A GOOD START

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 June 1925, Page 5

A GOOD START

ALL BLACKS’ CLEAR WIN.

OPPONENTS COLLAPSE.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

SYDNEY, June 14.

Fifteen,, thousand witnessed the first test match'between the All Blacks and New South- Wak-s. The. weather- was dull and threatening, and the ground was 'dif the toft side as the result of fetont rains/"’ - - : The New Zealand team were: Harris,'Wise,' Bl tike, Elvey, Matson, John fetch,'" Wright, Donald, Lomas, Kirkpatrick, Wrighton, Finlayson, McNab, ■Dickson a'n'd Archer. • j . Bryant replaced Ford in the Neu Soutli'Wales, team. ‘--“In tile first hdlf,' New South Wales hhil the ddvalHdhe. (if tl(c' wind, ano they made good uSc of it, but all their efforts’ to kick’ goals' failed. The plk} was mostly in' the All Blacks’ territory during ihe first Tralf, but. they "iiianaged to keep' the 'home' team • out. The All Blacks' proved -a* fast. nippy set of players', who with practice Will improve considerably. 'Their ' coinbiri.’ atioii'was good."but their passing i’ush es were'apt to break down bn account of over-keenness.. New South' M alto were much superior in 1 , this respl'ct. The handling Of the ball by.-both sides was riot 1 of the best, 1 but', there were some notable’except ions. T he'.gartie ;wa| a Splendid exhibition of wing play/Elvey.'w'as easily the : i'est - hack- ! 'tm the ground, with Blake and Wise proin inent. New South Wales were the heav i<3r?ih the scrum and obtained the baP more than their opponents, and they were also-usually superior in the lineouts. The lin'e-kickijig was’alsd'a fea hire of the play*' Ross, the New feoutl*. (Wales played ‘(an -dx’cellent .game-, his long line, kicks, especially in the second half, 'saving liis’side'lron trouble. At half time the score war 3—3. This gives a. fair indication of ■the (merit's bf the tea ins, bitt in the latter part of th'd-Second' half New South Wales wont to pieces and New Zealand had things their own way. New South Wales commenced to at tack from the outset. Bowers took the ball down the line but Wrighton mark ed/ 'ahd-'relieved the pressure. ' The attack was, how*?ver, maintained. liar ris marked on the line. Then play shifted back to half-way, but -a long line kick by ‘Moss again brought th" New Zealaiid dine into danger. MMson smartly- intercepted a pass, and 'r certain score by the blue -b'lcks was spoiled by a knock-on. The All -Blacks were several times penalised in their own territory. but New South Wales, like the New Zealanders, lacked goor g'oal kickers, all the attempts going wide. Bowers retired after twenty minutes. He was replaced by Mil 1 ’ gan. 1 Greatorex knocked on near fh< All Black line. From the resulLpc scrum the. same player pushed his way over, but Crossman failed to convert. New South Wales 3, New Zealand 0.

A few minutes later, AVright startec’ Iris backs going, and in a scramble ir. the corner; Kirkpatrick crossed .. to score, but Dicksbn’s kick fell short. All Blacks-3, N.S-.AV. 3. The New Zealanders continued to attack, and Johnston was fo-ced out neai the New South Wales: line. Faulty handling by the All Black backs raised'the hopes of the N.S.AV. supporters, but the N.Z.' forwards retrieved the position. Gireatorex, 'who was the most prominent among the New South Wales forwards. ■' commenced a lively movement, but his pass was intercept, ed. and the danger was averted. The Blues continued to attack in the second half, but an All Black pass, ing movement saw. Wise pullet! down at the N.S.AV. twenty-five. After this, eycept for sporadic rushes,. the game remained in the. Blues’ half. A Nev. Zealand forward rush took,the ball tc the line, where a scrum fdr a knock-on favoured New South Wales, the l>al being sent into touch.. “Off-side play by the Blacks spoiled ! a promising piece of, play. The ball went to Grossman. who made a speedy 'run past half-way arid Wish, in diving to collar- him, sue. ceeded,- but w-is temporarily laid out. A brilliant back passing rush from a line out resulted in Elvey getting over at the corner. Harris’ kick failed. Elvey again made a great dash down the line, but he was pushed out. AV right,- behind the scrum, was responsible for niuch good work, getting his backs moving well. From a piece of off-side play by ( Greatorex. Dickson had a kick at’goal, but the ball hit the post and bounced Over the line. Kicking by Ross enabled- the Blues to invade the New Zealand half, but the Blacks were equal to the occasion, and play went back to the Blues’ line, where Humphreys picked the ball out of the scrum. Harris’s kick fell just outside the post. AVise, from half-wav; made a good rpn down the line, but Rainbow inter, cepted his pass, and kicked the ball, which came into Elvc-y’S hands. He distinguished himself by a great run, crossing at the corner. Johnson’s kick failed.

New South AValcs’ backs were unable to profit by their forwards’ ef forts, and in the last ten minutes the whole side seemed to lose heart, New Zealand being allowed to score thrice in quick succession. First AAHse.made a dash down the line and then passed to Lomas, who cressed. Then clbver woik by-Blake saw AVrghton over, and AA r ise was - again in ’taking the ball in front of the posts, cutting in. and sc/Oriner. Dickson converted the latter try. Tlie other kicks failed. Just on time, AVise- again got over at Hie corner. Johnson’s kick was unsuccessful, and the gam© ended. New Zealand 26 New South AVales 3

FRENCH VISIT POSTPONED

(Per Press Association.)

AA'ELLINGTON, June 15

The French authorities have notified that fhey cannot send a Rugby team next year, hut will consider an invitation for 1927, when they will bn able to send a fully representative side.