The Big Match

Evening Star, Issue 20510, 14 June 1930, Page 20

The Big Match

Huge Crowd at Carisbrook Britain v. Otago

All roads led to-day to Carisbrook, the venue of the eagerly-awaited match between the Otago fifteen and, the British Rugby team of 193 Q. The historic Carisbrook Ground, the scene of some of the epic encounters of New Zealand Rugby, made an attractive picture, with its green sward in the centre and the excited mass of humanity, many deep, round its fringe. An interesting fact regarding the match to-day was that Otago was the first team in New Zealand to play the first British side that came to New Zealand —Stoddart’s combination of 1888, who landed at Port Chalmers and opened their tour with two matches against Otago. The gates at Carisbrook opened at 11 o’clock, and as ah indication of the remarkable interest in the game there were then about.a hundred people waiting to be admitted. From then onwards the crowd swelled in numbers, and by 1 o’clock, when the curtainraiser between two third grade teams started, there was an attendance oi many thousands. Trains from north and south this morning brought large complements, the increase in the ordinary number obviously being due to the attraction of the game. It was estimated that between trains and motors the number coming from south of Dunedin was about 3,000, and from north as far as Oamaru it was thought there was a thousand. All round it was expected that a crowd of over 20,000 would be present when the big game started. The teams were:— GREAT BRITAIN. Full-back: J. Bassett, 13.10. Three-quarters: J. C. Morley 11.7, C. D. Aarvold 13.0, H. Bowcott 12.0, J. S. R. Reeve 13.10. Halves: R. S. Spong 13.0, T. P. Murray 11.7. ■ Forwards: H. Rew 14.10, D. Parker 15.2, H. O. O’Neill 14.0, D, H, Black 14.4, J. L. Farrell 13.11, Ivor Jones 13.9| G. R. Beamish 15.4, J. M‘D. Hodgson 14.10. OTAGO. Full-hack: D. R. L. Stevenson (Southern), 13.0. Three-quarters: E. Wilson (Alhambra) 12.0, H. A. Fookes (University A) 11.9, D, F. Lindsay (University A) 13.7’. Five-eighths: L. Giles (Pirates) 12.0, N. M. Bradanovich (University A) 10.2. ■ ‘ Half-back: A. T. Francis (University B) 10.1. Forwards: R. Souter (Alhambra) 12.8, J. Here (Southern) 13.4, B. Dunne (Pirates, captain) 13.0, C. Sonntag (Kaikorai) 14.0, C. Finlayson (Taieri) 13.5, E. Collett (Dunedin) 14.0, J. Murtagh (Alhambra) 13.6. Wing forward: L. Scott (Taieri) 13.10.

BRITAIN WINS THE TOSS About 23,000 were present when the match started. Britain won the toss and elected to play with the sun behind them. From the first scrum Aarvold secured and passed to Reeve in Britain’s twenty-five, and the latter ran right through to score. Black converted, Britain 5, Otago 0. Two minutes later Aarvold again passed to Reeve, who scored his second try. Black again converted. Britain 10, Otago 0. Bradanovich, from a free kick, found the line at the twenty-five, but fumbling by Fookes let the English forwards away. The feature so far was the quickness of the English backs to open up play. Francis put in a great kick to Britain’s line, but the latter’s backs started passing again, to be well tackled by Otago forwards. Ultimately Spong ran through and passed to Reeve, who was tackled by Stevenson. Otago backs made a forward move, and Wilson was caught in time. A free kick was awarded against Spong, and Lindsay’s kick missed. The British forwards were doing brilliant work on the line-out, but Otago’s defence was solid. Reeve secured, and kicked right to the goal mouth, where the British forwards gathered, Beamish scoring under the posts, Black converting Britain 15—0. Further details will be found in the Stop Press.