EDEN PARK

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1027, 18 July 1930, Page 7

EDEN PARK

HISTORIC GROUND IN AUCKLAND SPORT

WHEN MORKEL BEAT N.Z. Memories of the past -win float across the crowded arena of Eden Park in the nest, fortnight, for the headquarters of Rugby t'ootball and cricket in Auckland is an historic ground. The third Test match between Britain and Xew Zealand will make another page in the Dominion’s football history, just as did the great clash nine years ago when the Springboks beat the All Blacks. That was a great match, the greatest international contest which has ever been waged on Eden Park. It is immortalised by the potted goal of Gerhard P. Morkel which finally turned tne tide in South Africa's favour. The gate at that match on Angus! 27. 1521 stands today as the record for Eden Park. Newspapers after the match estimated the crowd at approximately 40,000, and although the Rugby Union's official estimate of 27,000 was issued later, it is probable that 30,000 e t least viewed the game. New Zealand had won the first match of the series at Dunedin, largely as a result of the famous Steel try. The Springboks were out to break even in the second at Auckland, and the All Blacks were just as keen to get the victory which would make the rubber theirs. Sixteen minutes after the game began W. Sendin scored for South Africa and G. Morkel converted. Before half-time New Zealand equalised, when McLean dashed over for Mark Nieholls to convert and half-time came with the score five all. Th© dav was perfect for football, calm and fine, with th© ground in excellent condition. The previous week the Spungboks had inflicted defeat on Auckland on th© same ground. The battle was a great forward one. and it became evident in the second spell that the New Zealanders were wilting under the strain. Then came the classic effort of the 'Rime. A scrum was awarded five yards from the New Zealand line. The All Blacks heeled, and it went out r.o Steel, who kicked to Gerhard Morkel just beyond the New Zealand twenty-five. The great fullback sized up the situation in a flash. Cool as a cucumber, he finessed a moment or two for position, and then let drive with a perfectly judged drop-kick. Up and up the ball went into the rays of a westering sun. To the breathless multitude it seemed an eternity before it came spinning down —a perfect shot, which cleared the bar in a graceful sweep. It was to win the game for the Springboks! The All Blacks were by no means done, however. Desperately they fought to gain the mastery*. In the closing stages of the game they went perilously near to crossing the line. Twice Jack Steel stepped into his stride and shook off the only man between him and victory’ for New Zealand, but twice the shock of the tackle was enough to pull him up and save for the Springboks. The fates had decreed that Steel would not be allowed to repeat his historic Dunedin effort. The New Zealand team was: Fullback, C. N. Kingston (Taranaki); threequarters, J. Steel (West Coast), G. G. Aitken (Wellington). P. Storey (South Canterbury): five-eighths, C. E O. Badeley (Auckland), M. Nieholls (Wellington): half, E. J. Roberts; forwards: W, Duncan (Otago). E. Hughes (Wellington), J. Richardson (Otago), J. Moffitt (Wellington), E. (Moke) Beilis (Wanganui), W. McLean (Bay of Plenty), A. West (Taranaki), and J. G. Donald (Wairarapa).

It is hard to believe today that Eden Park 30 years ago was a swamp. But that is nevertheless true.

In the early days of the century, the Kingsland Cricket Club had the tenure of the ground. In 3 903 the Eden Cricket Club took over and held it till 1912, when the Auckland Cricket Association assumed control, and the area became the headquarters of the game in Auckland.

In 1914 the ground was sub-let to the Auckland Rugby Union in the winter. The present system of control, by the Eden Park Board of Control, commenced in 1025, under which the ground is administered all the year round by a committee of nine, consisting of three representatives of the trustees of the grounds, three representatives of the Auckland Cricket Association, and the three representatives of the Auckland Rugby Union. In the past Eden Park was a cosmopolitan ground, both association football a.nd the Australian Rules football same having been played there. At one time, just before the Rugby Union became interested in it, there was a possibility of the ground becoming the Read quarters of the League game in the v»'inter.

A wonderful transformation has taksn place on the ground in the oast 30 years. Thousands of tons of rock have been blasted out and many tons of scoria have been carted in to make the foundation of the present turf.

In addition, the main area has been raised appreciably in recent years, and it was only three years ago that the concrete terraces were put in. Purther improvements in the last month or so mean that the ground is now estimated to be capable of accommodating 42,000 spectators. Only two football test matches have , e n played on Eden Park, as Auckiand has not been treated too well in tne past when the New Zealand Rugby has been handing out its plums, ‘he other test, apart from the one '.‘th the Springboks in 1921, was the *' ew Zealand - Neiw South Wales in 1923.

New Zealand on that day was represented by a team which many critics consider to have been one of the finest teams which has ever the Ail Black jersey. It included the stars of the 1924 combination, and other players who were considered to be decidedly unfortunate in missing the trip “ome.

The Xew Zealand team was: G. E* W. Lucas, A. E. Cooke, K. S. M. Nieholls, N. P. McGregor, pi t G - - Porter, R. Stewart, J. a c u^ r< * son » M. Brownlie, It. Masters, f• * inlayson, W. R. Irvine, and A. Lomas. ~ The New South Wales side included t*. e r . mous Tom Lawton, one of Aus--1 aila s greatest backs of all time. K) 6W ealand won by 3tf points to i. ,f erha P s a greater number of crici. iif 1 * 3 °* " orld renown than footv " er * have played at Eden Park, from ~ non Hansford, the great Australian ''’rounder who was here in 1920-21 ''n to the recent tour of Vic. Richx Oson’s Australian side. including rn ett? Pon sford and Clarrie Grim—L.M.