"KANGAROOS" IN ACTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18204, 25 September 1922, Page 9

"KANGAROOS" IN ACTION

*o>— EXHIBITION LEAGUE GAME. COMBINED TEAM DEFEATED. • HEAVY SCORING,, MATCH. The exhibition match under League rules between the "Kangaroo" team and a f combined New Zealand and Australian • team at the Domain on Saturday was won ■ by the Kangaroos by 65 points to 27. j There was a fair attendance, estimated at , I between 10,000 and 12,000, but the inter- , I est in the hardly as great as • was anticipated. The inclusion of Ausi tralian- players in the team to oppose the . famous "Kangaroos" apparently was not . I favourably .regarded *by the public. As i [ the match progressed and the combined -, team failed to show the slightest vestige [ ' of combination the disfavour of the spec- ■ tators was manifested in a pronounced • manner. The Kangaroos soon opened their scor,- ' ing account, a kick by Caples giving Rob- ' | inson an opportunity to follow up and \ ; score near the corner. The goal points j ' were added by Craig. Some passing ! efforts by the combined team broke down through faulty handling and the Kanga- f ' roos' backs again moved in a concerted • attack, Toohey scoring for Craig to coni j vert. 1 Further efforts by the combined team 1 ; to combine were frustrated by bad handl- •! ing and Border, getting possession, ran • j into position and gave Vest the ball to . score an easy try, Craig again converting,., 1 Another combined movement bv the Kangaroos saw tho opposing players making ' feeble efforts aX tackling and Lapham had no difficulty in scoring. Craig missed the goal. / A Little Sparkle Seen. A kick by a Kangaroo back was followed up by Latta, who gained possession and scored a soft trv for Craig to convert. Up to this point the defence of the combined team had been of the most feeble charW acter, the creneral play of the side being much below representative form. A little sparkle was seen in combined attack when Paki or* 3 G. Davidson broke away. The latter cross-kicked and To Whata smothered the return of the Kangaroos' fulloack. The defenders were penalised and Johnson failed with a shot at goal. Johnson. Bass and Te Whata then broke away, the last-mentionedl scoring for Rule to convert. _ Another good dash 4 by Avery and Te I Whata gave an opportunity to Manstead, who scored a try that was riot converted. Craig scored a try immediately afterwards which he fafed to convert. Avery and Te Whata again broke away for the combined team, the latter scoring brilliantly. Han,lon failed to convert. At this stage Johnson, the halfback.for the combined team, was called off by one of the managers of the Australian team, and Nicholson took his place. Caples, by a good dash, scored a try just before half-time. Horder missed the goal and' the' Bpell ended with the scores: Kangaroos .# ».•..*.-*»• 29' . Combined Team' ..V .-. 11 . I After the interval Wetherall replacad Dufty at' fullback and his presence in the field was hailed by the spectators with -enthusiasm. Wetnerall .justified his inclusion by bringing down; Vest just as that player appeared to have a try at hiß m«rcv. The combined team then began j , to, do better. Nicholson ', was tackling ! 'Craig, and preventing the iLangaroo backs from breaking away in a line. Davidson and,Manstead at wing-threequarter, were also tackling well and the Kangaroo attack kept breaking down. Nicholson made an'opening and sent the backs away. .Manstead received a pass and transferred in-field to Te Whata. Horder overhauled , the latter, but the ball was returned nicely to Manstead, who scored for Somers to con- , vert. ' ' , ' ' i j Chances Lost fn : Passing. ..... * . \ At this* stage the combined team was mora than holding its own, but passes missed in turn by Paki and Bass lost tries for the v side. \ • A Kangaroo run then saw Vest take a pass from Latta and score for Craig to convert. Wetherall then became' prominent. Intercepting a pass'near , his goal line, *he broke through to" mid-j field and set the backs going, but faulty handling spoiled the and. Horder,' breaking Way, raced for the line, but Wetherall grassed him heavilv. O'Connor then received the ball from Horder, and, though well tackled by Wetherall; forced his way over and scored for Craig to convert. v , i.» . Immediately afterwards Horder. Vjcored jand Craier again added the goal points. The I combined team then had a turn at scoring, | the operiinga being made by Wetherall, I who broke through from fullback and sent I the ball moving among the backs. Man- ' stead and Te Whata scored in turn, one of I the tries Aeing: converted. The ..players jon each v side, meanwhile, had been reduced to 11. O'Connor and Somers being ordered I : off the field and Vlst and &j JDavidoon j having to retire through injuries, The Kangaroos from this out made the most of the open' plav,- Horder using his pace to 1 advantage, either to score or place his side in a scorjne position. A rather uninspiring game ended with the scores : Kangaroos •. . .. . »'. 65 ■' Combined Team «,V,*i •« 27 SHEEHAN JOINING TEAM. * V. Sheehan, the South Sydney threeJuarter and halfback, who was injured on he day of the New South Wales League team leaving for New Zealand, and was unable to accompany the team, has now recovered, and is joining the team.„ .Ee is a passenger by the Makura, which is due here from Sydney td-day.