TAKING IT EASY

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1928, Page 5

TAKING IT EASY

ALL BLACKS’ LATEST WIN

' A SUFFICIENT MARGIN

(Sjecial to Press Association.)

PORT ELIZABETH, August 11. After a disappointing exhibition, the All Blacks to-day boat Eastern Province by two converted and two uiv converted tries, to one unconverted try, at Port Elizabeth. A crowd of 10,000 people witnessed the match. There was a fair wind which blew downfield. The ground was of green turf, and it was slightly on .the soft side, after rain. It was several minutes before the All Blacks became warmed up, • the Eastern Province forwards holding them well. The New. Zealand backs opened out in two or three movements, but the opposing rearguard were smothering theiy. well, and the attacks were broken.

Strang then started another/ movement, from which Lilburne cut in. Burrows took his pass, and, going all out, he dived over the line just as he was tackled, to score. The kick- at goal missed. N.Z. ‘3, Eastern Province 0. . ,

Eastern Province were doing their best to keep the game tight, and, in this they succeeded for a time. There were a series of uninteresting, melees, in which the All Blacks had the best of things. Three fine line kicks then put the Eastern Province on the attack, and their backs started their first passing movement, the ball going out to the centre, Dower, who drew Johnson, then ran past Lucas on the inside and scored a brilliant try at the corner. It was the best try that so far has been scored against the All Blacks. The kick at goal missed. New Zealand 3, Eastern Province 3. Clover work by Strang, Lilburne and Johnson took operations to the Eastern Province line, but a score was prevented by offside play. Then there followed another spell of ragged work, ( which lasted till half-time. It had been a period of particularly dull Rugby. The Easterners started off the second half by rushing the game to the All Blacks’ line, where they won the ball from several scrums. Their backs got away in a couple of dangerous movements which needed the best New Zealand defence to keep the line safe.

Then the All Blacks’ forwards started in a workmanlike fashion. They ’rushed the play ’downfield, where Strang set the backs off. Lucas beat his man and a try looked certain, but he was well tackled from behind. Again the New Zealand forwards dominated the play. After getting/from Strang a pass from the Scrum, Lilburne dummied his man, and sent on to Johnson, who passed infield for Strang to secure and score between the posts. Strang’s kick hit an upright. New Zealand 6, Eastern Province 3.

The All Blacks were continually on attack now, but there was deadly tackling by the Eastern Province, which kept them out. Still the New Zealanders hammered away at the line. At last, from a scrum, Strang broke away, and passed to Burrows, who scored his second try, which Lindsay converted. New Zealand 11, Eastern Province 3.

The Eastern Province forwards made a gallop upfield, but they were ■ soon forced back to their own twentyfive again. A few minutes later the New Zealand backs opened out from a scrum. After both Johnson and Lucas had dropped the ball, Rushbrook snapped it up, and dived over at the corner to score, and Lilburne converted with a great kick. New Zealand 16,.Eastern Province 3. The final whistle went with the All Blacks still attacking. Apart from the fact that the New Zealanders played a disappointing game, much must be said for the /excellent tackling of the whole Eastern Province team. Seldom was there a. man who missed. The All Blacks seemed to work in only a half-hearted way. It was a big reversal on their display in the last three matches. Lindsay played his usual first-class ' football, but Strang was patchy. Really, the only back to play anything like good football was Lilburne, who did much smart work. Hadley, McWilliams, and Snow seemed to be the only forwards who had their heart in their job.

S. OSLER -INJURED

PORT ELIZABETH, July 12.

It is now definitely stated that Stanley Osler, the South African crack fly half, will not be able to play in the third test. He has an injured thigh muscle, which is still giving him considerable trouble. New Zealand players to train for next test will be chosen on Monday, while the Springbok team will be definitely picked on Wednesday.