KIWIS DEFEAT WALES

Evening Star, Issue 25684, 7 January 1946, Page 3

KIWIS DEFEAT WALES

BIGGEST HURDLE OF TOUR GAME WON IN LAST TEN MINUTES CROWD IN FEVER OF EXCITEMENT (N.Z.E.F. Correspondent.) CARDIFF, January 5. Before a crowd of 26,000, the Kiwis beat Wales by 11 points to 3, all the scores coming in the second half of a fast and exceedingly hard match, in which the result fairly indicated the respective merits of the teams. Territorially, the New Zealanders had the better of the first half, and, though the second half was more even, the Kiwis to-day finished much more strongly than in some of their previous matches. With honours even between two very vigorous packs, the Kiwis showed a definite superiority in the backs, and it was only consistently magnificent tackling which kept the tries down to one. General Freyberg and the Rt. Hon. Peter Fraser were present. The latter shook hands with the teams before the match. The teams were:— Kiwis.—Scott, Sherratt, Smith, Argus, Proctor, Allen, Saxton (captain), McPhail, Haigh, Simpson, Blake, Young, Rhind, Arnold, Finlay. Wales.—R. Lloyd Davies, Graham Hale, Bleddtyn Williams (captain), Leslie Williams, W. E/ Williams, W. B. Cleaver, W. Barch, W. G. Jones, W. H. Travers, Griff Bevan. G. Hughes, Rees Stephens, Leslie Thomas, Les Manfield, Morlais Thomas.

CARRIED AWAY.

The weather was fine and overcast, and the ground was heavy and rather treacherous in places. Though the atmosphere was not as tense as when the unbeaten Cardiff team faced the Kiwis, enthusiasm was keyed up to an amazing pitch, and, as the game went on without a score, the crowd became so obsessed with a desire to see Wales win that when Scott was taking kicks at goal he did so in a racket of hooting and! booing. He missed three, one a fairly easy shot, but was right on form with the last three.

OVER-KEEN

Wales kicked off. , From the fifth scrum in four minutes Allen made a run on the blind side, but passed over Argus’s head. A minute later the Kiwi

backs went away in the first; chain movement, the ball going to Sherratt, whom Hale tackled well. Both sides took a while to settle down, and shaikv handling indicated over-keenness. A dropped pass spoiled l a Welsh passing rush, Sherratt snapping up the bail and lining well.' Young burst'through a ruck after the ball, with a Welsh forward hanging on to' his shoulders. Then the Kiwi backs flashed into a sudden attack, Smith swerving through brilliantly and kicking over the full-back’s head. Manfield, who played a great covering game, carried the ball over his own line and forced. From a scrum five yards out Argus was well held when he tried to crash through on the blind side. From the next scrum, the ball went along the backs to Sherratt, who bumped one tackier off, but in crashing through a tackle to the corner, grounded the ball six inches short of the line and it rolled into touch. Later, when the Kiwis were right on the line. Sherratt failed to hold a short, low pass from Allen, the ball again going out into

touch-in-goal. W. G. Jones gained 30 yards in a fine solo dribbling rush. Young finally stopped it. Hard rucking followed, with the Welsh pack smashing into its work in great stlye, but a penalty from which Scott gained 60 yards with a line kick ended the Welsh attack. Proctor, who kept Bleddvn "Williams bottled up all day. bi'oke up a Welsh back movement with a terrific tackle, and Smith snapped up the ball and made a thrilling weaving run before sending on to Finlay, who was dropped from behind. The Kiwi backs remained dangerous, but the Welsh defensive covering was first rate. Stephens twice missed with penalty shots at goal. Half-time came with no score.

FIRST BLOOD TO WALES

Following a line-out after the restart, Saxton slipped round and passed to Argus, who centre-kicked, Proctor bringing down Bleddyn Williams as he fielded the ball. Simpson snapped np and sent to Sherratt, who returned it, but Simpson was grassed. Scott was wide with a penalty shot at goal. Davies kicked a magnificent penalty from about five yards inside halfway. The Welsh forwards made a loose rush and then Bleddyn Williams flashed into an amazing elusive run which tied up the defence badly, but near the line

he gave a forward pass. From a scrum Cleaver was wide with a drop-kick at goal. From a drop-out Allen worked a very short kick, regained the ball, and broke through with a sensational run before passing to Argus, who was downed after making a good run. A forward pass spoiled another Kiwi movement. Scott was wide with a fairly easy kick at goal. The New Zealanders kept attacking until Wales made a good loose rush, which was repulsed by Allen, who gathered in the ball and broke through with a run to the full-back. He miskieked, and Davies took the ball and made a good run back before finding the line. The Welsh forwards attacked with a

series of slashing loose rushes, but Saxton and Scott drove them back, with line kicks. They returned, however, Stephens leading one particularly dangerous rush. Arnold and Rhind led the Kiwis in a good break-through, bustling Davies, but Manfield was in position to take the pass and drive playback with a long kick. KIWIS IN LEAD. The Kiwi backs went into a passing rush, and Sherratt, with two opponents in close chase, sprinted 50yds and scored behind the posts, Scott converting. From a scrum infringement Scott kicked a fine penalty from 40yds out. Wales attacked, but Smith took the ball, dummied, and passed to Arnold, who made a good rush before being downed. Rhind led a good rush, and then Allen, Smith, and Argus made ground with a passing movement. Scott kicked a penalty goal from 35yds out, and the game ended:

Kiwis , ... ... ... 11 Wales 3