NARROW WIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26028, 17 December 1945, Page 4

NARROW WIN

KIWI RUGBY TEAM ROYAL NAVY DEFEATED FAST AND LIVELY MATCH (N.Z.E.F. Official Correspondent) (Rec. 10 p.m.) PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 15. In an exceptionally fast and spectacular game to-day the N.Z.E.F. team beat the Royal Navy by 6 points to 3, the scores being two penalty goals to a try. A vigorous and very fit Navy pack kept the Kiwi forwards fully occupied throughout, and an excellent Navy backline, getting a larger share of the ball, made some very thrustful rushes though except in one brilliant movemeiit they found the New Zealand defence impassable. Despite the fact that one or two Navy forwards camped off side all day long, the Kiwi backs saw rather more of the ball than usual, but were unable to pierce the defence of the equally fast and grimly determined Navy rearguard. Both sides showed ability to swing into sudden attack from loose play and as a result the crowd of 3000 saw a game which seesawed rapidly from one end of the field to the other and was full of swilt and sudddn breaks. The teams were as cabled. Lieutenant General Sir Bernard Freyberg attended. Brilliant Beginning The Navy kicked off, and in the first minute King made a bnlhant break-through, sending on to Kearney, back to King to Dobson, to Boggs, and the movement narrowly failed to get right through. A moment later, Kearney went close to a goal with a dropkick. The Navy forwards drove play back, and from a scrum the backs made a sudden thrust, Constance sending on to Williams, who changed direction cleverly, catchmg the defen e going the other way, and racing through for a brilliant try. The kick Kiwi forwards took play to the Navy twenty-five, where one of the pack reverse passed to Boggs, who had followed him infield from a scrum and who was brought down close to the Navy line. A minute later. Scott kicked a good penalty goal. The Navy attacked from the kick off and a clearing kick by Kearney was fielded by MacLennan, whose pass went astray in the Kiwi twenty-five, and Meates and Dobson took the ball to the Navy twenty-five, mterpassin 0 cleverly. When they were stopped the Kiwi forwards carried on with some good scrummaging, and when the ba.i was kicked to clear, Scott gathered it and missed with an attempt at a field next thrill was a rush by Peel and MacLennan, who chased speculating kicks 50 yards, Scott clearing. Constance showed up in a spectacular solo run, but was brought down in the Kiwi quarter, and Dobson and Boggs again combined in a pretty run back into Navy territory. Hard tackling stopped a good Navy passing rush but Moore started another from loose play, and Murray missed with an attempt to drop a goal. Eond, who played an excellent game throughout, took play to near halfway with a fine solo dribbling ruto, and from a scrum the forwards sent the backs racing, Scott joining in, but Boggs was thrown out into touch after bumping off one tackier. Vaughan missed a long penalty shot at goal,. and then Scott fielded a long kick and, running to the open side, passed to Young, back to Scott, whose high kick was chased by Simpson and Bond, who dribbled on, but were just beaten for a touch down bv Peel. Scott "was wide* with a long penalty kick at goal, and half time came with the scores: 3 all. Kiwis Take Lead , From a scrum early in the second half, Edwards sent the ball to King, to Kearney, who missed an attempted field goal, but gathered in the return kick and started a. rush, but his pass went astray. Scott kicked a magnify cent long penalty goal. In another good passing rush the ball went along the chain of backs to Boggs, who was stopped after a determined run. Then the forwards and backs joined in a good passing movement, Dobson almost breaking through the defence.

The Navy forwards and backs immediately took play back with a good passing rush, started by Hammond, and Moore ended the .movement with an unsuccessful attempt to pot a goal. The Navy packmen were going great guns at this stage, and from a loose scrummage the ball went out to Peel, wno broke through cleverly before sending the ball to Murray, who was . well tackled by Scott. From the line out which followed Scott sent play back with a great line kick. Play now became very fast and exciting, with both sides throwing the ball about and trying desperately to score. Finlay and McPhail led a good rush to Navy territory, and from a line out Blake and Finlay carried play to the Navy twenty-five. The Kiwi backs made a good run, but a Kick ahead was marked 'by Hammond, whose covering play 'in defence throughout the day was a feature of the game. From Hammond’s kick the Kiwi backs started another good passing rush, Boggs being thrown out in touch. When Waller charged down a kick by King the Navy rushed play to the Kiwi twenty-five, and by hard forward play kept it there, but when the ball went out to the backs Dobson caught a Navy back in possession ana almost dribbled through the defence, the bounce beating him and the Navy finding touch in goal with a long kick Fast and Exciting Play

Led by Finlay, the Kiwis rushed play to the Navy twenty-five, but the Navy forwards took it back and then sent their backs on a concerted movement which crumpled up against hard tackling. Vaughan missed a penalty shot at goal. MacLennan topped off a Navy passing movement with a brilliant run. but Kearney got across just in time to drop him. Then the Kiwi backs were away again, and the ball went to Boggs, who bumped off two men and sent infield to Dobson, who lined near the Navy goal line. Bond dribbled across the line, but the Navy forced. Dobson intercepted to stop a Navy passing rush, and turned defence into attack with a long run before passing to Finlay, who was overhauled after a good run. From a loose scrummage, the ball went to Kearney, to Meates, who was nearly over in one corner, and from the resultant line out Moore cleared well. The Navy almost broke through when Scott was slow in getting to an awkwardly bouncing ball, and then Edwards was brought down after a good run from a scrum, and the game ended: — N.Z.E.F 6 points. Navy 3 points.