POSSIBLES BEAT PROBABLES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 149, 12 July 1937, Page 9

POSSIBLES BEAT PROBABLES

— Press Aasociation.r

First Trial Match at Wellington

(By Telegrapb

WELLINGTON, Last Nighfc. Play was so ragged in the first trial match to select a New Zealand team to meet the Africans that few players showed their real capabilities. ^ Possibles beat Probables by 18 points to 14. Probables won the toss and had; the sun and a light northerly behind them for the first spell. They fielded | the better pack, but there was a lack! of cohesion among the leaders and this spoiled concerted play. This fact • geemed to rob the players qf individuality. The Possibles had the faster set of backs, which they used to advantage despite constant bad handling. One of the features of the game was the sound play of Gilbert and Easton, the rival full-baeks. Their kicking was true and each extricated his side times without number. The Possibles' wingers, Dick and Dixon, played well, the latter sh owing a fine buxst of speed which turned defence into attack. Killeen seemed out of place at centre and Lane and Brooks, the inside backs, were inferior to their Probable opponents, Griffiths and BradLey. Griffiths took upon himself most of the defensive play in his lino. McAneny and Strachan replaced White and Eulton in the Probables' backs and played wing and centre respectively. Sutherland, .the other Probable winger, showed himself as a deadly tackler, but he was caught out of position at vital moments. The Possibles' half-back, Russell, was xather disappointing, but better than Purdue. Possibles' forwards, Devine, Ander-j Bon. and Green, were most prominent., Scandrett, Trusthum and Masoa madej a great dribbling trio. The Probable] forwards were slightly heavier andj they had more sqccess in the scrums j and the best were Smith, Einlay, Hull1 and Williams. In the tight and loose' McClenaghan did not reach form and Williams seemed purely av. individualist. The Possibles ' scorers were Anderson, Green and Killeen, Gilbert converting each try, also kicking a penalty. McAneny, Sutherland and Williams scored for the Probables, Easton converting one and kicking a penalty. H. Jacobs, of Horowhenua, was the refevee.