MUCH OPEN PLAY TN RUGBY MATCH

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 139, 11 September 1942, Page 3

MUCH OPEN PLAY TN RUGBY MATCH

Auckland Beat Wellington MARGIN OF SIX POINTS If not one of the most brilliant, the sixtieth Rugby contest between teams representing Auckland and Wellington at Athletic Park, Wellington, on Saturday afternoon, which was won by Auckland by 19 points to 13,. was certainly the most spectacular. This was due to the presence of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, which, after the teams had been presented to the Governor-General of : New Zealand) Sir Cyril Newall, led the players on to the field. At intervals during the afternoon the band paraded the field, and delighted the 10,009 spectators present with their spirited ' selections while marching and counter-marching. The teams were :— Auckland : Sorenson ; Boggs, Gregory, Faire ; Pearman, Rae ; Tetzlaff ; Mills, Smith, Wilson, Ryan, Gunning, Pearce, Pike, Gilmour. Wellington: Kingstone; Hudson, Donovan, S. Jaeger; Hayes, Stott; Johns; White. Beard, Harvey, Foley, Murphy, Stanaway, Bills, Baumber. Auckland deserved to win because they opened up the play on every possible occasion, and threw the ball about with such abandon that their passes often went into the hands of the opposition. This did not’ alter the northerners’ campaign in the slightest, and in the end these tactics paid. The short-passing indulged in by the Auckland forwards was reminiscent of the 1924 All Blacks. The Auckland pack, due to expert hooking by Pike, secured the ball from the majority of the scrums, and Tetzlaff,' the nippy Waikato half-back, seized every chance to put the men behind him in action. Though Wellington had a light northerly breeze and a bright sun behind them in the first spell, all they could do was a try scored by Hayes, after an opening made by Donovan, which Kingstone failed to convert. All the /highlights of the match were reserved for the second spell, during which no fewer than 29 points were scored. Interest was kept at a high pitch by the rapid scoring, and the intriguing way in which fortunes fluctuated. Shortly after the second spell Jaeger handed the ball to Donovan, and the Army centre-threequarter outstripped the defence to score between the posts for Kingstone to convert. Auckland’s first score came when Faire made an opening, which allowed Pearman, the Auckland captain, to cross the line in a handy position, but Sorenson’s kick was a poster. The Auckland forwards then engaged in short passing, and this led to a try by Pike, but again Sorenson was unable to steer the ball over the crossbar. , Keeping up the pressure, Auckland took the lead when Mills scored a try, which Sorenson improved with a great kick.

Excitement flared up afresh when Wellington attacked . strongly, and Stott darted over for a try between the posts, which Kingstone converted to give Wellington the lead, 13-11. The Auckland team were lasting well, and their persistent efforts bore fruit when a brilliant passing movement ended in Pearce scoring near the posts. Sorenson converted to give Auckland the lead, 16-13. Keeping up the pressure, Sorenson increased Auckland’s lead with a penalty goal, and the northerners missed another try through a forward pass right under the posts. ‘

An exciting display of open Rugby thus ended in a well-deserved, win for Auckland by 19 points to 13. A feature of the match was the fine displays given by the full-backs, Sorenson (Auckland), and Kingstone (Wellington), who made few mistakes. Their tackling, fielding, and powerful kicking were well-nigh faultless, and but for their sturdy defence the scoring • would have been even heavier. Mr. B. Matthews was the referee. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ RONGOTAI BEATS OHAKEA An exciting North Island final at Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon saw Rongotai beat Ohakea by 13 points to 11. There was little between the teams at any stage, and, if anything,. • Ohakea had the better of the exchanges. For Rongotai, Mahoney landed a field goal, and Clarke kicked three penalty goals; for Ohakea, Trotter and Younghusband scored tries, one of which was converted by Todd, who also kicked a penalty goal. Clarke, who played a brilliant game .at full-back for Rongotai,. in addition to histhree penalty goals, was chaired off the field by his team-mates. > Mr. J. Hepburn was the referee.