UNIVERSITY TEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18180, 28 August 1922, Page 9

UNIVERSITY TEST.

NEW ZEALAND V, SYDNEY. DOMINION'S NARROW WIN. ONLY O*NE POINT TO SPARK SOME SPARKLING FOOTBALL. The first test match between Sydney University and a combined New Zealand .University team was placed at Eden " Park 'on Saturday, resulting, after a fast and thrilling game, in a narrow win for New Zealand by 23 points to 22. The weather was perfect for fast, open football, with the ground in splendid condition. Attracted by the prospects of spectacular Rugby, there was a record attendance, upwards of 10,000 spectators being prelent. In the first spell the New Zealand backs, while lacking the complete combination of Sydney, played with rare individual brilliancy and in the early stages were in the ascendant, scoring five tries before Sydney succeeded in crossing th,e, line. The Sydney morale was unbroken by the long lead, and sweeping into the game with fast, open, combined play, the visitors scored three tries, one of which was converted, and they were only four points behind at half-time. The second spell thrilled with incident when first New Zealand scored, and then Sydney scored two more tries, one of which' was converted. .'-S New Zealand scored again, and Sydney, scoring the final try, were in a winning position, but failure to convert lost them the game by the narrowest margin. Mr. W. J. Meredith was referee. .New Zealand Opens the Scoring. New Zealand lost the toss and kicked off with a glaring sun in their eyes to set up an attack in Sydney twenty-five, where a wild pass lost a chance. Sydney cleared with a»fast loose rush, and Hesslein kicked through to set up a dangerous attack, Raymond galloping' down the side line. From the line-out Harty and Thomas headed a New Zealand rusfy but a knock-on at a critical moment crippled the attack. Play was fast and open, both sides throwing the ball about with delightful freedom and abandon, New Zealand showing up well with brilliant individual efforts and Sydney with clever combination. The Sydney backs were kicking magnificently, and "the/ New Zealand rearguard was returning with interest when a free kick by Park let* New Zealand on attack for the opening score. The return was smothered in Sydney twenty-five, v where Milliken, picking up in the loose, dashed over, to score 3 try, which Sinclair failed to convert: New Zealand, 3; Sydney, 0. Sydney attacked from <the drop out, and frora a high kick, Sinclair, the New Zealand fullback, forced, as Raymond came hard at him. Sydney was again da'ngerous, but Calder picked up beautifully to stem the rush, turning the attack. From a line-out Sydney forwards broke away, to pass out to Hesslein, who sent out to Black, tho Sydney wing missing the pass and a fine chance. A brilliant passing rush opened by Fea set New Zealand again # on attack. Stewart, the Otago wing, 'dashed through, but slipped when he penetrated the defence. New Zealand pressed the attack. Fea opened out to Jackson, who dashed down~ the line to be tackled as he became daneerous. Sydney ' cleared, but New Zealand came a<rain in a brilliant rush, Lutsk passinsr to Fea, to Jackson, the Wellington wing dashing over to score a try. Sinclair kicked a poster. New -Zealand 6, Sydney 0. ' . Great Pace Displayed. Penalised for off-side play New Zealand let down, and Raymond, coming through fast, passed to' Black, who was tenaciously tackled. Play swept with superb pace and Lusk set New Zealand going on attack. The Sydney backs, playing close upi crippled the action. Black raced away, and a wild pass to Raymond was snapped up by Milliken, who kicked through to set. New Zealand again on attack. Lusk secured in the looso and raced through to pass to Miller, to Jackson, whft dashed over and scored his second try and the third try for New Zealand. Again Sinclair failed to convert with a good kick. New Zealand 9, Sydney 0. The New Zealand backs were*now flaying with better combination, severely testing Sydney's defence, but the Australians were tackling well. • New Zealand was now dominating the pjay, 'and Fea cut in cleverly to pass to Dickson for the Otago forward to score New Zealand's fourth try. Sinclair with a good kick just missed the goal. New Zealand 12. Sydney 0. The New Zealand line was in danger when Jackson missed the drop out, and Black, racing through, was tacklod tn the line. A penalty agaihst New Zealand gave Hesslein a chance, but the Sydney place-kicker missed from a good position. A aansntion followed when Raymond cut off a pass and raced through the defence, ' facing Sinclair to punt over the fullback's head. Thbmas came fast to the rescue and cleared to\attack in a brilliant forward rush. A sparkling attack was opened by Lusk racing away to pass to .Calder, to Jackson, to Park, who opened up to the forwards, SteM'art following up .fast to take the final pass and dash over and score New Zealand's fifth try. Sinclair again missed the kick at goal. New Zealand 15,. Sydney 0. Sydney Opens With a Try. The reverse stung Sydney to action, and Woodhead' raced through to pass to Foote, who outpaced the defence to score Sydney's first try, which Hesslein failed to convert. 'New Zealand 15; Svdncy 3. Sydney sprung another surprise .attack on the*installt,' Kendall breaking through to send on to Black, Who scored a try behind Hesslein converted. New Zealand 15, Sydney 8. Sydney again pressed the attack, Wood, head securing to pass to Raymond to Foote, who missed the pass, but following up fast scored ji try at the corner, Hessleinfailing to convert from an acute angle. Play followed at- rare pace,'' with New Zealand attacking, but there was no further score in the first spell, which ended : , New Zealand . . . . ..' 15' Sydney . . .. /* li The second spell opened with New* Zealand attacking, Stewart getting a\vjyson the left wing to race into Sydney five. Here Stewart again secured, to Milliken, who dashed over at the corner flag to score a try, which Miller failed to convert. New Zealand, 18; IL, -> % The place-kicking was poor, New Zealand at this stage having scored six tries, not one of which was converted. Brilliant passing by all the New Zealand backs set the blacks dangerously on ■"attack. Sydney cleared, and Raymond cut in to pass to "Black, who sprinted strongly to beat Jackson,, but to be downed l>y Sinclair, Who dislocated his shoulder in the tackle arfd had to leave the field. Hardv, of Auckland, replaced him at fullback." r Sydney was forced, but from the drop-out'Woodhead set Sydney on attack with a fine kick, which Hardy returned. Ravmond was soundly tackled in possession in Sydney twenty-five, where Crackenthorpe, who was playing a safe game, cleared with a splendid kick. Fea then opened out with a clever cut m to let Jackson away, to pass to Stewart, who made a ereat dash to Sydney territory. A mis-kick by Stewart saw the Sydney forwards sweeping through, Coyle coming fast in a loose dribbling rush to score a try which Hesslein , failed to convert. New Zealand. 18; Sydney 14. New Zealand attacked in a forward rush, Hardy and Dickson following up fast, but not b%ng supported they lost the ball over the line, Sydney forcing. From the drop-out New Zealand attacked, and Milliken. following up fast secured to pass to Stewart, who dashed over to More New Zealand's final toy, which Mil-

ler converted. New Zealand, 23; Sydney, 14. With a lead- of nine points New Zealand appeared to have the game well in hand, but Sydney made a splendid recovery, and throwing the ball about were constantly dangerous. New Zealand counterattacked in brilliant fashion, but Sydney came again in a fast forward rush, Coyle breaking away to be injured in a tackle. He was carried off the field, Buckleton replacing him. Raymond changed his tactics when soundly tackled, to pot at goal twice in succession, but A penalty against New Zealand saw Hesslein secure to pass to Raymond, to Foote, who raced down the wmg to return pass to Raymond, who ran round and scored behind the posts. Hesslein converted. New Zealand, 23; Sydney, 19. Sydney pressed the attack, Hesslein sending out to Foote, to Raymond, to Woodheatf. -"The latter evaded a tackle to score Sydney's final try. The situation was critical and exciting, as much depended on t'hc kick at goal, but Hess- ; lein failed. The play was fast and thrilling, attack and counter-attack following in rapid succession, but no further scores were registered, and a great game ended: New Zealand .. .« .. 23 Sydney .. • • 22 ' THE TEAMS ENTERTAINED. DINNER BY UNIVERSITY CLUB. The Sydney University team and comI bined New Zealand Universities' team were entertained at dinner by the Auckland University Club at the Chamber of j Commerce on "Saturday evening. There waa a very large attendance. In addition to the visiting teams several members of the Auckland Rugby Union were guests. Professor H. W. Segar was in the chair. The toasts iinciuded "The King," "Sydney University Team,",- "New South Wales Rugby Union," "The B-eferees," "Auckland Rugby Union," and "The Ladies." An . enjoyable evening was spent in song and story, contributed by Messrs. W! J. Meredith, N. Fort, H. Middleton, L. Keven, L. Bickcrton, a nd J. C. Hill. Mr. W. A. Purcell played the accompaniments, and the evening closed with the singing of "God Save the ( King." '• THE SECOND TEST,, DOMINION REPRESENTATIVES J_" TEAM TO PLAY AT DUNEDIN. The second test match 'between New Zealand „ University and Sydney University will be played at Dunedin on Saturday. The members of the' New Zealand and Sydney teams left Auckland last evening by the Main Trunk express for Wellington, en route for Dunedin. The following players have been selected to represent .New Zealand University in the second test: — Fullback: Park (Auckland). Threequarters: Jackson (Wellington), Calder (Canterbury), Stewart (Otago). Five-eighths : Perry, Fea (Otago). Halfback: Lusk (Otago). Forwards: Munro, Harty,, Dickson, Cabot (Otago), Scott, Mcßae (Wellington), Jackson, Langhein (Canterbury). Milliken ; (Auckland), Thomas and Siddells (Wellington), were not available. Sinclair, of Otago, who dislocated his shoulder in the first test match on Saturday, will be unable to play at Dunedin, his place at fullback being taken % Park, of Auckland, who is transferred from five-eighths to the final line, Perry, of Otago, rilling the vacancy at fiveeighths.