WELLINGTON'S LATEST WIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 25, 29 July 1939, Page 23

WELLINGTON'S LATEST WIN

EXPERIMENTAL PERIOD ENDING

Against weak opposition on Wednesday—the Ashburton defensive play especially being weak —the Wellington three-quarter line had an abundance of ball, and its advances brought in points plentifully. In top fprm, the Wellington backs could have piled on more points, but there was a tendency on the part of the insides to run across field—a fact which was not helpful to the wings. However, the wing-three-quarters frequently beat more than the opposing wingers. At centre, Vile was not particularly successful, though the experience of this match should be of value to him on top of the run on the wing which he had against Taranaki. Wright, on the* left wing, showed an improvement upon his play in club matches, and several times his dodgy runs had the opposition baffled. There was still a tendency on his part to take up infield running, and this move not infrequently caught the Ashburton players napping.

Making hu debut as a representative, Sherratt, on the right wing, was one of the best backs on the field. In spectacular dashes he scored four tries. He was never lacking in determination, and his performance holds out much promise for the future. He handled well, not always having the best of passes, and he was quick to clap on the pace. As vet he could hardly be classed as a polished player, but he is potentially a wing-three-quarter out of the ordinary. He. like others, was aided to a certain extent by the exceedingly poor defence.

Taylor, was fairly solid without being brilliant at full-back. The pressure was rarely on, but on one occasion when Ashburton were hovering round the Wellington goal line Taylor very badly missed Brooker, who broke clean through the All ■ Black's attempted tackle. Some of Taylor's conversions were very fine, but he missed some quite reasonable chancej, and his play generally was not nearly up to his best.

Thomas did much that was required of him at second five-eighth. He linked up well with Jones, but was inclined, to run across field, though he was excellent in covering up. Jones, the first' five-eighth, for a while created something of a stir with the way in which he gathered in the ball from practically anywhere with uncanny judgment. Later in the game his play fell away, and his adoption of the idea of kicking rather than passing did not help. Little fault could be found with Tindill's display at half-back. With very few exceptions Tindill's passes were well timed and well directed, and generally speakins he made matters easy for his backline. He is going really well this year.HOOKED AT WILL. The captain of the visiting side, J. E. McKenzie, regarded by some critics as one of the most competent hookers. In the South Island, could not take the field against Wellington. He had to have thirteen stitches in a hand as a result of an accident in Wanganui on Saturday night. His presence mighi have made some difference. At is* was, Lambourn just hooked the ball at will from T. Lister, a former well-known boxer, and, for* a time, from Moore. The Wellington hooking and heeling were outstandingly good. Hegglun ■went well in the pack, and Gunn and Kenny were a hardworking pair all the way, with Copper leading operations capably and showing up as the best line-out forward on the local side. Wales, as usual, played a good, loose game; he has plenty of pace, and uses it. Cooper showed surprising pace ■when he scored one try following a kick through by Wales. Cassidy and Ongley went fair games. SOUND KICKING, Not a little interest was taken in the performance of Behrns, the Ashburton full-back, who acted as captain in MeKenzie's absence. He was the last line of defence in a side that was not too anxious to go down on the ball in front of the Wellington forwards or to collar the Wellington backs low when they were in possession. As a result Behrns had the heaviest task on the field. Actually he really did nearly all he could possibly have done to stem the tide.' One feature of his play was his lengthy kicking off and dropping out. He kicked three penalty goals— and they were not "sitters"—and converted one try from the sideline. Another kick from just inside half-way slid only a few feet below the bar. Bradley. Fergus, and Lilley did not impress as a great three-quarter line. Their defence was at times shocKing. However, on the rare occasions they got under way they showed they did not lack pace. Fergus later went up to second five-eighth.

Kelly, at first five-eighth, was the pick of the visiting rearguard. On two occasions he made excellent breaks. one of which resulted in a try. Lack of support caused the other effort to come to naught. McCandlish was outside Kerfy, and was a fair link in an uninspired chain. He had a turn also at centre. White, the half-back, had a torrid time from the opposing forwards, and the majority of his deliveries from the scrummage (there were not many) were not too accurate.

Newton, conspicuous by his red hair, was one of the hardest-working forwards on the paddock, and the same can be said about Brooker. McLauchlan went soundly in the loose, and the Doig brothers and Hart were in the picture on occasions.

With a record of three wins and one loss in interprovincial Rugby this season, Wellington has not performed badly, but two of the engagements proved to be so easy that too much reliance should not be placed upon performance in them, though obviously the form of some players has been so convincing as to be completely satisfying. The real tests are still to come, the first being with Otago, whose representatives are to play at Athletic Park on August 19. As far as this week's match with Ashburton is concerned, it can be said that the game was quite a bright one, and even if too one-sided to be really interesting, it produced some patches of excellent play. For all that, the Wellington side can be much stronger for the sterner engagements ahead. The selector has carried out a good deal of experimental work; now comes the time when the results of his observations and experiments should account for Wellington's best fifteen being fielded and kept as nearly intact as possible for the important matches.