N.Z. VARSITIES BEAT AUSTRALIA IN SECOND RUGBY TEST

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 May 1949, Page 6

N.Z. VARSITIES BEAT AUSTRALIA IN SECOND RUGBY TEST

DUNEDIN, Last Night (P.A.) A disappointing standard of Rugby marked the second test between the touring Australian Universities team and the New Zealand University at Carisbrook Park on Saturday. Now Zealand won by 11 points—a goal from a try and two penalties—to eight points—a goal fpm a try and an unconverted try. j Apart, from an occasional spontaneous outburst, both teams showed little of the sparkling type of play expected from international varsity fifteens. Concerted back movements were dismayingly few in number while the forwards on the whole, were dull and lifeless. The test was played under an overcast sky and watched by a crowd of 15,000 who were not slow’in telling the players what they thought of the match.

G. J. T. Moore, full-back for New Zealand, and D. Brockhoff, lightning Australian side-row forward, were the two men, who in giving outstanding exhibitions in their respective spheres both boosted their own reputations. Certain handling and touch finding combined with deadly tackling stamped Moore as a full-back of class. Brockhoff, although incurring some penalties in eagerness, shot off the side of the scrum like a bullet to worry the opposing inside backs incessantly. He showed tremendous speed for a 14-stone man to outspring several New Zealand backs and score Australia’s first try. He was quick and intelligent in anticipation and execution to score again later.

The supply of the ball from lineouts, scrums and rucks was fairly evenly divided but the Australian backs were more enterprising and penetrative, though lacking in finesse just as much as their opponents Fumbled passing was a feature possessed in common. J. M. Tanner, next to Moore, perhaps was the best New Zealand back, making several clean breaks with speed. His form, however, was below what his Otago supporters expected of him. D. T. Grace, wing three-quarter, was solid without any suggestion of brilliance, and R. Church (substitute for J. T. Fitzgerald who retired injured at half-time), played quite well in spite of the fact that he had just come from a club match on an adjacent ground. The New Zealand frankly were disappointing, with honest workers outnumbered by fellow travellers who always were waiting for an opportunity to shine. F. A. Martin, W. A. Hargreaves. and K. J. O’Connor impressed as the keenest of the eight. The captain of the Australians. N. Emery, combined well with R Tooth in fiveeighths, and gave the backs the initial thrust so seriously missing in the New Zealand attack.