North Unlucky To Lose Against Auckland; Single Point Behind

Northern Advocate, 25 July 1938, Page 2

North Unlucky To Lose Against Auckland; Single Point Behind

A UCKLAND RUGBY REPRESENT A TIVES MAINTAINED THEIR UNA broken series of wins by finishing ahead of north AUCKLAND IN THEIR MATCH AT EDEN PARK ON SATURDAY —BUT ONLY JUST. At half-time they were a point in trout, 9-8, and. atUv losing the lead, regaining it, and some very narrow escapes, they managed to remain a point in front at the end of the game, winning a desperate forward duel by 12 points to 11. Masters, the North Auckland cap lain and full-back, played a magnificent game, but, apart from him; there was scarcely any outstanding back on either side, and not a really weak one. It was a forward's day, and the Auckland pack was pushed to the uttermost to save the day. They stood up to it well. The North Aucklanders were to be congratulated on (he manner in wiuco they adapted themselves to the conditions.’and improved their' scrum workin the second spell, after having been outclassed through the first half in this department. / I

The teams were: — * Auckland; Solomon, D. Flett. A. j Flett, Prentice, Martin, Pearman. I Brady, Cooney, Brown, Bond. Pepper, i Lockington, Hull, Whillans, McLean (captain), Pearce. North Auckland: Masters (captain), Colniore-Williams, Wintle, R. White, Johns, Ryder, Codling, Ling, Nathan. Cooper, Scarborough, C. White, Alison. Bradley, Morresey. North Opens Scoring. The huge Sam Alison was accorded a special cheer by the crowd as the North Auckland side filed out. A scrum went down on half-way and Pearman cut through to start Auckland’s first back attack, bV.t' Brady was caught with the ball. The Northern team replied with a short run. by their tall winger, Colmore-Williams. who kicked well upfield to the line. Considering the rain which had fallen, the ground at the opening of play was in surprisingly good condition, and the Auckland backs indulged in psrssing bouts, but they made little impression on the sti’ong-tackling Northern backs. The North Auckland pack used its weight to win the ball in two scrums. "Codling, the Northern half, slipped round a scrum and, when faced by a tackier, grubber-kicked through. Ryder bustled Dave Solomon, who fumbled the wet ball, and Nathan swept past him in a dribbling rush. to score. Masters converted, and North Auckland led in the first five minutes: North Auckland 9 Auckland 0 Cooper Almost Over. For a time Auckland maintained a continuous attack, but now the Northerners began to work upfield. Solomon was twice forced to show his defensive •ability when the opposing forwards broke on top of him. Auckland wore fortunate to avoid another score when Cooper, former Technical forward, rushed on top of Solomon, catching him with the ball. Flett beat three forwards in the race for the ball and forced down. Brady had twice shown signs of breaking through on his own and the crowd’s expectations were fulfilled when he suddenly cut past his marker and raced away down the grandstand side. Masters brought him to a stop with a solid straight-on tackle. A scrum was set inside the visitors’ twenty-five, and ,11x0 centre threequarter, R. White, was penalised foxmoving up’ off-side as the ball was being put in the scrum, ' giving McLean a kick at goal directly in front of the posts—he pul it over. Easily the most impressive of the Auckland attacking efforts was a bout in which Brady made an opening and Martin capped off the movement with a try. It was fast thinking on Brady's part to take advantage of Wintle having moved up prematurely to tackle Prentice. While the crowd roared its appreciation of Brady's brilliant opening and

Martin's outstanding speed, Pearman took the shot at goal, a difficult one. and missed: Auckland '•> / North Auckland . .. ... ■ Master.-.’ Fmo tioai. Within a minute play was on the Auckland side of half-way. Forward scrambles ensued, and for an Auckland infringement in one of them, North Auckland were awarded a penalty. Masters, in spite of the heavy ball, kicked a fine goal from well past the twenty-five. Another minute passed and Auckland went across for their second try, Pepper falling on the ball after he, Pearce and McLean had dribbled over the line. Thus half-time came with Auckland a point ahead. 9—B. And it might have been xnuch more but for the fine play of the visiting skipper, Masters, who had been the outstanding man on the field. Scarborough and Codling Lost. Changes were made at half-time in the North Auckland side. Scarborough retired from the pack and was replaced by Fletcher. White was replaced on the wing by Wintle. the centre, and Cunningham came on as centre. Ryder moved in from second five-eighths to the half-back posicioh, replacing Codling, who went off injured. Hunting in much closer formation than before, the North Auckland forwards gave their opponents a deal more trouble than formerly with th'exr fool-rushes, while they began to get the ball from the scrum and set up sustained attacks that kept the game exciting. For 10 minutes they penned the local men in their quarter. Colmore-Williams was making some great runs for North Auckland, and Flett, his marker, seemed, unable to cope with the long legs and wriggling body of the , Northerner. One of*his side-steps left Flett standing and, with two Auckland forwards in pursuit, lie broke through a ruck and raced 20 yards before throwing a high pass infield to Nathan, who was dragged down ■ as 'no started for the lino. Ryder Regains Lead. Then the tide of play changed. North Auckland fed their other wing, Wintle, who put his head down and dashed for the corner every time. One of his smashing attacks put the Northerners right on the Auckland line, and. Ryder, now playing half-back, slipped through for a try. The kick—a difficult one—was missed by Masters, Auckland replied with a fine penalty kick by Pearman. who lifted the ball i out of the mud: Auckland 12 North Auckland . 11 Alec Brown was now the outstanding Auckland forward. His exceptional speed was evident when ho gradually drew away from several North Auckland backs in a long dribbling run down the grandstand side. In an on-

deavour to beat Masters, he kicked.too hai’d ahead and the ball dropped into touch. With Cooper in front, the Northern pack made another determined rush and Auckland were extremely lucky to clear, a five-yard scrum saving the position, Auckland at Bay. An unlucky bounce of the sodden bail brought the disapproval of the crowd on Dave Solomon, who tried a speculator—and missed. North Auckland seized their opportunity and rushed play on to the line. Here they tried for several minutes to cross, breaking up all Auckland’s desperate efforts to clear. Finally Cooney, with die assistance of Solomon, worked the blind side daringly on his own line and sent the full-back away, with Martin in support. Solomon's pace was too much for the North Auckland loose forwards, and he successfully slipped between two converging backs, but his pass to Martin, who had only to beat Masters to score, was forward. Solomon s experience and confidence undoubtedly saved the situation for Auckland, Hiding on the crest of a wave. North Auckland refused to be driven back, and rushed fiercely on top of the Auckland inside backs every time they got the ball. A long kick by Solomon finally cleared for Auckland, who worked up to the Northerners’ twentyflve - So Near and Yet— Hard, gruelling footwork on both sides, the game swung along excitingly, but without brilliance, although the foi’ward play on both sides was solid. Auckland’s rush-stopping among the backs was not up to the opposition standard, and the home supporters had many bad moments when the game was on Auckland’s goal-line, with only that one point of a lead. At the finish weight was telling against the Auckland forwards, who were fading on defence, tvhen a couple of welcome penalty kicks in their favour enabled them to turn the tables and for five minutes they held an attack that just failed to bring a score. Auckland won luckily by 12 points to 11. Friendly Games Two friendly games were played at Rugby Park. Three Senior B teams turned full, and, after seme discussion, Pipiwai withdrew, and Towai contested the day with Country United, the latter winning, 6—o. Central Thirds defeated a combination of Hora Hora and Onerahi Thirds. 6—3. At Kensington Park, 10 Pipiwai Senior B men tried their luck against Waikiekio Juniors, the latter winning, 14—0.