LEAGUE WIN TO AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31120, 25 July 1966, Page 3

LEAGUE WIN TO AUSTRALIA

(New Zealand Press Association* SYDNEY. Australia has retained the Rugby League ashes after beating Britain 19-14 on Saturday in a thrill-packed match which ended in an all-in brawl.

A crowd of 63,503 saw sensation follow sensation in the second half. Then came the braw’l between both packs of forwards two minutes from the finish.

England’s prop, C. Watson, was ordered off six minutes after the start of the second half after the Australian centre, P. Dimond, who was on the ground, was apparently kicked. Although battling with only 12 men, Britain put up a gallant fight, but could not handle the over-all pace and power of the Australian team.

The brawl came two minutes from the finish and involved most of the forwards. The Queensland prop, J.

Wittenberg, and Britain's second-row forward, W. Ramsey, were both flattened. Kicks and Punches Punches were thrown as the players milled about and one British forward aimed several kicks at Australian players. Britain’s half-back, T. Bishop, was one of the instigators of this trouble when he kicked an Australian player. The referee. Mr C. Pearce, cautioned Bishop and the Australian prop, N. Kelly. Triumph for Walsh

The match was a triumph for Australia’s captain-coach, I. Walsh.

Walsh, criticised after Australia’s first test defeat, answered his detractors with a strong all-round game, particularly in the second half, when he won the scrums 7-2.

It was Walsh’s last representative game, and his twelfth successive test match against Britain.

Highlight of the game was winger K. Irvine’s three fine tries, which gave him the record for tries scored in Bri-tish-Australian tests. He has now scored 12 tries, or three more than the record he and R. Gasnier previously held. After the tough battle both dressing-rooms were full of injured players receiving treatment. Uproar Caused Australia played splendidly, even though it had an extra man for 34 minutes of the second half. The referee caused an uproar 12 minutes from the end when he awarded the British stand-off, A. Hardisty, a penalty try for Britain. Hardisty had short-kicked and when the Australian fullback, L. Johns, appeared to tackle him a few yards from the line Mr Pearce awarded the try. This reduced Australia’s lead to 16-14, but seven minutes from the end Irvine crossed over for his third try.