SEVERE DRUBBING

Northern Advocate, 16 June 1930, Page 7

SEVERE DRUBBING

LfcAGUE FOOTBALL

| OTAGO OUTCLASSED 1 SOUTHERNERS RATTLED. WHIRLWIND RUGBY TACTICS, (Per Press Association.—Copyright.) DUNEDIN, This Day. Otago enjoys the dubious distinction of having suffered the severest drubbing to date at the hands of the British Rugby footballers before a crowd about 17,000 at Carisbrook. The home team was beaten by 33 points to 9 in a game that was fast and spectacular, for all its one-sideduess.

The cause of Otago’s convincing defeat is not difficult of apprehension. The local forwards were rattled in the first few minutes and from that time were hopelessly outclassed. The result was that the backs could do nothing, and since they, too, were more or less stampeded by the whirlwind tactics of the visitors, there was a debit of- 15 points against the home team before the crowd realised that Otago was not likely to lie in the hunt.

Later in the game Otago’s defence improved and the crowd responded appreciatively to some strikingly effective tackling.

When Reeve, with his powerful and impressive lope, set *off for the corner with the ball under his arm, and boat Stevenson with such ridiculous ease, he brought the crowd to its toes and it indicated the opposition Otago had to face. He was brilliant all day and made many fine runs. His acceptances were perfect and lie ran as straight as an arrow'. Spong was a heartbreak to both the forwards and the backs. He jinked, wormed, side-stepped and dodged everywhere, heedless of the high tackles directed at him and, what was more to the point, there was always someone there to carry on when flue was stopped. Murray and Aarvold were scarcely less impressive, but Morley got few chances. Among the forwards Beamish and Jones were always prominent. The blacks’ place-kicking was splendid.

Lindsay and Francis are the only OLigo backs worth mentioning, Stevenson was a ifaulure at full-back.

The Play. Within ten minutes of the start, Reeve had run over twice and Black converting, Britain was 10 points to nil. In another ten. minutes, Reeve centred the ball and Beamish forced his way through between the posts, Black again converting. The next two scores were Otago’s. First Lindsay kicked a penalty goal and then Francis beat the full-back, bnc Lindsay failed at goal. From scrambling play Jones got over and Black converted. The spell ended: Britain 20, Otago fi. In the second half, Stevenson went up to wing three-quarter and Lindsay went full-bank. Bassett, .fumblinig again, let. Giles over and Otago’s score went -up to 9 points, but stopped there.

The local men ’® play got weaker and weaker. 0

■Spong, Jones and Reeve broke through in turn, and Black converted two of the three tries.

Otago left the field well beaten by 33 points to 9.

CITY SHINE NORTHERN REPS. DEFEATED. EIGHT POINTS TO NIL. City seniors journeyed to Kawakawa, and after a "tame which hold a largo crowd ‘Spellbound, boat Bay of Islands reps, by eight to nil. The teams were:—

City.—o. Kerr, L. Wiustanloy, E. Mullins, D. Heini, G. Nicholls, T. Ryan, M, McDonald, C, A, .Tones, T. Clot worthy, B. Clotworthy, W, J. Cooper, R. Morrison, .1. McKenzie, R. Quid and A. Miller.

Bay of Islands. —R. Bhortland, .1. Rcpia, C. Ludbrook, E. Ferguson, T. Davis, W. Penny, A. Carr, P. Ohcrrington, K. Robinson, W. Davis, A. Clerk, G. Hows, G. To Tai, C. Dargavillc and A. Thomas.

City kicked off against the wind, and after the Bay forwards had tested the City defence, Jones made a good run down the sideline and found the lino in the Bay’s twenty-five. Here the City backs tried to open up the game, but were frustrated by the Bay forwards, who were breaking fast and tackling very effectively. A Bay forward rush led by Robinson and Hows got as far as Kerr, who saved with a .good kick into touch. A City back movement which started at halfnay ended in Henii in-passing to three forwards who had nobody to beat. The pass was dropped and Bay cleared to half-way. For the rest of the spell play travelled up and down the field at a. great pace, only solid tackling by both sides preventing .scores. On resuming after half time City assumed the offensive, but wore unable to penetrate Bay’s defence for 25 minutes, until after a dash on one wing by Hemi, the ball travelled across the field to Winstauley, who ran I round the Hay full-back and scored beside the posts. Xieholls converted.

By this time the Hay forwards were done, owing to their backs persistently kicking into Kerr’s hands instead of finding - the line, and from a lineout near the Hay’s line Morrison forced his way across, for an unconverted ti v.

The game finished shortly afterwards with the score reading.—City 8, ikiy of |alaficU 0.

I CITY’S FT I?.ST WIN. On Saturday, at Cossill Park, the senior match was played between City and Waro and resulted in the home team notching its first win. Waro fielded a good tea.ni, but badly missed its star player, E. Moyer, who was playing in the N.Z. trials at Auckland. Berghan, the brilliant City playor was also absent for the same reason, but this was more or Jess m’ade up for by the first appearance this season of Monty McDonald. The star playei of the game was Cattlin, who again demonstrated that he is little behind E. Meyer in brilliance, and that there is excellent ground for the assertion of his supporters that ho is easily the second best back in the League and very little behind the leader. He scored the whole of City's II points in the face of a capable defence, each of his tries being full of merit. The team badly misses Connelly, the crack three-quarter of last year, and with him again added, to its ranks would probably score more wins than losses for the rest of the season.

The players were as follows: —

Waro:—Hayward, Saul, Murphy, C. Moyer, Saunders, Payne, Steers, Wells, Wells, Smith, J. Crackett, I?. Crackett and Roekell.

City:—Baker, F. McDonald, M, Ms Donald, R. McDonald, Cattlin, Dent, Ellis, Roekcll, Bauman, Irving, Hulme, Shandley and Cunis.

City early assumed the offensive, and from a serum in Waro’s 25 Hulme smartly went round and caught the defending half with the ball, which' was snapped up by Cattlin as he- went to grass. Cattlin dashed round the blind side of a ruck and wriggled through several opponents for a touch down five yards from the corner flag. He took the kick himself and added the major points.—City 5, Waro 0.

After a lengthy session of mid-field play, Cattlin again got possession, some 80 yards from 'the goal line, and dodged, swerved 'and side-stepped through .practically the whole team to score what was probably 1 the prettiest try of the season. His kick at goal, from an awkward angle, failed.—-City 8, Waro 0. ■Shortly before half-time, during a Waro attack, Craekett took 1 a dropkick at the bar and was nearly successful, the result being a poster. An infringement during the drop-out brought a scrum back to the spot, and from here Saunders crossed the line in a handy position. Hayward failed at goal.—City 8, Waro 3. Ten minutes after change over, Waro pressed hard and from five yards from his line Cattlin sent the ball into touch on the full. Brought back for the serum, the- leather went to Craekett, to Saunders, to C. Meyer for a score in the corner. The angle proved too difficult for Hayward.—City 8, Waro 6.

No further scores were notched until within' a couple of minutes of time, when Cattlin, with wonderful dash, again dived over in (the corner. Bauman failed at goal.—City 11, Waro fi. The Waro forwards were a good deal superior to those of the home team, a factor which made a material difference to the scoring. Never once during the play did the ball come to the City half from a scrum, and a fast set of backs were thus prevented from opening up play until they had taken the ball from the opposition, who were enabled, through superior -hooking, to commence every movement. City has some fine players, and -with very little strengthening, could easily bo made the best, team in the League. Mr J, Petterson was referee.

JUNIOR GAME. PORTLAND DEFEATS CITY. The parly match at Cossill Park was played between City and Portland, the lads from the icemcnt town proving victorious by .15 points to 3. Portland \s scores wore all made in the first half. City, settled down well during the second portion of the gamo and more than held their own, although they could only notch one try. The game was interesting, and several of the players from each side gave evidence that they would be valuable additions to a senior team later.

In this regard, two new’ recruits from Rugby, MeKane and Somerville, should be mentioned. Both played excellent football, and will become more than useful members when they are used to the different stylo of play under the League code.

The 'Portland scores were made by Harris, two tides, Carr, a try, Hill a converted goal and a. penalty goal and Bclson a conversion. City’s try was scored by Shaw. Mr R. Baker was referee.

HIKURANGI v. WHANGARTJRU. A DASHING (4 AMP.. Some good play was witnessed at Keci eat ion Park. Hikurangi, during the Hash between Whauganmi and Hikurangi. The last mentioned team missed the services of Dunn and Hirtzol, two of their star forwards, .who were playing in the trial games at Auckland. A. < 'nnuiugham, Hi leurangi’s veteran star, who had nod turned out previously this season, showed a wonderful display of for-, ward work, and definitely proved that he is .as good as ever. Harris, a new recruit from Rugby ranks, also gave a brilliatit c.vhibitioli. 'this player

will make .'i name for himself in League, flic open style of ploy under the code allowin';- him opportunity for i> 1 s remarkable dashes of .speed. Whangarimi showed some really lirst-elass football and there is no doubt the team is 'improving with every outing. Their full-back was | particularly brilliant and reminded j spectators of the tactics of Nepia, the Hugby crack. Hikurangi stones were Harris, C. Hamilton, and A. Cunningham, while Matthew Kaulra, C. Moses and Daniels scored for Whangarum

The total at the final whistle was: HiKurangi 23, Whangarnru 13. Mr A. Chissell was referee. A DAZZLING GAME. KANGAROOS WIN WELL. (Received fM> a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Tn the League football match, before M.nOO speetators, Kangaroos defeated 1 lie rest of Australia by 42 points to 29. Kangaroos played a dazzling game. - *