OUTCLASSED

Southland Times, Issue 19895, 14 June 1926, Page 8

OUTCLASSED

INTER-ISLAND RUGBY A RECORD SCORE HANDSOME WIN FOR NORTH. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, June 12. One of the most remarkable matches in the long history of inter-island contests was played to-day, when North defeated South by 41 points to 9. Among the estimated numbers of 18,000 spectators who crammed Athletic Park were many who thought that South would win, while those favouring the North’s chances conceded that it would be a close con- . test. Taking the players individually therd was not a great difference in ability, but the North managed to combine and the South did not. Add to this fact the remarkable performance of Mark Nicholls in kicking 20 points (four penalties and four conversions! and the essence of the game is presented. North kicked off with a fresh northerly ' behind them and within five minutes . Nicholls scored the first penalty due to a scrum infringement. North 3 South 0 Then the battle began in earnest. The North at first were beaten . in the scrum, but South’s inside backs, > though playing valiantly, could make little headway against, Nicholls, Porter and Thomas, whose anticipation and speed enabled them to smother passing rushes. In the loose scrummages the North were slightly better, due to superior ability of the ; forwards in passing the ball. Their rushes : did not go far as South’s tackling was ; grand, but while North had the ball the South could not advance. There were few exciting incidents. It was mainly a stubborn tussling game in midfield until South were again penalised almost in the same spot and Nicholls goaled again. North 6 South 0 After the kick off Oliver intercepted a slow pass and gave the ball to the forwards who crushed over in the corner, Mills scoring. Stevenson’s kick failed. North 6 South 3 The North backs and forwards, passing and dribbling, went upfield and got close to ’ the South goal, where another penalty gave them three points per Nicholls. North .. 9 South 3 Shortly afterwards from a scrum Mill let Nicholls and Svenson away, Svenson swerving and flinging the ball to Porter, who scored. Nicholls kicked a magnificent goal from the side-line. North 14 South .. .. 3 North were now flinging the ball about at every opportunity, but many passes went astray and South’s tackling was splendid. Then from a loose scrummage Nicholls let Blake and Svenson away, catching South out of position and Svenson scored for Nicholls to goal. North 19 South 3 The South backs, combining well for once, were unlucky in failing to score. Dailey, Oliver and Elvy handled, but Elvy, after crossing the goal line was pushed out of bounds. Just before half-time South were penalised and Nicholls goaled again. North 22 South . 3 With the wind behind them there seemed a chance of South making up the leeway, but the second spell saw the North backs i combining better and their forwards establishing superiority in the scrum and that I settled the issue. Immediately on resumption North won a scrum and Cooke finished off a spectacular movement by handing the ball to Lucas, who ran over easily. Nicholls missed. North 25 South 3 After some indecisive play South made a supreme effort to score. McGregor, Oliver, Alley and another forward passed, repassed and dribbled the ball and Oliver dived across at the comer. Great applause greeted the try. j North 25 South 6 McGregor cleverly intercepted a pass and put South in an attacking position, but Malcolm’s defensive kick was decisive. Then Mill sent the ball out to Blake, to Lucas, who was tackled, but in-passed to Cooke, who galloped over unopposed. Nicholls missed. North 28 South 6 The South forwards retaliated with a great rush, but missed scoring. The ball was carried back to quarter way, where North were penalised, and Kilby sent a long skimmer over the bar. North 28 South 9 Following up this success, the South forwards pressed on to the North goalline, but after a thrilling battle North gradually cleared ground. It was practically their last effort. The North backs swung into action time after time and, as Porter was always with them, the defence could not withstand the assault. From a scrum close to South’s line Mill dived round, was tackled, but the ball rolled on and Kivell, coming up, dived on it. Nicholls goaled. North 33 South 9 Individual dashes by the South players, including Elvy, Stewart, Ward and Alley, relieved the monotony, but presently Porter set the backs going and Thomas finished the movement. The final stages of the game were notable for a brilliant opening made by Nicholls. Before the end Nicholls outwitted the South players and the ball was flung to Finlayson, who walked under the posts. Nicholls goaled. North 41 South 9 Although beaten by such a margin, it cannot be said that any South player played badly. Elvy, Oliver and McGregor played magnificently individually and all the forwards grafted, particularly Alley. Stevenson was overwhelmed with work, but played splendidly, but the Irvine and Lomas and ■ Mill-Nicholls-Cooke combination would have beaten a greater team than the South. I WEAKNESS IN SOUTH SCRUM. NICHOLLS NOT UP TO FORM. HAZLETT PLAYS FINE GAME. (Special to the Times.) Wellington, June 12. Few people would have prophesied such an overwhelming defeat for the southern team in the inter-island match. So much had the size of the southern pack impressed those in Wellington that odds on the match shortened considerably to-day though previously northerners had been confident of victory by a margin of at least 15 points. The win of the North is a record in the whole series of inter-island contests and beats the tremendous defeat of 1924 by one point. This history of to-day’s game was very similar to that of 1924. South once more had a weakness in the scrum. Their pack did not get down properly and was beaten for pceßflfflion of the ball with monotonous

regularity. So confident did the North become that in the second, spell they were electing to take scrums even in their own twenty-five and their confidence was rewarded. South set out to play a spoiling game and succeeded very well until their opponents settled down. Then it was a case of desperate defence in which McGregor and Kilby played well. Mills’s consistent clearances would have paved the way for worse five-eighths than Nicholls, though worse five-eighths would be hard to find. The Wellington man has seldom in his football career played a worse game. He was hanging on and was frequently smothered and often by cross running cut out Cooke completely. When Cooke came into a movement it usually developed into an attacking thrust. For the first time he was at his most brilliant best in spurts of opportunism and presented his side with three tries. Blake, who kicked without intention, turned his passes badly and failed to combine with his wings. He did not play like a three-quarters of class. Malcolm at full back fell down badly and the northern team might be said to consist of Cooke, Svenson, Mill and the forwards. Those forwards it was who won the day. Finlayson was disappointing but the fast following of Thomas, Harvey and Swain worked wonders. For the backs Nicholls’s kicking was remarkable. In the first spell he missed only one shot at penalties and converted North’s two tries. The South Island team had some great forwards. There was no better man on the field than Hazlett, who eclipsed even the rest. Sonntag played a sterling game. Ward also showed up and but for the phenomenal play of Porter would have seemed better. Dailey seldom let anyone else get the ball and was poor which was a pity for the three-quarter line was itching for work and Elvey and Oliver often made bright openings for their fellows. Robilliard’a tackling of Svenson was a feature of the game. Svenson has never been more aggressive and had he been played on the left wing instead of Lucas the North might have scored as many more tries again. The wind puzzled Stevenson, who was poor. North’s five tries when playing against the wind in the second spell are easily explained as it it easier to pass against the wind than with it and the South line kicking was not brilliant. SOUTHLANDERS PROMINENT. MR. A. J. GEDDES INTERVIEWED. (Special to the Times.) Wellington, June 13. Interviewed by a Southland Times representative after the match, Mr. A. Geddes, one of the New Zealand selectors, said that he was somewhat disappointed over the match, although the difference between the teams was not as great as the score indicated. The South Island pack more than held its own and the Southlanders, Alley, Hazlett and Mills, were always prominent. Mills was handicapped by having to hook with a man who was new to the position. Alley was probably the best forward in both packs and has improved tremendously since last season, particularly in dribbling. Mr. Geddes said he was not satisfied tkat the South had their best team in the field. It showed up the unsatisfactory results of the system of nomination by provinces, although it was difficult to devise any other system. The Southland selectors had great difficulty in finding inside backs and hookers. They were not sure whether it was in their power to include players outside those nominated. He had ascertained in Wellington, however, that this could be done, and selectors in future would do this if necessary. Mr. Geddes also suggested the playing of a Possibles v. Probables match in the South Island before selecting the team. Referring to the selection of the All Black team, Mr. Geddes said that the selectors had aimed at the inclusion of as much new blood as was possible without weakening the team. The forward pack was one of the heaviest ever sent out of the country as it was possible to put a pack in the field whose average weights were 15 stone 21bs. He thought the back team should be a particularly heady one and had great hopes of Sheen as a five-eighth. The appointment of manager and captain will be made this week by the New Zealand Union. x NORTH V SOUTH. RESULTS TO DATE. The results of the matches between teams representing the North and South Islands are as follows:

NEW ZEALAND TEAM. MEMBERS TO TOUR AUSTRALIA. ALLEY AND HAZLETT SELECTED. Wellington, June 13. The following team has been chosen to represent New Zealand in the Australian tour: Full-back: Stevenson (Otago). Three-quarters: Svenson (Wellington), Blake (Hawke’s Bay), Elvey (Canterbury), Lucas (Auckland), Robilliard (Canterbury). Five-eighths: M. Nicholls (Wellington), Cooke (Hawke’s Bay), Sheen (Auckland). Half-backs: Mill (Hawke’s Bay), Dailey (Canterbury). • Wing-forward: Porter (Wellington). Forwards: Lomas (Auckland), Irvine (Hawke’s Bay), Kilpatrick (Hawke’s Bay), Harvey (Wairarapa), Alley (Southland), M. Brownlie (Hawke’s Bay), Finlayson (North Auckland), R. Stewart (South Canterbury), C. Brownlie (Hawke’s Bay), Knight (Auckland), Hazlett (Southland).

Date. Played at Won by Scores. 1897—Wellington .. .. North 16-3 1902—Wellington .. .. South 20-14 1903 —Auckland .. South 12-5 1904—Dunedin- .. . .. Drawn 3-3 1905 -Wellington .. .. North 26-0 1906—Wellington .. .. North 9-5 1907—Christchurch .. North 12-0 1908—Wellington .. .. North 12-5 1909 —Wellington .. .. South 19-11 1910—Christchurch ., South 14-10 1911—Wellington .. .. North 19-9 1912—Napier .. .. .. North 12-8 1913—Christchurch .. South 25-0 1914—Wellington .. .. South 8-0 1919 —Wellington .. .. North 28-11 1920—Wellington .. .. North 12-3 1921 —Christchurch .. North 28-13 1922 —Auckland .. South 9-8 1923—Wellington .. .. Drawn 6-6 1924 —Wellington .. .. North 39-8 1925 —Invercargill .. .. North 16-5 1926—Wellington .. .. North 41-9