FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1927, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

ALL BLACK TRIALS. YESTERDAY’S M ATCM. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. Sept. 2K. The play was rather disappointing in the South Island All Black trial match to-day. The selectors had apparently grouped the best lorwards with the second-selection hacks, calling this team the Possibles, and the best hacks with the second-selection forwards, calling these Probables. The Probables wore red and black, ami tbc Possibles black.

The ground was fast, and a cool breeze tempered the beat of the sunshine. The conditions were ideal for football. The play was disappointing on the whole, although there were flashes of individual, rather titan combined brilliance. The Black forwards won the match, completely outclassing their slower opponents. The Possibles won by 31 points to 15. The first score was a penalty goal for the Possibles, kicked by D. Lindsay. A red forward bad been too eager on the side of the scrum well inside his own 25. Almost immediately afterwards, Ute blacks lost another score by the hardest luck. Lindsay and Snodgrass gained ground with good runs and passes, until Snodgrass passed Infield to Scrimshaw. The latter took the pass well, with a clear run in of only 20 vards, when fie stumbled and fell.

Tiie blacks generally were having the best of tho play from the scrum. Holden flicked the ball out like a. flash to Reed, who swerved to beat his man, and passed to Snodgrass. The big, speedy winger completely outran Steel, bumped bard into Lilburne, and had speed enough to get over at the corner. Lindsay kicked a beautiful goal. Blacks 8: Reds 0. Tho Blacks’ next try was a beauty. After a. few indifferent passes, Reed gave the ball to Snodgrass, racing into it, and Snodgrass fended a- couple of men, bustled Steel, and passed infield at R. Stewart, who was backing up fast. The big forward was well tackled by Lilburne, hut was almost on the line, and he grounded the ball safely. Lindsay landed another goal, his third very fine kick. Blacks 13: Rods 0. Steel then had a chance to show his quality ns a strong runner, as two minutes later, from a formless scramble AlcGregor secured, cut in cleverly, and passed to Steel. The latter, after one of his characteristic bumping and fending runs, covered JO yards to the lino and scored. His own kick iililed. Blacks 13: Reds 3. The. fortunes varied until lialf lime, but there was no further score.

The Mucks won*, playing against the wind in the second" spell. Their forwards had the best id all the loose play, and two or three times their backs were set going. Tlu* Red tackling was sale, however. From the Macks’ side id halt way, Mcdregor took a pass well, swerved, and passed to Steel, who was thrown over I In 1 corner flag by Snodgrass—a very good tackle. Steel had his revenge live minutes later. Taking a pass from Dailey, Steel raced for the line, and shook oil Snodgrass, hut lie was tackled round the neck very well hy llazlewood. Almost the same manoeuvre led to almost the same result a moment later, hut this time Steel fended Snodgrass as if he were a schoolboy. Hasdowood brought Steel down, hut he was then over the line—a good try. Steel failed with the kick. Macks 13: Reds (i. Steel, who was the only scorer to dale for the Reds, added three more points hy a brilliant penalty goal from the line. The Macks’ forwards, always the hotter in the loose, swept down the field until More picked up near the line, and ran round to score behind the post. Lindsay goaled. Blacks IS: Reds !).

Alter sin interval, of which the Reds had the hotter, the Blacks were forced. From the drop-out. their forwards broke loose with the hall at their toe. Ha/.lett picked up, and passed to bnodgrass. Being surrounded, Snodgrass dropped the hall to his leet. went on with it. and drihhled over the line, where he fell on the hall to score. Lindsay missed the shot at goal. Blacks'2l: Reds !). Front the kick-out, the Reds attained, and a penalty against Alley for flagrant off-side play allowed Strang to kick a goal. Blacks 21: Reds 12. Another penalty for holdhig the hall gave Strang another chance to goal, which lie accepted. Blacks 21 : Reds 10. Strang had still another shot with another penalty, but this one be missed. From a line out on the Reds’ line, the hall went to Reed, who dived over, and Lindsay goaled. Blacks 26: Reds 15. The host line of passing in the match resulted in the Blacks scoring again. Holden shot the ball to Jamieson, who sent on to Lindsay, who ran round and gdaled. Blacks 111: Rods 15. This was the final score.

COMMENTS OX THE PLAY MRS. | Very few of the players reproduced their besi form in the match. The selectors would have no difficulty selecting Lindsay as the best centre. threc-C|Uarter. Robilliard had little to do, but bis form fliis season lias been uniformly J good. To-day be gave Hashes of good play on bis few opportunities. Steel’s display was mixed. Snodgrass was vards faster, and was always dangerous. but lie had not learned the j trick of tackling Steel, and eonse-| quently be allowed Steel to beat lnmj twice. i Holden, on to-day’s play was more ( interesting than Bailey. His passing from the scrum was immeasurably bet-j tor. but be did not show Bailey’s en-| thusiasm on defence. As an attacking half, be seemed definitely Bailey s superior. Neither Lilburne nor Hazlewood was very convincing, but Lilburne will improve with experience in the position. Scrimshaw was much superior to Johnson at wing forward. The selectors have kept their original choice of the pack unchanged. FREITAS PROMINENT. The only other forward who, on today’s play, deserved consideration, was Freitas, the West Coaster, who led nearly all the red and black forward rushes. THE REMAINING TRIALS. WELLINGTON, Sept. 28. Mr H. J. McKenzie (Wairarapa) has been appointed referee for the North v. South Island match on Saturday. Mr E. Empson (Canterbury) has been

appointed referee for the Possibles v. Probables mutches on Wednesday. SOUTH ISLAND TKAAI. . The following is the selected South Island team:— Full-hack : Lilburne. Three-quarters: Robilliard, Lindsay, and Steel. Five-eighths: AlcGregor and Strang. Half-back: Dailey. Wing forward: Scrimshaw. Forwards; Burrows, Hero. Stewart, Alley, Hazlett, Alarslin ami Snow. Reserves: Backs, Holden, Snodgrass, and Carleton; forwards, Godfrey and Young. THE TRIP TO THE CAPE. AYEL LING TON, Sept. 28. The dates for the All Blacks leaving New Zealand and arriving in South Africa, and leaving from there, have now been finalised. The team are leaving Auckland by the Aorangi on April 17, and are leaving Sydney by uie Euripides on April 21st. They arrive at Durham on May 21st, and arrive at Capetown on ATay 26th. The All Blacks leave South Africa bv the s.s. Ceremic on September Jtb. A cable received to-day from the South African Union states that an easy match is being arranged, making 22 matches, and a trip also is to be made to Victoria Falls. The question of the extra match will be discussed by tbe X.Z. Union when the cable is confirmed.

AVARATAHS WIN. (Received this dnj ? at 10.15 a.m.A LONDON, Sept. 28. New South Wales defeated Aberttilery hy 13—3. Tito following have been selected to represent Inangahua against theAAesthmtl team in the match for the Dittlnan Shield which takes place on Saturday next on the Reelton Racecourse: — R. Smith. J. Panckhurst, J. Adams, J. Eitnmer, Fuller (Capt.), AlcCrostie, Cutbusli, P. Gallagher, T. O’Donnell, S. Smith, E. Patterson, Hind marsh, Kelly, Al (Donald, AY. Hunt. Emergencies.—Reid, Powley.

AVARATAHS’ FIXTURES. Oct. I—Swansea, at Swansea. ~ Oct. s—East Midlands, Notts, Lines, and Derby at Southampton. Oct. B—Yorkshire atul Cumberland, at Bradford. Oct. 12—Glasgow, at Glasgow. Oct. 15—South of Scotland, at Atelroso. Oct. I!)—North of Scotland, at Aberdeen. Oct. 22—London, at Twickenham. Oct. 27—Oxford University, at Oxford. Orl. 29—Leicestershire, at Leicester. Nov. 2—Cambridge University, at Cambridge. Nov. s—Combined Services. at Twickenham. Nov. 12—Ireland, at Dublin. Nov. 10—Ulster, at Belfast. Nov. 19—. Northumberland and Durham, at Newcastle. Nov. 20—-Wales at Cardiff. Nov. 29—Llanelly, at Llanelly. Dec. 3—Cardiff, at Cardiff. T)oc. B—Pontypool, at Pontypool. Dec. TO—Lancashire and Cheshire,

at Birkenhead. Bee. 17—Scotland, at Edinburgh. Bee. 22—Warwick and North Midlands, at Coventry. Bcc. 26—London, at Twickenham. Lee. 31—Gloucester and Somerset, at Bristol. .Tan. 7—England, at Twickenham. The team to represent Kokatahi juniors to play Excelsior-A on Saturday will ho selected from the follow-. jug: A. Stop forth. R. Woolhouse. C. Morel. V. Lawson. B. Morel, A. Woolliou.se. W. Wall, E. Morris, S. ITavil], M. Wallace, H. Fleming. P. At nil', J. Marshall, A. Muir. R. Groweott, A. Morrison, M.. Muir, and Bimmick.*