THE LEAGUE GAME.

Grey River Argus, 25 August 1928, Page 5

THE LEAGUE GAME.

A CLEVER EXHIBITION. Total Absence of Roughness. FINE SNORTING 2-PaIU.T bnO VN. INVERCARGILL, Augyst 23. The Rugby League match, New Zealand versus Englauu, played, uu the 6hu»v Grounds ,un WeanesdaY aitercoou, attract* d a large attendance, fully SUUU people being piesiut wueu play started. The grvUud was great order, and thti conditions far toolball wer© ideal in every way. Tao. adverse ieports regarding the test played in. Dunedin had given many the idea that the game would be rough, but if any ill-feeling was harboured it certainly was not shown in this match. The game was played in a very fine sporting spirit, and there was a total absence of anything in the nature of roUgnneda. Of course it is well known that Southland is a Rugby stronghold, aud when it was known that a League match was to be staged here opinion was divided on the wisdom of *he step, but taxi attendance at the| game and th e expresaiins of approval heard on all sides w<re ample reward tor the enterprise shown by tbe League authorities. The game Alls fast ami full of incident, and »L enough the rules were strange to tL* majority of the spectators they cou’d not Trut be appreciative cf the class of loutbail served up to them. The brilliant running, reverse passing, and the clever tackling of .he Englisiun.n were greatly admired. Back And farwar d tney Lad the advantage ca weight and speed, but the handling was - hot always clean, and they lost uumtrous chances owing to this faftit Th e forwards were superior to the New Zealand vanguard in the loose, but in the tight it was a very even match. The tackling of the Nbw Zealanders, while not so solid a . thei of the visitors, was good and bad in [latches, but it has to b e admitted that the visitors were very elusive. The handling of the Lome side was good, but the passing was nit so crisp as that of the visitors. Gwynne, Parkin, Rosser, and El laby stood out among the visiting rearguard and of the forwards Half - penny, Boneman, and Young were the pick of an even lot. Wetherill, Delgrosso, and Blazey weie the pi* k of ih e New Zealand rearguaid, and di the forwards Goodall, Eckhoff, and O ’Brien worked the hardest. The game aroused great comment when compared “with, the displays cf Rugby given here, and many are pre* pared to proclaim in favour of today’s game. The supporters of Rugby however, point out that it was :uv international fixtures, and as such should have been, something out of the ordinary.