MASTERS IN ALL BRANCHES OF GAME

Chronicle (Levin), 23 June 1947, Page 6

MASTERS IN ALL BRANCHES OF GAME

Received' Sunday, -7 p.m. . . SYDNEY, June 22. ; The All Blacks yesterday gave their finest performanpe in Australia .beating yrith ease practically the -same team which beat them 12—9." They won today by the very factor -.which beat them in the previous game-1— fitness in the forwards. The All Blacks' forwards, as in the itest last Saturday, held command in practically every feature of play, giving their own backs every chance and ensuring that the jjpposition worked only under great difficulty. Forwards scored three of the six tries and had a hand in some others, showing all the zest and skill of old time teams in backing up both in attack hnd defence.

Simpson, White, (Thornton and Cat ley were having their sixth game of the tour but .'jkhQwed that> frequent match play, far, from harming the big forwards, gets them fit as nothing else does. Thornton again played a great roving game from the back of the scrum, cov-. ering the' New -South Wales backs when they attacked and being. on hand to finish off two movements when New Zealand attacked. "> . Arnold again troiibled the opposing inside backs by speed and vigour round the scrums and rucks. Simpson was another who played all the time with plenty of vim. For a while the All Blacks did not

get the ball froin the lineouts as in the first test. Then they altered tactics and abandoned trying to get the ball back but burst through the lineouts and drove ahead instead. New South Wales appeared to have no couhter for these tactics and from then on the visitors commanded the lineouts. Nevertheless Frazer and Grant were missed in this department though Hobbs and Willocks played well. Willocks suffered a deep cut on the head in the second half and had to go off for a time but gamely resumed after attention. Catley scored a typical Waikato try, battling his way across the line from - a lineout a'few yards back. He also hold his own in the scrums.- "The early failures of both "Catley- and McCormick a'rose mainly from uhfamiliarity with the interpfe'tation of the'' hoOking f rites : as applied here, as since the first two games both have been able t6 get thfe ball against' the' best hdokers -in " Australia. ' - *' '' * ' 1 , Connolly played a .fine . -game ■ today, ^ working hard' in the tight and showiirg. out in the loose, in the latter stages- cdoperating in two try sCoring- inovemATlt.S- ' ' / 1

Slibrt passing movemehts among the , New Zealand forwards' were quite up to the best standard of prewar All Blacks. The New South Wales "forwards found themselves so busy in tlie scrums, lineouts and rucks that. they were unable. to get out in the open and join in the loose play as they did in the first match against the All Blacks.' Except for two runs by Windon and one by Buchan, the home forwards were seldom seen in attack in the open. It was undoubtedly a fine • performance by tke' Blacks, especially svken. not at full-

strength, to overcome such a big and 'fast-pack.as Npw^South Wqles. - - The New Zealand backs seldom tried orthodox passing movements from habt> .back to wing, relying more on cut-ins and reverse passing, whereas New South Wales constantly passed the ball along the whole line without attempting to penetrate. They showed partieular' anxiety to get the ball out to Eastes. The All Black defence against these moves was excellent, most passing rushes being driven across field so that they finished on the touchline. When' a back did break through he generally found ~a ,backing-up- JNew Zealand i'or-W9-rdt fcoming round to haul -him downv , •Tetzlaff gave a quiek ser-viue to tlie b'acks:"outsid:e him' and once again Kear- * nCy fodk ie'ASery "pass 'as: if he did not. knoWhovfr'.tb drdp one. • ' Allen -pJa/e'd -a shfeWdv'and caretui gailie'. "Ttealisilig ffhe* handipap of his ban^aged leg, he • never ; attempted too' mnch' 'on his Own although he certainly shoived " brilliant elnsiveiiess in making the' 'dpening 'for oue (Try. • Gpdd'dVd- ; again- showed ability to make the most of any siackenihg in tbe opposing defence. '* He made several long runs and scored two tries. . Neither wing had many chances, neariy all the try-seoring movements being up the centre of the field and not along the touchlines. Scott answered every test as a fullbaek. In addition his goal kicking was masterly. Three of his goals were from well out towards the sidelines and another from just on half way. The New South Wales backs showed little variation in play although MacBride and Howell occasionally beat a man. As a result of the close backingp by tlie New Zealand forwards in defence, Eastes and Allan had no chance to exploit tK,eir sp.eed in open country. Burke played gamely and well but under great difficulties. The New Zealand forwards. bustled him constantly. After the first quart'er hour, New South Wales hardly looked like scoring and New Zealand 's win was even more clearcut than that of New South Wales on June 7. The toru of the tide for " the Ali BlacksVwas the Toovvoomba match last Weclnesday when they really reached top fitness and form. Brovided all the stars are lit next Saturday, they will be strong favourites for the second test.