TOURISTS’ BACKS GIVEN THEIR CHANCES Rejoicing In Lions’ Den As Universities Beaten

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31093, 23 June 1966, Page 16

TOURISTS’ BACKS GIVEN THEIR CHANCES Rejoicing In Lions’ Den As Universities Beaten

(By

I. J. D.HALL)

The Lions regained some of their Rugby self-respect when they convincingly beat New Zealand Universities 24-11 at Lancaster Park yesterday.

A purple patch of 10 minutes in the second half when the centre, B. Bresnihan, scored three tries wrested the initiative from a hardworking Universities team which, until then, had held the Lions adequately.

For all but a minute of the second half the Lions were without their flanker, Prothero, and even if the Universities pack would not measure up to most provincial sides, it was still a fine effort for seven forwards to control much of the second half.

Greater authority in the forwards gave the Lions their first real opportunity to carry out their stated policy of playing attacking Rugby and the team produced some delightful mover-ents. Their willingness to attack was matched by the Universities.

If the ebb and flow of the game produced some indecisive and scrappy moments, there was still much to titillate the fancy of the crowd of 28,000. For the Lions, Bresnihan (3) and Pask scored tries: Watkins dropped two field goals, and Rutherford kicked three conversions. Kember, Montgomery and O’Shannessey scored tries for Universities and Williment kicked a conversion. Williment could not attempt the conversion of O’Shannessey’s try as thousands of school children spilled on to the field, mobbing the players. The referee, Mr P. McDavitt, walked off the field when he saw that it was impossible for the kick to be taken. Unfortunately, this game also had some unpleasant moments. The front rows never settled down and in the second half open warfare erupt-.

ed when the six players came up swinging, with the ball about 10 yards away. Hermansson and Grant seemed to have their own private battle, with Grant possibly winning on points. Again there was some stupid punching and one vicious blow by a Universities player was a dreadful performance. The Lions’ win brought great joy to the touring side but it would be unwise to over-rate it. There were still deficiencies that will have to be remedied before they can face with confidence teams like Wellington, Taranaki. Bay of Plenty and Northland. Nonetheless, it was heartening to see the Lions backs, spearheaded by the darting thrusts of Watkins, running and passing and using their great speed to, take play away from the forward mauls. And, probably what was more important, tp see Fask controlling play at the back of the line-out and the forwards tearing into loose play with controlled vigour and winning rucks.

Bresnihan’s three tries were delightful, but undoubtedly the finest movement of the match came when the Universities wing, Montgomery, scored in the first half.

The try was the result of crisp passing and hard running and superb in its basic simplicity—it allowed one to forget much that was disappointing in the first half when the teams never quite got to grips. For the last 10 minutes of the first half and the final part of the second half the Universities produced some stirring play as backs and forwards hammered relentlessly at the line. One saw shades of Invercargill and Dunedin as the Lions’ defence became sketchy contending with storming, rucking forwards and hard running backs superbly fed by Laidlaw, who played another grand game. It was most pertinent that when the Universities forsook the passing game which they had used for most of the match and began to fire the trench mortar attack of lobbed up-and-unders behind the Lions’ forwards they looked a formidable side. And the Lions looked a rattled team. It was heartening to see two teams prepared to place some faith in their backs, and if this faith produced some Rugby that was patchy and marred by faulty handling and passing at least the blame could be placed on execution rather than intention.