BRILLIANT LEAGUE GAME.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 1274, 16 July 1925, Page 5

BRILLIANT LEAGUE GAME.

N.Z. GOES UNDER 13—15. CARROLL GETS HONOURABLE MENTION. [By Electric Cable—Copyright,! [Acs*, and N.Z. Cf-hle Association.! (Received Wednesday, 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 15. The Combined Universities defeated New Zealand by 15 to 13 after a spirited and spectacular display in the presence of five thousand people. The exhibition was infinitely superior, from a scientific standpoint, to Saturday’s contest, the play scintillating with sparkling passing rushes from whistle to whistle. Evatt hooked for the local team and constantly fed his halves, Lane and Finn, who repeatedly paralysed the defence of the visitors. O’Rourke played the game of his career, and was easily the outstanding player on the ground. The visitors incurred the wrath of the spectators on several occasions through their resenting the rulings of the referee, Mr. Murray. Once, in the second session, O'Rourke was awarded a second shot at goal, owing to Mouatt talking at the referee, but both attempts failed. Weatherall opened the scoring soon after the commencement, Mouatt converting. O’Rourke kicked a penalty. Then the Universities assumed the offensive till Finn snapped up and scored. O’Rourke converted. Brown then cut in smartly in the Universities’ twenty-five and crossed. Laing’s kick failed. The scores were 8 to 7 at the interval in favour of Now Zealand. Duffy landed a goal after resuming from off-side play. Then O'Rourke, after a dazzling sprint from midfield, scored a brilliant try, which was unconverted. All players at this stage were exchanging hard knocks and there were no “bog pardons” on either side. Doctor Flattery intercepted at half-way, and sprinted to the line. The attempt at goal failed, but O’Rourke subsequently landed a penalty through a New Zealander not playing the ball. Webb then scored for the New Zealand, Dufty failing to goal.—ls to 13. Wetherali and Brown in the backs, Henry Mouatt, and Carroll (the lastnamed having replaced Herring in the forwards) were the best of the visitors.