FIRST LEAGUE TEST

Hokitika Guardian, 1 August 1932, Page 3

FIRST LEAGUE TEST

WON BY ENGLISH VISITORS.

VICTORY BY 24 POINTS TO 9.

I Per Press Association — Copyright. )

AUCKLAND, July 30

The first League Test match between England and New Zealand was played at Carlaw Park to-day, England winning by twenty-four points to nine. The weather was beautifully fine. The ground was a little greasy. The attendance was twentjy-five thousand.

The game was fast and spectacular. The Englishmen’s superior weight gave their side a big advantage in the scrums, and they gained possession oy a majority of twenty to five in the first spell and eighteen to seven in the second spell.

'llie New Zealand bucks nullified this advantage to a great extent by playing right on top of their opponents. The visitors were freely penalised in the first spell for obstruction and for shepherding. Sixteen penalties were given against England in the first half, and five against New Zealand. The penalising had the Englishmen rattled a good deal. On one occasion Sullivan, the captain, displayed temper and lost hi s head, by kicking the hall deliberately into/the Domain behind his own posts. ' A talk by the English manager at half-time evidently Had a good effect, as the penalties decreased in the second spell. There were only four against England and three against New Zealand;

Cooke, and Brisbane were easily New Zealand’s best hacks, and with anything like a share of the ball, Cooke would .have been a more dangerous scorer than any of his opponents. Calder, O’Brien and St. George were the best New Zealand forwards. Hutt spoiled his display by presenting the Englishmen with two tries. Sullivan’s kicking was a great assistance to England; Ellaby, Atkinson and Smith proved to be clever three-quarters. The English forwards were solid and powerful. They handled well, and were too good in scrummaging for the New Zealand pack.

New Zealand won the toss, and played with the sun. They set up an early attack. Cooke cut in nicely, and play settled near England’s line. From a penalty fairly wide out, Laing goaled. New Zealand 2; England 0.

Then; from play just inside the New Zealand half, Sullivan just missed kicking a penalty goal, and also msised an easier shot right in front at the twen-ty-five. The visitors were getting the hall in practically every scrum by their superior weight, but the New Zealand tackling was sound. Eventually Hodgson pidked up in the loose, and passed to Ellaby, who side-stepped Laing to score at the corner. Sullivan missed the shot. England 3; New Zealand 2. England were penalised for shepherding, hut Cooke misled a shot at goal from ten yards inside the half-way line. The visitors were later penalised for offside, following a five-yards scrum, and Laing placed New Zealand ahead again with a nice goal. New Zealand 4; England 3. Hodgson then narrowly missed a goal from a' penalty near the touchline. Passing between Evans, Brogden and Atkinson saw the last-named catch the defence on the hop. He cut in and ran over unopposed near the posts. Hodgson missed the kick from an easy angle. England 6; New Zealand 4. -

| Cooke, Smith and Hutt were associated in ’a splendid bout of in-and-out passing, which thrilled the crowd, the ball going out only a yard from the corner. The play then swung to the other side, where Laing failed with a penalty shot. Calder then missed a penalty kick from near half-way*

j Sullivan, who obviously was annoy--ed at the frequent penalties here turned and kicked the ball deliberately into the Domain behind his own goal line. The crowd ■ hooted him roundly. The j referee gave a scrum five yards out, 1 although once the ball became dead , from a free kick, this was a doubtful

decision. After further scrums the ball was passed out by Masters to Brisbane and Cooke, who dumfnied Brogden beautii fully, and scored near the posits. Laing ! converted; Half-time then arrived with the score: New Zealand 9; England 6. Shortly after resuming, Hutt foolishly threw the ball towards the front of his own goal. The English backs broke away. Cooke brought Ellaby down well, hut, after further short passing, Atkinson scored in the corner. Sullivan kicked a great goal, placing England in the lead. England lip New Zealand 9. I' Laing missed an opportunity of evening the scores with a penalty, but the hall never rose. Cooke and List broke , right away, with a dribbling run, hut | Masters spoiled the movement, by knocking on when trying to pick up the ball. Scissors-passing between Cooke and Smith saw the last-named run over, hut he was recalled for a for.wnrd pass. Silcock headed the English forwards with a rush well inside the New Zealand half, where Sullivan inI creased the visitors’ total witlr a splendid goal. England 13; New Zealand 9. i Evans raced from' a scrum and passed to Atkinson, who was almost over. A weak clearing kick by Scott gave Sib cock possession. He passed to Feet.Jiam, who scored wide out. Sullivan kicked another fine goal. England 18; New Zealand 9. New Zealand were in a good attacking position when Hutt presented the visitors with another try. He pnssetl straight into the hands of the English backs. The ball went out to Ellabv, who side-stepped Laing cleverly, and finished a sixty-yards run b v grounding the ball at the corner. Sullivan missed

the kick. England .21; New Zealand 9. New Zealand then took another turn at attack, Laing passing to Scott, who gained a lot of ground. St. George missed a try from a scrummage on the line. Then Cooke was just beaten for a touch-down by Brogden. A long kick by Sullivan gained ground. Then Smith picked up in the lofise, sidestepped Laing, and Cooke appeared to push the Englishman into touch in goal, but a try was awarded. Sullivan missed the kick, and the game ended: England ... ••• New Zealand