North Def eats South After A Poor Match

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 October 1949, Page 8

North Def eats South After A Poor Match

1 CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 2 (P.A.).—- ? North Island had the easiest of vic- ? tories over the South in the annual 1 match at Lancaster Park on Saturr day Two minutes after the interval 1 the South Island was only three 5 points behind, but the final score—23 to 3 fairly represented the difference 5 between the teams in the second r spell. The North backs played bright ’ football. In the first half the play would not 5 have done credit to third grade club ' teams. The South Island forwards ’ looked like a collection of elderly gentlemen, and the backs, when they did manage to handle the ball safely, crowded each other across the field regularly. The second half was rather a difJ ferent atory. Although ' the South ' forwards showed more life, the North 1 pack also improved vastly, and the r backs were far too fast and clever ? for the South rearguard. On the • whole it was a disappointing match, ‘ particularly for the South support- ’ ers. Two Outstanding Men The game did produce two real ’ stars. Both were North players— I R. A. Roper on the wing, and R. A. 1 White in the forwards. Roper play- ; ed a.magnificent game. He seemed i to be twice as) fast as the South . Island backs, and he was extremely quick off the mark. Roper had determination as well as speed, and frequently beat several opponents in ’ thrilling runs and with his quick ' changes of direction. On this perr formance he is< an All Black three- ; quarter of the highest class. White was as outstanding in the " line-outs as Roper was in the backs. 5 He clearly outjumped all the other ’ forwards on innumerable occasions, J and usually sent the ball back to ' Bevan quickly and cleanly. The North full-back, Harkness, had little to do but did it very well. Keenan had fewer chances than ; Roper,' but looked capable. Smith, i at centre, gave a masterly display. : He was very elusive and made sev- ■ eral breaks in the second spell. His : experience and generalship were of ! infinite value to his side. Of the North forwards, Cutler and O’Donnell played particularly well, with Beard, playing a very loose game, a danger to the South backs and of assistance to the North pass- . ing rushes. . [ “To Bad To Be True” ‘ South’s display was too bad to be a true reflection of the standard oi ’ South Rugby. Of the backs Orr (fullback). made very few mistakes, but was little more than sound. Moore, on the wing, had few opportunities, but ) looked one of the best backs, and Reeves, at centre, held Smith well m the first spell. The five-eighths were . poor. Kearney lacked any sort of understanding with the half-back, McKenzie, and when Kearney was replaced in the second spell by W. H. Taylor (Golden Bay) and Dickson moved into first five-eighths little improvement was seen. The South forwards showed very brief glimpses of form, but the display overall was very disappointing. Max was perhaps the best of them, with Budd doing well in the line-out. South were handicapped by the loss of Kearney in the backs, and of Wilson (who was replaced by Bond after the first five minutes of the game). and Budd (who was replaced by C. Hardia late in the second spell) in the forwards. The teams were:— ti , , North:—Harkness; Roper, Smith, Keenan; O’Callaghan, Beatty; Bevan; Grant. Rowley, White, Beard, Rowan, Hughes, O’Donnell. South:—Orr; Moore, Reeves, Taylor; i Dickson, Kearney; McKenzie; Stuart, Anderson, Budd, Woolley, Stuck, Wil.son, Max. ■ | Scoring Movements | • The first 20 minutes of the game were spent chiefly in aimless play, but White scored a good try for North when he took the ball cleanly from a line-out and crashed over the line. When Orr joined in a passing rush, O’Callaghan countered with a centreing kick, which found the defence out of position; and Beatty beat one man and sent 'on to Roper, who beat another to score a splendid try in the ' corner. < In the first minute of .the second spell. Reeves kicked a fine penalty goal ’ for South, but three minutes late O’Callaghan kicked one for the North, and two minutes later he kicked an- | other to make the score 12-3.

A weak South clearing kick gave Roper a. chance to collect a rolling ball at full speed, and run infield to set the backs going. South’s defence for once, looked adequate, so Smith coolly potted a goal. Ten minutes before the end, Orr again joined in a back movement, but a pass was dropped, and Roper was on it ; like a flash to . rim over for a tiy with ludicrous ease. .O’Callaghan converted.- ' * Smith, by quick thinking gave North another try. He sent a very long pass across the'field 'to \the right wing, and Roper, travelling at full speed, took the ball at about knee height. Sidestepping and swerving he beat several defenders to score, a very determined try in the, corner.. The referee was Mr J. G. Fitzpatrick, of Wellington.