ALL BLACK TRIAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 195, 19 July 1937, Page 5

ALL BLACK TRIAL.

SURPRISINGLY OPEN GAME. SCORE OF 19 TO 14. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON. July 18. A howling southerly gale and rain at Wellington on Saturday made the final Rugby triel, New Zealand versus The Rest, largely a forward scrimmage, New Zealand won 19—14. Mitchell, who scored a brilliant first try, went off injured early in the game. Parkhill, Rankin and Jackson were prominent in the winning pack. McAuliffe (half-back) played a sound game. Trevathan, Taylor and Dick were the best of the backs. Of the Rest, Simon showed himself a really great wet weather half, while Crossman at first five-eighth played the outstanding back game of the day. Ward, McKenzie and Pearce were constantly prominent in the loose and scrums, and throughout the match Lambourne hooked successfully. Killeen distinguished himself at centre on each side in turn. The teams were :

New Zealand: Taylor, Morrison, Mitchell. Dick, Hooper, Trevathan, McAuliffe, Dalton, Hadley, Jackson, Green King, Milliken, Parkhill, Rankin.] The Rest: Gilbert, Fulton, Killeen, Cobden, Griffiths, Crossman. Simon, Hatterslcy, Lambourne, Pearce, Ward, Williams, Frascr-Smith, Skandrott, McKenzie. HELP OF THE WIND.

New Zealand had the advantage of the wind in the first half and at once took a strong offensive. After a short burst of scrappy forward play, MeAuliffc set the backs in motion with a slick pass to Hooper. Trevathan ran round for a switch pass and lot the ball out to Mitchell, who fended Gilbert and touched down. Mitchell then limped off the field. Taylor replaced him at centre, while Easton came on at fullback. Trevathan failed to convert.

Simon gave the ball to Griffiths, who beat a man and kicked to gain ground. The New Zealand forwards, however, surged to the line, but Gilbert cleared. In the line-out the Rest had a strong advantage, McKenzie repeatedly snatching the ball. On this occasion Simon got his backs away well, but Dick collared Cobden smartly. The backs were standing too close. Green went solo through the Rest from a scrum with the ball at his feet and found the sideline. Again the Rest obtained the ball, Crossman kicking when he saw lie was closely marked. Trevathan fielded, but kicked too far. Trevathan missed a penalty from near the twentyfive when Lambourne lifted the ball in the scrum. PRETTY PASSING.

The ground ny now was shockingly greasy. Cobden spoiled a promising movement by slipping. A very pretty passing movement culminated in a try when Trevathan obtained the ball from the forwards and passed on the blind side to Taylor, who cut out his man by a quick pass to Dick. Pearce tackled Dick, but the latter fell over the line and scored. Trevathan converted with a magnificent kick from the side-lino in spite of the wind. New Zealand 11 Rest 0 Half-time was then called. Morrison was prominent in leading the forwards in a dribbling rush. Several rearrangements were now made. Taylor returned to full-back, while Killeen changed sides as centre threequarter in Taylor’s place, Fulton being centre for the Rost with Phillips on the wing. This new combination of the Rest backs showed immediate merit in a lovely defensive movement. Fullton, taking a pass from Crossman, made a fine run and when lie let it out to Phillips he left him a promising opening, but Rankin, with a handy turn of S]ieed. overtook and collared Phillips. Taylor picked up the ball, ran through the loose unchallenged and passed short to Killeen, these two between them taking play, right from one end of the field to the other. Killeen tricked the fullhack, Gilbert, by a pass to Rankin, who scored, Cobden’s tackle coming just too late. A gust carried Trevathan’s kick wide. Lambourne was still easily outhooking Hadley, and Gilbert was kept busy on the defence. He cleared several threatening forward rushes. McKenzie was prominent in the line-outs. SMART LINE-KICK. Taylor ran hard to pick up the rolling ball deftly and get in a smart line-kick. Grossman’s up-and-under sent the Rest’s forwards to the New Zealand line. Lambourne heeled and Simon sent his line into action, but again Dick successfully marked Phillips. Morrison made a long throw to Hooper, but Dick was in the heavy going and could not show his speed. Play remained in New Zealand territory until a forward rush crossed their line and Trusthum scored. Gilbert converted. Rest 5 New Zealand 14

Simon now picked up in the loose and the ball passed to Griffiths, who passed two opponents, made a long run and handed on to Phillips. Phillips fended off Dalton and Milliken and scored. Gilbert’s kick from the sideline passed just under the cross-bar. Rest 8 New Zealand 14

Ward and Pearce now broke through a loose scrimmage and once again the Rest had New Zealand defending. The Rest appeared at this stage superior, both forwards and backs, and having a monopoly of the ball.

Fowler, however, came on, taking Hadley’s place, and proved better able to cope with Lambourne, who, though still hooking well, could no longer obtain the ball all the time. The fii-st time Fowler heeled to McAuliffe, he passed to Trevathan. Jackson cut in, took a short pass and handed on to Dalton and he to Killeen. Killeen sidestepped Gilbert and Phillips and won to the .line, Taylor converted. rNew Zealand 19 Rest ... ... 8

The Rest’s back-line, however, had shaken into a fair combination and, despite the heavy mud, made several strong attacks. From a penalty close in front of the posts, Gilbert goaled. The Rest kept New Zealand on the defence. Hard forward play on the line followed and, in a hard melee, pushed the New Zealand scrum across for McKenzie to touch down. Gilbert’s kick failed. New Zealand 19 Rest 14

Drenching rain marred the last few minutes of play. McKenzie, 'Ward-and Pearce combined in a forward rush after a period of scrappy and uninteresting play. Gilbert attempted to kick a penalty, but failed, and the whistle blew.

The game as a whole bad been surprisingly open considering that the day was the worst of the season so far, the ground being soaked and tlie wind deceptive for kicking.