RUGBY FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 August 1939, Page 4

RUGBY FOOTBALL

FIJIANS’ FIRST MATCH.

BAY MAORIS DEFEATED. [per press association.] ROTORUA, August 23. Playing the first match of their New Zealand tour against a team representing the Bay of Plenty Maoris, before a largo attendance, the Fijian team won by 11 points to 0. The weather was cold, and heavy rain fell during the greater part of the game. The weather was obviously not to .the liking of the visitors, but in spite of this they gave many indications that when they become more acclimatised they will develop into a formidable combination. Both in the backs and forwards they are heavy and rangy, breaking fast and revelling in hard work. They played a 2-3-2 scrum formation to-day with a loose forward, and succeeded in harrying the Bay inside backs so successfully that few if any of their rearguard movements came to anything. The Maori team on the whole did not make a very effective showing, although their forwards worked hard. The inside backs, however, even when full allowance is made for the tactics of the Fijians, did not work with any cohesion. The Fijian rearguard played very deep, but appeared to have ample speed to employ this formation successfully.

The wing three-quarter, Ngatelevu, who scored the Fijians’ first, try, appear ed to be a. particularly dangerous scoring man, very weighty and with an exceptional turn of speed. The halfback, Kororua, also played a very useful game,' handling quickly from the base of the scrum and showing a very determined defence. Korovulavula, the Fijian full-back, appeared uncertain in the first half and took a number of risks, but his play improved considerably in the second half. The forwards were a very even lot, rucking well, packing energetically, and following up very fast. The Fijians’ first try came just before half-time, when they swung play suddenly from one end of the field to the other, catching the Bay napping, and Ngatelevu went over in the corner. Cakobau missed with the kick. The second try came shortly atfer the interval and revealed the possibilities of the Fijians’ backs. Kororua swung the ball out smartly from a scrummage and it travelled right along the back line to Voreqe, ' who raced over to score behind the posts. Cakobau had no difficulty with the kick. The Fijians added their final points from a penalty kick put over by Cakobau from the twenty-five. The referee was Mr. F. Wederill (Whakatane). , The’opposing teams gave a Maori liaka and a Fijian war dance before the commencement of the match. CANTERBURY DEFEAT AUCKLAND AUCKLAND, August 23. The touring Canterbury Rugby team played the second game of its northern tour against Auckland, winning by (> points to 3. All the points were gained in the first spell, in which Canterbury had the territorial advantage throughout, playing with the wind and sun. Auckland in the second half was unlucky not to score on several occasions. The ground was very heavy and the ball greasy, causing much mishandling. A tribute to the solid defence of the visitors was that not once did Auckland cross their line for a try.

Canterbury opened its account first with a fine penalty goal, 35 yards out, by Cartwright, after the. game had been in progress nine minutes. Auckland evened the scores two minutes later, when Hare kicked a penalty goal. Canterbury took the lead again after another eight minutes’ play, a good try resulting from the finest movement of the game. Cartwright made an opening in the middle of the field, and Hunter crossed for the only try of the match. Auckland went very close to scoring after half-time, but' the backs made too many mistakes, and the greasy ball hampered likely movements.

Contrary to reports, the Canterbury forwards played splendid football Apart from packing a solid scrum, they displayed more all-round ability than the Auckland front division. Their line-out work was splendid, while the combined dribbling rushes which frequently gained yards of valuable ground, especially in the second half, were' better than the more or less individual efforts of the Auckland pack. The Canterbury backs were more impressive than the home side, playing more enterprising football, and they left the general impression that on a dry ground they would have given a? brilliant display. One excellent example of their willingness to take risks was given in the second half, when Hunter fielded the ball after Hare had failed with a penalty kick, and started a passing rush which ended just short of Auckland’s twenty-five. This movement actually started in front of Canterbury’s goal. The scoreless second half was dourly contested by Canterbury. Time after time it appeared as if Auckland would succeed, but. the backs endeavoured to open up play when loose dribbling rushes by the forward* would probably have brought better results. The defence of the Canterbury team was magnificent; in fact, seldom has a team attacked for 30 minutes out of the 40 as did Auckland without producing results. Much credit, for Canterbury’s victory must go to the light set of forwards, who toiled hard in every department of the game. Chandler and Williams were outstanding in the lineout. Herman excelled in the loose, and Hearn hooked the ball Io great advantage. McPhail played a very line all-round game, assisting his hacks splendidly on defence in the second half. The. whole pack, however. deserves credit for the manner in which it played under conditions which were not exactly to its liking. From (lie kick-off .'the- ('anteri)iiry backs created a favourable impression. McAuliffe, captain and halfback. was the most enterprising. His stopping of forward rushes in the second half when his loan was being sorely pressed, was magnificent. On the only two or three occasions when Canterbury got near Auckland’s line after the interval. McAuliffe nearly crossed on his own. The live-eighths.! Allen and Burgess, played sound games, and their scissors passing movements would undoubtedly have brought, better results with a dry ball. They are two good types, especially Burgess, of whom more may be heard later in the year. Much interest centred in Cartwright, and his display bore out the contention of southern

critics that lie is in line, for the tour of South Africa. Hunter’s displa? stamped him as a, back with great possibilities, both as an attacking and defensive player. Roberts appeared to have increased his speed, but his positional play was not quite so good as that of Cartwright. Nolan gave a very sound exhibition of full-back play. To a very great extent Canterbury can thank Nolan and McAuliffe for saving the day for the side. OTAGO 25, NORTH AUCKLAND 13. WIIANGAREI, August 23. The individual brilliance of Otago brought about the defeat of North Auckland by 25 points to 13 this afternoon. Mitchell played the home team on his own at times. He repeatedly snapped up either to go through himself or to hand on to his supports. North Auckland showed no signs of the football it played when it beat Auckland recently. Defence was lacking, particularly in the early stages. Tries were scored lor Otago by Mitchell (4), Churchill, Murray and McClelland. Two were converted by G. Perriam. For North Auckland, Gibson and R. White scored, Masters kicking a penalty goal and con veiling one try. WANG A N UI N O MIN A T lONS. WANGANUI, August 23. The Wanganui nominations for the All Black trials and inter-island match in the last week in September are: D. G. Barton, centre; G. H. Hook, liveeighth; E. J. Callaghan, hookei, A. G. Davidson and W. Firmin, lock forwards. SCHOOLS’ TOURNAMENT. NEW PLYMOUTH. August 2.3. Holding Hutt Valley to a 3-3 draw, Taranaki, to-day won the primary schools’ quadrangular Rugby tournament, in which Rangitikei and Manawatu were the other competitors. MITCHELL NOT AVAILABLE. WHANGAREI. August 23. N. A. Mitchell, captain of the All Blacks in Australia, last season, announced, to-day, that he is not available for the tour of South Africa next season.