ALL BLACK TRIAL MATCH

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1930, Page 13

ALL BLACK TRIAL MATCH

PROBABLES BEAT POSSIBLES

NINETEEN PLAYERS SELECTED.

NEPIA AND COOKE CONSPICUOUS.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night.

The following 19 players have been chosen, from whom the fifteen for the first Test against Britain will be -selected at the trial match to be played at Oainaiu on Wednesday next: —

Backs: Nepia (East Coast), Hart ("Canterbury), Lucas (Auckland), Oliver (Wellington), Nicholls (Wellington), Lilburne (Canterbury), Cooke (Wellington), Johnson (Wellington), Mill (Wairarapa). Forwards: Porter (Wellington), Cottrell (Canterbury), Irvine (Wairarapa), llore (Otago), Finlayson (North Auckland), Steere (Hawkes Bay), McWilliams (Waikato), Batty (Auckland), Stewart (Canterbury), Hazlett (Southland ).

The football in the .Test trial match Possibles v. Probables to-day was not so good as in previous years because of the boisterous weather. The Possibles team won by 17 points to 11. The points comprised five tries, one converted, to three tries, one converted. At half-time the score was 11 to 8 in favour of Possibles.

Nepia impressed everyone with his play, but Jieazlewood also played a very safe game. Cooke showed flashes of his old brilliancy and was probably the best back on ’ the ground. There was little between any of the three half-backs who played during the afternoon, though Corner perhaps’ was the most consistent. Solomon was more in the picture than was Scrimshaw in the wing-forward position, and among the forwards there was no great difference. McLean played an excellent game and fully justified his last-min-ute inclusion to replace Campbell (Hawke’s Bay), who was injured a few days ago. It was unfortunate that Hart, the Canterbury wing-three-quar-ter, saw little of the ball and was unable therefore to demonstrate effectively his true ability. Nicholls captained the Probables team and Johnson the Possibles.

McWilliams and McLean.

The Probables forwards soon adapted themselves to the condition and whether or not the cold southerly influenced them to keep close together they usually were to be seen hunting in a pack. McWilliams and McLean early distinguished themselves and proved more than a match* for Finlayson and Hazlett, the opposing scrum supports. Harvey was putting plenty of vigour into his play. The game had been in progress twenty minutes when Mackay with a great turn of speed scored in the corner. He had fended off a tackle by Hart, and headed off Hazlett, whose flying tackle came seconds too late. Nepia had the winger well collared when he was on the line,-but the impetus of his run carried him over. It was a fine piece of determined three-quarter play. Within a few minutes Solomon, Sim, McLean and Irvine were prominent in a wedge-shape dribbling rush and Solomon completed a splendid movement by scoring in the corner. Heazlewood’s kick at goal swerved over the crossbar.

Holden was getting more chances than Corner, but did not appear to make the best use of them, Lilburne, next in Holden’s chain of backs, was playing a fine defensive game and neglected no openings that came his- way. McWilliams in the Probables pack was always to be found handy to the ball. The forwards were scrumming for possession following a line-out in Probables’ territory when Coiner sent out to Innes, to Johnson to Cooke. Then came a piece of play that left three defending backs, Lucas, Mackay and Heazlewood, standing. Instead of running to the corner as expected Cooke took quick advantage of an opening and cut in to have a clear run to the posts. As quickly as the Probables’ second try followed its first, so did the Possibles’ Heazlewood kicked for touch; the ball, however, fell into Nepia’s arms. He dropped it, but picking up quickly passed to Innes, and accompanied the latter in a passing rush down the line. They inter-passed three times running at top speed, and eventually Innes gave to Minns, who had run up on the wing, for a clear run in. It was really Nepia’s try; the whole movement had been executed without flurry yet at lightning speed. Nepia converted. From a line-out went over in the midst of loose scrummaging. Heazlewood missed and the spell ended with the Probables leading 11 to 8. During the spell the following alterations were made in the teams: McKenzie replaced Innes in the Possibles’ fiveeighth line, King replaced Sim in the Probables’ pack, Mill replaced Holden in the Probables’ half-back position. Mill tried to . bring off a save by pluckily diving for the ball in.a scrummage, but Here beat him to it and touched down. The score was 11 all.

McLean, Reid and McWilliams were always to be found handy and were usually prominent in the frequent rushes staged by the Probables’ forwards, who secured a better share of the ball than their opponente. Nepia was responsible for many line saves. Corner, the Auckland half-back, playing behind the Possible scrum, did not shine at attack. There were few chances to do so, but he did useful work in stopping many of the loose rushes of the Probables forwards. The tackling on both sides was deadly and neither set of backs could make much headway. Purdue got away in a dribbling rush and was well supported. The movement carried play to the Probables line, where Scrimshaw gained possession and dived over. Nepia missed. Purdue and Batty combined at the head of another forward rush that ended in Batty’s scoring. The game ended with Possibles the victors by 17 pointe to 11.