Last-Minute Donation

Northern Advocate, 26 September 1949, Page 2

Last-Minute Donation

There were only two minutes to go.

Hughes then hooked from a scrum. Bevan a<id Couch were sadly at sea, the ball rolled over the line by the post and Emery stooped to score. Allan goaled. The score was 16—9—the clock had run its allotted span. The Australian captain, Allan, was chaired from the field by his happy team-mates.

All who had gone for football entertainment went home happy. It had been a grand game, bright, open, and spectacular. Studious Bugby enthusiasts were also in agreement on several points. First and foremdst was that Bevan’; reputation as a halfback far exceeded his actual ability.

He turned completely round eigh’ times out of 10, before getting his pas; away. He was far too slow, and he did one or two things which would cause his best friends to frown.

Couch looked rather prime in condition, and gave weight to the North Island selectors’ decision not to play him in the inter-island match. His handling was not good enough his passes had a distinct lob flavout and. in contrast to the Australians, he appeared slow afoot. Occasionally he made good breaks, but his efforts gave the back movements a jagged appearance and produced nothing in the way of points. • The slow-moving inside men nullified much of Smith's attacking genius. More often than not, Smith was moving at half pace when the ball came to him and Blomley’s tackling was thus doubly effective. However.-Smith was still able to make glorious openings, and he shortkicked for variety in an effort to drive the defence back.

He and Roper were undoubtedly New Zealand's best backs.

Rpper showed more than brilliant speed. He knew much about posi* tional play, he had anticipation, he ran straight and with the utmost determination and he tackled well.

fie was easily the most promising All Black back. O'Callaghan looked slow at second five-eighths but did a good job at fullback. He handled safely and there was length in his line-kicking. Most Northlanders who saw the match must have felt that the New Zealand team would have been much stronger had Philip Cherrington and Gordon Perrin been there in place of Bevan and Couch. Aucklander? who saw them the week before were of tn* On Couch's i-chaif . must, be said that public enemy No 1 to him was Brockhoff, the Australian breakaway.

Brockhoff obviously had Couch assigned to him, and he worried the first five-eighths all day. Three New Zealand forwards stood out for good, honest toil in the tight and for sting in the open. They were Lunn, Bond and Hughes. Lunn excelled in the line-outs and Hughes hooked particularly well. The beautiful handling and passing of the Australian ; backs and thenspeed left a deep impression. Burke was definitely a class half. His lightning one-handed passes, so accurate and swift, and his astute kicking when Emery was molested, delighted the crowd.

Emery’s handling, kicking and movement afoot had a touefubf subtle artistry. Blomley. .Mian and Solomon all had brilliant 3peedAllan showed first-class football intelligence in his anticipation and cover defence.

Windon proved himself a classy tpecimen of the rover type of forward. Perfectly fit, with the speed and hands if a back, he was always prominent, both on attack and defence. Shehadie, Morsop and Cottrell were also prominent.