LEAGUE RUGBY.

Wairarapa Age, 27 July 1936, Page 5

LEAGUE RUGBY.

ENGLISH TEAM DEFEATS AUUKIAND. FIRST MATCH OP TOUR. AUCKLAND, July 26. The English Rugby League team opened its New Zealand tour auspiciously | this afternoon, defeating Auckland 22/16.. The match was played on a heavy ground, following overnight rain. There was an attendance of 12,000. The English team arrived by the Monterey early yesterday morning and fielded practically a test side. In the early stages of the match the visitors gave away penalties by their forwards failing to observe the five yards rule. In spite of the backs having every chance through their forwards gaining possession from the scrums, they made mistakes in handling. Auckland scored seven points in early play, chiefly through England failing to settle down. Auckland’s points were registered in the first six minutes of the game—a penalty goal and a converted try. Once into their stride, the visitors showed ability in keeping with that of previous English teams which visited the Dominion. The home side was greatly through inability to gain possession from the scrums. England’s great strength, in addition to their forwards gaining the ball, lay in Watkins and Jenkins, two of the cleverest attacking -halves who have yet toured with an English side. Their, unorthodox movements clearly had the home team puzzled. An outstanding feature of the match was the brilliance of Edwards, the twenty-year-old winger, the youngest member of the team, who scored three tries. Among the forwards, Hodgson and Beverley were outstanding and Armitt, the hooker, gained with almost monotonous regularity. In spite of being outweighed, the Auckland forwards made a brave showing. A feature of their play was sound tackling. The weakness of the Auckland backs was the tendency of Kay, second fiveeighths in going for an interception. The outstanding player in the Auckland rearguard was Tittleton. Of the forwards, Gault, Breed and Tetley were the best. Ehgland led at halftime 14/9. Tries were scored for England by Edwards (3), Risman, Hudson and Jenkins. Risman converted two tries. For Auckland, tries were scored by Breed and Brown. Watene converted two tries and kicked 3 penalty goals.—(P.A.)