Eighteen All

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 401, 9 July 1928, Page 11

Eighteen All

MATCH AT KIMBERLY Two Tries to Rushbrook LINDSAY AGAIN KICKS FINELY (United P.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Special to Press Association.) KIMBERLEY, Saturday. AFTER a last, open, game, the All Blacks drew with the Northern Provinces combined team at Kimberley to-day. The display was not convincing, both sides making many mistakes. Snow replaced C. Brownlie, who, like his brother, has contracted influenza. .

The teams were: NEW ZEALAND Lindsay Rushbrook, Sheen, Lucas. Nicholls. McGregor. Kilby. Stewart. Ward, McWilliams Snow, Alley, Fintayson, Here, Hadley. NORTHERN PROVINCES Awerbuck. Liebentbury, Dobie, McCarthy, Todd. Fellows-Smith, Francis. Billing, Brand, Lodder. Kipling, Visser. Nykamp, De Wet, Potgieter. The game commenced with a forward scramble in midfield. Then Xew Zealand started to get the ball from the scrums, but the backs’ efforts to score were fruitless. Sheen was sent away by Lucas from the ruck, and made a great run, which nearly ended in a try. The Aucklander was pushed out at the corner. N'ew Zealand then secured the ball from a line-out, but Todd intercepted Sheen’s pass to Lucas. The Northern Provinces man made a fine breakaway, side-stepped Lindsay and scored under the posts. Potgieter goaled. Northern Provinces .. .. 5 All Blacks 0 LINDSAY LANDS GOAL Good work by the New Zealand forwards, and a fine line kick by Lindsay, put New Zealand in an attacking position. The home team was penalised for lifting in the scrum, and tihdsay landed a splendid goal. Northern Propinces .... 5 All Blacks 3

After the kick-off, away went the Northern Provinces forwards and backs in a spectacular combined pass-

ing movement. Lindsay saved a likely iry by a magnificent line-kick from the goal-line to halfway. McGregor, with another good kick, put New Zealand on attack. A scrum was formed 10 yards from the Northern Provinces line. Rushbrook, who Had gone to first five-eighths, took Kilby's pass, and shot through, beating the defence with a fend and swerve. Lindsay converted. All Blacks ... 8 Northern Provinces .... 5 KILBY CARRIED OFF Ragged play followed, and then Hoth sides started to throw the ball about in good style. In a melee, Kilby’s ankle was badly hurt, and he had to be taken off between two ambulance men. McGregor played halfback, and Stewart centre-three-quarter. A minute later. Fellows-Smith was Penalised for taking the ball out of a scrum, Lindsay landing a great goal from 40 yards out. All Blacks 11 Northern Provinces 5 A good thrust by the Northern Provinces backs had New Zealand defending strongly. Gradually the All Black forwards cleared, and ragged play followed till half-time. SECOND SPELL Several runs by the Northern Provinces backs after play was resumed were smashed by the fine New Zealand defence. For lifting in the scrum, New Zealand was penalised in ■ lts own twenty-five, and Francis ticked a good goal. All Blacks 11 Northern Provinces .. . . 8 Then came a long succession of scrums, with the home team attacking strongly. A mis-kick by Lindsay Save the Northern Provinces a great chance, but Nykamp was pushed out at the corner flag after a fine run. A piinute later Fellows-Smith sent his backs away by a clever blind-side Movement. Dobie shot through, and swerved past Lindsay, to score a good tT ? under the posts. Francis converted. Northern Provinces . . . . 13 All Blacks 11 MAGNIFICENT TRY Tllere was great excitement among Jhe crowd of 8,000 spectators as the tome team started a hot attack again, \v '. a ne tut *i n by Nicholls sent ard away down the line, with Lucas ! n attendance. Ward held on too lQ ng, a n( i a certain try was missed. .. n a forward struggle Brand had a i br ?ken, anc * was carried off. Tak- ? a punt in his stride, Lindsay Stewart away, Rushbrook took

his pass at halfway, and, with a great run. in which he beat six men, he scored a magnificent try. Lindsav missed the kick. All Blacks 14 Northern Provinces .... 13 McWilliams headed a fine dribbling rush to the Northern Provinces line. In attempting to clear, a player kicked

into Lindsay’s hands, and the fullback potted a great goal from 40 yards out. All Blacks ..18 Northern Provinces . , .. 13 After several scrums, the ball went along the line of Northern Provinces hacks to Todd, who had a clear run over the line. Francis converted. All Blacks IS Northern Provinces . . .. IS There was intense excitement now. Throwing the ball about in sensational style, the New Zealanders made things merry. Nicholls broke away after giving a dummy pass and making a fine cut-in, but the movement broke down when Stewart was tackled with the ball. After this there were few thrillling incidents, sound defence by both sides saving larger scores. FINAL All Blacks 1® Northern Provinces .. ..18

DRASTIC CHANGES RUSHBROOK AT FIVE-EIGHTH STEWART’S NEW ROLE Although the result of the match against Northern Districts came as a suprise to many, it was principally due to the fact that very little information was available concerning the strength of the team from the" diamond fields. Kimberley, however, is the headquarters of the Griqua4and West Rugby Union, and it is known that in the past the Grtiquas have contributed in no mean fashion to Rugby in South Africa, and posses great traditions in respect of performances against touring sides. Although only one test man—Potgieter—was included, there were several in the team whose names have frequently been mentioned by South African critics as test candidates. Among these are Ber-tie Kipling and Bill Lodder, reputed to be two of the finest hookers in the Union. In view of the absence of any firsthand comment on the game, it is difficult to understand the reason for Rushbrook being brought in from the wing to play five-eighths. Apparently either McGregor or Nicholls was playing badly, but which one was replaced the report does not state. Following Kilby's injury McGregor went behind the scrum. Until he got into big football McGregor always played half-back, and in that position played good games for his club. This necessitated other alterations, and they were effected by the versatile Stewart going to centre-threequarter and Sheen going out to the wing. Sheen was selected as a centre, and it is hard

to understand why Nicholls, who was leading the side, did not bring him up into the five-eighth line, a position in which he is quite at home, instead of bringing a good scoring wing-three-quarter so close up. CASUALTY LIST GROWS Rushbrook is a Wellington player and no doubt Nicholls knows what he is capable of. In the five-eighth line he got more opportunities and his display will no doubt commend him to the selectors. Up to the present he has been given few opportunities, this being only his third game. Apparently he was the best of the New Zealand backs, and his try from half-way must have been a brilliant effort, but it would be better for the combination of the team if his scoring capabilities were exploited as a winger. It is too late in the day for drastic experiments. Although Lindsay let a couple of •

men past, he made up for this to a geat extent by a good potted goal, two good penalties and a conversion. Not a very good combination to commence with, the New Zealand side must have been further disarranged when the various alterations were made after the game had commenced. It is also alarming to note that C. Brownlie and Kilby have been added to the sick and injured list. Fortunately there will be a week’s rest before the match with the Rhodesian fifteen at Bulawayo, and another week after that before the test side is again called upon to meet South Africa.