RUGBY LEAGUE England Wins First Test In Mud At Sydney

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1950, Page 7

RUGBY LEAGUE England Wins First Test In Mud At Sydney

SYDNEY, June 12.—1 n a game which was played in thick, churned mud, and in intermittent rain, England’s Rugby League touring team defeated the Australian team at the Sydney Cricket Ground today. This game was the first of three Tests that are to be played in Australia before the English team travels to New Zealand for a short tour. The teams were as follows: —

England—Fullback: Martin Ryan; three-quarters: J. Hilton, Ashcroft, E. Ward (captain), G. Ratcliffe; fiveeighth: R. Williams; half: T. Bradshaw; forwards: H. Street, F. Higgins, R. Ryan, K. Gee, J. Egan, E. Gwyther. Australia —Full-back: C. Churchill (captain); three-quarters: N. Pidding, K. Middleton, D. Mcßitchie, J. Troy; five-eighth: F. Stanmore; half, K. Holman; forwards: L. Cowie, A. Thompson, F. De Belin, J. Holland, K. Schubert, D. Hall. Many Infringements Australia opened the match with a torrid attack, which received unexpected support as the result of there being infringements by England of the play-the-ball rule. These infringements nullified England’s tactics, and gave Pidding three chances at penalties. Nevertheless, England was the first to score. Bradshaw sent the ball to Martin Ryan, who had come up from full-back as an extra three-quarter. Ryan ran far out, on the left wing, and then in-passed to Hilton, who used his superior speed to cut in and score a' try. The kick at goal failed. .

Australia now fought back bitterly. The Australians blocked England’s attempts to reach a favourable attacking position. Then Pidding made up for his past lapses at kicking with a penalty goal from the middle of a quagmire. At this stage, Australia held definite advantage in scrums, and the Australian back line was handling the ball well, but fast penetrative play was impossible undei* the conditions. From another infringement, Pidding put Australia ahead with a well-judged penalty goal. For the rest of the first half, the Australian forwards, who now were complettely indistinguishable from their opponents, by reason of their coating of black mud, mounted a terrific offensive.

Right on half time, Ward made an opening inside his own 25. Ratcliffe made a run of 15 yards, and then passed, as he was thrown out. Thereupon the speedster, Hilton, who, in anticipation' had raced ■ across from the opposite wing, gathered the ball and he outdistanced the Australian defenders in a spectacular dash for the line. The kick at gcal. failed.Big Forwards Used The second half was one of steamroller .tactics by the big forwards of both sides. England suffered badly from rulings given by the referee, Mr' G. Bishop. In fact, the rulings were disputed several times by Ward, the English captain. The penalties were about five to one in Australia’s favour. England, however, had the edge in speed, and also in the variation of the tactics. At one stage, England’s line was

crossed by the forward, Holland, who claimed later, that he had scored a fair try, but the referee ruled that England had forced down. The standard of play degenerated in the closing stages as the field, more than ever, resembled a mud scramble. Play ended with Australia attacking, and the score England 6, Australia 4. -