THIRD TEST MATCH

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1930, Page 3

THIRD TEST MATCH

WON BY NEW ZEALAND & A WELL DESERVED WIN —c —- 15 POINTS TO 10 — --O swell contested, thrilling game (By Telegraph—Press Association).

■ VJ \ ,; Auckland; July 26. Neiv. Zealand defeated Britain by 15 points to 10 in the third Rugby Test match, played at Eden Park this afternoon. It was a game packed with ’incident, and one which will he remembered for thrilling play. RECORD CROWD. It was announced that a crowd of ...40,000. was present, which'* is a record iattendance for a football match in New Zealand. By nine o’clock there ; were 500 people at the Park, and two hours' later the number had increased to 28’000. The special trains were packed, and motor cars were parked ■by.thousands in the streets adjoining the ground. .

• RESULT ALWAYS IN DOUBT. The result of tlie game was in doubt until the finish, and although it was evident that there would be a great rush for home, scarcely a person left the .ground before the end of the game, so intense was the excitement. The British team played a vastly different game from that against Auckland last• Saturday, and the score was affair indication of the merits of the .teams. New Zealand certainly gained a well-deserved win, for, after.the first half hour,/ during which ■ Britain held tlie advantage, both back and forward, the line-outs, the team settled down to a game which was worthy of an All Black side. Each side changed its tactics,' and in this respect the advantage generally lay with New Zealand.

SPONG OUTSTANDING. The Inclusion. of Spong made a wonderful difference to the British reaiguard’s method of attack. Poole got 'the'ball away very fast and Spong was quick to make the most of every opportunity. He was, without doubt, the outstanding player on the British side. Britain had the better of the first half territorially,' but there was a noticeable improvement in the piny of the VU Blacks in ' ihe second spell. The lighter All Black pack, more than held their own, especially in the loose, and there was 1 no easing up in the play of either vanguard. mninf’S norm nCTFATF,.

Tlie experience of Cooke, Porter, 1 Nicholls and Lucas was a big factor in New'Zealand’s success, Cooke showi ing much of his true form. He was dangerous in every attacking movement, and was a tower of strength in defence. Nicholls and Lucas were both among the best players on the field. Xepia was not called upon to do much work, but he carried out his duties well. i, Bassett, on the other hand, had a busy afternoon, and he played a creditable game. Corner was not so successful as in his ! two previous games against the British team, largely because he was closely •watched, and 'because, in the first spell, he was inclined to do too much on ' his own. In the second spell, he settled down to a sound game. THE PLAY. New Zealand kicked off against th< ' wind and sun, the first movement being a good attempt by Strang to goa M "from a ' penalty just inside half way 'tlie New Zealand backs were quickly seen in action, carrying play to Bri ■ tain’s 25. Their -advantage was shor r 'lived, and a few minutes later Blacl attempted a penalty goal, which fel short. , BRITISH ATTACK. The first movement of the Britis. ’ backs ended in a spirited dash up th side line by Reeve, who howevpi * short-punted beyond the dead ball line Play hovered about half-way unt Britain was given a penalty well witl in 'New Zealand territory, Black’s kic .jVoirig a little wide. Britain continue ! to hold an advantage, and from loose scrum,, the ball was whipped or to Aarvold. Lucas saved a dangeroi situation by intercepting Aarvold in pass to Spong. Led by Beamish, the British forward! ; : forced the play to within a few yardi 6f the New Zealand line. From ase scrum, only a few yards out, feponf cut in cleverly, giving Bowcott a clea 1 run for a try between the posts. I was a clever movement, and the en thusiasm of the crewd was thoroughly roused. Ivor Jones converted. Britain 5; New Zealand 0 New Zealand then penetrated ’ t< ' 'Britain’s twenty-five with a movemen i between Strang and Hart on the blini

side, but Britain were not long in retaliating. Poole found the line within the New Zealand 25, and Ivor Jones narrowly missed goaling from a penalty kick. Britain continued to hold the advantage, adroitly throwing the hall about in. a manner which thrilled the spectators. NEW ZEALAND OFFENSIVE, New Zealand improved its position when Corner sent. Strang and Hart away in a bright move on the blind side, Hart inpassed to Cooke, who ! centred. Bassett, however, relieved the position with a good line kick. The situation again looked dangerous for. Britain when Porter broke through on i a great dash, passing to Steere. Lucas was in a handy position, but the pass j went astray. Two serums ifollowed in i Britain’s 25. Corner first tried the blind side, but was blocked. Securing a second time, Corner sent the New | Zealand backs away on the other side, j Cooke cut in at top speed, and Hart dashed for the line. The crowd arose j to its feet, but Hart lost possession, only a few yards from■ the line. The play fluctuated between the two 25’s until a good penalty kick by Nepia gave New Zealand a temporary advantage. Then Ivor Jones, backed up by Hodgson and Aarvold, broke through and Cooke was again called upon to save his position with a free kick. Britain continued to press. ALL BLACKS EQUALISE. Porter kicked through from the loose, and Bassett took a difficult ball on the bounce and returned to Nepia, who kicked over the line, Britain forcing. A good back move, in which Cooke and Hart were prominent, took play to within a few yards of Britain’s line. Securing from scrums which follow-, ed, New Zealand made desperate efforts to score, only to be forced ;back. Then came a brilliant move from which New Zealand equalised the scores. Nicholls moved in to first five-eighth, and Corner sent him the ball out smartly from a scrum in Britain’s 25. Nicholls kicked across the field to-Lil-ians, wilt gathered the hall beautifully, j and, with the British hacks caught out of position, Lucas was able to score near the posts. It was a great piece of strategy on the part of Nicholls. Strang converted. New Zealand 5, Britain 5. SECOND SPELL. During the greater part of the first half the sun had been obscured by j clouds, but in the second spell it appeared again , fitfully. The crowd was ; given a thrill early in the spell. Corj ner was caught in possession, and Britain were given a penalty. Black took the kick aginst the wind and sun, missing a goal only narrowly. Britain continued to receive a fair share of the hall from the scrums, and their backs were always dangerous. N.Z TAKE THE LEAD. Cooke returned a penalty kick by Parker, and in a splendid forward rush by the New Zealand forwards, Bassett’s .return was smothered, Steere I forcing his way to score a try. Strang I failed to convert from some distance . j out. New Zealand 8, Britain 5. I, Play followed near half-way, until Aarvold made a great hurst for the line past Lucas. He was caught, and , the New Zeaand forwards rallied J round, Batty relieving the position temporarily with a good line kick. Bn- ’ tain continued to press hard near the ’ corner flag, Nicholls clearing final.lv I from a scrum. Porter then secured possession from Spong, at half-way. i and broke through, Hart carrying the j.move to Britain’s 25 line. Then, rea oeiving the ball smartly from a scrum I I Nicholls coolly drop-kicked a great s i goal. s i I New Zealand 12, Britain 5.

Strenuous forward play followed, until Spong beat both the New Zealand forwards and backs in a. dashing run. He passed to Morley, who short-punted down the line. However, Cooke was backing up, and he was able to clear. The British forwards continued to,press hard, and there were several moments of suspense Batty then broke through and dropping the hall to his feet, reversed the advantage with a great effort Hart cross-kicked, hut Bassett was Safe, and found the line with a good kick. Cooke retaliated by find-

ing flic line in 'Britain’s 25. Thou Corner ran over to score near the corner. Nicholls’s kick fell short. New Zealand 15, Britain 5. Spong was prominent in every movement, and again he made a determined effort, wliic3i“Oopke: : friisti;ated'. Porter was watching Spong carefully. The New Zealand forwards were sent back repeatedly by penalty kicks, but they returned in a great loose rush, and crossed Britain’s line only to be recalled. "With only a few minutes before time, light rain began, and there was one heavy shower. Then Aarvold and Morley broke away with a great hurst of speed, Morley being forced om by Nepia. Following loose play at halfway, Cooke was tackled without the hall, allowing Ivor Jones and. Aarvold to come through, the latter scoring behind the posts. Black converted. New Zealand 15, Britain 10. The excitement was now intense, the game ending a minute or two later with play in midfield. Mr L. S. Hollander, of Christchurch, was referee. " 1 OBSTRUCTIVE TACTICS. . CONDEMNED B Y MR E McKENZIE AUCKLAND, July 27. A criticism of tactics adopted by the British Rugby team was made at the dinner to the Test teams last night by Mr E. McKenzie, manager ef tlie New Zealand Selection‘ Committee. Mr McKenzie said: “In tlie early part of the present tour, tlie manager of the English team (Mr Baxter), had criticised the New Zealand style of Rugby, and in particular the wing-fonvard, who has been described as the wolf of the game. Wo appreciate 'this criticism (said Mr McKenzie), hut I have seen the majority of the Britsih team’s games, and .1 think I might reply by criticising certain, aspects of the visitors’ olay. There have been points in the British play to which strong exception can he taken. I have noticed, frequently, crises of■ obstruction, and what we in. New •.'Zealand know as “shepherding.’’ Ido not know whether they have been intentional or not. I certainly ho"e they have not. It is an offence agaimt-the, rules of the game, and T must say that some of the instances of obstruction appeared to have been deliberately, studied. Shepherding the player with the hall, so that he esnnot he tackled, has also been common, and frequently members of the opposing teams have been held by tlieir jersovs after ■ thcy> have got rid of the ■ball. : Mr McKenzie said that he would not pretend thrt New Zealand players were perfect. “They mav also, on occasions, he guilt’" of lapses in this respect,” he said, “hut I. will say that the British team is' a fine enohgh side to win matches without resorting to obstruction and similar tactics, which may, or may not. be intentional. After the dinner, Mr Baxter and Mr Prentice declined to reply to Afr McKenzie's statements. Several prominent officials, including Mr Dean (chairman of -the Management Committee of the New Zealand Union). Mr J. Arne.il (President of the Auckland Union), and Mr H. Front (Chairman of the Auckland Management Committee), all expressed regret at Air .McKenzie’s statements. TOUR TAKINGS OVER £40,000 AUCKLAND, July 27. The largest crowd that has ever witnessed a 'football match in New Zealand attended the third Rugby Test match yesterday. The official estimate is over'4o,ooo. The gate takings were £SOOO. ‘ ' The total gate takings for the tour are now over £42,000.