Eden Park Review

Northern Advocate, 27 July 1938, Page 2

Eden Park Review

The following comment, exclusive to the “Northern Advocate," on the Auckland-North Auckland match, won 12—11 by the home side, at Eden Park on Saturday', is contributed by Mr J. G. McLean, one of the best-known Rugby critics in the Dominion: — North Auckland was unlucky not to win. The North forwards dominated the second spell, and the North threequarter line was better than Auckland’s.

I At full-back. North had an immense | advantage. Masters fielded immaculately and his kicking was remarkable, j Long, low kicks invariably dropped I into touch. By comparison, the Auckland line-kicking was very erratic. (Compared with Masters, Dave Solomon, 1 the Auckland full-back, looked a | novice. He began badly by twice mis- ( handling the ball on the ground, and j never regained confidence. His flyj kicking at a rolling ball in the second j spell constituted a heinous offence against one of the fundamental principles of the game.

Masters played just such a game as ho played against the Springboks last year, and in almost exactly similar conditions. It would be difficult to imagine any full-back doing better, and he is unlucky not to have been seen by the New Zealand selector when in such form. The only mistake Masters made was when ho failed to gather a high kick by the Auckland captain, McLean, and the Auckland forwards charged over for a try. To misfield the greasy ball only once during the afternoon was a great performance. •(< »?t :}t « Colmore-Williams and Wintle, the North wings, also fielded much more accurately than the men opposite them. Flott, on the Auckland right wing, was very poor, and lacked any pretence at resolution or determina- ! tion. Colmore-Williams and Wintle j guarded the flanks extremely well and 1 prevented the development of attacks in their neighbourhood. Cunningham improved the three- ] quarter line a great deal when he 1 came on at half-time. He several times ! looked dangerous, and kept Prentice 1 completely subdued. ] * • * • j The North Auckland forwards were unable to get the ball during the period when Codling was on the field, hence his play could not be judged. Ryder, in the second spell, made a first-class aggressive half-back, and his try, juggling the ball as he swerved round the side of the scrum and past Solomon, was a fine effort. * t ♦ * * Bob White was disappointing. He stood offside two or three times and was rightly penalised, costing points. North’s many supporters rather resented these decisions, but there was no question about their correctness.

The Auckland five-eighths, Pearman and Brady, were always dangerous, and Pearman’s deceptive runs had the North inside men guessing at times. The real star, however, was Brady, whose feint-passes were masterly. He deserves the credit for Martin’s try.

The Auckland forwards hooked the ball monotonously in the first spell, and only first-class defence kept the Auckland backs out. The North forwards were going well in the loose rucks, however, and in the second spell, after Fletcher had replaced Scarborough, they started to pack better, and from that point there was only one pack in the picture. The rock-like and immovable scrum of the Northerners held play in the Auckland twenty-five for fully two-thirds of the second spell.

Alison was most impressive. He leaped like a stag in the line-out and was by no means slow in the loose. Also, he gathered an overhead ball like a back on one occasion. With more experience, Sam looks a Maurice Brownlie in the making. Wallie Cooper was even better. Rugged and resolute, he simply brushed opponents aside at times. With these two, Nathan completed a great trio, hut praise is due to the others, and particularly to Morresey, who was always on the ball.

When Auckland was awarded a penally on the sideline in the last.

minute of play. Auckland’s skipper realised the danger of kicking at goal, lest the ball fall Short and allow a forward attack to develop. He astutely instructed Pearman to place the ball , as if for a kick at goal, but instead ! of kicking at goal, Pearman swerved ‘ as ho ran up to the ball and kicked it OUt. j | Auckland are a tine- side, and it was j obvious that on a dry day their backs i would have been extremely dangeri ous. The team has weaknesses, however. Pearce was not up to reputation, and Flett, Cooney (the ox-Hikurangi player) and Solomon, in the backs, j were not up to the level of the rest ■ of the side. On the day, the honours were with North Auckland. * » * •