RUGBY TRIAL

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1935, Page 2

RUGBY TRIAL

SOUTHERN TEAM WINS WEST COAST LACKS FINISH FOUR TRIES AGAINST TWO A. COLLINS’ GREAT GAME Polish, speed and cohesion were responsible for the better display given by the cobined Wellington-Wairarapa team in the All Black trial game against the combined forces of Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu and Horowhenua at Wanganui on Saturday. Faster, snappier movements by a more versatile and bet-ter-trained back-line and the greater mobility of a pack that hooked regularly from the scrum soon made it apparent which was the better team. Although West Coast scored first, WellingtonWairarapa led at half-time by 9 to 3, the final score being 27 (four converted tries, a field goal and a penalty goal) to 11 (two tries, one converted and a penalty goal). The match was just a repetition of the same old story—players with training against men who lacked it. There was that completeness and harmony about all that the Wellington-Wairarapa team did that betokened training and practice together. There was little between the packs except in scrumming, where Fowler’s injured shoulder made him no match for Ongley and Hull, Poneke club mate. Given the ball frequently, Sadler fed his backs magnificently for Langdon and Devine to prove themselves a most correct pair of five-eighths. Stringfellow at centre had lost none of his ability to size up a position, and, although little was seen of Wright, Ball was given every opportunity to pl'ay a wonderful game. He rose to the occasion and gave a display fully up to All Black standard. GOOD HANDLING. The handling of the Wellington-Wai-rarapa back-line was always perfectly sure, and in this respect an object- lesson to West Coast, whose backs were mediocre compared with their opponents. Both Gudgeon and Brown, harassed by fast breaking forwards, were not particular where they threw their passes in the earlier stages and were upset later by the fact that the second fiveeighth, W. Campbell (Horowhenua), the only man nominated for the position, was definitely out of his class. When Gudgeon and Brown did settle down, movements broke down consistently at Campbell. The difficulty was eventually solved by first M. Campbell and then Edwards going to second five-eighth, but very little attacking work was seen from the West Coast backs till the final stages, when Edwards and M. Campbell gave glimpses of the form shown previously this year. Forced by the hooking weakness to take the defensive most of the game, the West Coast backs gave nothing away. Movements that penetrated the West Coast line did so not through any weakness on the part of the defence, which tackled in. deadly manner all day, apart from. W. Campbell. M. Campbell and Edwards, particularly the latter, had the hardest work and did it splendidly. Edwards’ - tackling in the first spell was superb, flying dives bringing Ball crashing to the ground time after time. Collins played the game of his life. The clash between him and Hemi was watched with interest, and while it was evident that Hemi could obtain more length, Collins was the far more accurate of the pair, high 40-yard kicks landing consistently a yard or two outside the touch-line. Hemi tried for too much power and lost length through lack of accuracy. Collins did not put a foot wrong all day and his play bore the stamp of greater dependability, while his goal kicking was equal to Hemi’s. OUTSTANDING FORWARD. Mclntyre was the outstanding forward on the West Coast side. Scaling over 15 stone he was up with the play continuously and was little inferior to Clarke and Steere in the inconspicuous work in the scrums. Fastier and Fowler showed up frequently but McKenzie was a disappointment after his good play in Australia and last year.,Hull, a large, rangy Maori youth, was very impressive for Wellington, while Stevenson, the Hutt three-quarter who became a forward, developed into a wing-forward and an extra five-eighth as Wellington’s scrum advantage became apparent. His speed was equal to that of the back line and as a man of all work he was responsible for much of the Wellington-Wairarapa team’s success. Ongley hooked well, although he gave away numerous penalties, and Barry and Leahy excelled in line-out play, in which West Coast missed R. Young. The teams were:— Wellington and Wairarapa: J. Hemi (Wairarapa); Nelson Ball (Wellington), C. Stringfellow (Wairarapapa), A. Wright (Wellington); R. Devine (Wairarapa), W. Langdon (Wellington); J. Sadler (Wellington); A. Stevenson (Wellington); E. Barry (Wellington), J. Butler (Wellington), N. Trass (Wairarapa), G. Laing (Wairarapa); Hull (Wellington), Ongley (Wellington), Leahy (Wellington). Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu and Horowhenua: A. Collins (Taranaki); A. L. Bradley (Manawatu), M. Campbell (Wanganui), L. Edwards (Taranaki); W. Campbell (Horowhenua), C. Brown (Taranaki); C. Gudgeon (Taranaki); R. McKenzie (Manawatu); I. A. Mclntyre (Wanganui), R. Clarke (Taranaki), E. R. G. Steere (Wanganui), R. Merwood (Horowhenua); P. Fastier (Taranaki), G. Fowler (Taranaki), M. F. Henry (Horowhenua).

Collins early earned applause with excellent line kicks and the West Coast back line contributed its share to the good defence by felling the WellingtonWairarapa men on every occasion. Sadler was well in position to carry on with Langdon when a West Coast back rush broke down, but Edwards and Collins took a man each and prevented the score, Mclntyre and Steere cleared and then Sadler set his backs going neatly when the Wellington forwards had borne down on Collins, Ball streaked for the corner and was tackled over the line by M. Campbell, no score being made. From the resultant scrum McKenzie was offside and Hemi missed by inches with a kick from the sideline. West Coast back play broke down because of the uncertainty of Gudgeon and Brown with their passes in the face of fast-breaking Wel-lington-Wairarapa forwards, but Mclntyre rushed play to the other end with a brilliant solo effort. Gudgeon got the ball out well from a loose scrum and Bradley jazzed down the line, transferring to Merwood, who scored with McIntyre in attendance. Collins missed with the kick. West Coast 3 Wellington-Wairarapa 0

Ball beat three men in a dazzling run with Sadler down the line, and crossed a little later after receiving a forward pass from Stringfellow, whom Edwards had to tackle. Brown was playing better And crashed through from his own line to send Clarke and Fowler to half-way, only for Stevenson to make a solo run back to the West Coast line again. Collins failed to find the line from a scrum there and Hemi had plenty of time to steady himself for a splendid drop-kick, giving the southern team four points.

Ball’s turn came, a moment later. Devine cut Stringfellow out with a long pass to send the winger a why. Edwards

dived at him from behind but Ball got to his feet again, swerved infield as Collins came across and scored with Campbell round his ankles. Hemi converted and the half-time score was: Wellington-Wairarapa 9 West Coast 3 Apart from internal changes in the forwards the only alteration after halftime was in the West Coast back line, M. and W. Campbell changing places. After five minutes’ play a further alteration was made, M. Campbell going back to centre and Edwards to second fiveeighth, where he immediately gingered up the attack. Wellington-Wairarapa, however, playing a faster and more finished game, definitely took the upper hand by sheer merit, the backs showing greater combination and resource. Wright picked up a dropped pass on W. Campbell’s wing and passed infield to Stringfellow. The Wairarapa centre kicked high to the middle of the field and Trass gathered the ball in by good following-up to score unopposed beneath the posts. Hemi converted easily. Gudgeon worked the blind side splendidly, dummied Stringfellow and passed to Bradley as he was overtaken by Sadler. Bradley could not shake off Stringfellow, however. Edwards and M. Campbell took play to the corner with a good movement, securing a free-kick when Hemi would not give up the ball. Collins kicked high and the forwards followed up, a force resulting from the scramble in goal. Stringfellow took play back to half-way with a cool and efficient movement, and from a line-out in West Coast territory the Wellington backs were joined as extra second five-eighth by Stevenson, who went over cleanly with Stringfellow and Ball outside. Hemi converted. Edwards showed up in a great solo effort from the loose, beating four men with a brilliant swerving run. Fowler was there to carry on but there was not enough support. Stringfellow was hurt in a solid tackle by Edwards and retired, Tindill taking his place. Collins took a free-kick 40 yards out and made no mistake.

Wellington-Wairarapa 19 West Coast 6 ' The Wellington backs were developing pretty back movements, which also served to show the merit of the opposition defence. In West Coast’s twentyfive the line slipped cleanly away again, Langdon running Devine into position for a try which Hemi converted. Until West Coast rallied its defence it seemed only a question of how big the score would be. Ongley was hauled down on the line and then Hemi took the ball for a free-kick, and put it over for the sixth time in succession. The West Coast backs made a belated effort and flashed into the best movement of the day for them. M. Campbell received the ball from the inside backs and sent W. Campbell streaking for the line. Hemi stopped him inches short, but the West Coast backs were not to be denied. From a scrum on the Wellington-Wairarapa line, with the opposing backs standing close, Gudgeon flashed the ball out to Brown, who sent it on to Edwards, who was moving at top speed. It was in M. Campbell’s hands almost immediately and the centre outran Tindill and Ball with a glorious burst of speed to score in the corner with a flying dive past Hemi. Collins converted with a splendid kick from the side-line, leaving the final scores: Wellington-Wairarapa 27 West Coast IlMr. A. E. Spratt f (Hawera) refereed very capably.