MAROONED

NZ Truth, Issue 1190, 20 September 1928, Page 14

MAROONED

Waratahs Downed By Southland (From "N.Z. Truth's" Invercargill Rep.) If the Waratahs had brought a decent place- kicker with them to Southland, they must have won by a fairly big margin.. INSTEAD of this they were down five ■*• points : at the end of a sparkling game which finished 31 to 26. Opening sensationally with a try m the first half-minute, the visitors looked to be on the track of a cricket score. They, had the luck of a fair breeze which grave .them, position readily. But the maroon forwards soon began to take charge, and the speedy Waratah backs got something more than attack to occupy them. ' At half-time the points were 23 to 14 m favor of Southland." The best run of the spell — and of the day — was .made by Towers, who beat McAuliffe with a fine swerve and ran thirty yards to score without being seriously worried. When the sides changed ends tho wind dropped. Southland began to make'- the game open, and the changes were very frequent. Smairl and J. O'Connor combined m an effort for. a pretty try. Great bustling play by each pack followed, the balance being held m the pace of ,the, Waratah backs. The pace told on the visiting pack, and the maroons began to bunch again. This saved them from being run around by/ Towers, Hemmingway and Smairl, who were playing very good Rugger. ! Always did the Waratah backs look ito.be. superior to the home seven, except m the case, of the half-back, C. Johnson proving; to be better than Snell.. Diack put on 15 points with his boot; C. Johnson kicked a ' field goal when the maroon pack had rounded up the I Waratah eight under the bar. ..New. South Wales scored 7 tries and converted only one. They had 14 penalties to the home 19, and converted a. solitary one. A, gqal-klcker would have pulled the game well out of the fire.. . •.;. .;. ... :. ; -;.. " ..-. ■. . The, play was olean enough : though. The Aussies specialized ! m shielding men picking up the ball, and m late stopping of . an opponent who has kioked. \ Towers must ■ rank as a great right centre, or second five, m Australia and In New Zealand; ' ( • . Hemmingway deserves special mention for swift dash and sound anticipation. Loudon, Ceretti and O'Connor were outstanding m the forwards when loose play was m view. ' v,H