NEW ZEALAND HAS HAD A SPLENDID HOCKEY RECORD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 88, 28 August 1950, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND HAS HAD A SPLENDID HOCKEY RECORD

One of the most popular sports in the Bay of Plenty during the winter is hockey and it has a large number of followers. Although the district was not represented in the last New Zealand team that has just finished a tour of Australia it has been well represented in past teams. The following review of New Zealand teams reveals the splendid record the Dominion has had in test games. The tenth hockey test match between Australia and New Zealand played at Adelaide recently, resulted in a win for Australia by

two goals to one. The Manning Memorial Cup, which Australia won for the first time in Dunedin in 1948 was “at stake . . . The Cup, which was presented by'' enthusiasts ,on both sides of the Tasman in memory of Mr A. Manning, who died while travelling with the New Zealand side in Australia in 1923, was first played for in 1925, New Zealand winning it by 5 goals to 1, and they retained it until 1948. First Match

The first match between the two countries was played at Palmerston North in 1922, when Australia made the first tour by an overseas hockey team in New Zealand. Since then tours have been made in turn by the respective countries at intervals of two or three years except for the war period. Generally the tests have been close tussles, with New Zealand holding a slight margin all through the series. New Zealand won the first game at Palmerston North by 5 to 4, a feature of that game being the splendid recovery of Austra-

lia in the second spell, when the star Australian forward, A. Seaman, weaved his way past the big Canterbury back, P. Bartin, and slammed three goals high into the net past H. Snooks, Canterbury’s champion goalkeeper for years. Also playing in that match were two young players who were to set up an unrivalled record for the length of time they represented their country. They were Edctie McLeod, one of the finest centre halves the Dominion has seen, who played for New Zealand in five different years from 1922 to 1935, and Eric Watts, centre forward, capped seven times over the same period. McLeod also played for New Zea-

land at cricket. One of the umpires was the present Prime Minister (Mr Holland). New Zealand again triumphed in 1923 at Sydney, and again the match was close, the score being 2-1. Australia were not strong in 1925, losing by 5 to 1 at Wellington. The side had been weakened by injuries and they failed to hold the home side, despite the fact that the New Zealand players had just completed a week of tough tournament play.

On their home ground at Brisbane in 1927 the Australians again went very close in one of the finest matches on record. The New Zealand side was one of the most experienced that has left the country, including such fine players as H. G. Hore, C. Watts, A. Mahoney, G. Fletcher, B. Morris, S. Bell, J. Soper and R. Lusty, with Mr W. Williamson as manager. This team won all its matches, except the test, drawn 3-3, and a 3-all draw with Victoria. The ground for the 1929 test at Auckland was a quagmire and both teams relied on hard-hitting tactics. Apparently New Zealand hit the harder, for they won 2-0. Record Score The record score in tests was put up by the 1932 New Zealand side at Sydney, when they overwhelmed the home team by 7 goals to nil. That side was probably one of the best that ever crossed the Tasman, and under the capable leadership of Mr Holland evolved a combination and style of play that had a big effect on the standard of play in New Zealand in the 19305. Many of the players in that side continued to represent their country for sev-

eral years. Australia lost at Dunedin by 5-3 in 1934 in a game played in heavy rain. Outstanding in that game were the veterans H. G. Hore and E. Watts, who led the New Zealand side.

The 1937 side which visited Australia played the test game at Sydney, and in a dour battle won by the only goal scored. That too was a fine side. With players engaged on a grimmer business, it was 1948 before the two countries met again. A new generation of players had grown up, and this time it was Australia who came out on top, winning at Dunedin, 3-2, after the New Zealand forwards had made magnificent efforts to pull the game out of the fire in the dying stages. Of the ten tests played New Zealand have won seven, drawn one, and lost two.