RUGBY LEAGUE

Southland Times, Issue 21771, 28 July 1932, Page 8

RUGBY LEAGUE

ENGLISH TEAM. OPENING MATCH OF TOUR. (Per United Press Association.) Whangarei, July 27. The opening match of the English Rugby League team’s tour of New Zealand was played at Kensington Park this afternoon before 2500 spectators and resulted in an overwhelming win for the visitors by 56 points to five. For 20 minutes the much lighter northerners held their own, but they could not stand up to the wearing-away tactics of the tourists, who, in the second spell, revelled in spectacular open passing. The home side was quite outclassed, and it was not uncommon to see one Blue man have to come to his teammates’ assistance before a hefty Englishman was lowered. The Englishmen’s backing up was perfection. Time after time the ball passed right along the back chain and the wingers, Hudson and Woods, made the most of their opportunities. Hudson cracked a rib and England finished a man short. Sullivan, whose tremendous line kicking was a feature, made himself a unit in attack, and several scoring movements had their genesis in the English 25. Once the full-back ran from behind his own goal line and the ball was handled 13 times before Hudson touched down between the posts at the opposite end of the field. Atkinson, the right centre, initiated most brilliant essays, but the greatest back of all was Davies, the fly-half, who was superb. It was his thrustfulness which straightened out most of the English attacks.

The forwards had a two-stone advantage in the pack, and when fending' off tactics were exploited, left the tack-’ lers lamenting. Hodgson was the leader of the pack. Others showing' up were Silcock and Fender. Tire 1 scorers were Hudson (3), Woods (3),i Fender (2), Davies, Pollard, Atkinson! and Wright. Sullivan kicked a pen-! alty and converted nine tries, several l from the sideline. |

The northerners did surprisingly well in the scrums, thanks to the hooking of Wells, but they found the whitejerseyed backs like a moving stone' wall in defence. Penny ran fearless- 1 ly and White was the best forward. The tackling of both sides was magnificent.

Twenty minutes after the game started Keith scored for North, C. Hamilton converting.