FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1928, Page 4

FOOTBALL

THIRD TEST. WON BY NEW SOUTH WALES. ALL BLACKS MISS CHANCES. (By Tolegrnph—Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 15.

'Hie third test match between Now Zealand and New South Wales was played at Jjancaster Park to-day, and was won by tho visitors by oleven points to eight. The weather, unfortunately was not kind. Early showers had mado tho ground greasy, and drizf'.ly showers early in the afternoon kept the crowd away. The attendance was eleven thousand. Tho followers of football, especially those who saw New South Wales play, were prepared for tho All Blacks defeat and it was freely conceded that New South Wales had been unlucky to lose tho rubber. After to-day’s match, that opinion was gravely shaken. New South Wales, meeting one of tho weakest teams that has ever represented New Zealand, needed all the luck of the game to win.

Tho first spell was fairly evenly contested with a slight advantage for New South Wales, who showed better back play. The visitors led by eight points to nil at half-time, and it looked as if they might score a decisive victory. However, in tho second spell, the AH Blacks forwards livened up, and their bustling tactics kept New South Wales on the defence for tho greater part of tho spell. The All Blacks were really unlucky not to score more points. A good goal kicker would have been of assistance to them, as several easy penalties Were missed. Apart from this, the All Blacks were near to scoring on several occasions. Once Macaky actually crossed the line, but was unable to ground the ball before being thrown into touch-in-goal. The try which New South Wales scored in the second spell was rather a lucky one, but the visitors must be given credit to being quick to seize any opportunity.

The display of football was below international standard, and was often much below. New South Wales threw the ball about freely in the first spell, but the combination among the hacks was not particularly. good, and their rushes were spectacular rather than effective, the players running across the ground. The tackling of the New South Wales backs was very sound. In the first spell the New South Wales forwards had the better of tho game, especially in tho loose, and shone in fine dribbling rushes, but in the second half, the New Zealand forwards dominated the game. The All Black hookers got a fair share of the ball from the scrums. Some of the New Zealand forwards, especially Porter, were too eager, and penalties against them were frequent. They were penalised more often than thg, visitors.

THE TEAMS. The teams were:— All Blacks.—Mchrtens; Mackay, Hook, McClymont; Oliver, McKenzie; Page;' Porter; Palmer, Clark, Willoughby, Freitas, Steers, Robinson and Knight. New South Wales.—Westfield; Hemingway, Towers, Caldwell; Smairl ; George; Snell; Cerutti, O’Donnell, C’omrio, Thompson, O’Connor, Bland, Loudon, Bardsley and Rosenblaum. New Zealand played against the wind. Tho opening exchanges were lively, but loft play in mid-field. New Zealand had a fair chance when Hook sent Mackay away. Tho winger beat his man and centred. Westfield fumbled, but his forwards saved him, and led a grand rush to the New Zealand twenty-five. More even play followed until Page and Porter sent Oliver away, who cut through, only to slip and lose tho ball when a try was

well ill view. Both sides found the greasy suifnce of the ground difficult and this spoiled many good movements. A penalty against New Zealand took tho visitors to tho New Zealand twenty-five. There Snell sent his backs away. Tito hull went to George and to Caldwell, who throw a long pass over Towers’s head to Smaill. The winger heat Mehrtcns and scored at the corner. Caldwell missed the kick. NEW SOUTH WALKS ... 3 NEW ZEALAND ... 0 Now Zealand attacks were frequent but were always safely repelled by the New South Wales hacks, who in their turn, always looked dangerous when in

possession. A fine passing rush just before half-time gave Hemingway a chance, and the big winger outpaced AleClymont and ran well into tho twenty-five before .Mehrtcns throw him out. Then, from a scramble Loudon secured and smashed his way over for n fine try, which Towers converted. The half-time scores were: NEW SOUTH WALES ... 8 NEW ZEALAND ... 0

Loudon, the visitors’ host forward, led two fine rushes to the New Zealand line, but both were repelled. Tlie play was very fast now, and New South Wales were mostly on the defensive, where their hacks work was very sound. From a .scrum oil the New South Wales line, the visitors rallied to score one of the best tries off the season. George started the moveiiieiiti and handed the hall to Loudon, who passed to O’Donnell. After this player tho hall went to Hemingway, who used his speed and rail round tho opposition to score. Towers’s kick failed. NEW SOUTH WALES ... 11 NEW ZEALAND ... 0

New Zealand’s plight now looked desperate. Another good passing rush saw Towers break through, but his pass was dropped when Smairl was outside him, unmarked. The New Zealanders now swept the length of the field in two fine rushes, in which Oliver ami Porter were prominent, and then Knight passed to McClyiiioiit, who scored near the corner. Mehrtens’ kick failed.

NEW SOUTH WALES ... 11 NEW ZEALAND ... 3 From this out, the All Blacks never gave the visitors a chance. Several times the visitors line was in imminent danger, hut failure by the New Zealand players let Now South Wales out. The New South Wales hacks were mostly content to play safely, marking frequently. The final incident of note in the play was Now Zealand’s last try. Following a line-out, Page sent tho hacks aWay. McKenzie ran through brilliantly, and passed to Oliver, who went over for a fine try near the posts. Oliver kicked the goal himself. The final score was:

NEW SOUTH WALES ... 11 \ NEW ZEALAND ... 8 IIANFUBLY SHIELD. WAIBARAPA v. HOBOWHENUA. CARTERTON. Sept. 15. Tho game Wnirarapa v. Horowhemia for tho Rnnfurly Shield promised well for a start, but Wnirarapa wore much too strong, dominating the play for three-quarters of the game. Wairani pa. in the last quarter censed to Ixithor, and Horowhemia scored two tries and potted a goal. The game ended : Wnirarapa. 31, Horowhemia 10. The attendance was between three and four thousand. The weather eond.ilibfis' were good, Mr ,T. King (Wangnmii) held the whlutlai

WELLINGTON v. NELSON. WELLINGTON, Sept., 10. Wellington played Nelson on Saturday at Athletio Park, before a small attendance. At hhlf-time the score was Wellington 10 Nelson 3, and tho final score Wellington 19, Nelson 14.

TARANAKI v. WAIKATO. HAMILTON, Sept. 15. The representative Rugby match, Taranaki v. Waikato, was played here in windy weather, and resulted in a win for Taranaki by eight points to six. HAWKE’S BAY BEAT AUCKLAND. NAPIER, Sept. 15. Before an attendance of about tlirco and a-lmlf thousand., Hawke’s Bay beat Auckland this afternoon by 21 to 8. WELLINGTON BEAT OTAGO. DUNEDIN, Sept. 15. In tlio poorest game of' the season, Wellington defeated Otago by 22 to 9. For tile winners, Pickering (2), PUtts, Wilson and Williams scored tries, while Ilazlewood converted two tries and kicked a penalty goal. For Otago Moore scored and Callender kicked two penalty goals.

A BIG SCOBE. AUCKLAND, Sent. 15. In the Rugby match to-day Auckland heat Thames Valley by 56 points to 8. JUNIOR REP. GAME. CANTERBURY BEATEN BY 14—8. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 10. At Lancaster Park on Saturday the West Coast junior Rugby representatives defeated the Canterbury juniors after a fast and interesting game hv 14 points to 8. The match was played ns a curtain raiser to the third test, a,nd some eleven thousand people witnessed this contest. Coast’s tally was made up of a splendid try by MeEiirtney and a try by Wilson, while Lem in .and Gordon each potted a field goal. Canterbury’s score was brought about from a try each by J. Jacobs aiul E. Gasson, the first score being converted by R. Wallburton.