BY TWO POINTS

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 141, 25 September 1942, Page 3

BY TWO POINTS

Tank Brigade Turn Tables On Wellington STIRRING RUGBY MATCH In a stirring Rugby contest at Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon, the NewZealand Tank Brigade fifteen turned the tables on the Wellington representative team by winning the return match by 17 points to 15. In the first game, Wellington won by one point, and the match on Saturday was equally exciting, better conditions enabled the Brigade team to keep going tirelessly. The match was played in a brilliant wartime setting, as the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, under FlightLieutenant Gladstone Hill, and with Warrant Officer J. H. Hardwick as drummajor, again enlivened the intervals with stirring selections and brilliant marching. The band not only played the teams on to the field, but led a spectacular Air Training Corps parade on the field, the salute being taken by the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, who shook hands with the members of both teams before the game started. There was little between the strength of the teams. The Tank Brigade had the heavier, forwards, but the Wellington pack counterbalanced this by moving more briskly ’in the > loose work. The Brigade forwards not only secured the ball from the majority of the scrums, but also dominated the line-outs. . Better combination by the Brigade backs enabled them to score four tries, whereas Wellington’s three tries were the result of more individual efforts. The teams were :— Tank Brigade: H. E. Johns; C. Sullivan, J. J. Molloy, N. F. Rosenfeldt ; P. E. Fury, M. AV. McPhail; M. P. Donnelly ; K. D. Arnold, AV. Craig, A, Bishop, R. McC. McKenzie, G. B. Nelson; C. F. S. Caldwell. C. S. Passmore, AV. C. Porter. Wellington R. Sanson; C. Kingstone, S. Jaeger, H. Jaeger; D. R. Hayes, G. Stott; W. Dougan; S. Bills, D. Beard, F. Foley, P. Stanaway, R. White, P. Baumber, N. Haigh, R. Illingworth. With the advantage of a light northerly breeze behind them, Wellington started off strongly. Dougan, who was as active as ever behind the Wellington scrum, drew first blood when he stab-kicked and showed great pace in getting to the ball first to score a try. behind the posts, which Kingstone converted. A little later a long throw-in enabled Stott to get away and send Bills over near the posts for Wellington’s second try, which Kingstone converted. Brigadesmen Call the Tune. It was a different story when the Bri--gadesmen got breeze and sun behind them. Passmore opened their scoring by landing a good penalty goal. Keeping up the pressure, Donnelly, the Tank Brigade halfback, who was showing agility, fed his backs liberaly from the scrum, but their efforts for a time were spoilt by faulty handling by McPhail, at first five-eighths, who was also inclined to cut in too much. Eventually snappy passing saw Molloy, the Tank Brigade centre three-quarter, score in a handy position for Passmore to add the extra points. The Tank Brigade took the lead when brilliant passing enabled Rosenfeldt to score in the corner. Johns made a good attempt to convert. The Brigade forged further ahead when Donnelly worked the blind side from . a scrum to enable Sullivan to score a sensational try with a great dash. So heavily did Sullivan hurl himself on the ball with his dive that he injured some ribs severely and had to retire, his place being taken by Pritchard, the well-known Manawatu, Wellington, and New Zealand cricketer. This spurred the Wellington team to action, and in a strong attack the ball was passed to Johns, the Brigade full back, who failed to take it, and the Wellington • attack swept on to end in a try near the posts by Baumber. Kingstone kicked his third goal to give Wellington the lead, 15-14. With only a few minutes to go, the Tank Brigade strained every nerve to save the day, and succeeded when a bright burst of passing enabled Rosenfeldt to score another brilliant try in the corner, which Johns failed to improve. A stirring game thus ended with the scores reading: Tank Brigade, 17 ;■ Wellington, 15. Two good full-backs, Johns (Tank Brigade) and Sanson (Wellington) scarcely made a mistake throughout the game, their defensive work being very sound. This also applied to the half-backs, Donnelly (Tank Brigade) and Dougan (Wellington); who were both good on attack and defence. The Brigade owed its victory to the two brilliant tries scored by Rosenfeldt by speed and side-stepping. Mr. B. Matthews was the referee.