SOUTH Is SNATCH VICTORY ON TIME

Horowhenua Chronicle, 3 October 1927, Page 6

SOUTH Is SNATCH VICTORY ON TIME

North Is. Defeated By 31 Points Jo 30 COMBINATION AVINS OVEiI INDIVIDUALITY WELLINGTON, Oct, 1. • A cloudless sky, strong sun, no wind —these were the conditions prevailing to-day when 25,000 people saw the South Island Rugby team beat the North Island pn Athletic Park by 31 points to 30 after a remarkably fast and even game.

The only alteration in the teams was that Snodgrass replaced Steel for the South Island. Steel ruptured a blood vessel in his thigh at practice on Friday. * No quarter was asked for or given, the tackling being hard. When they left the ground for the first spell with but 11 points to their opponents' 17 South Island would have been unlucky to lose. Their forwards got the ball from the scrums. Dalley formed a brilliant connecting link with the backs who gave a brilliant exhibition of combined play. The following were the teams: North Island. Full-back: Nicholls. Three-quarters: Hook, Sheen and Grenside. Five-eights: Berridge and Johnson Half: Kilby. Forwards: Keone (rover),-Hadley, Swain, Harvey, M. Brownlie, Finlayson, McWilliams, C. Brownlie. South Island. Full-back: Lilburne. Three-quarters: Robilliard, Carleton and Snodgrass. Five-eights: Strang and McGregor. Half: Dalley. Forwards: Scrimshaw (rover), Burrows, Hore, Stewart, Alley, Hazlett, Marslin, Snow. The referee was Mr. H. J. McKenzie. Dalley played a great game both in defence and on attack. He made marks from almost impossible posl-

tions and his passing was very accurate.

Robilliard on the wing was a star performer. He used his pace in straight running to the best" 1 advantage.

Snodgrass on the other wing was little if any inferior. His penalty goal kick from just beyond halfway was one of the features of the match. He played with great dash . Carleton was a strong centre threequarter.

While not perhaps a great full-back Lalburne stood up well to the hard work.

McGregor and Strang combined well at five-eighths. The outstanding forward was Stewart, who used his weight and pace to the greatest advantage. Taken all round the South Island forwards showed themselves a wellbalanced pack and to that fact more than to individual brilliance they owed a certain superiority in that division.

The best foi-ward the ground was unquestionably Maurice Brownlit, who led the North Island team with energy and judgment. If one mart? could have won the , match then Maurice Brownlie would have done

Giving- him support were his brother Cyril, Finlayson, Harvey, Keene and Swain. The North Island forr wards played with an individual brilliance in the open which, had it been equally exerted in scrums and lineouts, would have moved mountains. Kilby at half did what was demanded of him, but he did not get Dalley's opportunities, nor did he show up as Dalley did in defence, although he never flinched from the hard work. His passes were fine. Johnson -was prominent in spectacular movements and worked with a fine understanding: with Kilby. Hook, Sheen and Berridge were PRtchy, while Grenside showed nice turns of speed. The worst performer on the ground was Mark Nicholls who as full-back was like a fish out of water. He itched to be up with the fiveeig'hths and he was afraid to tackle 'or go down to the rushes. His picking up of the ball was faulty. None the less it will scarcely be denied that had they persevered with Nicholls as a goal kick North Island would have •won. Berridge missed two very easy shots. The Game. South Island attacked vigorously frjom the start, Nicholls dashing in and stopping the rush well. He was not so successful a second time and Johnson was compelled to carry the ball back, a free kick giving much needed relief, to be followed later by a force down. From a scrum Dalley sold the dummy to Grenside and passed to Snodgrass who crossed wide out but ran out of touch in doing so and was recalled. Maurice Brownlie broke away with a line run and mulling by several South Island backs allowed Swain to score. Berridge missed.—North Island 3, South Island nil.

Finlayson made a great run for North Island which Johnson carried i on. A free kick relieved South Island. IDalley secured passed to Robilliard who flashed up the line eluding Nicholls' weak attempt to collar and scored a spectacular try. The kick missed. —South Island 3, North Island 3.

Dalley again shone out in skilful play, but Maurice Brownlie took play down-field enabling Swain to cross in the corner. Nicholls made a good attempt but missed. —North Island 6, South Island 3.

The North forwards put on the pressure with a passing rush and Kilby came rig-lit past Dalley to score in the corner. Nicholls goaled with a great kick. —North Island 11, South Island 3.

The South Island backs threw the ball about freely and Carleton went straight past Nieholls to score in the corner. Strang's kick hit the post.— North Island 11, South Island 6. Nieholls next goaled a penalty.— North Island 14, South Island 6. Lilburne next made a magnificent run and lost a certain try when he tripped as ho got to Nieholls. Hook next made a brilliant dash through tho middle of the South Island team, they looking at him, and Swain scored. Nieholls missed. North Island 17, South Island 6. Dalley secured from the scrum, dashed round the blind side, passed to Carleton to Robilliard. who crossing in the corner ran round behind the posts for Strang to goal.—North Island,, 17, South Island 11. Grensid'3 ran to within 5 yards of the South Island goal but the defence held and half time sounded. North Island ........ 17 South Island 11

A few minutes after the start of the second spell the bounce beat Hazlett for a certain score. South Inland's reward came when Scrim'shaw scored. Carletcn's kick missed. —North Island 17, South Island 14. Amidst 1 the ' greatest excitement Snodgrass pvened the scores, to 17 all

with a great kick from beyond half way.

Then South Island went into the lead when from a succession of penalties Carleton goaled. one of them. —South Island 20, North Island 17. North sparkled up. Finlaysonmadea long spectacular dash along theline, cut in midfield and passed to Johnson, who dived over near th& posts for B"-rridg« to goal.—North Island 22, South Island 20. Harvey, Keene and Finlayson were prominent in a North Island attack but Snodgrass snapped up. ran well down-field, passed to Robilliard toStrang, who came up fast, on the lineran over and round to the posts giving Carleton an easy kick. —South Island 25, North Island 22. Spectacular play at a hot pace continued when Nicholls ran up to the five-eighths line and started an in and out passing movement, which endedin Harvey getting over near the posts. Berridge missed an easy kick. —North Island 25, South Island 25. Harvey and Grenside next figured in a passing movement joined afterwards by Johnson, who scored under the posts. Nicholls converted.—North Island 30, South Island 25. Excitement was intense as Carleton goaled with a penalty from half way. —North Island 30, South Island 28. Within sight of victory South werenot to be denied. Strang sold the dummy and passed to Snodgrasa who clapped on a strong pace to score in the corner to give South the lead by 31 points to 3"0.