DECADENCE ?

NZ Truth, Issue 1179, 5 July 1928, Page 14

DECADENCE ?

Rep. Game Not Up To Standard

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) Auckland had its first rep. match last Saturday and unless the team show to better advantage than they did on that day, there is very little hope of seeing .them come back from the southern tour with an unbeaten record such as they held last season. THEIR play. was far from inspiring, 1 lacking both m combination and thrust. Though occasionally they rose to something like last year's form, it was only spasmodically. There was far too much individual play and the tendency of several players who should know better, to hang on to the ball. Further, the failure to follow up, was disconcerting to spectators, and it is quite certain that this failure will get them into trouble when they meet betr ter sides than was the case last week. 71 1 was not brilliant play on the part of the winners that made them victors on the day. In fact, there was hardly what might be termed a brilliant movement during the whole eighty minutes. The team seemed lifeless m comparison with the 1927 fifteen, though the side contained no fewer than ten members of that fine combination. The only change m the pack was Finlayson m place of Hadley as hooker, and this player can- be depended upon always to play a good game. Saturday was no exception, for he scored two out of the six tries scored by the home team.