THE FIRST TEST

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 145, 23 June 1930, Page 10

THE FIRST TEST

IVOR JONES'S ANTICIPA-

TION

STIFF TASK AHEAD OF NEW

ZEALAND

(By Telegraph.—From "Drop Kick.")

DUNEDIN, This Day.

Ono aoivn and three to play is New Zealand's present position so far as Tests with the British Kugby team are concerned, and it means that a stiff task is ahead if Test honours are to •work out finally in New Zealand's favour. There is no mistaking the calibre of .this British team. It has ability and pace, and its members are well primed in many of the points of the game which are match-winning factors. For-all that the victory in the first Test on Saturday was as unexpected as it was sensational. Before tho game there were, of course, many people who fancied the visitors' chances, but there •were, few, if. any, who' held out any prospect of a'British win when in the last few minutes of the game New Zealand's representatives were playing all over tho visitors, as they had done for"the greater part of tho second spell. It was just on the call of time when, with the New Zealand forwards hammering hard at tho British citadel, Mill attempted to launch a final attack by the backs. A DANGEROUS FORCE. Ivor' Jones, Britain's conspicuous •winging forward, saw what was' com- ■ mo- and immediately stood right up on Lilburne. Mills's pass was lobbed, and Jones, snapping it up, made a great dash to the opposition territory, where he passed to Morley, who was just fast enough not. to be overtaken by Cooke. The result was tho winningtry, and it provided a striking illustration of what ■ a dangerous ..force1 these tourists are, even when they appear to be hard prcsa- ■ cd. .That final amazing breakaway provided a thrilling climax to a stirring ■ game in which the respective merits of tho sides on.the day would have been more fairly represented by a draw. The British team was the superior force in the first spell, and the position was reversed in tho second half. The Test was a very trying_one, but the' players came through the ordeal splendidly, the spectators receiving good compensation for braving the elements. The experience of waiting for hours .in rain and snow was just about as bad as that in Wellington on the occasion of the final Test. with tho Springboks of ■ 1921, but the conditions for play on ■ 'Saturday were not quite so unfavourable, though .bad enough. ,An hour before the match snow wqs • falling heavily. "This is just like ' Home," said one of the British footballers, but neither visitors nor Now Zealanders liked tho prospect of play- ' ing in. a snowstorm. It was a unique . experience for most of New Zealand's players, and reminiscent of tho 1904 British team's game in .Christchurch. IN STRANGE . COLOURS. When the teams took the field at Carisbrook, snow was still falling, but it ceased a little later. Tho heavy ground and greasy ball, however, made the lot of tho players still unenviable. The crowd of twenty-seven thousand, a record for Dunedin, loudly cheered New Zealand's representatives as they appeared on the field in strange colours, a uniform which although neat did not suit them —white jerseys with fern leaf, black pants very wide at ■ the hips, and black stockings with ■ black and white tops. ', • The Britishers, led by Aarvold, were also given a rousing reception. It did not take the players long to get down to business, and their activities soon worked up a warmth of enthusiasm. MAKING THE PLAY OPEN. - • There was early evidence of a stirring straggle between ' the forwards, with little hope of the spectacular boats which have been a feature of the British team's matches.' It soon turned' out, however, that Britain's •usual policy of opening up the game ■was not to be disregarded, and as play progressed tho British backs demonstrated that their capable, handling of the ball is not by any means elinri 1 nated by wet conditions. They threw ■ the ball about quite freely, even on defence, when the New Zealand plajrerts were coming down on them in the loose. Kicking of course was employed to a ■ greater extent than under dry condi- ■• tions. It was done judiciously and . not always to touch; in fact, a heady . cross kick by Spong to the left wing '. made ; the opening ' for Britain's first try,, Reeve* taking the ball on the full, • and making a determined run to the . corner. It was a fine effort. Many other, moves in which there was clear evidence'of-the British players having , carefully studied tactics were made without success other than 'territorial ■ gain. ■ Much of tho passing by the backs. onded at Bowcott 'or Aarvold, who,were frequently caught in possession. , Other methods' of attack showed' that the visitors had planned to vary their play. The forwards were a more solid force than previously; their all-round work coupled with that. of the.backs gave them the honours of a sternly-contested first spell. Tho New Zealanders 'did well to keep the'score against them down to threo points. They lacked the combination of the touring side. Even so there were occasions when they had tho Britishers in 1 difficulties, especially with dribbling rushes early in • tho game, and again . near the end "of the first spell, which ended'when the visitors were forced to'kick, the ball .bohind their Khe, N£;W ZEALAND FORWARDS IN GOOD FORM. A Complete change came over' the game itf the second spell, when the New Zealand forwards gavo a taste of their real fora, frequently ploughing through tho opposing set, and they lasted the pace we 11... Tho backs supported as best as they wero able, but effective rearguard action was hampered considerably by tho weaknesses at half-back and first five-eighths. Hardly had Britain recovered from tho first sustained attack, which ended in a force' down, than the New Zealand backs,were at last given a good chance to move as a combination. From Mill the ball went right through tho line to Hart, whose" speed carried him past Bassett and on to a great try. The New Zealand supporters' enthusiasm over this was followed by a sigh of dis- • appointment when Nepia's kick sent the ball against "an upright. The battle after this was keener than ever, New Zealand still having the better of matters and making drive after drive. UNLUCKY INCIDENTS. On one occasion in a scrummage on the British lino Porter dived on tho ball as it reached the line. It looked like a try, but another scrum was or- ' flered. In this the ball was not allowed ' in, and again the referee called a scrummage. This business of ordering more scrummages after the first at-tempt-to get the ball in fails was a lwid feature of tho reforceing, and cer-| 1 ■ '

tainly not consistent with what the rofei'co told the hookers before the game. Another bad blunder by tho referee was committed when Porter broke through with the ball at toe, and was held back as he was'in tho act of falling upon it for a try. Porter threw his hands up claiming a penalty, but the referee's decision was a drop out, the ball having been forced just after the obstruction of Porter. These were two distinctly unlucky incidents for New Zealand, as also was. a penalty kick1 by Nepia which missed by six inches. In the matter 'of scoring chances New Zealand actually went nearer to success than the Britishers, but, as stated, a drawn game would have been a fair indication of the performance of both teams. This seemed inevitable, but the visitors' achieved a sensational last-minute victory, for which they received hearty congratulations on all sides.