Many Penalties Keep Team Guessing

Chronicle (Levin), 26 June 1947, Page 6

Many Penalties Keep Team Guessing

-Press Association

By Telegraph-

i Received Wednesday, 11 p.m. NEWCASTLE, June 25. The All Blacks today had a good trial run for the second test when they heat Northern Coxnhined at INewcastle by 43 points to 14. Although the All Blacks won easily they had to wprk for their success, the home forwards kplaying a particularly active and vigorous game. . 1 The most satisfying f eature from New Zealand 's point of view was thal Frazer and Grant came through the match wi'thout any apparent disability following .their reeent enforced speli through injury. Both are now expected to play in.the test. « Johnny Smith, oii the other hand, iinished the game with a slight limp after playing his- best game sinee he nas . bfeen in Australia. His iltness for the test will be'determined after the return of the team to Sydney. New Zealand scored eight tries, several by brilliantly . spectacular movements. Webster proved himself almost another Scott. He converted six and kicked a penalty goal and dropped a fine field goal from near halfway. Peter Smith also had a field day scoring four tries partly by brilliantly elusive running himself and partly through the excellent first five-eiglitli play of the cool and tricky Couch. The Combined Northern comx)osite team, drawn from the Neweastle and New England distriets, st-ored two tries, one of which was converted, and two penalty goals. Following more than a month withoht rain, the groimd was as hard as a roaa. It was so concrete like that Webster found it practically impossihle to dig holes for goal kicks with the result that he had a player hold and place the baii even for penalty kicks. Considering the conditions New Zealand were lucky they did not have men hurt on the eve of the second test. About .5000 watched the play, this being a good niidweek crowd for .Neweastle.

The All Blacks played against tlie wind and sun in the first half and started, soniewhat uncertainlv. They were not lielped to settle down by five penalties in the first five minutos. Tlicse continued although less frequently throughout the game and it was not always easy to see what they were for. • The All Blacks scored ten minutes from the start but the home team almost immediately kicked a penalty goal. The All Blacks then added two more tries, a field goal and a penalty goal and led at halftime 22 — 0. The liome try was a snap movement after the halftime bell rang. Combined started the second half with another penalty goal and scored a try between the posts, which was converted, not long aftervvards but the tourists added five more tries. iBesides P eier-khiii thr-try~sc.o ra r s were Grant, Thornton, Mason and McLean. R. Worbovs, the home captain, and B. Hamilton, who toured New Zealand last year with the Wallabies, showed no mercy to Bevan and Coucli round the scrums and rucks, breaking fast and tackling hara but the New Zealanders came through the ordeal with credit, Coueh especially so. He made a brilliant opening for one try and had a hand in most of the others. Johnny ■Smith also made one fine opening and iooked dangerous whenover he had possession. Peter Smith, showing great pace off the mark and handling beautifully, toolc quick advantage of every opportunity. Some New Zealand back movements were brilliant in sjrned and trickiness but^handling mistakes spoilt many. Neither wing had many chances but both scored tries, showing considerable speed. The New Zealand forwards, as in the first test and against New South Wales last Saturday, backed up in true New Zealand stvle in both attack and defence. Thornton and Arnold were again brilliant in ihe loose and Frazer played a tigerish game especially considering that this was his first game since the test. Grant was prominent in bota lineouts and the loose. Connolly confirmed the good impression made in tne New South Wales match last Saturday. McCormick more than held his own m the scrums, especially in the -latter pan of the game. The forwards had no .easy task, the home forwards throwing themselves into the play with plenty of vigour from start to fiuish and playing right up to the referee 's rulings.