KIWIS BIGGEST WIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 3 December 1945, Page 2

KIWIS BIGGEST WIN

BRITISH ARMY TEAM BEATEN VISITORS DOMINATE SECOND SPELL (N.Z.E.F. Correspondent) Bristol, Dec. 1. After being on the defensive practically all the first half, the N.Z.E.F. team attacked consistently throughout the second spell against the British Army and scored the biggest win of the tour, 25 to 5. The game was played before 12.000 spectators and was the most unusual of the tour as the New Zealanders saw practically nothing of the ball in the first half and Army overplayed the line to keep on the attack. With the Kiwi pack playing a much more vigorous game in the second half and better condition telling the tale, the Kiwis dominated most of the second half. Though Army was handicapped through losing its centre, E. Ward, early in the second half, the visitors were so much superior that this did not affect the result. The Kiwi’s second-half performance was much better than their own supporters expected and showed that several members of the side are improving with experience. Conditions were good and the weather very overcast. The teams were as cabled except that J. Anderson replaced Francis for Army. McPhail captained the N.Z.E.F. team. General Freyberg attended the match. Scott kicked off, and play hung round the halfway line for some minutes, with, several line-outs and scrums. The first definite move was when Bruce broke away and found the line in the Kiwi twenty-five. Both sets of backs tried passing rushes, but the tackling was good. Woolley and Thornton broke away with the ball at toe, but Trott fielded and lined. Army adopted a policy of kicking for the line in the New Zealand quarter, and for some time stayed on attack. From a scrum in_ fringement Ward missed a penalty shot at goal. ARMY GETTING THE BALL Army was getting most of the ball from the scrums, but was not doing much with it. Woolley headed a fine loose rush which fianlly took play into Army half, and from loose play Boggs made a fine run, bumping off two tacklers before being grassed close to the Army goalline. The Kiwi forwards showed a flash of real fire in a good loose rush, then Bruce. Risman and Anderson featured in a fine passing move, ment which took play to the New Zealand line. Play was monotonous,, a succession of Army passing movements always culminating in a kick for the line. Woolley, who was playing a great game, led a rush for 50 yards, and Thornton carried on, bustling the fullback. From a scrum Edwards made a very clever solo run. The Army backs carved clean through the defence with a great passing rush from their own twenty-five. Bruce broke away and Risman and Anderson carried on, the latter passing in to Ward, who raced over unopposed. Risman converting. Hard rucking by Woolley, Johnstone and McPhail took play to near the Army twenty-five. Then the backs went for a run, the ball going out to Boggs, who was downed after fending off one tackier. Evans led an Army loose rush back; then the Kiwi backs raced away, the ball going to Argus, who crashed through one tackle and was grassed just short of the line. From the resultant scrum sent his backs away and Smith slipped through a tackle and dived over under the posts, Scott converting. Half-time came a few minutes later with the scores 5-all. New Zealand was lucky to be* level at half-time, but Army, getting a feast of the ball and playing safe, had made the game so far the least interesting of the tour. TRY BY ARGUS From the kick-off Young made a spectacular solo run. The Army forwards drove play back, but from a scrum Edwards sent a long pass to Dobson, to Smith, who short-punted, gathered in the ball and sent to Argus, for a long, unopposed run, Scott converting. Two break-throughs by Bruce, who was a most elusive stand-off, kept the Army on attack till Young and Woolley headed a devastating loose rush. Ward wa s injured in attempting to stop this and retired. From loose play the Kiwi backs snapped into action, Dobson send, ing to Smith, to Argus, who outpaced the opposition and raced round behind the posts, Scott converting. The Kiwi pack was now going much better, and for some time New Zealand stayed on attack in rather ragged play. Thomas was injured, but returned. Johnstone led a good Kiwi dribbling rush. Scott kept the Kiwis on attack by returning a clearing kick and bustling Trott. Then Edwards made a sudden break from loost play and passed in to Arnold who was hauled down by Trott. Dobson and Kearney broke away down the centre of the field, passing back and forth, but a knock-on stopped the move after the defence had been beaten. A passing rush and a long line kick put Army on attack, and then a passing rush went close to the Kiwi line, Argus clearing and Trott fielding and missing with an attempt at a field goal. The Kiwi forwards drove play into the Army quarter and after heavy rucking Young broke clear and smashed his way through three tackles and went over the line, Scott converting. Evans and Thomas led a fine Army loose rush, but the Kiwis forced. Boggs chasing a snap drop-out to catch Trott in possession. A good line kick sent play back, but Arnold started a passing rush which ended with Trott marking Argus s kick ahead. The forwards kept play in the Army twenty-five, and r *®kt on the call of time Edwards worked the blind side from a scrum, passing to Kearney, to Argus who dived over in the corner, Scott kicking a fine goal, and the game ending N.Z.E F. 25, Army FIJI WANTS MAORI TEAM . Suva, Dec. 1. The Fiji Rugby Union h a s decided to invite the New Zealand union to send a Maori team to Fiji about August next year. The Maoris visited Fiji in 1938. and the Fijians returned the visit the following year.