CANTERBURY TRIAL

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 16

CANTERBURY TRIAL

Bright Game In Rain The task of the South Island selectors (Messrs R. R. King, J. G. Rankin, and D. H. Hamilton) in choosing players for further All Black trials was not made more easy during the Canterburv All Black trial played at Lancaster Park on Saturday. The wet conditions, if anything, enhanced many players’ reputations. Backs handled the greasy ball with confidence, and the selectors saw exceptionally good play in the worst of conditions. After an 8-all score at halftime the Possibles added 16 points to win by 24 points to 11. The teams were:— Possibles: B. M. J. Dineen; M. J. Dixon, A. E. G. Alsom. R. M Smith; C. Ellis, J. Waine; S. F. Whitta; R. W. Moffat, S. F. Hill (captain), D. McMillan, J. Ryan. J. M. Le Lievre, B. R. Mann, J. Creighton, J. Staines. Early in the first half Ellis was injured, and was replaced by C. H. Keenan. Probables: G. Paterson; B. Logan, C. A. McDonald, I. Pickering; P. Hutchinson, S. G. Brem-

ner; B. J. Molloy; N. S. Roberts, H. C. Burry, K. F. Meates, N. Teague, J. Moorhead, E. Hern, D A. Young. W. J. Whineray. In the second spell Roberts was injured and he was replaced by B. Caldwell. At half-time. Le Lievre changed sides to take Whineray’s place. Orsbourn replaced Le Lievre on the side of the scrum, and M. Gold replaced Paterson at fullback. Fewer Stoppages The most remarkable feature of the game was the manner in which the kick-into-touch rule kept the number of stoppages—especially line-outs—to a minimum. Every now and again players forgot the new rule and kicked out on the full, but as a rule they endeavoured to keep the ball in play as much as possible. As a result, the amount of actual play increased greatly. r n many cases, players who took fair catches outside their own twenty-fives, used the up-and-under or the small cross-kick to forwards rather than kick for the line. Three full-backs were tried during the game. Dineen, who made a name for himself last year in the New Zealand University side which beat the Springboks, was better than Paterson in the first half, notwithstanding several mistakes he made. Paterson and Gold had only one half each, and in these circumstances it was difficult to pick the best of the three. Gold began well, but did not handle well when attempting to stop forward rushes. The All Black three-quarters line of Dixon, Elsom. and Smith was far superior to that of Logan, McDonald, - and Pickering. Elsom produced on Saturday the form that took him into the New Zealand team of 1953, and was undoubtedly the best three-quarters on the ground. His tackling of McDonald wa§ excellent, and his great bursts of speed were also characteristic of the Elsom of two or three years ago. Dixon and Smith did not have very much to do, but both of them scored tries, as did Elsom.

McDonald was the best of the Probables’ three-quarters. He suffered considerably from the attentions of Elsom. and, at times a slow service inside. Elsom got the better of the duel, but not by a great margin, and Elsom himself was well marked by McDonald. Logan and Pickering were obviously out of their class. Logan was the better. Hutchinson Excellent

Ellis was unfortunate in being injured early in the game. His form in the first match of the season showed that he is a more than average club player. Keenan, who took his place, had his hands full marking the mercurial Hutchinson, but he marked him well. Occasionally in the first half Hutchinson had things all his own way, but later Keenan timed his run better and Hutchinson did not fair so well. Hutchinson, now in his proper position, played excellently. The inside back combination of Molloy and Bremner was superior to that of Whitta and Ellis. The University pair have a wonderful understanding, and Bremner’s success in the first half was, to a great extent, helped by the excellent long passes Molloy gave him. Bremner at times attempted to run too far when his supports were in better position and on at least two occasions he passed to a man in a worse position. For all that, however, he played well, varied his tactics skilfully, and took Molloy’s passes with such speed that Hutchinson was given more room in which to work.

Whitta and Waine, although combining well, were not as effective as the other pair. Waine, standing closer to Whitta than Bremner to Molloy, had little time in which to decide his moves, and he was often bustled by the loose forwards. Whitta, a very nimble half, is one of the most formidable half-backs in Canterbury near the line; and his two tries were scored because of his alertness. His other play also was excellent. The difference in the styles of play of the number eight forwards, Moffat and Roberts, was most apparent. Roberts is the ideal cover defence back-row man, and Moffat has few equals as a player who is always up on the ball. Both stood out. Burry Outstanding If Saturday's game had been the final All Black trial. Burry would certainly have been chosen for the touring team. He was magnificent. He was close to the ball all day, and at times when a Possibles’ try seemed imminent, Burry would halt the movement. He was the best of the loose forwards. Hill played his usual tireless game, and scored an excellent try after running 35 yards from a line-out. Le Lievre, out of his normal position, also played well in the loose, but it was obvious in the second half that his place is in the front row in the hard, tight play. Moorhead, a newcomer to trial matches, was another who played hard and well once he had settled down. In the first half the line-out technique of Meates and Teague could not be matched by the McMillan-Ryan combination, but for at least 20 minutes in the

second spell they more than held their own. Meates, Teague, Hill, Ryan and McMillan all jumped well in the line-outs, but it was Meates who had the greatest sue-’ C In the first five scrums, Young won two tight heads from Creighton, but thereafter honours were shared. Young, Whineray and Hern, the most formidable provincial front row in the country, all played excellently, with Whineray showing great dash in the only half in which he played. Mann and Staines were also in the thick of the fight all day. Creighton hooked well, but has yet to learn to get into rucks. For the Possibles, Whitta (two), Elsom, Smith, Dixon, and Hill scored tries, three of which were converted by Dineen. For the Probables, Burry and McDonald scored tries, one of which was converted by Paterson, and Gold kicked a penalty goal. Mr F. Goodman was referee. University Matches Today.—The University Ru?by senior team will meet Cheviot seniors at Rugby Park today at 3 ~.m. As a curtain-raiser to th 4 ~ ma 4 ch, a University junior team w.ll play a Cheviot junior team at 1.30 p.m.