FINAL TRIAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20783, 19 July 1937, Page 12

FINAL TRIAL

ATROCIOUS PLAYING CONDITIONS SIMON IMPRESSES By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, July 17. A howling southerly gale and rain made the final Rugby trial, New Zealand v. The Rest largely a forward scrummage. New Zealand won by 19 points to 14. Mitchell, who scored a brilliant first try, went off injured early in the game. Parkhill, Rankin and Jackson were prominent in the winning pack. McAuliffe, half-back, played a sound game. Trevathan, Taylor and Dick were the best of the backs. Of The Rest, Simon showed himself a really great wet weather half. Crossman, first five-eighth played the outstanding back game of the day. Ward, McKenzie and Pearce were constantly prominent in the loose scrums and throughout the match. Lamborne hooked successfully. Killeen distinguished himself at centre on each side in turn. The teams were:

New Zealand: Taylor, Morrison, Mitchell, Dick, Hooper, Trevathan, McAuliffe, Dalton, Hadley, Jackson, Green, King, Milliken, Parkhill, Rankin. The Rest: Gilbert, Fulton, Killeen, Cobden, Griffiths, Crossman, Simon, Hattersley, Lambourne, Pearce, Ward, Williams, Fraser-Smith, Scandrett, McKenzie.

New Zealand, with the advantage of the wind in the first half, at once took the offensive. After a short burst of scrappy forward play McAuliffe set the backs in motion with a slick pass to Hooper. Trevathan ran round for a switch pass and let the ball out to Mitchell, who fended Gilbert and touched down. Mitchell then limped off the field. Taylor replaced him at centre while Easton came on as fullback. Trevathan failed to convert. New Zealand 3, The Rest 0 Simon gave the ball to Griffiths, who beat his man and kicked to gain ground. The New Zealand forwards, however, surged to the line, but Gilbert cleared. In line-outs The Rest had a strong advantage, McKenzie repeatedly snatching the ball. On this occasion Simon got the backs away well, but Dick collared Cobden smartly. The backs were standing too close. Green went solo through The Rest’s scrum with the ball at his feet and found the side-line. Again The Rest obtained the ball, Crossman kicking when he saw he was closely marked. Trevathan fielded but kicked too far. Trevathan missed a penalty from near the 25 when Lambourne lifted the ball in the scrum. The ground by now was shockingly greasy. Cobden spoiled a promising movement by slipping. A very pretty passing movement culminated in a try when Trevathan obtained the ball from the forwards and passed on the blind side to Taylor, who cut out his man by a quick pass to Dick. Pearce tackled Dick but the latter fell over the line. Trevathan converted with a magnificent kick from the sideline in spite of the wind. New Zealand was leading by 11 points to nil at half-time.

Several rearrangements were now made. Taylor returned to full-back, Killeen changed sides as centre threequarter in Taylor’s place, Fulton going to centre for The Rest and Phillips to the wing. This new combination of the backs showed immediate merit. In a lovely offensive movement, Fulton took a pass from Crossman and made a fine run, and when he let it out to Phillips the latter had a promising opening. Rankin, with a handy turn of speed, overtook and collared Phillips. Taylor picked up the ball, ran through the loose unchallenged and passed a short one to Killeen, these two between them taking play from one end of the field to the other. Killeen tricked Gilbert by a pass to Rankin who scored, Cobden’s tackle coming just too late. A gust carried Trevathan’s kick wide. Lambourne was easily outhooking Hadley. Gilbert was kept busy on defence and cleared several threatening forward rushes. McKenzie was prominent in the line-outs. Taylor ran hard to pick up a rolling ball deftly and get in a smart line kick. Crossman's up-ar.d-under sent the forwards to the New Zealand line. Lambourne heeled and Simon sent the line into action, but again Dick successfully marked Phillips. Morrison made a long throw-in to Hooper, but Dick was in heavy going and could not show his speed. Play remained in New Zealand territory until a forward rush crossed their line. Trusttum scored a try which Gilbert converted. New Zealand 14, The Rest 5

Simon now picked up |n the loose and the ball was passed to Griffiths, who made a long run and handed on to Phillips. Phillips fended off Dalton and Milliken and scored. Gilbert’s kick from the side-line, passed just under the crossbar. New Zealand 14, The Rest 8 Ward and Pearce now broke through a loose scrimmage and once again The Rest had New Zealand defending. The Rest appeared at this stage superior. Fowler, however, came on, taking Hadley’s place and proved better able to cope with Lambourne who, though still hooking well, could no longer obtain the ball all the time. The first time Fowler heeled to McAuliffe he passed to Trevathan. Jackson cut in, took a short pass and handed on to Dalton, and he to Killeen. Killeen sidestepped Gilbert and Phillips and won to the line. Taylor converted. New Zealand 19, The Rest 8 The Rest's back line, however, had shaken into a fair combination and in spite of the heavy mud made several strong attacks. From a penalty close in front of the posts Gilbert goaled. New Zealand 19, The Rest 11 The Rest «:ept New Zealand on defence. Hard forward play i n the line followed, and in a hard melee The Rest pushed the New Zealand scrum across and McKenzie touched down. Gilbert’s kick fail d New Zealand 19, The Rest 14 Drenching rain marred the last few minutes of play. McKenzie, Ward and Pearce combined in a forward rush after a period of scrappy, uninteresting play. Gilbert ittempted to kick a penalty, but failed, and the whistle blew. The game as a whole had been surprisingly open considering the day was the worst of the season so far, the ground soaked and the wind deceptive for kicking.