NORTH VICTORS

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1929, Page 4

NORTH VICTORS

STIRRING RUGBY CONTEST TWENTY-NINE TO TWENTY HIGH STANDARD REACHED NORTHERN. BACKS SUPERIOR By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Seventeen thousand spectators who thronged Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon were well pleased with the standard of play produced in the annual • trial of Rugby strength between the two islands, reverting to international rules. The South Island fielded a strapping set of forwards, who dominated the play in the early stages, but the brilliance of the 1924 quartet, Mill, Cooke, Lucas and Porter, soon gave the North Island the mastery, and they eventually triumphed in a stirring tussle by 29 points to 20. The superiority of the North was demonstrated by the fact that they scored seven tries to the two recorded by the South. Brilliant place-kicking was a feature of the game, Strang putting the ball over the bar five times for the South and Heazlewood converting four tries for the North. Enthusiasts were present from many' parts of both islands. Direct kicking to touch from any part of the field certainly speeded up the play. The game was. played at a fast clip throughout, but both sides kept going right to the final bell. It was to the outstanding brilliance of their rearguard that the North Island owed their victory. The southern' team-was severely handicapped through the absence of a half-back of class. . The teams were:— NORTH ISLAND. Full-back: L. K. Heazlewood (Wellington. Three-quarters: W. Elvy (Wellington), F. W. Lucas (Auckland), P. C. Minns (Auckland). Five-eighths: A. E. Cooke (Wairarapa), L. M. Johnson (Wellington). Half-back: J. Mill (Wairarapa). Rover: 0. G. Porter (Wellington). Hookers: K. H. Reid (Wairarapa), A. Finlavson (Auckland). Lock: E. R. Steere (Hawke’s Bay). Supports: C. Campbell (Hawke’s Bay); H. F. McLean (Taranaki). Back row: W. Batty (Auckland), A. 0. McPhail (Poverty Bay). SOUTH ISLAND. Full-back: J. Harris (Canterbury). Three-quarters: J. McDonald (Marlborough), W. G. McClymont' (Otago), D. Olliver (Otago). Five-eighths: H. Lilburne (Canterbury), A. Strang (South Canterbury). Half-back: A. Holden (Southland). Rover: G. Scrimshaw (Canterbury). ..Hookers: A. Cottrell (Canterbury), J. Burrows (Canterbury). Lock; Sonntag (Otago). Supports: W. Hazlett (Southland), R. Stewart (South Canterbury). Back row: F. Freitas (West Coast), E. Snow (Nelson). A bright sun and southerly wind dried up the ground and the conditions were good when play commenced. Porter won the toss from Lilburne and the North Island had a helpful breeze behind them in the first spell, though the sun was in their eyes. After strenuous work in midfield Sonntag (South) and McLean (North) put in some pretty dribbling. Mill shot out a long pass to Cooke, who short-punted and the northerners swarmed on the line. Lucas secured about the quarter mark and made a dazzling run through the southern backs to score close to the posts. Heazlewood easily goaled. SOUTH SECURES THE BALL. The Canterbury pair, Cottrell and Burrows, were. : hooking from almost every scrum, but Lilburne and Strang did not handle well and dropped passes lost some' great, opportunities. From some warm., work about the northern quarter mark Porter when tackled passed into touch and was promptly penalised, Strang, landing a beautiful goal. Then followed a brilliant movement which roused the crowd to great enthusiasm. Mill .secured from a scrum, ray. to Lilburne, and handed on to Johnson, who dashed between Lilburne and Strang and got clean away. Cooke came up. at top, speed to receive the ball from Johnson and raced over between the posts. Heazlewood made no mistake with the kick. .. A great kick, by Harris placed South on the attack and Strang again put the ball over the bar when a northerner was caught off-side.’.South were then going well. They, .came at the line again and a neat bit of passing by Holden, Freitas and Snow let ,the big Nelson forward over near the posts. To the surprise of everyone Strang 'failed with the simplest of kicks. Some exciting work was seen in the southern goal mouth till a penalty relieved the defenders. Back the northern force came once more. Mill broke away and Johnson handed on to Cooke, who swerved past McClymont and allowed Finlayson to score between the posts. This was a finished movement. Heazlewood landed his third goal.

From a scrum Scrimshaw and Stewart overwhelmed’ Mill and South burst away with brilliant passing which saw half a dozen ehbrt, sharp transfers and a few lobs’' befbre Strang went over near the posts. Strang kicked his fourth goal; Elvy wa.4 ’nearly over in the corner just before ’ the bell sounded for half-time. SOUTH RECOMMENCE WELL. With lhe wind behind them it. was expected' the South Island would have the better of things. They started off with dash. ' Porter, who was playing a great game,: wriggled out of the clutches of an attacker and passed to Minns, who sprinted fast add kicked ahead. The ball dropped sonle yards in front of Harris and before the Canterbury full-back could get to i it the speedy Cooke raced up and whipped'over the line to score between the posts. Heazlewood put over his fourth goal, v After a period of fast play in midfield Porter was:Caught offside round the scrum and Strang put over his fourth goal. The northerners rushed play over the South’s line and Lilburne put in a smart clearing kick. The ball landed in Elvy’o hands and he side-stepped three men and made an amazing dive to score in the corner. Heazlewood made a brave attempt to convert from the side line.

alty goal from five yards within the centre mark. With victory in sight the South Islanders clapped on the pace, but the northerners, danced to the fast tune. Dazzling reverse passing between Porter and Lucas ended up in the Auckland centre fending off a couple of defenders and scoring, a brilliant try well out. Heazlewood this time made a weak attempt at goal. The northerners’ next try came from a neat piece of strategy between Mill and Porter. A scrum was formed near the side-line in northern territory. The defenders were anxiously watching the open side but Porter, as soon as the northern forwards hooked the ball, ran round to the blind side and Mill popped the ball into his captain’s hands as he passed. Porter sealed down the line and gave Minns a clear run in at the corner. Heazlewood failed at goal and a stirring match in which the standard of play had been uniformly high ended with the scores:— North Island 29 South Island .20 Mr. S. Hollander (Christchurch) refereed. NEW ZEALAND v. MAORIS. PAKEHA TEAM SELECTED. Wellington, Last Night, The following have been selected to represent New Zealand against Maoris at Wellington on Wednesday: —Fullback, Heazlewood (Wellington); threequarters, Elvy (Wellington), Lucas (Auckland), Oliver (Otago); five-eighths, Cooke (WairarapQ), Lilburne (Canterbury); half-back, J. Mill (Wairarapa); Rover, C. G. Porter ( Wellington), hookers, Cottrell (Canterbury), Finlayson (Auckland), lock, E. R. Steere (Hawke’s Bay), supports, Hazlett (Southland), Campbell (Hawke’s Bay), back row, R. Stewart (South Canterbury), McLean (Taranaki). Emergencies: Back, L. Johnson (Wellington); forward, McPhail (Poverty Bay). HAWKE’S BAY BEAT WANGANUI. THIRTY-FIVE POINTS TO THREE Dannevirke, Last Night. The last representative Rugby match in which Hawke’s Bay is engaged took place at the Dannevirke showground today against Wanganui in the presence of a big gathering considering the arctic conditions of the morning. The ground was in good order. Play generally was of a ragged nature and Hawke’s Bay held the upper hand practically throughout. The first spell ended in their favour by 14 points to nil, tries being scored by Cairns, Roach, Crawford and Grenside, the latter converting one. In the second half Carlton kicked a penalty goal for Wanganui and McDonald, Grenside, Cairns, McKay and Wilson scored tries for Hawke’s Bay, Ruru, Grenside and Roach converting one each. The game ended with the scores: Hawke's Bay 35, Wanganui 3. BULLER WIN THEIR FIRST MATCH. DEFEAT OF NELSON TOURISTS. Westport, Last Night. Playing under excellent weather conditions Buller won their first match this season when.they defeated the Nelson tourists by 14 points to 8. Nelson, with the sun at their backs, were not long in opening their scoring account. At one stage they were leading by eight points to nil, but by halftime 'Buller had reduced their lead ta eight to six. Playing with more dash in the second half Buller had the better of play and put on eight more points, Nelson failing to raise their score. Lockey and Quinn played well for Buller and Max Garvin and Fowler for Nelson. For the winners Quinn (2) and Goodall scored tries, Graham converting one and kicking a penalty, and for the losers Thompson scored a try, which was converted by Garvin, who also kicked a penalty.