A FAMOUS TRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 115, 5 August 1927, Page 10

A FAMOUS TRY

“DALLY” MESSENGER’S I WONDERFUL EFFORT I AGAINST 1907 ALL | BLACKS RECALLED

MEMORIES OF THE PAST Wherever Rugby men talk of great tries, the name of ‘the master” “Dally” Messenger, Australia’s freak champion—is sure to be mentioned. ■\fESSENGER was the hero of many matches. He scored many wonderful tries. Perhaps the most spectacular of all was when he leapt clean over the heads of a couple of New Zealanders at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1907. and went over the line for a try. a It was a try that caused indescribable enthusiasm among the Sydney crowd; and it will ever be remembered by those who saw it scored. Messenger’s sensational try was scored for New South Wales against New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 17, 1907. New South Wales won by 14 to nil. It was just five minutes after the start of the second half that Messenger made his wonderful leap. New South Wales was pressing, and Bede Smith, playing in the centre, secured the ball, and, feinting, beat two opponents, before sending the ball out to Messenger, who was playing on the wing. The crowd roared when “Dally” got the ball and was seen moving toward the goal-line. There was a moment's silence, then, when it was seen that the champion’s way was barred by a couple of New Zealanders, keen to bring him down. There was a wild roar, however, when Messenger, disregarding the obvious signs of “no admittance here,” without a second’s hesitation, leapt straight at the Blacks barring bis path. He shot feet into the air, and went headfirst over the shoulders of the astonished defenders. He might have broken his neck, but he didn’t. Instead, he scored a try that will go down in football history as one of the most amazing ever scored. It is only necessary to add that ‘•Dally” sent the spectators even wilder with delight when he converted the try with a great kick.