MATCH WITH COMBINED WEST COAST SIDE

Chronicle (Levin), 5 September 1946, Page 8

MATCH WITH COMBINED WEST COAST SIDE

-Press Association

/ Telearavh-

WEBTi'OJRT, Sept. 4. It was only in tlie last ten minutes Lhat the Austrulian Kugby team rose .bove tlie Combhied side selected from ,he Seddon Shiekl districts, Lo win a erv evenly contested match at Westport today by 15 to 12. The Ausralian's total included four penalty roals bv the full-back, G. Piper, wliei'e-

is Combined scored tliree tries and one ,oul from a penalty. The visitors were beateu iu the forwards by a willing Combined pack .vhicli included the former All Black, .V. W. Bovvman, and tliree who liave represented the Sotith Island, _ W. Aluiuin, T. Hegglun and 11. Birchlield. 'ombined got nuich more than their •hare of tlie ball from the scrums and iine outs in the iirst spell, but the Ausralians had improved a lot in tliese departinent4 by the fmal 15 minutes when the Australian team as a wliole, leemed to put lnucli more pep into their nlav compared with the early "stages. Tlie weather was ideal for open fast 'ootball, but the game was somewliat lacking in tlirills althougli the Wtiraahs at all times endeavoured to opou up plav. Tliey had no tricks, liowever, .uid while the" Buller inside backs and iireakway forwards sometimes accepted dummies, tliey wero usually of the most obvious tvpe. The stars of tlie visiting backs were T. MaeBride, who showed speed and brillianee on the left wing; N. Howell, centre three-quarters; •xnd B. Scliulte, the versatile lialf-back. I. F. Cremin, captain of the team, was j inconsistont at first live-eighths. The Waratah 's outstanding player and the nest on the field was O. Windon, who gave a magnificent display of loose forward work. G. Cooke, P. Hardcastle and E Tweedale also "lmpressed but the pack did not appear to relish the tight ruckinc of the Combined forwards. Re-

peatedlv W. Miuiinl (in 'his best'forin of Ihe soason), P. Bennett (the tall Marlborough lock), Hegglun and Bownian would brenk througli with the others in support and only over 'enllnisiasin prevented 1liem from ■fiiTishihg df soiiie spiriled movements. Actually, hecaiise of the consistent e.flforts of (licse hne forwards, Combined had n slight advanlage in the general run of 'plav, but Piper saved the game with goal kickitig. The Combined half, G. 1 reland, compared mere than favout•lhlv with Kclml+e, but' his five-eigh'ths 'acked tlirusl and were also indeeisive nn defehcp. T.'R. O'Callaghan (centtej, H. Hawes (Wiiiger), and 1-. Lindrom (full-back) wero the best of Combinerl whose backs did not always taekle with conlidenee or precisiou. • ' At lialf-time, (.ombined led 9 to '6, a penalfy goal by 0 'Callaghan and tries bv Hegglun and G. Max. Piper had secured two goals for Australia. Combined increased the lead with a good Irv bv Mnmm earlv in the second half, but a penalty by Piper and a try by MaeBride made matters even until Piper made a win cortain with a fourth penalty.