COMFORTABLE WIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27404, 1 June 1950, Page 8

COMFORTABLE WIN

British Rugby Team At i Timaru % \ Hi ■ “ DISPLAY 4 M " V* ir From the Sports Editor TIMARU, May 31. ■ 5 The British Isles Rugby team chalked up its fourth win of the tour v£hen it defeated South Canterbury by 27 points to 8 before a crowd of 10,000 spectators at Fraser Park this afternoon in perfect playing conditions, with only a light westerly breeze. Although the visitors plenty of mistakes and did not always capitalise on the chances presented themselves, it was an entertaining display of football. Usability to secure possession from the scrums and failure of players iji covering defence and some wretchedly bad tackling lost the home hard-won ground.

detracting from South Canterbury’s showing, it can be said that fte British Isles team had too much Rjace all round, which often enabled $e team to retrieve some dangerous situations. The British team led by 13 joints to nil at half time, and, with the issue beyond doubt, the visitors tdok risks in the second half. Nevertheless, they added another 14 points, compared with the home side’s 8. The British Isles’ score consisted of two tries by the Irish forward, J. W. McKay, tries by R. Macdonald, K. J. Jones, V. G. Roberts, and N. Henderson, three conversions by J. D. Robins, and a dropped goal by the English captain, Ivor Preece, in the first 10 minutes of the game. South Canterbury's points came from a try by N. 2. Hobbs, converted by J. W. Goddard, ywho also kicked a goal from a penalty. V The British team exploited some > delightful moves, and their handling generally was marked by more precision and snap than they V showed in the south. Indiscriminate passes were still noticeable, however, and these led to some 2 of South Canterbury’s most effec4tive counter-attacks. The British showed an improvement in packing, and they have hardened pup their play considerably. Dai Davies, the hooker, had a successful day, and the British Isles team won four times as much ball from the slrums as the South Canterbury pack. 14 was a different story in the Ime cftits, however, where the ability of L. A. Grant and the 15-stone lock fortard. J. Bryce, was much in evidence. t this branch of play possession favoured South Canterbury by 26 to 23 ' There were 21 inconclusive line Huts. But after winning possession. Sjbuth Canterbury often lost the mitiat e by letting the British forwards •ough in well-controlled foot rushes, e British wing-forwards. McKay and Roberts, moved quickly on to the South Canterbury half-back, W. J. Coulter, who was persistently harried, and did «ot get his- passes away quickly has made a big difference fp the British pack and today he was hfere, there and everywhere. He was rewarded with two tries, one after most of the forwards and backs had bandied and the other when he came across in support of J. W. Kyle and a third Irish player, in Henderson when Henderson was tackled in midfield. Another forward who has consistently taken the eye for his solid and resourceful all-round play was J. D. Robins. The Welsh front-ranker blunted the ball closely, and in addition he was successful in three out of six attempts at conversion, one succeeding from the side line. He also attempted a penalty kick from a yard inside halfway, the ball going just under the posts. The Scottish captain, P, W. Kininmonth, who led the forwards strongly, gave one of his best displays of the tour. As usual, his line-out work was of a high order. Kininmonth infused considerable vigour into his play, and it was in this respect that most of .the British forwards showed an compared with their earlier displays in the south. There is no doubt that they are now getting reajly fit. as the result of the hard games they have had. A forward who impressed by the dash he showed in the tight and loose was G. 'M. Budge, the robust Scottish front-ranker. ~ W. R. Willis, the scrum-half, sent out well-directed and quite long passes. He was always at hand to patch up movements when they looked like breaking down, and generally gave his side solid service. If there is any fault in his play, I should say it was his fondness for running from the scrum. This was overdone, especially across field, but he got away with it on several occasions because of weak tackling. Kyle’s display perhaps was of a less spectacular nature than it was in the test, and it was obvious that he was out to give his centres, Henderson and Preece, every opportunity to at-

terbury’s All Black, J. W. Goddard, for length or accuracy. But for one lapse, when he allowed Roberts to kick the ball through his legs when he had to contend with three or four foraging British forwards—a mistake which cost his side a try—Goddard played football of a high order and saved his side several times by his resolute tackling. Apart from the

full-back’s fine display, the bright spot of the South Canterbury back display were the flashes of brilliance shown by the former All Black centre three-quarter, M. P. Goddard. Towards the end of the first half he and his brother combined in one of the prettiest scissors- movements of the match. South Canterbury were defending desperately on their own goal line when M. P. Goddard raced away after receiving from his brother, and with the British defence on the wrong foot, went through to halfway, but M.„ C. Eathorne, a forward in support, failed to gather his pass. The South Canterbury forwards lacked cohesion. in the first half, but were much more effective in the second spell. Grant made some mighty bursts from the line out and also did some devastating tackling. He was, perhaps, a little prone to go into therucks rather blindly, but generally he played a first-class game which suggests that he may yet get consideration before the tests are over. There was no more honest forward thanBryce, and with Grant and Hobbs, he staged a good bout of short passing which ended in Hobbs scoring. Another serviceable player in the South Canterbury pack was Cormack, one of the few to back up strongly. He also tackled well. The British Isles team will leave for Christchurch tomorrow and will play Canterbury on Saturday. It will meet the combined Ashburton-North Otago team at Ashburton on Tuesday.

tack from midfield. He succeeded in this and his perfect handling, clever kicking and strong supporting work on attack further confirmed the opinion that he is the star member of this side. Henderson, who has been out of action for some time, appeared to be favouring his leg at the start, but in the final stages of the game he displayed considerable verve. He scored a wellmerited try. His tackling was sound as was that of the other centre, Preece, who again gave a display of correct football.

- I am becoming convinced that ;Jones, the Welsh winger, may be one of the greatest sources of danger to New Zealand in the remaining tests. He ran with great speed today, often slipped into the attack to make an extra man, and proved remarkably quick at seizing an opening in the defence. He and the South Island representative winger, J. Taylor, had a "keen due}. On the other wing, Macdonald showed more speed and determination than in earlier games, although, of course, he was opposed by R. Stoddard, a player new to representative football. Macdonald has a tendency to. kick too hard and pass ■' too soon. , ~ , , w. B. Cleaver, the British full-back, when under pressure, did not take the ball as surely as usual, and in kicking he did not match South Can-