DEFEAT OF WALLABIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19122, 17 September 1936, Page 7

DEFEAT OF WALLABIES

SOUTHLAND' VICTORY

FOURTEEN TO SIX FAST AND OPEN GAME (Per Press Association.) 1N V ERCAEGILL, .last nigh t. Southland maintained its unbeaten record .against Australian. Rugby teams by defeating the. 1930 Wallabies by 14 points to 0 at Rugby Park today.

The weather was beautifully fine and the ground in good order for the match, which was watched by (5000 people. The game was bright, fast and open throughout, with the Australians throwing the ball about whether on attack or defence. Southland was a much more solid team, however, and the visiting backs failed completely to make any impression on their sound defence.

The Wallabies gained possession from almost every scrum and line-out in the first spell, and the backs began passing rush .after passing rush. It was early apparent that Southland had little to fear from those tactics, as the Australian inside backs never looked like penetrating, and in the second half, when the ball possession was equally divided, Southland was much more impressive as an attacking unit than the faster visitors. The game opened brightly, the Australian backs passing the ball from a scrum to the wings accurately, but with little gain. Southland then won a scrum and a dangerous run by Mitchell, the centre three-quarter, was in marked contrast to the Australians’ diagonal attack.

After 27 minutes of play Metcalfe broke through from a line-out and kicked ahead for Mitchell to gather the ball and score in the corner. . BRILLIANT TRY Australia turned defence into attack, and the winger, McLean, carried on after a forward rush. Though he appeared to be out, he hurdled Sharp, the Southland fullback, and scored brilliantly in the corner. d'ho half-time scores were:—Southland 3, Australia 3. Australia played with the sun and wind at its back in the second half. Five minutes after the start, Mattingly kicked a penalty.goal for Southland.

The Australians appeared to be fading, and Purdue broke through from a scrum and passed to Sutherland, who scored. The visitors continued to throw the ball about with abandon and Hammo n put in a spectacular run from halfway to the Southland line, where Richards dived short. However, Australia was determined to score and Lewis varied the tactics by cutting through. McLean received at the end of the chain and ran round to score under the bur. The kick failed.

The Australians continued to provide bright, passing movements. The Southland forwards were definitely better than the loose-rucking Wallabies.

Ten minutes from time, Crawford, a prominent Southland forward, broke up an Australian passing rush. Hamilton was in support and passed to Mitchell, who was well tackled by Storey, but Thomas was in a position to take his pass and score between the posts. Mattingly converted the game ended: Southland 14, Australia (i. NO EXTRA GAME UNION ANNOUNCEMENT (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. It was announced .at a meeting of the Now Zealand Rugby Union tonight that, because of the players’ arrangements, the Australian team would be unable to play an extra match in New Zealand as had been suggested in Auckland. LAST-MINUTE RALLY MANAWATU SUCCESS DEFEAT OF W A.IRA RAP A (Per Press Association.) MABTERTO.Y, last night. The MaiiiGvntu Rugby representatives defeated Wairarnpn by 29 points to 27 in a bright and entertaining match o’f fluctuating fortunes at Musterton to-day.

Willi barely 10 minutes to play, Wairarapa held a 27—.13 lead, but Manawatu came to light with a last-minute rally to pull the game out of the lire. Neither team was at its full strength. TOUR OF SPRINGBOKS DEPARTURE IN MAY (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. An announcement that the (Springboks would leave Capetown on May 14, 1937, to tour Australia and New Zealand was made at a meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union to-night.