HAD BETTER OF PLAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXVI, Issue 25, 28 December 1945, Page 5

HAD BETTER OF PLAY

KIWIS AT CARDIFF

FANATICAL SPECTATORS (N.Z. Press Association. —Copyright.) CARDIFF, Dec. 26. When the N.Z.E.F. Rugby team beat Cardiff today in an exceed- ' ingly hard and intensely exciting game, the fanatical spectators roared encouragement to their own team and then booed when they watched Cardiff suffer their first defeat of 18 matches. The battle of the forwards was torrid, almost ferocious at times, while the backs got about an equal share of the ball. Territorially the Kiwis had the better of the play and were a little unlucky not to win Dy a greater margin.

The hero of the.match was the first-five-eighth, J.. B. Kearney, who retired injured late in the first half and returned at half-time. Before his injury, he was playing brilliant football, and, although he slowed up in the second half, he remained an excellent link and was invaluable in defence.

Although the ground had dried out after heavy rain, the ball was greasy and not easy to hold in the second half. The teams were :

N.Z.E.F. : Scott, Argus; Smith, Sherratt, Allen, Kearney, ■ Proctor, Bond, Haigh, McPhail, Blake, Johnstone, Woolley, Arnold, Finlay (captain).

Cardiff: St. John Rees, Basil Williams, Bleddyn Williams, Jack Matthews (captain), Glynn Jones, W. B. Cleaver, W. Darch, G. Blackmorp Maldwyn Jones, 6. W. Jones, Ray Bales, Cliff Davies, W. E. Tamplin, Les Manfield, H. E. Jones. HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY.

From a scrum the Kiwis went into a passing rush and held Cardiff in their twenty-five until the Cardiff forwards bustled play beyond half-way for the first time, hut Smith kicked through and Argus beat Glynn Jones to the ball and toed it to Rees, who slipped. Argus hooked the ball from him and dribbled towards the goalline unopposed, when the referee awarded a penalty against him.Kearney drove play further back with a penalty kick to the line and from a. line-out came the highlight of the day. Proctor whipped the ball out and it travelled along the line of backs to Argus, who whipped it infield to Smith, who jumped over one tackier and sent on to Kearney, who raced over to score. Scott's kick was wide. Ten minutes, had been played at a terrific pace when the try came and the pace was continued from the kickoff. Tamplin just failed with a kick at goal. A Cardiff passing rush was stopped, but the forwards carried on, the ball going out in the corner. Scott relieved the pressure with a good linekick. Play went to the other end, where a penalty relieved the home team. Sherratt made a great run, bumping off two tacklers, but put his foot out of touch as he dived for the corner.

From a serum Allen was grassed and the Cardiff forwards almost broke clean v away. Cleaver drove play to half-way with a good line kick and. then made a dazzling solo run, beating several men before being grassed. The Cardiff forwards carried on with a good passing rush. Cleaver and Bleddyn Williams combined in a sensational passing rush almost to the Kiwi line and from a scrum the ball was kicked over the line to Scott, who forced.

About ten minutes before half-time, Kearney was hurt in stopping a rush. A moment later he found the line with a beautiful kick then collapsed and had to be removed from the field. Finlay wept to half and Proctor to first five-eighth. Just before half-time a long Cardiff kick was forced down. REFEREE WARNS PLAYERS.

The Kiwis attacked from the kickoff. A period of vigorous scrimmaging followed and the referee issued a warning. Taking man for man, the Kiwis stopped a fast Cardiff passing rush. The Kiwi forwards drove play back, Cleaver regained ground with a good kick to the line, then Bond and Arnold gained 30 yards with a great dribbling rush. Tamplin was short with a long penalty kick, and a penalty against Cardiff enabled Scott to find the line at half-way. First the Kiwi, then the Cardiff pack made good loose rushes and another penalty saw Scott send the ball out at half-way. Bursting through flagrant obstruction, the Kiwi forwards staged a dribbling rush, only to be driven back by a long line-kick. Then Proctor and Sherratt worked the blind, Bees tackling the big winger beautifully. In another good passing rush, Rees dropped Argus about ten yards short of the goal-line. Matthews hurriedly tried to kick clear, but the ball went over his own line. Finlay and Haigh dived for the ball and Cardiff were lucky to force. Kearney returned play to the Cardiff quarter. Then he and Smith showed up in a good movement from loose play, but a forward pass spoiled it. Proctor worked the blind side and Argus was forced out in the corner. FinaJlv a penalty lifted the siege for Cardiff.

Play was still very fast and vigorous. Arnold led a forward rush, the Cardiff backs drove play back, but could not breach the most determined defence. Scott saved splendidly when the Cardiff forwards made a . sudden breakaway, and the Kiwi forwards hustled back to half-way. Heavy rucking was followed by a series of scrums in the New Zealanders' twenty-five and Maldwyn Jones missed an easy penalty kick. A minute later Tamplin missed a long penalty. Good tackling stopped a Cardiff rush and Smith kicked the ball through, but slipped as he was diving for Rees and the full-back cleared. Bond led a smashing forward rush and the ball went along the backs to Argus, who kicked to the line near the corner flag. Bond led another fine rush and when it was stopped, the game ended with the score 3-0.

Kearney's injury was a bump on the hipbone and it will be most unfortunate if he has to be rested, because the first half proved that today's backline could develop into something of the very highest class.

SERVICES TEAM WINS LEICESTER BEATEN (Bee. noon) LONDON, Dec. 27, The New Zealand Services Rugby team beat Leicester by 19 points to 3. New Zealand gained an early lead in a turbulent game in which the referee at least once had to restore the peace. New Zealand eight minutes from the start were eight points in front, but Leicester's defence held them to 11 points at half-time., The New. Zealanders broke down the defences in the second half.. . _ , Tries were scored by Botting (2), Goddard, G eal 'y> &n & Goldsbury: Johns converted two:'Leicester's points came from a penalty goal.' "' v