DOMINION LEAGUE TEAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19471, 29 October 1926, Page 11

DOMINION LEAGUE TEAM.

VICTORY OVER LEEDS. CREDITABLE PERFORMANCE. MATCH CLOSELY CONTESTED. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received 7.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Oct. 27. The New Zealand Rugby League footballers to-day defeated Leeds by 13 points to 11. The visitors' team was .-comprised of Gregory, Brown, Dufty, Davidson, Sanders, Cole, Hall, Thomas, Parkes, Herring, Mason, Gardiner and Avery. After a spell of defensive play the visitors took the lead by means of a pretty exhibition of back play. Davidson scored a try from loose play. Dufty failed with the kick. Following np this success Brown and Dufty combined well and tested Leeds' defence. Bailey equalised the score with , an unconverted try after a pretty passing bout. Both sets of forwards indulged in hard work in the next quarter of an honr. Thomas, Parkes and Herring were prominent in the scrummages. Fine passing between Dufty, Gardiner and Davidson ended in the latter crossing the line. Dufty converted, giving New Zealand a five points lead at half time. When the game was Leeds immediately reduced the margin, Watkins scoring from the loose, but Thompson failed to convert. Spurred on by this success, Leeds pressed, but Gregory and Brown defended stoutly. Crisp passing by the home backs resulted in Bacon scoring a clever try, which Thompson converted from a difficult angle. The New Zealanders answered with a spectacular passing rush, as a result of which Herring stored. Dufty added the major points. The visitors combined better than in any previous match. They deserved their 2-points win. Gregory was the safest fnllback. Hall played a grand game at halfback. Parker, Herring and Thomas were hard-working forwards.

The New Zealand League team's victory over Leeds, although a narrow one, was an exceeding!v good performance. Leeds has always occupied a prominent place in Northern Union football. Last season Leeds was fourth in the Yorkshire table, and finished ninth in the English League championship. The news that two backs, Dufty and Gardiner, were playing in the forwards for the New Zealand League team against Oldham caused much comment in Auckland League circles. In this connection some interesting references were made to the forwards in a letter received from England yesterday. It appears that injuries had been received in the early stage of the tour, as a result of which Singe, Peterson, Wright and Menzies, all forwards, had suffered. Singe in the opening game against Dewshury received a broken thumb, and doubts were expressed as to whether he could play again before about eight weeks. Peterson, at the time of writing, had a severe attack of influenza. Wright injured his hand in the match against Leigh, and Men?,ies sustained a nasty kick in the head, necessitating several stitcher. The less of Singe and Peterson is most unfortunate, as both were always certain to gain a place among the best, six forwards chosen.

The New Zealand team will play St. Helens Re.es, one of the. most powerful of the Lancashire teams, to-morrow. Last season St. Helens finished fifth on the list of the English League table.