THE SCORE WAS RIGHT

NZ Truth, Issue 1185, 16 August 1928, Page 14

THE SCORE WAS RIGHT

Though Eastern Province Made A Hard Game of It

(By Cable.— From "N.Z. Truth's" • Special Representative touring with the . ...•':■■■ - 4■ - ' All Blacks.) : „ THE All. Blacks were far from convincing against Eastern Province and on the ground where the third Test will be played on Saturday next, but they won by 16 points to 3., / The homesters, owing to injuries, had to play many reserves, yet they more than held the tourists m the scrums while their condition lasted, and had- fully; .as much of the game. It was only after fifty-seven minutes. that the. All Blacks managed to score their second try arid take the lead. The first half bf:the match was stoutly contested, and after Lilburne had broken through the defence and passed to Burrows to score, Dower ran through the gap past Lucas to equalize. ... Lindsay and Strarig missed two penalties from easy scoring distances. In fact, Lindsay stems to have lost his kicking form, which is a serious loss to th© side. . . . String played finely and started the movement which led to his try, coming round, to take the final pass, and he was responsible for Burrows' second try, while Rushbrook's try was for an opportunist, the ball rolling out of a loose scrum, the wing snatching it up to dart over. Lilburne again gave a most promising display at first fi.veieighths and should be a strong .candidate for the Test team. Several times he broke round the scrum m most elusive fashion, beating defenders with his agile side-step. As yet, however, his sense of position is not always correct, and he plays.better beside Nicholls, who seemingly, inspires him. h Johnson was moderate and appears to suffer from the fact that he has been without a match for some time, and it will be surprising if he is preferred to'' Nicholls next week. . ■■.■.-. Lucas was weak m defence and on to-day's form cannot expect to play, while Rushbrook and Robilliard got few chances and were crowded into, the touchline owing to the inability of the inside men to effect an opening. Lindsay was not m his best form and often failed to find touch, giving hia forwards" lots of work. -Burrows, Hadley and McWilliams were the best of the forwards m the tight, all giving a capable display, while Brownlie was outstanding m the loose, often 1 throwing out long passes to his backs. ■-. It-was anticipated that the New Zealanders would win more comfortably, and .the .critics were disappointed with the score, but nevertheless, after the Johannesburg Test, they are no longer disposed to regard the issue m the third Test -with the same confidence that was evident early m the ...tour. . • -The Springboks will be without their best centre m Stanley Osier, owing to a strained thigh muscle, and it would not be surprising were Dower, the province\centre, on the strength of his clever showing to-day, given the v place. Fortunately, the tourists will have all the best of their players available, with the exception of Ajley, whose illness is more severe than at first : thought. : One possible weakness is Dalley, who has not had a match for v three weeks. The tourists are having a period of special training at Humewood, a pleasant beach resort, twenty minutes 7 run from the city.