Britain Far Superior

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 192, 4 August 1930, Page 6

Britain Far Superior

Combined Waikato Team Never in the Hunt

Visitors Score in Quick Succession

Britain 40: Combined 16.

[Per Press Association.]

Hamilton, Aug. 2. In a sparkling game in which the visiting backs dominated the play throughout the major portion of the contest, Britain defeated the combined Waikato, King Country, Thames Valley representatives at Rugby Park by 40 —16. There was only one team in it in the first spell, when they led 22 —5, but on resumption Combined infused more dash into their work and up till midway through the second spell had Britain defending strongly. The local backs opened out and with a determined forward pack treated the terraces to some bright exchanges. It was not until a few minutes before time that the fast pace set began to tell and to let the the visitors through for a succession of three tries. The cnowd was a record one in Hamilton circles and was estimated at over 12,000.

Murray was smart behind the scrum. Spong while he pleased the crowd with many dazzling runs, was at times erratic in his passing. Bowcott was a reliable man at all times and probably the Best of the Britishers. Aarvold rose to his test heights on occasions, while Novis and Reeve, the wing men, showed their paces on several occasions. While not a Bassett. Bonner, who substituted the latter at full-back, was generally pretty safe. The forwards were an even lot with O’Neil Farrell and Beamish always toiling hard, while Ivor Jones was a specialist in the loose. Both he and Black showed their value by goal-kicking. * The local side, while well outclassed in the first spell, played effectively for the greater part of the second half. The passing they attempted invariably lacked penetration. Allen and Mitchell were the b.’st of their forwards who gave a good account of themselves, especially in the line-outs. They were dashing at times but the speed of the opposing backs bothered them. Storey, Hooper and Reynolds were the pick of an even lot.

The Combined kicked off, and play returned to the home 25. Then Allen put the oval out in the visitors’ 25. Combined secured from the first scrum, and play centred at half-way. The visiting backs swung into action, and offside play by Combined gave Black an easy essay at goal and he hoisted the first points within 3J minutes. Britain 3 Combined 0 Bonner placed the visitors in a promising position with a heavy kick, and the Home side were detendmg again. Weo saved a dangerous situation. From a scrum five yards out Combined cleared. Britain continued to press, but up to this play had developed into a strenuous forward tussle. Spong, Bowcott, Aarvold and Novis handled the ball in a sparkling movement, which, however, gained little ground. Bonner had a pot from half-way, but the ball failed to rise. From a forward scramble the visiting rearguard swung into line, but vigorous tackling by the Combined back line kept them back. The visitors came again, and Spong, Aarvold and Novis handled the ball, the latter beating Weo to run over under the posts. Black converted. Britain 8 Combined 0 The visitors continued to press, and Weo saved, only for Britain to resume and find the line in the corner. Aarvold took a field pot, which narrowly failed. A free kick to Britain proved abortive. Bonner marked to save a forward rush, but Carlson returned to put the home side on the attack. OPPOSITION LEFT STANDING. Ivor Jones finished off a sparkling rush to leave the opposition standing. Black missed. Britain 11 Combined 0 From a forward tussle at half-way Reeve shifted play back to the home territory. The visitors were now playing with free abandon, and the Combined defence was being seriously tested. Ivor Jones hoisted the flags from a free kick, putting on further points. Britain 14 Combined 0 Bonner picked the ball up from a forward rush, and in a subsequent scrum Murray found the corner. He beat Weo, and Combined were in a bad position. Again Tuck cleared, bringing play back to the half-way line. Tuck let the opposition through from a scrum at half-way, and Bowcott was nearly away. Reeve soon beat the opposition when he capped a beautiful back movement. Ivor Jones converted. Britain 19 Combined 0 Spong, Bowcott, and Reeve brought the gallery to their toes when the latter went down the line in characteristic style to be grassed a few yards from the line. The Combined attacked, but they lacked the necessary finish to cap the movement. The forwards, and then the backs, strove. strenuously to lower the deficit. COMBINED’S FIRST SCORE. Weo saved a difficult situation when he roused enthusiasm with a line kick and put the home side on

the attack. Leeson, picking the ball up from the loose, went over to hoist the Combined’s first points. Allen converted a difficult shot. The crowd were delighted. It was the first occasion that the home side had shown their mettle. Britain 19 Combined 5 There was now more spark in the game, and the terraces showed appreciation in no uncertain manner. From a line-out the Combined forwards took the opposition before it, and play centred in the visitors’ twenty-five. From a scrum at halfway Novis streaked up the line. He in-passed badly, but Spong was handy to gather in and stroll over under the posts. Black added the points. Half-time came with the scores reading:— Britain 24 Combined 5 THE CHANGE OVER. The British backs handled the ball on resumption, but gained little territory. Mitchell found the lino from a free-kick, putting Combined on the attack. Ivor Jones cleared to send out to Spong, who passed to Reeve. The visitors were now on the attack. An infringement gave the home side needed relief. It was the speed of the British rearguard that was dominating the play, and they were throwing the oval around. Storey, w’ith heady play, put the home side on attack, and from a forward rush Storey snapped up the ball to go across. Allen hoisted the flags, making the tallies— Britain 24 Combined 10 Britain returned to the offensive, but by hard forward play Combined held them at bay. From a line-out the visiting backs went away and Novis finished off the movement to outpace the home fullback and score under the posts. Ivor Jones’ shot hit the posts and bounced over the bar. Britain 29 Combined ~ 10 Oflsidb play gave Mitchell a shot at goal, his essay from half-way being a good though unsuccessful one. Aarvoid beat tne home backs and passed to Bowcott, who was forceci out near the home line. A scrum at half-way gave the ball to the home rearguard, bonnet saved and from the throw in Combined were nearly across when the bouncing ball beat Bonner. The Combined tor wards continued the attack, and the backs went awa.f, but a timely mark by the British full-back brought the visitors out of a tight corner. Britain were again strenuously defending, with the Combined forwards struggling like trojans to force an opening in the British defence. COMBINED SHOW MORE DASH. Combined were now infusing more dash into their work, and the plaudits of the crowd urged them on. They continued to press the visitors and the home forwards were holding them down and were again across the dark blues’ line, the ball going behind. Novis turned on the attack, but an infringement relieved the position. Mishandling by the home backs had them in trouble, but Tuck saved in time. Combined returned to the attack, and St. George went through the opposition, but his pass to Tuck was wide. A penalty kick saw Allen narrowly miss the uprights. Britain were now by no means having matters their own way as in the first spell. Bowcott found the line to relieve the defence. Combined, from a line-out, set the backs in motion, but Carlston mulled in a handy position. Combined kept up the pressure and Mitchell, picking up from the loose, went over amid loud and enthusiastic cheering. The kick hit the posts and bounced outside. Britain 29 Combiiied 13 Storev was delighting the crowd by his spoiling tactics, snapping many promising back movements by effective smothering of Spong. The British line was away again, but Carlston intercepted and following a line-out the Combined rearguard swung into motion and Allen went down the line. He went out at the corner with three men hanging on to him. The home forwards, led by Leeson, were at it again, and from the kick-off the home backs swung away. Tuck sent the ball to Carlston, and Carlston took his Dass to go over near the corner. Mitchell’s kick failed. Britain 29 Combined 16 A bouncing ball beat Weo, and Combined were defending strongly. The British backs were again away, I but Aarvold. who finished the move.ment off. was pushed out in the corner. Britain continued to attack, and from a scrum in the Combined twenty-five Murray’s pass to Spong was wide. A free kick relieved and put Combined on the attack. Reeve

turned the tide, however, and went down the line to be thrown out. SENSATIONAL TRY. The sensational try of the game came the next moment, when Spong went through the opposition, beating four or five men to score under the posts. Black added the £.xtra points. Britain 34 Combined 16 Almost instantaneously Novis went down the line to add further to the tally, Britain 37 Combined 16 The visitors continued to attack, and pressed the home side on the line. Aarvold was next over, making the final tally: Britain 40 Combined 16 THE CURTAIN-RAISER. In a curtain-raiser, the Hamilton reps, defeated Matamata by 12 points to IX THE OLD RULES. MR. BAXTER’S VIEWS. Hamilton, Aug. 3. “While I suppose most of you will agree with your chairman regarding the old rules, our minds are firmly fixed in the Old Country,’’ said Mr. J. Baxter, manager of the British team, at the official dinner tendered the touring footballers last evening in reply to Mr. A. G. Yardley, chairman of the Waikato Union who, in the course of his remarks, said that the game with the Combined team that day showed that bright, fast football could still be played under the old rules. Continuing, Mr. Baxter said: “The rules wo observe are laid down by the International Board and in our opinion, are good enough for the average young man to plav under. We don’t intend to alter them one jot. Those who don’t want to come undler our colours can stay outside.”