SPARKLING RUGBY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27389, 15 May 1950, Page 6

SPARKLING RUGBY

| British Team’s Second Match s ’ ■ 1 — " FIRST HALF SUPREMACY PA WESTPORT, M#y 14. ’; The British Isles Rugby team beat Buller yesterday at Westport in a; game of directly contrasting fortunes by 24 points to 9 points. In the half the visitors played exhilarating football to lead by 21 points io nil, but in the second spell Buller staged a plucky come-back and they had a clear advantage for most of that period almost as decisive as the British players in the first half. The visitors, however, impressed inuch more than in the opening Nelson match and in the first 40 minutes their backs pleased the record crowd of 4000 with some really attractive back movements.

j 'The British forwards also showed a lot of vim, with the captain, Mullen, a splendid influence in all departments. Other impressive forwards were R. John and P. W. Kinninmonth, who shone in the line outs. Evans was good in the .loose. > jin the enterprising first spell, Black tit half-back, while sometimes slow In orthodox passing, gave his outside inen plenty of opportunities, which Kyle often improved on, but while the passing was excellent with, all players in place, there was sometimes evidence of a looseness in the attack. Bjlack, however, exploited an unusual type of back pass, or flick, which was usually fast and accurate and which, no doubt, will be the subject of much interest during the tour. Kyle, at stand-off half, or first fiveeighth, was by far the most impressive of the British backs. He showed initiative in drawing the Buller backs across the field on one occasion when the tourists took part in snappy short passing for Kyle to ‘kick suddenly to the opposite side. The winger, Jones, was left with a clear run in to score a good try. It was Kyle, too, who saved his side time and again in the second half when the Buller forwards got properly into their stride 'with a series of determined offensives. Crowd Thrilled The crowd was thrilled with th'e play of K. J. Jones, right winger for the British Isles, who was always dangerous in possession, and who showed real initiative in a brilliant breakaway in the second half to send Evans and Matthews on for Matthews to score a try. . The other backs did not do anything sensational, although they did not get many good opportunities in the second half because of the harassing tactics of the Buller forwards, which did not present many avenues for attack. Williams, the hero of the first match, seldom got a decent opportunity for a run. The visiting back line promises to be quite formidable on the tour, but there was a lack of thrust by inside three-quarters at times, although the play of Matthews and MacDonald was sound in other directions. The British forwards will have to concentrate more on solid, vigorous rucking if .they hope to beat teams such as Otago and thd test sides, although fhe class of the Buller packmen 'in the second spell should not be minimised. The British players were getting the ball in the line outs, but losing it to more wirey and obviously fitter opponents, allowing the lighter Buller men to break through repeatedly in dashing loose rushes which had the crowd m an enthusiastic mood. Boiler Loses Chances Whereas the visitors capitalised on almost every scoring opportunity, the Buller team lost at least four chances of scoring tries, either by lack of finish or sheer ill-fortune. On one occasion,' the young second fiveeighth, L. Champion, made a desperate attempt to go over under the posts and was tackled inches short of the line, while G. Smallholme and W. Dickson also went close to scoring tries. The Buller inside backs were solid in all departments, with W. Dickson and L. Champion playing well in the five-eighths’ positions. R. Hawes also played a fine defensive game on the right wing, his tackling being splendid. There was no better forward on the field than the Buller man, J. Stuart, who repeatedly broke through in the loose and worked had in the tight. He was ably, supported by another good type in W. Cunniffee, while M. Ryan also played with fire in the loose. W. Mumm was inclined to scout, but he was playing in a strange position at the back of the scrum to which he was not adapted. The game was actually one of. the brightest seen at Westport for some years and should be of great benefit to the British team in view of the strenuous engagements to follow. J. W. McKay, the Irish forward, was injured and was out of action for three parts of the game. In the first four minutes, British Isles opened the scoring when Thomas went over from a passing rush, and Norton converted. Then came Jones’s try from Kyle’s cross kick. John started passing and the ball went right across the field for Jones to in-pass to ■ Macdonald, who scored a fine try, which Norton converted after 35 minutes Black made a break to pass to Evans, who sent McKay over m a handy position for Norton to convert. Just before half time Norton kicked a goal from a penalty. / Britain’s only points in the second half, compared with three penalty go'als kicked for Buller by F. Neighbours. the full-back, came from a brilliant try by Matthews. He got the ball out to Jones, who raced more than 60 yards to send on to Evans, and in to Matthews, who finished off the effort which he had started. British Isles won 23 scrums to 8, tod Buller 35 line outs to 27.