Wellington North ■11-9 1927— -Wellington I92S--Chrhti;hnrch South : 11-30 Son tit 15-11