RUGBY TRIAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21844, 5 July 1934, Page 13

RUGBY TRIAL

NORTH ISLAND TEAMS CONTEST AT WANGANUI CORNER PLAYS BRILLIANTLY FULLER'S FINE PERFORMANCE [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION] WANGANUI. ■Wednesday The North Island Rugby trial match, was played here to-day and resulted in a fast, even game. There were many fast, open moves, which pleased an attendance of nearly 5000. The players were competing for places in the team to represent New Zealand in Australia and they were keyed up to give of their best. In spite of the fact that this usually results in much forward plav, to the detriment of the backs, the calibre of the rearguards was such that they could function well. Page and Lilburne had a duel as first five-eighths and the honours were slightly in favour of Page. Griffiths was the better second live-eighths, and Caughey, of Auckland, the better centre. Killeen, who was opposed to Caughey, played only until the interval and was then replaced by Edwards. Bullock-Douglas, Wanganui, and Fuller, Wellington, were the best of the five wings seen in action. Allen, Waikato, who replaced the Wanganui player at half-time, was starved. Smith, of Hawke's Bay, was never sure at handling, while Apsey, also of Hawke's Bay, although on the light side, gamely defended against Smith. Davies, the Waikato fullback, gave a sound display and was well worthy of a further trial, as he competed very closely with Collins for the honours, on the day. Collins was inclined to shirk a tackle or two and may suffer in consequence. Corner was brilliant at half.

The talent in the forwards was remarkably strong. Knight (Auckland), Mahoney (Bush), Dellabarca, Barry and Lambourne (Wellington), Clarke (Taranaki), McKenzie (Manawatu), Leeson (Waikato) and Cooper (North Auckland), being the most impressive. Honours in hooking were inclined to go to Lambourne rather than Hadley, but there were many abortive scrums. The Probables, captained by Page, won the match by 24 points to 22. Fuller, the Wellington winger, registered 15 of the winning team's total, scoring the best try of the day, kicking two penalty goals and converting three tries. Clarke, Dellabarca and Page each scored a try for th© winners. Bullock-Douglas, McKenzie, Cooper, Griffiths (2) and Lambourne scored tries for the Possibles, which side was captained by Lilburne. Corner converted one try and Lilburne another. NOTES ON TEE FORM SATISFACTORY FEATURES GOOD INSIDE BACK PLAY [by telegraph—own correspondent] WANG-ANUT, 'Wednesday If to-day's trial game can be relied upon as a true guide, there need be no fear of the standard of the football I the All Blacks are likely to produce in ! Australia this season. The game was by I no means a perfect exhibition of Rugby —trial games seldom are—but there were some very satisfying features. In inside back play the exhibitions of Lil- | burne, Page and Griffiths were most encouraging.

The only unsatisfactory feature of the game was the scrummaging as it affects the entry of the ball. It was noticeable in the first spell that when, the ball got fairly in, Lambourne (Possibles) hooked it, but in those scrums in which it was obstructed from going in properly, Hadley (Probables) won it. Possibles had a real feast of the ball in the first spell, their forwards' superiority in the scrums being repeated in the lineouts, but in the second spell the Probables forwards played a much improved game, getting a bigger share of the ball from the scrums.

Apart from Caughey the threequarter play seldom reached the required standard. The two Hawke's Bay wingers, Apsey and Smith, opposed each other and the chances they received were few, and far between.

Fuller and Bullock-Douglas opposed each other in the first spell. Ftiller demonstrated when_ he scored his try that he is still elusive when in a tight corner. Killeen failed to produce anyi thing like his best form. Edwards, who replaced him at half-time, did not measure up to the required class. He showed some speed in attack, but he badly, missed Caughey on several occasions. Bullock-Douglas was obviously nervous in the first spell, but he is up to the be\t standard as a wing. His place was taken in the second spell by Allen, who showed speed, but otherwise did not impress. Caughey was the best qpntre. His defence has considerably improved sinca last year, and on attack he is first-class. His speed is very deceptive. Page played easily his best game o? the season, and probably one of the best of his career. He led the sido with real ability. Griffiths gave further eyj* dence that he is the coming inside haofe of the Dominion.

Corner was by far the better of the, halves, though his play lacked a little'oi; the crispness that it had two seasons ago. His experience gave hira a big advantage over Brogden, and on to-day's form he was the only possible selection for Saturday's match at Auckland.' Brogden did his best, anil was far from disgraced, but he is not 1 the' class of Kilby.

• The names of the members,, North Island team selected last night appear on page 10.