GREAT LINE-KICKING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20570, 22 May 1930, Page 14

GREAT LINE-KICKING.

BRITISH BACKS IMPRESSIVE.

SPEED AND GOOD HANDLING

FORWARDS WIN THE SCRUMS

[DY TELEGRAPH. —ATHLETIC REPORTER. ] "WANGANUI, Wednesday.

It would not altogether bo safe to predict how tho British team is going to faro against stronger union teams on today's game. Tliero were features of their play which were certainly very impressive. First of all their splendid line-kick-ing, in fact unaimless kicking of any description, was an outstanding feature. Applauso was very frequent for such efforts. Some of the visiting backs are adepts with tho left foot, notably Bowcott.

.Another outstanding point was tho speed and ability to handle displayed by (lie backs. They wero not afraid to start rushes from any position on tho field and their aim was always to get tho ball out to their speedy wings, Morley and Novis. That both wings have paco abovo tho ordinary was well exhibited on to-day's heavy ground. So far as tho backs wero concerned, the tourists wero decidedly unfortunate in losing Bonner about .1.0 minutes after the opening of the second spell. Shortly afterwards, Sobey injured his knee and was practically useless for the remainder of the game. It was then that tho visitors' versatility made itself apparent. Welsh went from the scrum to fullback, where ho "five quite a sound exhibition. .As for the rushes commenced from the scrums, what Sobey missed Jones was there to initiate, and this semi-roving forward was responsible for starting numerous back movements. Beamish, the burly Irishman, also was responsible for beginning rushes.

Backs Run Across.

There was some cross-running by the inside British backs, but their nippiness frequently carried them into positions whero they were ablo to send the ball on in tinio to give the wing-thrccquarters suflicient room, and but fcfl - sound tackling the visitors' total would have been much more substantial.

Tho British forwards won the ball from tho majority of- tho scrums, simply by \ reason of the fact that they packed down • | quicker. It was noticeable, however, ■ i that when tho Wanganui forwards got 1 down first they usually obtained possession. The tourists had a big advantage in weight in tho scrums and occasionally wero able to push tho homo pack off the ball after the latter had actually hooked i it * Where the British backs showed wisdom • was in kicking for tho lino once a rush ■ had broken down, instead of endeavouring 1 j to continue tho movement. There were, ) ol' course, occasional exceptions, when men I { were obviously in position to go on ad- ' i vantagoously. Judicious kicking fro'r quentlv enabled tho British backs to re--3 gain more ground than was lost by faulty ' "individualising tho British backs, ' one must refer to tho capabilities _of • Morlev and Novis, the wings. As scoring 1 men thev are particularly dangerous, it • tfiven anything like an open field. Aaryjld, one of the centres, was also impressive. Bowcott, the'stand-off half, was always in tho picture, being clever both on attack ! j and defence up to the time lie was injured. Bonner did well, while Sobey. ! I who was also hampered by an injury. 1 played a very fine game behind the scrum. I Forwards Lack Condition. I The British forwards were not in the I best of condition and so an improvement I can be looked for on to-day's game, llicy 1 were not hard put to it in scrummaging. | but in the loose they were not one bit ; superior to the home pack. Bow. Beamish Martindalc. Jones and Black were prominent, but tho wliolo combination need a lot inoro training to got them into condition to last out a strenuous game. The Wanganui team contained some good individual players, but as a combined side was very crude. Opportunities in plenty presented themselves when passing rushes by tho visiting backs broke : down, and a Cooke or a Porter would have had a great feast, but, of com so, tho visitors may not have employed the same tactics if opposed by ft strong back team. The Wanganui pack, was not a good scrummaging one, but somo of tho 1 forwards shone in the loose, particularly Ox ley, who played a great game. The local backs wero practically individualists, with Gibbons, McLennan, Ambroso and Tilley doing well at times. Tilley, who is leaving for Levin, would undoubtedly develop in good company. I Slimming up the game on its face value rm the day one would predict that the British forwards will have to impnrvo to hold their own with one or two of llic provincial packs, let alone the New /ea- j land front row division. While tho touring forwards command control of the ball the backs will always bo dangerous, al- j though they will have to obliterate, their present bad tendency to lob passing. This ; will get them into serious difficulty against j such a combination as Porter, Cooko and Lucas. However, allowance has to be made for an improvement in form and combination and ability to change tactics, such, as yet, being unknown. Opinions on Match. Opinions in Wanganui after (he match were varied, as, indeed, they could only be. In the first spell with I lie wind the Britishers look plenty of risks in opening up the game. Jn (he second half with one player short and another almost useless they still took the same, risks, one of which led to tho only try scored by the local team. 'lnterested spectators at the match were several members of tho New Zealand Rugby T'nioii, W. J. Wallace, G. Glenn, J. W. SI end. and G. Glasgow, members of the 1905 All Blacks, A. F. Harding, captain of the Anglo-Welsh team which toured New Zealand in 1908; C. G. Porter and Mark Nicholls, members of the 1924 All Blacks; and \V. lfornig, manager of the All Blacks in South Africa in 1928.

Some, of these gentlemen were interviewed after the match, hut they could not he drawn into a .conclusion on one day's play, especially under Ihe circumstances prevailing in the second spell. Ono thing certain is (hat (he tourists will ho provided with a harder game on Saturday (lian against Wanganui, and a heller lino on their (rue form may then ho gained.