SWANSEA BEATEN

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 103, 29 October 1945, Page 9

SWANSEA BEATEN

N.Z.E.F. TEAM'S WIN

TOUR BEGINS WELL (Official War Correspondent. N.Z.E.F.) SWANSEA, October 27. More than 15,000 Welsh enthusiasts saw the N.Z.E.F. side open its tour of Britain here today in almost perfect Rugby conditions, with a 23-8 win over Swansea. Though the game vvas ragged at times, it was spectacular, and in the last twenty minutes play ranged sensationally up and down the field, with both sides throwing the ball around daringly in .efforts to score.

The match was a stiff test as an opening game, and indicated that the youthful New Zealand side is potentially a very fine one. The N.Z.E.F. team was: Scott;. Boggs, Smith, Sherratt;..Proctor, Allen; Edwards; Rhind, Haigh, McPhail, Arnold, Woolley, Maclean, 1 inlay, Young. The opposition included three who played against the Ail Blacks in 1935, all being internationals, Haydn Tanner, Harry Payne and Gwynn Griffiths. General Freyberg attended the match and received a big ovation from the crowd. ' .' Swansea went into the attack from the kick-off and for the first ten minutes had all the better of the play. The forwards smashed their _ way through the N.Z.E.F. defence with a fine loose rush, Elvet Jones scoring an unconverted try after five minutes play. The N.Z.E.F. forwards then settled down to work as a pack. After fifteen minutes from the start Edwards sent his backs away from a scrum, and Smith cleverly made an opening for Sherratt, who crashed over the line in a tackle. Scott's kick hit the upright Tanner, who played brilliant football throughout, repeatedly drove the New Zealanders back with good line kicks. The N.Z.E.F. team's second try came when Allen broke away down the centre of the field and passed to Finlay who drew the full-back and passed to Arnold, who scored under the posts, Scott converting. The Swansea forwards were almost over with a great loose rush, and then play hung round midfield for a while. Twice Scott saved well when the Swansea forwards almost broke through, and when halftime came with the score 8-3, the home team had htta somewhat the better of the play.' , , i The N.Z.E.F. pack played much' better in the second half, packing in to some really hard close work and several times making deep thrusts by wheeling the scrum and taking the ball at their toe. Obtaining from a scrum, the N.Z.E.F. backs made a good passing rush, Boggs being stopped after a good run, and then the backs and forwards combined in a spectacular movement, but Swansea retaliated with a loose rush. Allen checked them, picking up and sending a long.pass to Smith, who tried a field goal, the ball hitting the crossbar and bouncing infield. Wheeling a scrum the N.Z.E.F. forwards, led by Maclean and Young, went to the Swansea line and a minute later hand-to-hand passing by the forwards down-the left flank resulted in a score, Woolley sending to Finlay, to Young; who went over, Scott converting. Vigorous forward play followed, both packs making good dribbling rushes. Then from a penalty, 45 yards out, Scott kicked a fine goal. A few minutes later the Swansea full-back, Wv G. A. Parkhouse, kicked an equally fine penalty. Five Swansea forwards handled in a smashing passing rush, which looked very dangerous, but a pass went astray. The Swansea backs made a good run, but Proctor stopped it with a smother tafekle, robbed his man of the ball, and started'a counter rush. When it broke down the Swansea forwards'carried play back, Scott saving with a fine tackle, and Smith snapped up the ball and cleared. Young dribbled the ball 30 yards in a great solo effort, Parkhouse brilliantly picking it up off his toes, side-stepping, and clearing. Then Rhind picked up in the loose and passed to Maclean, to Young, to Woolley, and Edwards, who centred, Parkhouse marking and finding the line with a long kick. A minute later Srfaith fielded and sent Boggs on a good run. He inpassed to McPhail, to Young, to Edwards, who found the line.

IMPROVEMENT IN PLAY.

The N.Z.E.F. team was now attacking consistently, and from a scrum Edwards got his backs' away, Smith finding an opening and side-stepping away from the men, racing to cover Sherratt and scoring inside them. Scott missed the kick. Finlay and then Allen made good runs, the latter putting the ball high in the air. Sherratt won the race for it, but the ball had rolled into touch in goal. Edwards fell while trying to get the ball away from a scrum, but Allen raced round the blind side, enabling him to pass and then weave his way through the defence, making a fine opening for Sherratt, who scored, Scott missing the kick. Though the N.Z.E.F. team was definitely on top in the last five minutes they had to play hard for all the'points scored. Finlay, who captained the side, played an outstanding game throughout. The best backs were Allen and Smith, both showing brilliance in finding openings. The English style of loose play round the scrums • was a somewhat upsetting factor for the side, but the forwards had countered this effectively before the end of the game by holding the ball in the scrum and wheeling. Though very hard, the game was played throughout in a fine spirit, and it is not an exaggeration to say that the spectators generally were delighted with the style of Rugby shown by the visitors.