INTERISLAND RUGBY

Evening Star, Issue 23380, 25 September 1939, Page 4

INTERISLAND RUGBY

SOUTH BEATS NORTH AN EXCITING FINISH WHIRLWIND SECOND SPELL fPER United Piless Association.) WELLINGTON, September 23. In as exciting a finish as has been seen at Athletic Park, the South Island beat the North Island today by 25 points to 19. The second spell was played at a whirlwind pace, both sides throwing the bail about freely. Eight points were scored in the last five minutes. The ground was in excellent order and the afternoon beautifully fine, with a light wind from the south. There was an attendance of approximately 30,000. THE TEAMS NORTH ISLAND, Full-back.—H. M. .Dyer (Hawke’s Bay). -, T T Three-quarter?.—W. J. ' Phillips (Waikato), J. L, Sullivan (Taranaki), L. Schubert (Auckland). Five-eighths.—P. J. Reid (Hawke’s Bay), N. Pearman (Auckland). Half-back.—E. W. Tindill (Wellington) . Front Row.—E. Jackson (Hawke s Bay), A. Lanibourn (Wellington), W. N. Carson (Auckland). Second Row. —S. T. Reid (Hawke’s Bav), M. McDonald (Hawke’s Bay), J. B/Coull (Taranaki), R. M. M‘Kenzie (Manawatu). Back , Row.—A. W. Bowman (Hawke’s Bay). SOUTH ISLAND. Full-back. —S. F. Easton (North Otago). Three-quarters.—A. G. Sutherland (Southland), A. W. Wesney (Southland), T. C, Morrison (South Canterbury), . , Second Five-eighth.—W. I, Pernam (Otago). First Five-eighth.—M. P. Grace (Southland). Half-back.—C. K. Saxton (Southland, captain). Forwards.—Back-ranker, A. A. Parkhill (Otago) ; middle row—lt. H. Ward (Southland), D. B. Herron (Souths land). R. R. King (West Coast), C. W. Williams (Canterbury); front row —V. L. George (Southland), W. G. Sherriff (Southland), G. R. M'Donald (Otago). Before the game began the GovernorGeneral (Viscount Galway) was introduced to the players. SUPERIOR BACKS The South Island owed its victory to the superiority of its backs. They showed better combination than the North Island line, and their passing and handling were better. The positional and tactical play of both sets of backs were first class. The North Island had a slight advantage in the set scrums and line-outs, but not sufficient to have much effect on the run of the play. North Island’s weakness was in its inside backs. Pearman, the first five-eighth, played a sound game in the first spell, but his play deteriorated later. He was unable to break through and resorted to grubber kicking. Frequently the ball was snapped up by the South Island backs, who turned defence into attack. Reid, the second five-eighth, was the main weakness, however. His handling and passing were uncertain, and as a result Sullivan had few opportunities to send his wingers away. Both Tindill and Saxton threw out long, accurate passes, but whereas the North Island movements frequently broke down at the inside backs, the ball usually travelled right along the South Island line to the wingers. Tindill shaded Saxton in the first spell, but Saxton played brilliantly in the second spell and was responsible for most of the South Island scoring movements, Grace and Perriam, the South Island five-eighths, were very sound and were definitely superior to Pearman and Reid. Sullivan and Wesney, the --centre three-quarters, had an interesting duel, which ended with honours slightly in favour of Sullivan. Wesney had the greater number of opportunities, but Sullivan made his own play and his speed was always in his favour. The North island was unlucky to lose Phillips, their right wing threequarter, early in the game. He was injured and replaced by M‘Aneny Sutherland, who marked M‘Aneny, was the best of the wing threequarters. He scored three fine tries and was responsible for a try which Saxton scored on time. He was unfortunate in receiving a neck injury when heavily tackled by several North Island players, and was carried off just as the game ended. Morrison, the other South Island winger, had limited opportunities, but showed flashes of the form which earned him such a high- reputation in Australia last year He came infield several times to give the South Island backs an overlap.

Schubert was the better of the two North wingers. He showed himself to be fast and elusive, and marked Morrison well. On one occasion, however, ho cost his side three points by being over-eager to intercept a pass from Saxton to Grace and getting offside. Easton, the Smith Island full-back, played a hotter gafne than Dyer, whose line-kicking was not up to standard. Easton's only serious error was his failure to take a high kick by P. Reid when right on his own goal-line. Reid secured tho ball and scored an easy try Both Dyer and Easton tackled resolutely, but in no way could their form be compared with that shown by Taylor in the All Black Trial, which was played us a curtain-raiser to the North-South game. HIGH STANDARD OF FORWARD FLAY The standard of forward play was very high throughout the game. South packed a more compact scrum and had the advantage in the tight. They were also more successful in the rucks Both packs made good dribbling rushes, and linked up well with their hacks in passing rushes. George and Herron did solid work for the South Island in the tight, and Ward and Parkhill were outstanding in the loose. The best of the South Island forwards, however, was King, who was outstanding in the line-outs and always up with the play. Jackson played consistently weH in the North Island pack, as_ did M'Kenzie and Bowman. Coull impressed as the best of the newcomers, and was the best’ of tho North Island forwards m the line-outs. P. Reid played well in patches. Carson was compelled to play n tight game through being placed in the front row, and was not as prominent as usual. He made one good run which resulted in P. Reid’s try. THE SCORERS. For the South Island, Sutherland (3), Grace, and Saxton scored tries. Wesney converted two and kicked two penalty goals. M’Kenzie, Sullivan, and P. Reid (2), scored tries for the North Island. Pearman converted two and kicked a penalty goal. , The referee was Mr J. A. Malcolm (Auckland).

ALL BLACK TRIAL TAYLOR’S BRILLIANT PLAY " STILL THE BEST FULL-BACK ” [Pee United Puess Association.] WELLINGTON, September 23. The first All Black trial match, which preceded the North-South game, provided some bright football, but it was not up to the standard of the main game. It served mainly to show that Taylor is still the best full-back in New Zealand, that North Auckland is likely to supply at least one future All Black in Cunningham (a wing three-quarter of promise), that Catley (Waikato) is a capable hooker, and that Todd, the big Wellington forward, has few superiors in line-out, play in the Dominion. Taylor was coolness personified, and there was hardly a flaw in his display. His kicking generally was superior to that of his vis-a-vis, Hare (Auckland), who, nevertheless; gained big stretches of ground, but did not find the mark as constantly as Taylor. It was Hare’s failure to find the line from a free kick under the goal posts that enabled Taylor to drop-kick a magnificent field goal. Hare tried for too much distance, and Taylor fielded the ball near halfway, poised, and hoisted four points with one of the greatest field goals seen on Athletic Park. A feature of Cunningham’s game was that he repeatedly had to straighten up attacks. There was a marked tendency among the inside backs on both sides to bore across the field, and quick to appreciate that be could easily be pushed into touch if he attempted to go round his opponent after many back rushes, Cunningham always looked for a chance to go infield His pace off the mark helped him, and he scored one excellent try as well as paving the way for another. Catley was supported by a better scrum than M'Kcnzie (Ashburton), and won the ball on 22 occasions to 9. In addition he did his share in the loose. Todd was the outstanding line-out forward, and was one of the few players who took the ball cleanly, lie repeatedly passed it back to Codling, or put it at his feet for a quiet heel. The value of Todd’s game was shown mainly in the scoring. His team saw much less of the ball in the set scrums, and had to make its opportunities from rucks and line-outs. He was ably supported by Davidson (Wanganui) and Herman (Canterbury), both of whom were associated in some clever dribbling rushes, and by M'Loan (Taranaki). In the opposing pack Mason (Duller) impressed as a front-ranker likely to attain higher honours. M'Phail (Canterbury), Warrenden (Waikato), and Mills (South Canterbury) were also a first-class trio._ Backs who impressed were Gibson (North Auckland) and Murray (Otago), The former was opposed by Crossman (King Country), who commenced brilliantly and generally played a serviceable game, but Gibson was more incisive. Both halves. Moss (Hawke’s Bay) and Codling (North Auckland) opened up play smartly but could hardly be described as in the class of Tiudill or Saxton.

Thp result, of the match was a win by the Black team, led by D. G. Barton (Wanganui), by 20 points to 11 from the White team, led by Crossman. For the Blacks Gibson scored three tries and Taylor converted one. potted a field goal, and picked a penalty goal. For the Whites, Crossman, Cunningham, and Mills scored, Haro converting one try.

CANTERBURY BEATS BULLER [Per United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, September 23. With the pace on all the way and every man in each team trying to open it out, Canterbury beat Bailor by 12 points to 4. Tight play was cut down to a minimum, and the crowd saw charge and counter-charge almost without let-up from whistle to whistle. Handicapped by injuries to three of its leading men in the first spell, Bnller’s combination suffered somewhat, and it was unable to press home its attacks to the full extent. Particularly was the absence of Dunn (full-back) felt, as in the first spell he had shown wonderful kicking form. Actually the margin was not so great as the scores would indicate. Canterbury's points came from a try by Walter, converted bv Nolan, a potted goal by Nolan, and .a penalty goal by Nolan. Bnller’s points came from a putted goal by Dunn.

WANGANUI AND MANAWATU DRAW [Pek United Press Association.] WANGANUI, September 24. Wanganui and Manawatn drew, 11 all, in the return representative match. The play was uninteresting until the second half, when Wanganui was five points down. The equalising try took Manawatn completely by surprise. Wanganui had been awarded a free kick 2ft m front of the Manawatn goal line. Planter, the Wanganui five-eighth, snapped the ball up, kicked it over the line, and fell on it and scored before cither side knew what had happened. Tries were scored for Manawatn by Parris (2) and Waugh. Finlay converting one. For Wanganui M'Piko .and Hunter scored tries, and Welsh kicked a penalty goal and converted one try.

fourth grade team The following fourth grade team lias 1 been selected to represent Otago in the match against South Otago on Saturday;— Full-back: Payne (Alhambra). Threequarters: Preston (Onion), Campbell (0.8.H.5.). Bond (Pirates). Fiveoighths; daffray (Ki’korai, captain). Walker (Southern). Half-back: Edminston (Port Chalmers). Front row: Overton (08.H.5.). Fills (Pirates), M'Lay (Pirates). Middle row: Mathieson (Alhambra), Mowat (Kaikorai), Phillips (Zinpari-Riehmoud, deputy-! captain), Moreton (Southern). Back j row: Coombes (Taiori). emergencies; l Backs (Southern); forwards —Knox (Union),! Adams (King’s). I Practices w : il he held at Carishrook 1 to-morrow and on Thursday at 7.130. |