27 POINTS TO 8

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1929, Page 11

27 POINTS TO 8

ALL BLACKS’ SUPERIORITY COMBINED COUNTRY BEATEN PASSING DELIGHTS CROWD HOOK PLAYS BRILLIANTLY By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association. Received July 17, 10.45 p.m. Sydney, July 17. Superior combination and condition enabled the All Blacks to triumph over a Combined Country team at Armidale to-day by 27 points to eight. The weather was delightful. The game was played in the presence of 6000 spectators drawn from many miles. Disappointment was felt at the nonappearance’ of Porter and Nepia. Nepia was admitted to the Armidale Hospital to-day suffering from influenza. The Country team was without the speedy full-back O’Connor, who had gashed his leg with an axe. Country won the toss and the All Blacks had to play with sun in their faces. The home team attacked and kept the visitors defending for the first few minutes till Stringfellow secured the ball and passed to Leys. Leys sent it back to Hook, who passed back to Stringfellow. Stringfellow crossed the line in a handy position. Gundy added the extra points. Country agaih pressed hard and Ebert intercepted smartly, but a scrum followed from a knock-on. A penalty to the homo side gave Ebert a chance to goal amidst much applause. A few minutes later Cundy initiated a great movement, the ball passing to Stringfellow, to Cotte-rell and across the field to Rika, and thence to Reside, but Reside knocked on when a try was within grasp. The home team’s tackling was good and the handling of the ball improved as the game progressed. The next score to the All Blacks came from a passing movement in which Cotterell, Hook, Stringfellow and Cundy participated, Cundy just scrambling over at the corner. His kick at goal failed. HOME BACKS TOO LIGHT. The home forwards were now putting up a great game, but the backs were too light. Laycock, Country’s captain, tried the two-three-two pack with success, for the spare man, Ireland, secured from the scrum and scored between the posts. Ebert added the goal. Another unconverted try by Stringfellow made the scores at half-time: All Blacks 11 Country 8

Roon after the resumption the visitors attacked strongly. Cottercll was pulled down by Britton, but Stringfellow raced up, took the ball and scored in the corner.

Hook, who was playing a brilliant game, was responsible for the next score. When he was going for the line he was brought down, but managed to transfer to Geddes, who outpaced the field and crossed. Gundy kicked a great goal. The crowd was thrilled by the handling of the All Blacks, and when Sonntag secured and passed to Cundy, to Hook, to Stringfellow and on to Waterman, who scored near the posts, the incident fairly brought down the stand. Carleton’s attempt at goal failed. Just before the final bell Leys started a movement in which Geddes and Raimer figured, the last-named scoring between the posts. Cundy kicked for the goal, the ball striking the bar and rolling oyer, making the final scores: All Blacks 27 Country 8 Hook, Stringfellow and Candy were the outstanding players of the day. The teams were:— ALL BLACKS. Carleton Geddes Stringfellow Waterman Hook Cundy Leys Colterell Souter Palmer Mahoney Sonntag Ki veil Rika ' Reside COUNTRY. Kelson Ebert O’Shanncssy Boeithwick Smith Werner Croft Ireland Delbridge Munsie Lamb Richardson Davidson Britton Laycock The Australian full-back (Ross) will be unable to play in the second test on Saturday, as he is suffering from synovitis of the knee.