LEAGUE TEAM IN AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18637, 5 August 1930, Page 9

LEAGUE TEAM IN AUSTRALIA.

Facing Heavy Loss. "VISITORS MAY BE STRANDED.” United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received August 4, 10.0 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 4. The evening newspapers here state there is likely to be a heavy loss on the New Zealand League team’s tour, and if more money is not raised, the visitors will be stranded. Another Poor Game. In the return match, Metropolis defeated New Zealand by 34 points to 22. The teams were:— Metropolis. McCormack, Bayle, Woods, Black, Kessy, Johnson, Lynch, Rogers, Benning, Thornton, Pearce, Bishop, Lloyd. New Zealand. Gregory, Tittelton, Dodds, Seagar, Meyer, Pearce, Abbott, Trautvetter, Eckhoff, Clark, Timms, Dufty, Jones, The match was poorly contested, with indifferent handling and lack of team work by both sides. Two thousand spectators were disappointed and there were only occasionally bright enterprising individual moves. Both teams repeatedly placed themselves in advantageous positions, to no purpose. Rarely were the points scored as the outcome of concerted movements. They generally emanated from scrambles, with all the ugliness of this type of play. Although the home side won by a comfortable margin of points, there was in reality little difference between the teams. The Dominion players opened well, and at half-time the score was eighteen to ten in their favour, but they failed to sustain their effort. At one stage, in the second half, however, they rallied, and regained the lead, the score then reading 22 to 21 in New Zealand’s favour, but a local player, Boyle, relieved the tension by scoring two tries in quick succession, and before time was called another try was added, two of which were converted. The scorers for New Zealand were: Abbott (3), and Dodds, tries; Dufty kicked five goals. The final scores were: Metropolis 34 New Zealand 22 PROMPT REPLY TO RUMOUR. UNFAIR STATEMENTS RESENTED. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received August 5, 1.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, August 4. At a conference of Rugby League representatives, including the New Zealanders, to-night, concerning the welfare of the game in New Zealand, attention was directed to the evening newspaper statement that the New Zealanders are likely to be stranded, Mr Ferguson, the New Zealand manager, emphatically denied the allegation. It was also stated that the New Zealand return fares had been guaranteed before they left home. Mr Savage complained of such derogatory statements, and a committee was formed with the idea of trying to stop detrimental propaganda. Mr Clayton declared that “any team that comes here under the auspices of New South Wales is not likely to be stranded.”