KIWIS’ TOUR ENDS

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 March 1946, Page 6

KIWIS’ TOUR ENDS

ABERAVON BEATEN IN FINAL MATCH TEAM BOUND FOR FRANCE (N.Z.E.F. Official Correspondent.) ABERAVON, March 3. Tn the last game of its tour in Great. Britain, the New Zealaiid Expeditionary Force Rugby football team beat Aberavon by 17 points to 4, after a very hard, fast match, with some spectacular incidents and a considerable amount of rough play among the forwards. The forwards were, mixing it early in the first half, but excellent control was kept over a difficult game by Mr. Ivor David, one of the finest referees in Great Britain. The Kiwis, who were right out to make a good finish to their British tour, showed an improvement in form. This time they successfully countered the opposition’s persistent sfroiling tactics, with the back-lind playing closer together and very deep. Their four tries came from good passing movements. The tour ends with 23 wins, two losses, and two draws, and points for total 484, and points against 141. The teams were: — N.Z.E.F.—R. W. H. Scott; J. R. Sherratt, J. B. Smith, W. A. Meates; I. Proctor, J, C. Kearney; W. S. Edwards; N. J. McPhail, K. Ingpen, G. Bond, K. D. Arnold, S. W. Woolley, P. K. Rhind, G. B. Nelson, J. Finlay (captain). Aberavon.—S. T. Walter; E. Bowen, T. Price, J. Drew; T. J. I. John, G. Arnold; L. Howard; S. Davies, H. Morgan, D. Stanford, W. Vicery (captain), W. I. Thomas, A. McCarley, D. Jones, D. M. James.

The game was played with the ground in good order before 18,000 people. Scoring opened when a penalty enabled Scott to kick a fine goal from 40 yards out, after 15 minutes of play. Drew went off with a broken Collarbone, James going out of the scrum,to the wing. From a line-out the Kiwi backs went away in a fine passing rush and Sherratt raced over in the corner, Scott kicking a fine goal from the sideline. This success was repeated a little later when, from loose play, Finlay threw the ball out to the backs and it travelled along the line, Sherratt topping off a good movement with a try near the corner. Scott’s kick went wide.

The half-time score was: N.Z.E.F. 11, Aberavon 0. More vigorous rucking on the resumption of play ended with the referee warning the forwards. The Aberavon backs tried a passing rush and made ground, and then, from a scrum near the posts, Ai'nold whipped the ball back to Howard, who kicked a fine field goal. Fielding a long kick, Scott ran to the open side and gave Kearney a scissors pass.' Play switched across to Meates, who passed infield to Finlay and Kearney, who raced over with three supports outside him. Scott missed an easy kick. Aberavon attacked on. McCarley’s flank, but Meates intercepted and passed to Finlay, Rhind, Arnold, back to Rhind, and Nelson, who scored. Scott’s kick went wide. The game ended: N.Z.E.F. 17, Abervon 4. The team will go to France on Wednesday.