BEATEN FORE AND AFT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 443, 27 August 1928, Page 6

BEATEN FORE AND AFT

NEW SOUTH WALES ROMPS HOME Auckland Reps. Disappointing BY defeating one of the best provincial sides in New Zealand by 19 points to 8, the New South Wales team opened its tour on Saturday in a, very convincing manner. The visitors thoroughly deserved their win, and in both departments were vastly superior to Audi land. Instead of rising to the occasion, the Auckland team gave one of its worst displays. It was beaten both hack and forward.

If Auckland has any claim to the title of New Zealand's champion provincial team, it did not live up to it on Saturday. It was obvious early in the game that the Auckland rearguard was beaten by a set of cleverer and faster backs. It was then that a set of good packing, hard, tightplaying forwards could have changed the complexion of the game, but with so many wingers in the side this was out of the question. Scrumming and dribbling is a lost art in Auckland. Rarely ever does one see the Auckland pack wheel the scrum and break away with the ball at the forwards’ toes. Time and again, when the Auckland forwards broke away on Saturday, Malcolm, the clever New South Wales half, was able to take it off them! To see forwards who had over-run the ball waiting offside for the ball to come up to them, instead of whipping in behind and carrying on the good .work when the next man over-ran, was quite common. No dribbling rush of that description ever gets anywhere. It washes itself out SNAPPY PASSING It was refreshing to note the quickness with which the New South Wales movements were initiated. In their workouts at Victoria Park the half and five-eighths practised scrum passing continually. The live-eighth, taking

plenty of room, was always up in a flash, and travelling fast when he ran into his pass. The passing of the Auckland inside v men had little snap in it, and most of the movements were of the dreary, orthodox type. Quite a few of the Auckland passing rushes were effectively nipped in the bud by the blue backs, who raced forward like greyhounds immediately AuckLand hooked the bail. They were well in among the backs before they could get moving. Strangely enough, the Auckland backs never saw* fit to emulate them in this, and generally allowed them plenty of room to work in and develop speed. Malcolm, George, and Towers proved a fast and very dangerous trio. The Welsh half fed his backs with long, •swift passes, his first five-eighth, George, varying the play, and also the direction of attack, with pretty judgment. Occasionally he used the short kick, and it was always well placed. Towers was always a thorn in Auckland’s side. A strong tricky runner, with very safe hands, he continually broke through the centre, of the Auckland defence. White, who gave a line display, was the better of the two wings, and Westfield, at fullback, was sound. L. HOOK MISSED The forwards were a tall, rangy lot, who lasted out a fast game far better than their opponents. Louden, their best forward, was also the best forward on the ground. He has filled out a lot since he was last in New Zealand and should now be getting into his prime. Other useful men who frequently caught the eye were Cerutti, who, in Sydney, goes by the name of “Wild Bill,” Bardsley and O’Donnell. Their principal virtue, however, is the fact that they are a very honest even lotWith I Hook unabLe to play as a result of injuries received on the Southern tour, it is rather surprising that the selector did not play Butler, the All Black fullback, and use the versatile Paewai closer in. If this had been done, not only would Minns and Falwasser have received more opportunities, but a weakness at centre would have been obviated. L. Hook’s services were sadly missed here. Paewai was sound at fullback, but his habit of flinging himself lengthwise at an opponnent and tipping his boots was not always successful in stopping a score. Neither Minns or Falwasser got many opportunities and cannot bo blamed for their failure to score. Although Stuart scored a good try he made quite a number of mistakes in regard to Towers, and R. Hook was also only good in patches. Jenkin and Carter are both solid types, but neither show a great deal of inspiration. Compared to the New South Wales five-eighth Jenkin was very slow off the mark. On the day’s play Cathcart was the most useful forward, if only for his excellent lineout work. He also figured in a number of passing movements, generally with L. Knight, who is a hard man to pull down when he gets going. Batty was conspicuous in the loose rushes, a • department in which the Aucklanders did not show their usual form. The bad handling of the forwards was at

times particularly noticeable. In comparison with the play of some of the All Black forwards, Anderson, who was omitted would probably have excelled. • As rover, Linton found the New South Wales inside backs too fast, but in the loose forward play he acquitted himself satisfactorily. Very little fault could be found with the refereeing of ,Mr. Frank Sutherland. OTAGO’S SURPRISE WIN

31 POINTS TO 9 VISITORS TIRE AT CLOSE Press Association. DUNEDIN, Saturday. Otago completely outclassed Canterbury in the representative Rugby game at Carisbrook this afternoon, pUiying a game that greatly surprised the majority of Otago supporters. Judging from recent form there was no reason to hope that the home team could hold its own against the visitors, but it beat Canterbury in every department of the game and won by 31 points to 9. From the start the Otago team set the pace. The solid Canterbury forwards fought hard throughout, and it was not their fault that the game was lost. There was not a weak link in the Otago backs, and the fine display given by the visiting" backs was all that was required to provide one of the most exciting and interesting games that has been seen in Dunedin this season. The crowd of about 11,000 enjoyed itself thoroughly. Webb and McClymont, the Otago wing-three-quarters, were in their best form, particularly the latter, who was responsible for far more tries than «the two he scored. Page played a fin© game behind the Canterbury scrum, and Mehrtens, at fullback, was sound all the time. Loveridge and Chesley were in good form, but neither got the chances they required to be dangerous. Toward the close Otago had the visitors beaten, and although the home team was tired it added considerably to its score. THAMES BEATS HAMILTON IN CLOSE-SCORING GAME (From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Sunday. In a fast open game at Ruby Park yesterday, Thames defeated Hamilton by 12 points to 11. For the winners, unconverted tries were scored by Percy and Darling, and Gilmore and Winder each goaled from a penalty. Stubbs, ' Tuck, and Fitzgerald scored for Hamilton, the latter’s try being converted by Clarkin. PONSbNBY DEFEATS EDEN A heavy pack kept Ponsonby at bay for three spells of the curtain-raiser at Eden Park on Saturday, but in the last quarter of an hour the clever backs asserted themselves and Eden was defeated by 9 points to 4. The standard of play was particularly good for third grade teams, Ponsonby in particular providing some bright movements, largely as a result of the efforts of the inside backs. As a result of this game Ponsonby win. the B section of the third grade competition. For the winners Carter, Hardley and Jensen scored tries; Ormond dropped a goal for Eden. Mr. Wales was referee.