LUCKY LAST-MINUTE SCORE SECURES NORTH ISLAND VICTORY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23367, 25 September 1950, Page 3

LUCKY LAST-MINUTE SCORE SECURES NORTH ISLAND VICTORY

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 25. The North Island Rugby representatives were lucky to beat the South Island by 10 points (two converted tries) to 8 (a converted try and a penalty goal) in the annual match at Eden Park on Saturday. J. B. Smith, (lie North Island captain, admitted as much in a speech at a reception after tlie game. W. A. Meates, the South Island captain, laughingly agreed with him.

In the last minute of tlie game, with the South Island leading 8-5, Hardie, a South Island forward, miskicked over his own goal line. The bounce beat Millar, the South Island full-back, and Christian, the North Island forward, followed up fast to dive on the ball for a try. Smith converted and the final whistle sounded immediately afterwards.

It was the -12nd match belwen the two Islands since 1897 and, so far as back play was concerned, it must have been one of the dullest on record. The crowd of 18,000 soon became restive and throughout the second half the persistent line-plugging of the South Island half-back. Savage, and the first five-eighths. Haig, was greeted with ironic cheering. Southern Forwards

A feature of the match was the magnificent display of the South Island forwards. Although outweighed they won the scrums by 17 to 11 and, in spite of the high leaping of White and McGuigan, took the line-outs by 23 to IG. , , White and McGuigan, assisted by Crowley and Blake, frequenlty took the ball cleanly in the line-outs, only to have it wrenched from them by Skinner, Mosley and company. The ground was concrete hard and clouds of dust rose when the scrums went down, but there were remarkably few casualties. J. M. Tanner, North Island second five-eighths, received a blow on the head. He was replaced by the Northland back. E. Dunn, who went to centre, Smith shifting to second fiveeighth. With tire southern backs standing up close on defence and tackling well, the North Island rearguard never got into top gear. Enough was seen of O. Douglas, a young Maori first fiveeighth, however, to indicate that he is a player of great promise. He received some shocking passes from his hlaf-back, Reid, but more than broke even with Haig. Tanner was heavily tackled by Lynch in the opening minute of play and thereafter did not look like beating him. Tanner's one good break —it almost led to a try—was made when the wing three-quarter, Cherrington, came inside as an extra back, forcing Lynch to tackle him. Third Generation Lynch, whose father and grandfather also played for the South Island, was the most enterprising southern back. Meates kept right on top of Smith and later Dunn, allowing neither any latitude. The North Island wings, Cherrington and Jarden. looked more dangerous than their opposite numbers. Gillqn and Bell, but had few chances to show their ability. Neither Wishnowsky nor Millar, the respective full-backs, was particularly happy N L. Wilson, the hooker, was as good as an all-round forward as any other in the South Island pack. He re-

ceived vigorous support from Moseley, Couling and Dalzell. McCaw was also prominent.

White, McGuingan. Crowley and Mexted were the pick of the beaten North Island pack. The South Island opened the scoring after 25 minutes of play, when Haig made an opening and passed to McCaw, who put Bell in for a diving try. Bell kicked the goal. The score remained at five-nil in favour of the South Island until halfwav through the second spell when Millar fumbled a cross-kick from Cherrington and McGuigan pounced on the ball to score. Smith equalised by converting. Bell kicked a penalty goal from a steep angle 35yds. out to put the South Island in the lead with five minutes to go. Then came Hardie’s miskick and the North Island grandstand finish.