BRITISH RUGBY TEAM OUTCLASSES WEST COAST ON WET GROUND

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 May 1950, Page 5

BRITISH RUGBY TEAM OUTCLASSES WEST COAST ON WET GROUND

GREYMOUTH, Last Night (PA).— | Revealing remarkable ability to handle a greasy ball on a wet ground, the British Isles touring team today defeated West Coast by 32 points to three. The tourists overcame ’the handicap of bad weather and gave a display of spectacular football. _ Some of the back movements, with Kyle as the spearhead of the attack, swept the length of the field. A crowd of about 4000 watched the match, which was played in intermittent drizzle after heavy overnight and morning rain. The tourists’ forwards, among whom Kininmonth and Budge were prominent throughout, dominated the scrums and line-outs. The figures for possession from decisive scrums were: British 20, West Coast 3. Line-outs: British 26, West Coast. 10. At half-back, Willis, who was making his first appearance on the tour, gave efficient service, and Kyle gave a brilliant display. Several times he cut the def/nce. to ribbons with dazzling runs. He scored three tries, two of them with ridiculous ease. Of the other backs, Henderson, also playing his first game, impressed as a powerful and speedy centre. Cleaver was sound at full-back, but failed too often to find touch. His performance, however, was equalled by that of Lindbom, who was the only Coast back to stand up to the testing conditions, although Gillan, who came in from centre to second five in the second spell, defended well. The British forwards rucked moro strongly than at West port on Saturday, and except in the loose play dominated the Coast pack. They

failed several times, however, to halt fiery foot rushes by going down on the ball. On these occasions The tourists got themselves out of trouble by clever work by the inside backs. The main weakness of the British backs appeared to be lack of pace on the part of Matthews (centre). Several times Henderson, outside him, had to wait for a pass before clapping on the pace. Two changes were made in the British team. J. Matthews replaced B. Williams, outside centre, and D. Hayward replaced Nelson, lock forward. The Coast team was unchanged. Both teams, however, finished a man short. Breeze, the Coast centre, left the field late in the first spell, returned nursing an arm injury and left finally early in the second spell. Henderson, the British centre, suffered a recurrence of a knee injury late in the second spell and also retired. The visitors were five up after only two minutes, Kyle cutting through between the Coast fiveeighths from a line-out near a corner to score at the posts. Thomas converted. Three minutes later a British forward was offside 35 yards out and Lindbom secured the Coast’s only points of the match with a good goal. Kyle again made the British team's second try, cutting through the Coast backs to give Matthews a clear run in at the posts. Thomas converted. There was no score for over 20 minutes, when the British backs moved away from the Coast’s twentyfive, Hendersop throwing a high pass to Jones, who brushed off a tackle and scored in a corner. Thomas failed to convert and at half-time the British were 13 and Coast 3.. A brilliant change of direction by Henderson gave the British the first try of the second spell. He caught the defence on the wrong foot, sent out to John, to Roberts, who scored, i Thomas failed to convert. i After 18 minutes Willis swept the ball out to Kyle just outside the Coast twenty-five. Kyle cut straight through to score on his own. Thomas again missed. Two minutes later the Coast were penalised about 35 yards out and Clifford’s kick bounced off an upright to cross the bar. The next try came from a scrum in typical fashion, Matthews cutting inside the Coast centre to give the speedy Jones a clear run in about half-wat' out. Clifford converted. Willis made the next try, catching lhe defence unawares with the first real run from the base of the scrum. Ho passed to Kyle, who had a clear run in at. the posts. Cleaver converted. Tho final score was: British, 32: West Coast. 3. The refereo was Mr. I. W. Gallaway, Dunedin.