DRAWN MATCH

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22804, 31 December 1945, Page 2

DRAWN MATCH

I KIWIS 3, NEWPORT 3 SOFT GROUND SPOILS PLAY I NEWPORT, Dec. 29 ! The N.Z.E.F. Rugby side played the second drawn game of its tour today when it met Newport in the thirteenth match. Although it was lucky when it drew against Lein- ; ster, this time it was rather unlucky not to get a win. The Kiwis scored a penalty goal and Newport an unconverted try. The home side made a magnificent | effort in holding the visitors to a draw, in view of the fact tha: New- ] port lost one forward half-way through the first spell. However, the chief factor in the Kiwis’ inability to score was that the ground was so soft from recent rains that often the ball, when kicked, simply stopped where it fell. This and the greasy ball put a sufficient brake on the speedy New Zealand backs to enable Newport to succeed with a spoiling game, in which obstruction and offside play were often effective. Maintaining its recently shown improvement in the scrums and in lineout play, the Kiwi pack had to work very hard to hold the seven W elshmen, who played with desperate determination. A crowd of 20,0uu spectators filled the ground 1.0 capacity. The weather was , ne ’ with sunshine, until shortly before the match, but the ground was so heavily soaked with rains that it looked likely to chum up quickly. One bad patch along one flank near half-way was covered with sawdust. Following were the teams:— N.Z.E.F. —Cook; Sherratt. Smith, Boggs: Dobson. King; Proctor; Simpson, Hough, Bell, Nelson, Johnston, Woolley, Finlay (captain). Young. Newport.—D. R. Morgan; B._R. JSimpson. A. F. Rowlands R. RJohnson, W E. Williams; A. R. Panting. J. E. Hawkins (captain), *. Morris J. Bale. A. T. Tamp in, G Rogers. W. G. Jones, R. Taylor, P. Davies, W Talbot. Son of 1905 Player All round the ground a sigh, which was almost a moan of regret, went up when it was announced over JJ e speaker that W. Travers would be re placed by W. Talbot. Travers father, w. Travers, sen., who hooked for Wales against the 1905 All Blacks, died on Wednesday. His son has been selected to play for Wales against the Kiwis next saiurThe Kiwis kicked off. the forwards smashing into an immediate attack and from an infringement. Cook scored in the first minute with a good penalty goal. The Newport forwards made a loose rusn from the re-start, but were stopped with good, fast tackling. Woolley broke away in a slashing dribbling rush, but Morgan cleared. A penalty helped Newport to change the venue. Simpson, the Newport wing, was almost across as the result of a passing rush, but he was thrown out at the corner. Then Talbot almost dived over from a line-out. A scrum syds out was ordered, and Hawkins squeezed his way alongside the scrum and scored. Morgan’s kick failing. This equalising score came within ten minutes. Field Goal Missed Proctor, who was getting the ball away excellently, sent the Kiwi backs on a spectacular move, in which Dobson and Sherratt made runs. Morgan grassing Sherratt. Boggs chased a kick through and then Smith bustled the defence badly in a dribbling rush. Boggs just missed with an attempted field goal, the ball shaving the outside upright. King flashed into action with a lightning cut-in and his pass to Nelson was knocked on. The forwards were clean through with this movement, but it was a clear knock-on. The Kiwis continued to attack, the backs throwing the ball round in great style, and at this period Hawkins did fine work on defence with clearing kicks. Bale retired with an injured rib and from that stage the Newport pack put up a great performance in holding the big Kiwi forwards. Knock-ons spoiled three more Kiwi passing movements. The ground was now thoroughly churned up and some parts were so bad that the players wisely did not attempt to pick up the ball, but simply speculated and chased. Two fiery Newport forward rushes took play to the Kiwi half and then Smith broke away with a fine solo run, but for once he held on too long. Halftime came with the score 3-all. Vigorous Rucking Early in the second spell Newport tried a passing rush, but the ball was dropped and King and Smith dribbled through, Williams kicking the ball away from them and then speculating to the line. In stooping a Kiwi forward rush Rogers had a hand Injured. Very vigorous rucking followed, with Finlay and Young prominent. A Newport forward obstructed the supports for Nelson when he started a dribbling rush and the movement was checked. Then Proctor started a good passing rush, the ball going along the line of backs to Sherratt, who was downed. From scrambling play. Smith dribbled through and caught the fullback in possession, but Hawkins. whose defensive covering throughout was magnificent, was there to take a pass and find the line. The Newport forwards hustled play to Kiwi territory with a fine loose rush and Hawkins was wide with an attempt to pot a goal. Showing desperate determination, the Newport forwards rushed play to the Kiwi and from a scrum five yards out Hawkins passed to Panting, but he dropped the ball as he tried to cut in and play was pushed back. Smith, who was trying everything at this stage, was the spearhead of the next movement and Finlay chased a short punt by Dobson, For a while the Newport forwards keot play tight by going down on the ball and holding it in the scrummages. Dobson Robbed of Try Sherratt placed a high centring kick right on Newport’s goal-line, but the defenders just managed to force down. Young showed up in a Kiwi loose rush and a minute later he whipped the ball infield after Morgan had failed to find the line, Proctor sending on to Finlay, whose pass went astray. In loose play the ball bounced to a gap and Dobson was through like a flash, but he knocked on as he tried to take the ball. „ From a line-out the Kiwis swept into a dangerous passing rush. Cook raced up to take part and Boggs just failed to get over in the co* ner. The game ended a minute lat*»r with the score still 3—3. ’ L. A. Grant, who replaced J. MacLean when the latter was injured, damaged a cartilage in his knee while training and can take no further part in the tour. RESULTS OF GAMES PLAYED Opponent Result Swansea won 22 e Llanelly Won 16 £ Neath Won 22 1c N. Services Won 14 Ulster Woji 10 f Leinster Drew 10 1C Won 18 Won 25 Force Won Navy Won 6 1 Won 30 ( idifT Won 3 ( wport Drew 3 3 190 6! REMAINDER OF ITINERARY pool. Gloucester. gow. January 26—v. East Midlands, at Leicester Tanuarv 31—v. Midland Counties, at CovFebruary 2 — v. Northumberland. Durban and Cumberland, at Newcastle. February 9—v Cheshire, Lancashire anc at Sale. • 15--' Ox• University, o' Ox 16- Devon u:d Ciwai!. a i > -r.eisc: