WALLABIES OPEN TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20959, 24 August 1931, Page 11

WALLABIES OPEN TOUR.

P&m GAME WITH OTAGO.

VJSITING TEAM FORTUNATE.

jjjHREE;POINTS TO EACH SIDE.

jrggASY BALL HAMPERS BACKS

[sx TELEGRAPH. —PSESS ASSOCIATION.] Saturday.

H; Je the first match of its tour the Australian Rugby team was lucky to draw - yito Otago at Carisbrook to-day, the final ecore being three points all. The Otago forwards overwhelmed the opposition, jirhile the greasy ball and sodden ground prevented the Australian backs, who showed' great- speed, from opening out in passing. Immediately following the kick-off Australia rushed play to the Otago line, the home team being compelled to force in s harry. From the drop out the Australian backs opened out, but Giles cut of a pass and broke through. A try seemed certain when, he threw the ball «wav and the chance was lost. Otago worked play back, and the forwards set J3 a series of attacks on the Australian but Boss, who was playing brilliantly, saved time and again with judicious kicks "to touch. ii length Towers broke away m a firs run which carried play into Otago iemtcry, this being the second time after fifteen minutes' play that Australia had fen outside its own half. The Otago forwards were soon back in the Australian twenty-five, where Bush missed . fcwice with penalty kicks. Bush placed Otago on the attack once more with a kick which sent the ball into touch at the corner. Australia was unable to lift the pressure. Cavanagb picked up in the loose and threw out a long pass to Fookes, who kicked through, pjlpg and McKenzie .were on the ball like 8 flash and dribbled over the line, McKenzie beating several Australians to Bash's kick., was interfered with. Jor the remainder of the spell Otago •was almost continually on the attack, several rushes by both backs and forwards just failing to, cross the Australian . fine, Boss doing a tremendous amount of .saving. The score at half-time was:— Otago, 3; Australia, 0. The opening of the second spell saw Otago once mors on the attack, Hore and"Allan leading a forward rush to the 'Australian twenty-five. Malcolm came round the blind side of a scrum and passed to Blair, who ran to Bush. but threw his pass forward and spoiled a promising movement. From a scrum Malcolm sent. the ball out. to Cowper, who kicked through. Following tip fast, Cowper got to Bush as he was fielding the ball "from the ground. Kicking it out of Bash's hands, Cowper picked up and sent on to Towers, who raced across. The ■kick at goal failed. Otago, 3; Australia, 3. Following a desperate attack by the Otago forwards. Towers cut clean through Otaco's back line and- ran to Bush before kicking, the ball going into touch at the . corner. i? Rom the line-out the ball came to Towel's, who ran hard for the line, but 1 Bush' brought him down with a hcarv tackle. Tn the closing of the came Otago attacked desperately, but the "Australian defence was very sound and tjie game ended with the score: — Otago, 3; Australia, 3. Mr. J. Oughton was referee. " BEILLLB'T BACKS. MALCOLM'S FINE DISPLAY. ROSS SAVES REPEATEDLY. {EX TELEGRAPH. —OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] DTJXZDDT, Saturday. Upon the sodden ground the Otago for*rards showed the Australian team the virtues of good packing and last followmgOp. Ilie match, although hard throughimt. was not particularly exciting, the backs '"of both sides having difficulty in handling the 1-all. Australia was lucky to draw, Otago being on the attack for the greater part of .the game. The Australian forwards lacked dash, and except for a period in the middle of the spell were never able to bold their own with the Otago pack. Finlayson. HartneJi. iWilson* asd Hore played splendid games frora start to finish. Otago secured the ball from the majority of the scrums and gave the backs numerous opportunities. The Australians, -however, had a slight SiiDPriorilv in the line-outs, most ol the Australian attacks being started from sidelines. The only Australian forward to show out tras Blair, who was on the hali all through. The heroes of - the match were Malcolm, at halfback, and Ross, fullback. Playing behind a beaten pack, with the ball too, greasy for most of the backs to handle, Mali-olio gave one of the

finest, displays in 'that position seen here for a considerable time. He was in the thick of the gan4 tbroucboat. saving his forwards by cuing down resolutely to every rash." He fed his backs judiciously apd.Jc.ept up with the play during every .moment of the garhe. -Boss had a gruelling day. the Otago forwards being on top of bixn time after time, but he made verv few- mistakes. He fielded the ball v/lell, both on the ground and in the air, and he repeatedly drove back attacks with long kicks to touch. His rush-stopping and tackling was also

good. Standing close up to the play be was never out of position, and was re'ro&rkably safe throughout. Had it not been for Malcolm ■ and Ross Australia roust hare suffered defeat by a fair margin oi points. a'

The two centre-! hveeauarters, Towers £na Cowper, both plaved well, and Pal- • laer, on the wing, also showed out in several dashes up the line. The Australian backs, however, did not receive as ' big a share of the ball as Otago, and were troubled by the' heavy ground and the greasy hall. Their defence was very sound and in 'the. second half, standing in ■shallow formation, they were quickly on to the Otago backs and generally managed to break up passing before the movements bad gone far. Tbev were all particularly fast, and, judging by their attempts to throw the ball about, on a di-T ground they would have treated the spectators to a thrilling display of back -play. They wtji be a dangerous attacking combination once tbev have settled down, JBusb, the Otago fullback, played a ®bd game, although he did not have as ffluch to do as "Ross, and was somewhat overshadowed by the Australian. His kicking to touch - was'not so certain, but his fielding was good, and he several times gained Dig stretches of ground wi th strong runs don;n the field. Bathgate", the first five-eighths, and Giles, centre,. were the best of Otago's backs, the defence of Bathgate being outstanding. whiie Giles showed plenty of resource on attack... Fookes was off his game and Simon, the halfback, although Eound, particularly on defence, was not brilliant. Align and McKenzie, on the •f did not get many chances. Had Otago snacks piayed like the forwards. Australia must /have been outclassed.

SOTJTHLAHD EEFSESEBTATIYES.

THE TEAM FOB WEDNESDAY.

[EI TELEGRAPH.— FEESS ASSOCIATION.] IXYEEC'ABGILL, Sunday. }i'. _ The foliovring players will represent: P Southland apaiast the Australian Rugby team cn Wednesday:—Porter, Geddes, ffj. Towasend, Grant, JCrron, Ussier, §|K: -*|?naeUy, G. George, Southern, Purdue, fklr : ilatteogly, Metcalfe, Murphy, Agnew.