FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1921, Page 4

FOOTBALL

SECOND TEST .MATCH. AUCKLAND, Aug. 28. The "Press” special oorrcspond«ut, commenting on the piny says to come to the game itself, there was little or nothing hetween teams, and the match was one of the cleanest I have ever seen. The outstanding feature of the game was the remarkable genius of “Teddy” Roberts, the veteran Wellington skipper, who did not catch the selectors’ eye in the lirst test. “An old dog for a hard road,” applies to Roberts, lie fed his hack’s in rare style to-day, and frequently saved his side. His tackling and kicking were a treat to see. He made only two mistakes during the day, one when he ran across the held instead of sending the ball out, and again when lie tried to work the blmd side with his hacks in position close to South Africa’s line. On the latter occasion he nearly let his side down alto- | get her. THE ALL BLACKS’ FORM. Next to Roberts among the Black hacks was Steele, the voting West Coaster, who played a great game at wing-three-quarter, and again showed remarkable pace. His tackling and kicking were of a high order. Ail ken. the All Blacks’ captain, showed occasional flashes of brilliancy, and Kings/ton at full-hack was invariably sale Among the forwards, Donald was 1 !t*> bright particular star, while all the others worked hard. The South cans, however, heat them badly for lie hall in the serums, particularly in the first half, with the result that the Creel! hacks were the more often seen in action. New Zealand’s try originated in the fertile brain of Roberts. Snapping up in the loose in the Springboks’ twentyfive, he heat three men in a Hash, an ! sent the ball to Beilis. The latter was grounded close to the line by Ellis, but McLean, picking up smartly, erosso, the line amid enthusiasm. THE SPRINOHOKS. The Springboks' try came from one of their characteristic passing rushes Sendin getting over, and 0. R. Morkel kicking a good goal. Their winning points come from a very clever potted goal from the field by (!. R. Morkel, who played a great game at full-hack. Morkel was never rattled throughout the game, and was invariably as cool as a cucumber. He was the best back mi the South Africans’ side. Zeller, too, played a great game, and the Blacks found difficulty in bringing him down. He has not the physique of Steele, but he is probably a more dangerous three-quarter, as his screw run is particularly tricky, and lie throws his tacklers oil from trips. Ellis was the lmst of the South African forwards, and was a pillar of strength to his side in the line-outs. Kruger also played a , fine game. The ground was hard and fast, and these conditions suited the South Africans, and certainly did not hamper New Zealand. Summed up, 1 would say it was the meeting of teams with nothing between them on the day, and to CL P. Morkel went the honour of putting victory in South Africa’s way. - AWARD OF MEDALS. AUCKLAND. August '_>!>. The medals presented by l.lie New Zealand Rugby Union for the best players in the test match on Saturday have been awarded as follows: Rest back -0. Morkell, South Africa Best forward—E. Beilis, New Zoaand.

THIRD TEST MATCH. | SELECTING THE N.Z. TEAM. ' ! AUCKLAND, Aug. 2!) The following players have been selected to assemble at Wellington and go into training in preparation for the Third Test:— FULL-BACKS : C. M. Kingston iTaranaki). i C. E. Evans (Cantcrburv). , THREE-QUARTERS: J. Steel (West Coast). K. [fwerson (Auckland). W. A. Ford (Canterbury). Markham (Wellington). FIVE-EIGHTHS AND HALF-RACKS. Algar (Wellington). E. Roberts (Wellington). ]|. E. Nicholls (Wellington). '!. Nicholls (Wellington). FORWARDS: , Donald ( Wairarapa). Fogarty (Taranaki). Duncan tOtago). McLean (Bay of Plenty). Moffitt (Wellington). Richardson (Otago). Jkdlis (Wanganui). West (Taranaki). Turnbull (Otago). Fletcher (North Auckland). Of the twenty men chosen, eleven played in the Second 'lest, and ten in the First Test. Those dropped arc: Storey .South Canterbury). Aitken (Wellington'). Baddcley (Auckland). ' Hughes (Wellington). Whyte (Southland'. Tho new men are: Evans, iiwerson, Ford, Markham, Algar, West, Turnhull. and Fletcher. Of these Ford, Algar and West have already been (mergeneies. PRESS COMMENT. Some drastic changes have been made in the team to train for tho Third Test, compared with the personnel ol the two previous teams. Oi those dropped altogether, it is noticeable that one, (i. Aitken, of .Wellington, captained the All lilaeks in the other two grin the First Test he played a poor game, and evidently he (lid not improve in the second, and his replacement by If worsen or Markham would probably prove beneficial to the side. It is tine, that the selectors turned an eye to iHu-rson, a recent convert from the League game. W it.hout doubt he is one of the trickiest centres or second live-eighths in New Zealand, and why lie was not selected even for New Zealand's second team to meet New Smith Wales at Christchurch on Saturday next passes comprehension. Had he been in the New Zealand team from the first, the whole combination would have boon strengthened. Evans, the Cant bury full-back, lias been chosen to train but though he is a hotter full-back than Kingston, which is saying a lot, lie is rather too slightly built to last out against a bard playing team like tin Springboks. Ford is almost certain be the left wing three-quarter, and he lias certainly earned his place. Storey, who has heett dropped, has been disappointing. though his injuries have prevented him from showing his best .Markham is a good solid player, lining not brilliant, and is equally good at live-eighths or centre. Evidently the selectors are bent on retaining M. Niehulls in ilm team, as he i- the onh first five-eighth of the whole selection Algar, Markham, and liwerson can al. play in the centre or next to the first ‘ live-eighth, while Roberts is a Iso bandy in the five-eighth line, hut none of them is a reallv good first man next to tin half. On his showing, Roberts must go behind the pack, where he is infinitely more valuable than at five-eighths, athat leaves Mark Nicholls as the only man next to him. On their showing so far. the Nicholls brothers could have heett dropped altogether without any material damage to the side. Baddcley, the young Aucklander, is rather unlucky in being dropped, as ho is a. very clever player, quick to see or to make an opening and with a better man in front of him he would have shown -to better advantage. Hughes litis been dropped from lb forwards, and wisely so, for a man oi 43 years of age must be past bis best, and last Saturday’s match showed that \something was wrong with Now Zealand’s front row. Fletcher, of Nort Auckland, will probably replace him. The selectors might with advantage have gi\-en Carroll at least a trial as a hooker. Quite possibly he and Fletcher would prove much better than Hugk.es and Duncan. It is pleasing to see the dashing Otago forward. Turnhull, in the 20 selected, but it rathe regrettable that no further notice has been taken of Whyte. Incidental!,' one mav ask why two such fine Rewards as Murray and I’eterson, o‘ Christchurch, have not been givey a chance. At any rate, it is most re-

markable that the selectors should ha\e delivered their ultimatum Ix'fore the match between the second New Zealand team and New South Wales next Kattirdav.